First Choice 11

[Hobbit Feet]

1 minute ago, Enda said:

Strongly suspect DS will pick at least 10 of last week's starting 11 again, maybe a change on the wings. Can't see him dropping the full-backs.

Not sure why people are talking so much about the demands for rotation "this year"... unless we go all the way in the cups we'll have fewer matches this year than last year.

 

Don’t believe rotation due to tiredness or fatigue but more rotation for tactical reasons. I think we will use a quicker team for away games and counter with Trezeguet, at home I’d expect us to be a bit slower and use players like Jota to pick our way through teams.

[A'Villan]

If errors like the one Elmo made that led to Moura dispossessing him on their attacking flank and having an attempt on goal become commonplace in each match, then Smith's hand is kind of forced into giving some game time to the other players vying for the opportunity to start in their respective positions, unless it's evident in training that improvement won't come that way.

Smith should, and I'm guessing will, only go with the winning team developed over last season as long as training would suggest that this is our best chance at achieving the tactics and targets we set ourselves for each week. Taylor and Elmo will only survive as long as they give Smith the idea that playing them is a safer risk than the alternative and experimenting.

I expect to see both full-back positions tinkered with over time as long as the guys not starting give Smith the impression they are worth trying. Like Luiz coming on to replace Conor.

I don't suspect the team from last year (what's left) will all continue to be first choice by the time we're a few months into it. Conor, Elmo and Taylor will move to bench.

Even El Ghazi is not nailed on for this season. The wingers brought in are not established but have every training session to give Dean the idea they are worth a start.

New chemistry will have to take shape to get us to where we want to be in my opinion. And that will involve inevitable changes for another team to emerge.

 

[alreadyexists]

I think Taylor had a really a good game against Spurs, Elmo was ok too, Mings and Engels were excellent but Taylor I think did very well up against high quality opposition. There is no excuse to drop him based on the Spurs game imo. I was all for Targett coming in and I still think he’d improve our LB position massively, but in Dean we trust. 

[sir_gary_cahill]

51 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

I think Taylor had a really a good game against Spurs, Elmo was ok too, Mings and Engels were excellent but Taylor I think did very well up against high quality opposition. There is no excuse to drop him based on the Spurs game imo. I was all for Targett coming in and I still think he’d improve our LB position massively, but in Dean we trust. 

I can’t see Targett being on the bench for much longer, we paid £11m or whatever the fee was. I’d put him and Guilbert in the first XI for the Bournemouth match, along with one of Nakamba or Luiz

[alreadyexists]

3 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

I can’t see Targett being on the bench for much longer, we paid £11m or whatever the fee was. I’d put him and Guilbert in the first XI for the Bournemouth match, along with one of Nakamba or Luiz

I do agree he’s probably the better LB, and that we’ll likely see him soon. But it would be harsh on Taylor and perhaps send the wrong message to the squad? In that (I’m playing devils advocate here really) Taylor had a very good game and could be dropped, to bring in a new player, so what’s the incentive to play well if you’re dropped either way? Remember when Bruce dropped Elphick after he had the game of his life and was quite widely criticised even by the player if I remember right.

Sort of a silly argument but you see what I’m getting at I expect?

[avfc1982am]

1 hour ago, alreadyexists said:

I think Taylor had a really a good game against Spurs, Elmo was ok too, Mings and Engels were excellent but Taylor I think did very well up against high quality opposition. There is no excuse to drop him based on the Spurs game imo. I was all for Targett coming in and I still think he’d improve our LB position massively, but in Dean we trust. 

I actually agree regarding Taylor having a good game. IMO one of the reasons he and Elmo had decent game though was because at no time were they really stretched. Especially in the second half.  What I mean by that is that neither got over the half way line to get exposed in behind. They were quite comfortable sitting back and restricting space which made it much far easier to defend. We need to push forward against Bournemouth, having the outlet of an FB that can put crosses into the box isn't an option and that's why I would bring Targett and Guilbert in. We cannot afford to sit back and not try to get our FB's forward and attacking with the Midfield when we are at home. These games, picking up points is vital. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Isn't the two only questions you should ask yourself;

1) is this a match we should expect to be the team in charge? 

2) what player has the greatest attacking output? 

Bournemouth, obviously, is a very good side that have established themselves in the PL and we can't take this lightly, but Bournemouth at home is probably one of the matches we should have expectations and at least see a good fight for three points. And then you obviously want Guilbert over Elmo, Targett over Taylor and probably Jota in the mix as well. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by KenjiOgiwara

[Smartin]

1 hour ago, alreadyexists said:

I do agree he’s probably the better LB, and that we’ll likely see him soon. But it would be harsh on Taylor and perhaps send the wrong message to the squad? In that (I’m playing devils advocate here really) Taylor had a very good game and could be dropped, to bring in a new player, so what’s the incentive to play well if you’re dropped either way? Remember when Bruce dropped Elphick after he had the game of his life and was quite widely criticised even by the player if I remember right.

Sort of a silly argument but you see what I’m getting at I expect?

I think it would have been communicated very clearly to the players that we will need the entire squad this season, and different players for different types of games. I don't see it as Taylor being 'dropped', more Targett offering something different that is more suited to this upcoming game.

[alreadyexists]

16 minutes ago, Smartin said:

I think it would have been communicated very clearly to the players that we will need the entire squad this season, and different players for different types of games. I don't see it as Taylor being 'dropped', more Targett offering something different that is more suited to this upcoming game.

I can appreciate that and to be honest I’d be concerned if Smith stuck by the same eleven and formation regardless... I was just saying based on his performance against Spurs it would be harsh to drop him on that alone 

[limpid]

Locked as this should now be in the match forum(s).