will it take Rafa 2 - 3 months to find the right balance?

[Raj]

You mention that its a squad game but then try to determine who our best 11 are and how they will all fit in, know you options sonny...

 

Exactly. Rafa is looking to build a squad for the variety of games we will face, both in the league and the cup competitions.

There is no definitive 1st team, but there are a core of 6-7 players that will be the main focus. We already have at least 15 players who are used to playing on a regular basis, with each other, and this should carry through and in some circumstances, improve over the coming season.

 

My only concern with the squad, is the lack of a dominant strong player in the Kuyt mould. We definitely need 4 top quality strikers, with the likes of Pongolle as back-up.

[G Richards]

I would start with:

 

Reina

Finnan Carra Sami Riise

Gerrard Alonso Momo Kewell

Crouch Bellamy

 

The above assumes all players are fit. If we sign Kuyt then he would start to threaten Crouch's place.

 

I'd start introducing Pennant and Gonzales as the points are mounting up and we're out of the traps.

 

Garcia and Fowler would obviously feature as well, though I don't see them as regular starters in the league.

 

It's imperative to keep in touch with the top from the outset. If we are in touch around Feb/March then we have a great chance of winning the league, since I think we have the easiest run in over the last two months.

[Guz]

Kewell is injured for the start of the season, which is a big blow. It'll be interesting to see who will start on the left against Sheffield United. Depends if Rafa wants to (or can) throw Gonzalez or Aurelio right in.

[Guest Jack Bauer]

From what I've seen of Gonzalez in the friendlies - I don't think he's quite ready yet. Would expect Aurelio & Kewell to be ahead of him, but who knows if they'll be fit!

 

Friendlies.

[Frosty Jack]

In the league I can see gerrard playing behind bellamy and pennant starting. Think Aurelio will get the nod on the left if he's fit.

[americanscouser]

think Rafa will stick with what worked last year for the most part and bed a player or two in at a time. can't see wholesale changes from our best XI of last year. maintains some of last years consistency and gets us out of the gate fast.

[Guest Hunt21]

think Rafa will stick with what worked last year for the most part and bed a player or two in at a time. can't see wholesale changes from our best XI of last year. maintains some of last years consistency and gets us out of the gate fast.

 

That sounds sound to me.

[floyd the barber]

think Rafa will stick with what worked last year for the most part and bed a player or two in at a time. can't see wholesale changes from our best XI of last year. maintains some of last years consistency and gets us out of the gate fast.

 

thats what i think too, the biggest change in our fortunes came when Gerrard was moved to the right hand side...i would have thought it highly unlikely for Rafa to change the threesome of sissoko,alonso and gerrard which worked so well..

 

Now with pennant having signed, many are calling for gerrard to move back into the middle, personally i think it would be a bad move....

 

And yes it is a squad game but for a succeful team you have to keep the same core of players....

 

ie...reina,finnan,carra,alonso,sissoko and gerrard are the core of the side for me....with any other position able to be rotated, the strikers like last season..i believe will be rotated more often than not.

[blago]

I have a feeling Pennant will be used quite often. This may mean a change in formation in some games with us seeing 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 depending on the opposition. In some games we may play just one striker and in other games we might play without Sissoko to bring in a 2nd striker. Definitely lots of possibilities for sure.