Your Current Starting XI

[DMAA 3,603]

Centre midfield will be a fascinating battle this season within our squad. Aribo, Kamara, Davis and Jack are all battling for 3 positions, only 3 will play at a time yet none appear droppable. 

 

I can’t really pick at the moment and there’s no doubt they will be rotated. Jack is probably the most common choice but his assist yesterday for Candeias was sublime and there’s he’s the fittest of the lot and covers a lot of ground, an important quality for some games. 

[buster. 4,808]

10 hours ago, DMAA said:

Centre midfield will be a fascinating battle this season within our squad. Aribo, Kamara, Davis and Jack are all battling for 3 positions, only 3 will play at a time yet none appear droppable. 

 

I can’t really pick at the moment and there’s no doubt they will be rotated. Jack is probably the most common choice but his assist yesterday for Candeias was sublime and there’s he’s the fittest of the lot and covers a lot of ground, an important quality for some games. 

I think the important issue about the abundance of options will be how they are managed and used. 

 

It's about the management team selecting the right formations and players to suit particular games. 

 

[Tannochsidebear 2,314]

The Ryan Jack pass through to DC was a thing of beauty, and very unlike him. I am hoping he has been working on this part of his game, and being coached on this part of his game, as if he can add a good forward pass or spot an runner like in that move, he improves his game hugely. Last season he was too safe, with the easy option of square and backward passes taken all too frequently, and was by far the weakest part of his game. 

[buster. 4,808]

1 minute ago, Tannochsidebear said:

The Ryan Jack pass through to DC was a thing of beauty, and very unlike him. I am hoping he has been working on this part of his game, and being coached on this part of his game, as if he can add a good forward pass or spot an runner like in that move, he improves his game hugely. Last season he was too safe, with the easy option of square and backward passes taken all too frequently, and was by far the weakest part of his game. 

It seems to be a feature of his game,...even when taking shots on goal.

 

Last season, I remarked on how he tends to carefully pass the ball towards goal when shooting in what looks like studied care to hit the target.

 

His goal against St.Josephs was a side foot volley that guided the ball towards goal rather than the more conventional whack.

 

I'm not one for stats but his ratio of shots on target to shots must be very high.

[Gribz 743]

McGregor

 

Tavernier Goldson Helander Flanagan

 

Davis Kamara

 

Candieas Aribo Ojo

 

Morelos

 

I like Katic but I can only see Helander being signed as a start. I havent see too much of Barisic so Ive pit Flanagn in for now.

 

In midfield its harsh on Arfield to not be in this team and I think SG will play him but Davis still has that class and Kamara will only get better in that role. Going forward that 3 could cause havoc with Aribo being box to box. Im a massive Kent fan but if we dont get him back this team still looks good.

 

Upfront Defoe would score for fun in that team but Morelos is still the best striker in the country.

[Gaffer 1,665]

It would appear that although Gerrard is interested in trying other formations (including a back 3), his preferred setup is 4-3-2-1.

 

We are all broadly in agreement about the defence and striker, but the midfield is so tough to call.

 

We will face three types of teams:

 

1)  Those that sit in and invite us to attack them (most of the SPFL and early Europa league stages)

2)  Those that will attack us but where we expect to be attacking more than defending (Celtic at Ibrox and probably away too)

3)  Those that will attack us and where we are likely to spend more time defending (later stages of the Europa league)

 

This is where I think our recruitment really makes sense because we now have the right players for each of these occasions.

 

For type (1), Jack is ideal because as well as being able to attack, he is one of our best tacticians and is reliable at filling in for Tav or Barisic when they push forward.  It means we can commit players forward with confidence that we won't leak at the back.  Equally, the likes of Aribo and Ojo will create the opportunities.  So for me it would be Jack, Kamara and Aribo as the three behind Ojo and Jones.

 

For type (2), we will use Kamara, Aribo and Davis in the three, given their ability to play more direct balls to exploit the spaces, and then Ojo and Arfield and Morelos will benefit.  Jones and Candeias will then be used later in the game when their pace will be more effective.

 

For type (3), I'd expect Jack, Davis and Kamara to be in the 3 with Aribo and Arfield in the advanced roles, mainly because I'd expect them to sit deeper than usual.

 

We've not had these options before and it'll be interesting to see how we use our players depending on the opposition we are up against.  I'm also interested to see under what circumstances Gerrard tries the back 3.  Although we didn't get the result in that setup last season, if you remember we actually played really well so I think it will be used more often this season.

[Frankie 8,151]

Good post Gaffer, agree with much of that.

 

We certainly don't lack options and it's great to have such quality ahead of the new season.

[buster. 4,808]

5 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

It would appear that although Gerrard is interested in trying other formations (including a back 3), his preferred setup is 4-3-2-1.

 

We are all broadly in agreement about the defence and striker, but the midfield is so tough to call.

 

We will face three types of teams:

 

1)  Those that sit in and invite us to attack them (most of the SPFL and early Europa league stages)

2)  Those that will attack us but where we expect to be attacking more than defending (Celtic at Ibrox and probably away too)

3)  Those that will attack us and where we are likely to spend more time defending (later stages of the Europa league)

 

This is where I think our recruitment really makes sense because we now have the right players for each of these occasions.

 

For type (1), Jack is ideal because as well as being able to attack, he is one of our best tacticians and is reliable at filling in for Tav or Barisic when they push forward.  It means we can commit players forward with confidence that we won't leak at the back.  Equally, the likes of Aribo and Ojo will create the opportunities.  So for me it would be Jack, Kamara and Aribo as the three behind Ojo and Jones.

 

For type (2), we will use Kamara, Aribo and Davis in the three, given their ability to play more direct balls to exploit the spaces, and then Ojo and Arfield and Morelos will benefit.  Jones and Candeias will then be used later in the game when their pace will be more effective.

 

For type (3), I'd expect Jack, Davis and Kamara to be in the 3 with Aribo and Arfield in the advanced roles, mainly because I'd expect them to sit deeper than usual.

 

We've not had these options before and it'll be interesting to see how we use our players depending on the opposition we are up against.  I'm also interested to see under what circumstances Gerrard tries the back 3.  Although we didn't get the result in that setup last season, if you remember we actually played really well so I think it will be used more often this season.

Interesting post, Gaffer !!

 

I think our chances of winning the League will come down to how well our management team are able to use the squad they now have and adapt for the various challenges that will come our way.

 

It might be a fine balance between adapting formations/players successfully and headlines about 'tinkering' but I think it's the way we should go.

 

 

 

[Bluedell 5,329]

On 14/07/2019 at 10:08, Bluedell said:

McGregor

 

Tavernier - Goldson - Helander - Barisic

 

Kamara - Davis - Aribo

 

Ojo - Morelos - Murphy

Following preseason and the European games, my selection has changed.

 

McGregor

 

Tavernier  - Goldson - Katic - Barasic

 

Jack - Davis - Aribo

 

Ojo - Morelos - Arfield

[Bill 13,717]

From what I've seen so far ....

 

 

McGregor

 

Tavernier  - Helander - Edmundson - Halliday

 

Jack - Kamara - Docherty

 

Arfield - Aribo

 

Morelos