Team for the Championship??

A little light viewing:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10522427/watch-ross-mccormacks-21-fulham-goals-in-201516-season

FoxyAV wrote:A little light viewing:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10522427/watch-ross-mccormacks-21-fulham-goals-in-201516-season

Watched this and what is noticeable is that McCormack doesn't have a big man alongside him as seems to be some peoples assumption, he has Dembele, and most of his goals are worked through decent team play on the floor. What we really are crying out for now is a really snotty CM or two.

Snotty???

FoxyAV wrote:A little light viewing:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10522427/watch-ross-mccormacks-21-fulham-goals-in-201516-season

He may not be tall but he is stocky and not easily knocked off the ball, he has an eye for a goal & can score with either foot, need I go on? he is going to bring the best out of everyone in the team, now they know we have a goal scorer I expect a massive response. Can't wait for Sunday now sorry about the bananas It had to be done

Saunders82 wrote:

FoxyAV wrote:A little light viewing:

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10522427/watch-ross-mccormacks-21-fulham-goals-in-201516-season

He may not be tall but he is stocky and not easily knocked off the ball, he has an eye for a goal & can score with either foot, need I go on? he is going to bring the best out of everyone in the team, now they know we have a goal scorer I expect a massive response. Can't wait for Sunday now sorry about the bananas It had to be done

Not bad with a deadball either

Well just read a Sheffield Wed. forum and they think they will murder us on Sunday. Got a feeling this will be a lot tougher than anyone imagined. Their team looks fairly solid as well tbh.

Joppe84 wrote:Well just read a Sheffield Wed. forum and they think they will murder us on Sunday. Got a feeling this  will be a lot tougher than anyone imagined. Their team looks fairly solid as well tbh.

In all honesty i think a draw would be a good result on Sunday. It's their big curtain raiser against one of the big boys and they will be determined to get off to a flyer. They also have a strong established team from last season and just missed out and have strengthened most likely over the summer.

We on the other hand are a little unprepared if we're honest, with players still incoming and outgoing, McCormack hasn't even had chance to play in a friendly yet and we have players coming back from injuries like Adama, and a very different team lacking an established first choice DM too with Gueye having left and Sanchez off to Italy by the looks. So we are not really at our best. HOWEVER, we do have some Premier League know how and quality which you would hope will counterbalance things a little?

So i would be pleased, not delighted, but pleased with a draw to start us off.

The Utterer wrote:

Joppe84 wrote:Well just read a Sheffield Wed. forum and they think they will murder us on Sunday. Got a feeling this  will be a lot tougher than anyone imagined. Their team looks fairly solid as well tbh.

In all honesty i think a draw would be a good result on Sunday. It's their big curtain raiser against one of the big boys and they will be determined to get off to a flyer. They also have a strong established team from last season and just missed out and have strengthened most likely over the summer.

We on the other hand are a little unprepared if we're honest, with players still incoming and outgoing, McCormack hasn't even had chance to play in a friendly yet and we have players coming back from injuries like Adama, and a very different team lacking an established first choice DM too with Gueye having left and Sanchez off to Italy by the looks. So we are not really at our best. HOWEVER, we do have some Premier League know how and quality which you would hope will counterbalance things a little?

So i would be pleased, not delighted, but pleased with a draw to start us off.

This is how I feel about it too. We ended last season on a whimper, with a demoralised team and fanbase, they will want to keep their momentum going after a very good season.

It sounds like the manager has been working the team hard though, to get fitness levels up, and we have some very good players in our ranks, plus our two central defenders, two of our midfielders and our new main striker all have Championship experience from last season. Gestede and McCormack are going to be a formidable strike partnership, especially with Ayew playing in the number 10 role behind them. In a year and a half at Blackburn Gestede scored 32 goals in 66 matches, in two years at Fulham McCormack scored 38 goals in 89 appearances. I'd be very happy seeing Ayew, Gestede and McCormack on the pitch together but perhaps only once we've strengthened our defensive midfield!

Does anyone know who will be made captain for the season, surely it still can't be sugarbag Richards.

Great post @The Utterer Nailed it for me.

Captain? Elphic if he starts. Otherwise I have no clue.

Was thinking that but for a few, no one should be a guaranteed starter for any match.  

RDM is looking to build a squad that has 2 quality players for every position, with added versatility to play different formations to counter whatever opposition we play.

The majority of games though for this league should probably be approached using a 442 which is the way we have set up for the last few games, but we're playing people out of position so it's part of the reason that they don't gel, maybe we're ok when pressing but when the opposition turns it on we fall apart.

Now, going back to my point about players not being guaranteed starters, I do not think we should be playing either Grealish or Ayew in a 442.

As others have stated, could we try Amavi on the LW, if so, then with the possibly incoming Adomah, a 442 could be very effective if we play Rudy up front with Rmac just off him. With a back 4 of Cissokho, Chester, Elphick and De Laet. Middle 2 for me would be Tshibola and Jedi. With practice and a better understanding of natural tendencies, I think the pace of De Laet and Adomah, down the right, overlapping, etc would be awesome. With Cissokho instructed to hold back more on the other side and leave Amavi free to attack. Tsihibola as the box to box engine man and Jedi told to win everything and provide cover for DeLaet when he pushes forward. Sounds very simple, but simple is easy to practice and refine.

RG scores 25 goals this season with that set up, Rmac is a super intelligent player and will be great off Rudy and would score as many for me.

When its not working we have the players in Jack and Ayew to switch to a very effective 433.

Anyway that's my bit of fantasy footy, I really think though that we are at least 4 players away from having 2 good players for every position. We also need to dump about the same amount to have a much better balanced squad.

Last thing, is Bunn good enough. Gollini picks himself at the moment and that goes against my opening line above. Do we need another good keeper. Ill add that I think Gollini will be fine, it really does feel like De Gea all over again to me, just give him time, but, he needs serious competition for that jersey.

Add Rhodes to the mix and ?????

DelboyVilla wrote:Add Rhodes to the mix and ?????

He and Gestede were awesome together, but where does that leave Rmac. I really don't know who we should bring in. Adomah, Hernandez and maybe Lansbury a keeper and a seasoned CB who doesn't mind being part of the squad. One things for sure, TE is rough, he will get plenty yellows so will miss games through that and injuries so we need good back up.

Most successful Championship sides pack out the midfield. So ultimately I can see us playing some sort of version of 4 5 1. Probably 2 holding midfielders and the rest attacking or box to box. Time and the next three days of the window will tell.

True Dave, that's sort of what I'm saying above, Rmac is a grafter and can drop deep with them 2 or push off Rudy or whoever we get in. I'm wondering if the Doc is in some far away land picking up someone who hasn't been mentioned at all yet.

Hernandez with RMC behind him would be pretty deadly. On paper at least! Your out of left field shout wouldn't surprise me either.

Tshibola and the Jedi are sounding like a good central midfield pairing but what worries me is having to rely on Gardner and Westwood (or worse, Bacuna) when one is injured or suspended. Both out could be as bad as pairing Clark and Baker in central defence.

It's amazing how many turds we've gotten rid of this summer. Someone should make a list.

where has all the talk of Hernandez come from, didn't Xia tweet at the weekend to say they had been working on a 20m bid for him all summer but its not been possible so they have moved on to another player now?

So, imagining a 442 we now have:

LB: Amavi, Cissokho, Baker at a push

CB: Elphick, Chester, Baker, Richards and De Laet at a push

RB: De Laet, Bacuna, Hutton, Richards

CM: Tshibola, Gardner, Jedinak, Westwood, Lyden, Bacuna at a push.

Width: Green, Grealish, Adama, Ayew, Bacuna, Amavi?

Strikers: McCormack, Kodija, Gestede, Agbonlahor, Kozak, Hepburn-Murphy.

Good luck RDM

mefromhere wrote:So, imagining a 442 we now have:

LB: Amavi, Cissokho, Baker at a push

CB: Elphick, Chester, Baker, Richards and De Laet at a push

RB: De Laet, Bacuna, Hutton, Richards

CM: Tshibola, Gardner, Jedinak, Westwood, Lyden, Bacuna at a push.

Width: Green, Grealish, Adama, Ayew, Bacuna, Amavi?

Strikers: McCormack, Kodija, Gestede, Agbonlahor, Kozak, Hepburn-Murphy.

Good luck RDM

Looks decent when you lay it out like that.

What a team we've assembled this summer!

Gollini
De Laet - Elphick - Chester - Amavi
Tshibola - Jedinak
Adomah - McCormack - Grealish
Kodjia

Once it gels, we'll run away with this league.  If we don't, that's squarely on RDM's shoulders.

For the 1st time in ages it looks like we have got a specialist for each position, once they click it will be all over............. remember the days when we played 4 leftbacks at the same time.........

It's definitely over to RDM now, he has to have the best squad in the division to choose from now, bar Newcastle perhaps. How will he line them up in the next game? What formation? He has plenty of flexibility in there now. He could go 3-2-3-1-1, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2? What do you lot think he'll do? I think we'll see different formations for home and away and differing opponents. For the next home game I'll go with 3-2-3-1-1

..............................Gollini............................
........DeLaet............Elphick..................Chester
..................Tshibola...............Jedinak............
....Adomah...............Ayew....................Grealish
............................McCormack..................
...........................Kodjia..............................

.......................Gollini or Bunn (Gollini may need a rest)

De Leat..........Elphick..........Chester.......Amavi (Cissokho injured)

.............................Jedinak....Tshibola........

...Adomah......................................................Grealish

................................McCormack
..........................Kodija..or... Ayew

I see that as a 4-5-1 but a very attacking set up with Adomah, Grealish & McCormack being the attacking creative threat but also tracking back when out of possession. Ayew is my issue. He simply does not put chances away! So i fail to see where he fits in apart from super sub maybe?