tomav84 Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 This for me...i think there are 2 question marks (CDM and the LW) and the rest picks itself. Trez and el ghazi both seem to favour the left so think we'll seldom see them both in the same 11. For tomorrow, i think LW is a 50/50 choice, but expect conor to start. Going forward, i can see luiz being the 1st choice CDM Heaton Guilbert Engels Mings Targett Luiz/Hourihane/Marvelous Jota Grealish McGinn Trez/El Ghazi Wesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Yeah I think Conor and El Ghazi start tomorrow in that line up based on the other CDMs just come in and I think El Ghazi deserves the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eholm Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Conor will definitely not be the regular CDM; he will get the position by default tomorrow due to the lack of pre-season game time for MN and DL. CH will get completely over-run as our DM in the Premier League. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordVillan Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) Edited August 9, 2019 by OxfordVillan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordVillan Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Just now, OxfordVillan said: Just now, OxfordVillan said: Subs; Steer, Hourihane, ElGhazi, Kodjia, Konsa, Marvelous, Elmo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Will tell you in 10 games time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordVillan Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Spurs will likely have Sissoko, Ndombele, and Winks as their midfield 3 tomorrow, which is a really strong and athletic trio. We’ll need some real athleticism in there, and that’s why I’d go with Douglas over Hourihane to start, I’ve no concern over fitness of a 21yr old. If he gives us an all action 45mins then great, we can then rotate him with either Hourihane or Marvelous if required. Ndombele and Sissoko bring a lot of power that’ll need to be countered. Not the game for Hourihane IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenjiOgiwara Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 1 hour ago, eholm said: Conor will definitely not be the regular CDM; he will get the position by default tomorrow due to the lack of pre-season game time for MN and DL. CH will get completely over-run as our DM in the Premier League. I think so too, but it depends how deep we will end up. You can't expect us to dominate possession against a team as good as spurs. Thus he might do just fine. My big issue with Hourihane against spurs is his inability to win the ball and shut down runs. I just feel players walk by him and he doesn't actually get shit done. Hopefully he proves me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 I don't think anyone knows the first choice XI yet. Dean Smith included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 If fit I think a spine of Heaton, Engels, Tyrone, Jack, McGinn and Wesley start most games. Other positions will be interchangeable depending on who we are playing 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Can't see any major reason to change the starting line up against Bournemouth. Those that came on looked poor, although the situation they were thrown into would have been difficult for the best in the world to do anything about. Changes need to happen earlier against Bournemouth, even if we're winning I think or we risk finding ourselves falling flat at 70 mins again. But as for the starting 11: I don't rate Taylor or Elmo, but they performed acceptably well against spurs and keep their places for me. Luiz looked extremely unfit so unless he can get match fit in a week he stays on the bench. Nakamba may earn a call up if he is fit. Grealish had a mare of a game, but think he'll have got the wake up he needed. Kodjia looked woeful and Wesley needs time to get settled, but Wesley looked comfortably the better of the two. Only possible thing to change I think will be on the wings, but they didn't really get much chance to show themselves in the opposing half. I'd go with trez and Jota (even though I love aeg), as I think el Ghazi would offer the biggest threat against tired legs and might benefit from the confidence a good late cameo will offer. Heaton Elmo Engels Mings Taylor Hourihane McGinn Grealish Jota Wesley Trez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisedmambo Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 41 minutes ago, MrBlack said: Can't see any major reason to change the starting line up against Bournemouth. Those that came on looked poor, although the situation they were thrown into would have been difficult for the best in the world to do anything about. Changes need to happen earlier against Bournemouth, even if we're winning I think or we risk finding ourselves falling flat at 70 mins again. But as for the starting 11: I don't rate Taylor or Elmo, but they performed acceptably well against spurs and keep their places for me. Luiz looked extremely unfit so unless he can get match fit in a week he stays on the bench. Nakamba may earn a call up if he is fit. Grealish had a mare of a game, but think he'll have got the wake up he needed. Kodjia looked woeful and Wesley needs time to get settled, but Wesley looked comfortably the better of the two. Only possible thing to change I think will be on the wings, but they didn't really get much chance to show themselves in the opposing half. I'd go with trez and Jota (even though I love aeg), as I think el Ghazi would offer the biggest threat against tired legs and might benefit from the confidence a good late cameo will offer. Heaton Elmo Engels Mings Taylor Hourihane McGinn Grealish Jota Wesley Trez Grealish didn't have a mare. He lost the ball twice, sure, but the rest of the time he looked great. I don't think I've ever seen him lose the ball before, so those two possession losses are seared into my brain. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimcohen Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 I agree it would be fair to start with the 11 from Spurs on Sat as they all did ok, but I also feel we only started with that 11 so we don't through too many new guys all in at once. We will integrate 1-4 more this week, made more likely as we are home and against a more comparable team. So I would expect at least one change at full back, maybe too, and then perhaps one change on the wing and perhaps CDM too. Good to have this depth. Good to have options for different game plans. I hope fans stay with the team if Sat doesn't start well. We are "build" phase. We are not complete. Kane v Wesley proves that. Lets keep expectation realistic. Saying that, I think we would have gained a lot of confidence from sat and Bournemouth will be a very different game I think we should win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Right now I’d go: Heaton Guilbert Mings Engels Targett Luiz SJM (CH as sub) Trez Jota Grealish Wesley SJM with licence to get forward & the fullbacks getting involved in attacks - covered by the 2 DM’s. If Nakamba is as useful as we hope then I’d put him next to Luiz (who can get involved further up the field as necessary), drop Jota, push Grealish to the right, put SJM into the middle & Trez on the left. They can mix it up/swop through the game. We lack & need that solidity in midfield in front of defence. Spurs won’t be the only side to brutalize us there unless we strengthen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 I think the decision to play Taylor and Elmo was tactical. I'd definitely expect to see Targett starting on Saturday, maybe Guilbert also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentVillan Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 10 minutes ago, PatrickCousens said: I think the decision to play Taylor and Elmo was tactical. I'd definitely expect to see Targett starting on Saturday, maybe Guilbert also. I reckon we'll start with an identical back 5 after the Spurs performance. Rotation will come as the season progresses and fitness becomes more of an issue (or if players play themselves out of the team - but none of our defence did that on Saturday). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 5 hours ago, PatrickCousens said: I think the decision to play Taylor and Elmo was tactical. I'd definitely expect to see Targett starting on Saturday, maybe Guilbert also. Tactical as in Dean knew we would lose, and that dropping the guys that got us promoted after a defeat is much fairer? Also knowing that throwing new signings into a probable defeat isn't great for building morale/ confidence? How dare you imply our Dean would do such a thing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 I honestly think it's impossible to pick our best 11 just yet. None of us really know how good many of our signings are. I thought Wesley was extremely poor against Spuds as was Jota - I don't think I will be saying the same after 10 - 12 games though. I've said to friends that in my view - it will either go very badly wrong and we'll struggle from the outset - or we'll click and enjoy a half decent season - the Spuds game makes me believe it will be the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 I'm honestly still reeling from Taylor and Elmohammady, I can't believe it. I wonder again if Dean will try and keep the number of changes fairly low. Definitely be changing full backs and DM me but I don't know if he'll think that's too severe. Hope El Ghazi gets another game, I worry for him if he's in and out. Obviously no hint of that happening yet, but Trez looked very good and Jota I think will provide a good contrast to him on the other side despite poor spurs showing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enda Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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