Team shape, tactics and personnel

[punkymonkey666]

4 hours ago, Mr_Dogg said:

The club are preparing a £50 million bid for Dan Burn.

£200m for Robert Wadlow

[TomC]

On 10/07/2023 at 08:53, CVByrne said:

There's one thing for certain we won't be playing and that's wing backs and a back 3. It's a significant departure from what Emery has done so far at Villa and Villarreal 

I agree generally, but I can see situations where he might try a back 5 with two wing backs.

Inter Milan showed how to stop City playing a 5-3-2. The only goal they gave up was when one of their players slipped and couldn't recover in time. It has long been know that Guardiola's system is based on 5 channels, with the left, right, centre, and two half-spaces in between. If you play 5 in back, you have a defender to plug up each of the 5 channels. It worked for Inter. Given that Unai has used a back 5 at other clubs, I can see him trying it against City. That would mean 3 of the 4 CBs play true CB, and Cash and Moreno/Digne as the wingbacks.

 

[MrBlack]

On 10/07/2023 at 12:21, Dante_Lockhart said:

Narrow but using the WBs along the line

----------------------Emi----------------------

-----Konsa------Mings-------Pau------

Cash-----------Kamara--------Moreno

------McGinn---Luiz---Tielemans---

-------------------Watkins-------------------

Sinisalo, Digne, Carlos, Chambers, Dendonker, Ramsay, Bailey, Countinho, Buendia, Bertie, Archer, Duran

That's such a strong looking bench.

Not bad first team either , although as others said its lacking creative spark and speed 

Ramsey probably starts when he's fit.

And I expect a second striker/winger will have the McGinn role.

Real issue is that Cash won't be played there I don't think...or indeed anywhere. Be interested to see if/how Emery uses him this season

Edited July 11, 2023 by MrBlack
Sent early

[CVByrne]

56 minutes ago, TomC said:

I agree generally, but I can see situations where he might try a back 5 with two wing backs.

Inter Milan showed how to stop City playing a 5-3-2. The only goal they gave up was when one of their players slipped and couldn't recover in time. It has long been know that Guardiola's system is based on 5 channels, with the left, right, centre, and two half-spaces in between. If you play 5 in back, you have a defender to plug up each of the 5 channels. It worked for Inter. Given that Unai has used a back 5 at other clubs, I can see him trying it against City. That would mean 3 of the 4 CBs play true CB, and Cash and Moreno/Digne as the wingbacks.

 

I agree we would move to 5 at the back but it would be by starting with wing backs. It would be McGinn or Kamara dropping from midfield to make a back 5 and the second forward dropping to midfield. 

We've seen it many times last season when defending a lead. We've gone 6 3 1 even. 

[DJBOB]

Think Unai will still start out with Cash/Konsa/Mings/Moreno if all are fit. Digne if Moreno is not back in time.

Having Diego/Pau et al fit will be key in adjusting in-game and being flexible playing in all of the different competitions.

[KAZZAM]

5 hours ago, DJBOB said:

Think Unai will still start out with Cash/Konsa/Mings/Moreno if all are fit. Digne if Moreno is not back in time.

Having Diego/Pau et al fit will be key in adjusting in-game and being flexible playing in all of the different competitions.

Pau will be his star boy I can't see him not being in the team straight away. 

[MaVilla]

5 hours ago, DJBOB said:

Think Unai will still start out with Cash/Konsa/Mings/Moreno if all are fit. Digne if Moreno is not back in time.

Having Diego/Pau et al fit will be key in adjusting in-game and being flexible playing in all of the different competitions.

 

6 minutes ago, KAZZAM said:

Pau will be his star boy I can't see him not being in the team straight away. 

 

Ye, if anyone thinks Pau isnt going to be the first, or at least one of the first names on Emery's team sheet, you are in for a surprise i think.

Emery literally has a huge man crush on Pau Torres as effectively his perfect type of defender.

[Rich192]

Martinez

Diego   Mings   Pau

Kamara  Douglas

McGinn    Tielemans

Diaby               Watkins           Moreno

 

Oof. 

[Captain_Townsend]

58 minutes ago, Rich192 said:

Martinez

Diego   Mings   Pau

Kamara  Douglas

McGinn    Tielemans

Diaby               Watkins           Moreno

 

Oof. 

That is like cheat mode!

[Reivax_Villa]

Watching the clip of our internationals returning back from their break makes you realise how much quality we have..

Imagine if we sign two more pacey wingers, A full back & maybe a striker..

Strongest squad we have had in a decade..

One positive thing we all can agree on is that Unai is making sure that every player is putting in some real work every session!

[Steero113]

On 13/07/2023 at 21:06, Rich192 said:

Martinez

Diego   Mings   Pau

Kamara  Douglas

McGinn    Tielemans

Diaby               Watkins           Moreno

 

Oof. 

Ramsey starts 10/10 times he's fit. 

But that's a smoking team. 

[Keyblade]

15 hours ago, Reivax_Villa said:

Watching the clip of our internationals returning back from their break makes you realise how much quality we have..

Imagine if we sign two more pacey wingers, A full back & maybe a striker..

Strongest squad we have had in a decade..

One positive thing we all can agree on is that Unai is making sure that every player is putting in some real work every session!

A RB, backup goalkeeper and one more forward (assuming we get Diaby) and Unai will have some squad to work with next season

[Podster]

I know we need a bigger squad, what with Europe and no doubt longer cup runs this season, but, assuming the two main signings are going to be first team regulars, and I expect between 1 and 3 more to be signed, which 3 to 5 players are going to be dropped from the starting 11. Its not so hard to drop say 3 from the current 11 but if we do end up with 5 new top players what 5 would you leave on the bench from thr team that beat Brighton.

Edited July 18, 2023 by Podster

[Kiwivillan]

22 minutes ago, Podster said:

I know we need a bigger squad, what with Europe and no doubt longer cup runs this season, but, assuming the two main signings are going to be first team regulars, and I expect between 1 and 3 more to be signed, which 3 to 5 players are going to be dropped from the starting 11. Its not so hard to drop say 3 from the current 11 but if we do end up with 5 new top players what 5 would you leave on the bench from thr team that beat Brighton.

Changing 5 of your starting 11 is stupid. That implies every signing you make is going to be an improvement and we know that isn't always the case. Konsa talked about one of the keys to Emery success was he made the team like a small family. This thread will just turn into bash current players bandwagon like many others

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Anybody who disses Monchi

[VillaChris]

Moreno and Ramsey not going to make the first few weeks so already there is a void on our left side.

I think for Newcastle we'll simply put SJM out wide and go with a middle trio of Kamara-Luiz-Tielemans. Watkins and hopefully a new signing for the right will complete that end of the pitch.

Big question for opening few weeks is whether we stick with Mings-Konsa or put Torres straight in. Of course Konsa could go to RB but I'm not convinced that will work well until Moreno comes back.

[StewieGriffin]

36 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

I think for Newcastle we'll simply put SJM out wide and go with a middle trio of Kamara-Luiz-Tielemans. Watkins and hopefully a new signing for the right will complete that end of the pitch.

I'd agree with that, and also throw in that it's not a case of "dropping" anyone now. We have players to suit for various matches - a game like Newcastle away will probably see a similar set up outlined above, but for Everton at home we're more likely to see a system more designed to play against low block Dyche-ball.

From now, its less "who gets dropped?" and more "what system does Emery think we need to play this week?" That will naturally result in a couple of changes each week based on system and maybe one based on form/fitness. I don't think we can say we have a defined first XI any longer

Edited July 19, 2023 by StewieGriffin

[saturdaygig]

Y'all going to have to get used to this. It won't be the same 11 players on the field every game. The players have to get used to it as well. Pep seems to manage ok.

[TomC]

The more I think about it, Konsa will probably be the odd man out among the CBs (unless they move him to RB). As good as he was defending last year, he is behind Torres, Mings, and Diego in ball-playing ability, and Unai wants that. Torres is a sure thing, and I can't see dropping Mings...not only was he excellent last year, but a Torres-Diego partnership would have exactly 2 PL matches of experience between them...so I think that Diego will also be out of the first choice pairing.

Doug and Kamara are sure starters when healthy. That means picking 2 among JJ, McGinn, and Tielemans (unless you move McGinn into the front line). JJ and Tielemans are both right-footed, while McGinn is left-footed, so I suspect the real competition will be between those two. Midfielders tend to be the most subbed position, so whoever doesn't start will probably still see major playing time. And they're all such different players that it will depend on tactics.

If we sign a wide forward, which seems likely, both Bailey and Buendia will not be starting most games.

 

 

[nick76]

8 hours ago, Podster said:

I know we need a bigger squad, what with Europe and no doubt longer cup runs this season, but, assuming the two main signings are going to be first team regulars, and I expect between 1 and 3 more to be signed, which 3 to 5 players are going to be dropped from the starting 11. Its not so hard to drop say 3 from the current 11 but if we do end up with 5 new top players what 5 would you leave on the bench from thr team that beat Brighton.

I think it’s going to be horses for causes and while there will be a core of the team of 5 or 6 of the players there will be more rotation and not just for cup games.  The family that Emery believes in I think will be not on a first XI but probably a group of 18 players plus a supporting cast to fill the squad.