Now we know what we've got left...

[Frosty Jack]

MANAGER: ROY.

 

 

 

 

----------------------REINA-----------------------

 

JOHNSON--CARRA-AGGER--AURELIO

 

------------------POULSEN----------------------

 

---------------------------MEIRELES------------

 

GERRARD------------------------------BABEL

 

-----------------------------COLE-----------------

 

----------------------TORRES--------------------

 

 

 

 

BENCH:

 

JONES

 

MAXI cover for right/withdrawn forward

 

KUYT & JOVANOVIC right/left & forward.

 

KELLY across back 4

 

LUCAS midfield 3

 

N'GOG forward

 

 

 

 

MD: CHRISTIAN PURSLOW

 

 

[Dominus Maximus]

Don't see why you place Gerrard on the right. This is the team.

 

-----------------------Pepe

 

Johnson - Carragher - Agger/Skrtel - Konchesky

 

-----------Meireles - Gerrard -------------------------

 

-----Kuyt -------Cole ------Jovanovic----------------

 

-------------------Torres---------------

[surf]

yes

[Frosty Jack]

Don't see why you place Gerrard on the right.

 

Controversy

[Mike]

Don't see why you place Gerrard on the right. This is the team.

 

-----------------------Pepe

 

Johnson - Carragher - Agger/Skrtel - Konchesky

 

-----------Meireles - Gerrard -------------------------

 

-----Kuyt -------Cole ------Jovanovic----------------

 

-------------------Torres---------------

 

jova over maxi?

[RedMersey]

Agree with Jallow on all spots except Jova on the right. Maxi should definitely start ahead of him.

[Frosty Jack]

I think it'll make us all a whole lot more comfortable if we consider Jova as a striker.

 

I forgot Pacheco. He can go straight in when Cole gets injured.

Konchesky can just f*** off.

[Conrad]

Kuyt is a first XI player, he's just not a winger in a 4-4-2, but since we don't have a surfeit of forwards and Roy tried that experiment at Man City and saw the consequences, hopefully we'll be seeing a 4-2-3-1 from now on

 

Reina

 

Johnson-Carragher-Agger-Aurelio

 

Poulsen-Meireles

 

Kuyt-Gerrard-Cole

 

Torres

 

 

Players in their best positions

Edited September 1, 2010 by Heighway 61 Revisited

[carrafan]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Konchesky

Gerrard Meireles Poulsen Cole

Kuyt Torres

 

is a decent enough 442 option.

[yellow jumper]

do think we need an alternative to torres, but in terms of partners, if that's the way he wants to go i think kuyt, pacheco, babel or jovanovic, might all be okay fits. in that they're all likely to be more comfortable dropping off. which was why the selection of him and ngog at city was slightly perplexing. certainly they're all as good at that as carlton cole would have been, although his hold up is obviously better.

[Internationinteroperability]

MANAGER: CARRAGHER.

 

 

 

 

----------------------REINA-----------------------

 

JOHNSON--CARRA-AGGER--AURÉLIO

 

MAXI----GERRARD--MEIRELES---COLE

 

------------KUYT------TORRES----------------

 

Lots of attacking options and both CMs are capable of attacking and defending and Kuyt is able to drop deep when needed. Won't happen though.

[Dominus Maximus]

jova over maxi?

 

Well my lineup is based on what Roy said about Gerrard as a midfielder and Cole playing centrally. Jovanovic starts as he has every game since he came. If I was the manager I would use Maxi centrally with Meireles and Cole on the left. Gerrard behind Torres and Kuyt on the right.

[Jonesy]

Controversy

 

we tried to sign him......but he went on loan before we got there with contract

[growler]

I think it will be more a 4 3 3

 

Reina

Glo Jo, CarrAgger, Konchesky/Aurelio

Mieriles (sp?), Poulson

----Gerrard

 

Kuyt/Maxi--------------Cole/Jova

--------Torres/Babel

 

 

As for the 21 man squad, I am actually happy with that. All 21 are potential first team players, with a good mix of youth to fill the gaps. Interesting that Ngog is considered a youth too, I thought he would take a squad place. Does that mean he will be considered home grown next season? Kelly, Pacheco, Shelvey, Suso, silva, Wilson, Ayala will all be homegrown eventually too, so not worried about the quota.

[Cam]

-----------------------Reina

 

Johnson -- Carragher -- Agger -- Aurelio

 

----------------------Meireles -------------------------

 

-----Kuyt -------Gerrard--------Cole ------Maxi----------------

 

-----------------------Torres---------------

[fred milne]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Konchesky

Gerrard Meireles Poulsen Cole

Kuyt Torres

 

is a decent enough 442 option.

That would be my guess at the first choice XI too but played as a 4-3-3 rather than the 4-4-2 you have.

[Guest PaulMcC]

Cole isn't good enough to keep Gerrard out of his best position, which is behind Torres.

[ajams]

Reina

 

Johnson - Carragher - Agger - Konchesky

 

Poulsen - Meireles

 

Kuyt - Gerrard - Cole

 

Torres

 

Kuyt as the default option on the right, but with the option of Babel instead if we need more pace and penetration or Maxi if we need more finesse.

 

Poulsen sitting in, Meireles pushing on.

 

And, for the simple reason that he's likely to be fit more often than Aurelio, I think Konchesky will get the chance to prove himself as first choice. I think he has it in him to do an Arbeloa-esque solid job, which balance-wise would be absolutely fine with Cole in front of him drifting infield and Johnson overlapping on the right.