Our Best Starting Xi

[The Regulator]

So with Yobo back from injury and jacobsen in contention, with saha a few weeks away and Jo on loan, what do you think would be our best starting XI and bench?

 

I'm more than happy with Jags and Lescott and think Yobo will need to fight to prove himself, but I think Jo up front now is a no-brainer. Providing he does the job, I think our best starting 11 at the moment would be:

 

------------Howard------------

Pip---Jags---Lescott---Baines

Osman-----Arteta-----Pienaar

-----Fellaini-------Cahill-------

---------------Jo----------------

 

Bench: Nash, Yobo, Hibbert, Castillo, Gosling, Rodwell, Anichebe

 

Hibbert, although playing above and beyond expectation, is who I'd rather drop to accomodate Jo.

 

Neville can more than handle right back, and with Jo up front Cahill drops back in midfield and adds bal;ance to it which hasn't been there since he's played up front. Noone "feeds" it to Cahill attacks normally come from set plays and crosses, and so with someone to direct the ball to I think Osman will recover form, and peanuts arteta and fellaini are all starters.

 

It's down to opinion though, depending on how Jo does it might be better to start with Saha but I'm hoping Moyes can settle Jo the same way he settled Fellaini, to begin with Fellaini was struggling but now he's performing really well. It took Felli about 2 months to settle but Jo has already been in 18 games in Britain, so he has the experience to be settled culturally and mentally...I think the main thing with him is getting the games and to be honest we have a nice run of games after pool with Bolton, a flailing portsmouth, wigan and west brom and stoke to come, we have a good chance to get some much needed points and hopefully get nearer the top 4. And with Villa having some tough games, we could easily make up the ground we need if we play as well as we have been. It's knuckle down time, so what do you reckon is the best squad to take us to the top (or as close as we can get)?

[Bill]

Yeah i'd go along with the team you picked if i was the gaffer, of course it all depends on the fitness and workrate of Jo.

With Yakubu and Vaughan to come back its nice to see a better looking bench.

[Romey 1878]

If Jo does the business then yeah that's the side I'd go along with.

[holystove]

the reason we're currently not conceding many goals is the fact that Neville is right there in front of the defense.

on the other hand, if we want to rise up in the standings we have to score and win rather than get draws and your starting 11 are definitely more offensively capable than the teams we've been fielding as of late.

 

however i think a midfield of Osman - Arteta - Fellaini - Cahill - Pienaar would put too much pressure on the defense

so i'd go for :

 

-------------howard-------------

hibbert-jagielka-lescott-baines

-----arteta-neville-pienaar-----

----------fellaini-cahill-----------

----------------Jo-----------------

 

 

if hibbert and baines can get some good crosses in, i think this starting 11 can really do some damage.

Edited February 3, 2009 by holystove

[Blue 250]

That team certainly is just about the best we can put out!

 

As for the lone striker, well Jo's unknown really, Yakubu is a luxery player if the team isn't really doing well or creating chances.....BUT saying that, THAT team on FORM could probably make Yak quite a few chances, so maybe he's the man.Then there's Vaughan, who on his day is one shit hot striker and probably better in the air than the Yak, so who's to say he shouldn't take on the role when fit!

 

Trouble is there's only JO (not too sure about Saha).....so probably he will be the man up front against Bolton.......just hope it doesn't mess up the system that we've got going at the moment.

 

If we beat luckypool Wednesday with Cahill and Fellaini, and all were fit for the Bolton game, do you stick Jo in just because you can?........or do you stick with a winning combination?

[Blue4Ever]

At the moment I would agree with your side Regulator but I think our best team with everyone fit would have to have Yakubu and Jo up front, so a right winger is a must in the summer, at the moment I think I would rather see Gosling in the team than Osman because he is going through a terrible run of form.

[The Regulator]

If we beat luckypool Wednesday with Cahill and Fellaini, and all were fit for the Bolton game, do you stick Jo in just because you can?........or do you stick with a winning combination?

 

I think the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality can only be applied to teams who have the option of choosing who they play, our squad is too thin to give us said option so playing cahill up front has been our default until we've had a fit striker. I think while cahill is enjoying the role, that he is much better suited playing behind a striker, and having a player in front to work with, Jo has pace and can help pull us forward rather than the back pushing us up...

 

If we do beat Liverpool I wouldn't start Jo STRAIGHT away, so maybe a sub against Bolton, but a recognised striker is a must in the long term. Look how well we played last year in a 4-5-1, if Jo can perform there's no reason to say we can't add our defensive strength this year to our attacking strength last year, and get results like 3-0 against pompey...which we definately need if we are to challenge for champs league.

[CraccerC]

howard

hibbert jags lescott baines

neville

arteta fellaini pienaar

cahill

jo

[jofanon]

howard

hibbert jags lescott baines

neville

arteta fellaini pienaar

cahill

jo

More interestingly what is our best team if everyone was fit and playing to their top potential?

 

Howard

Neville Jags Lescott Baines

Arteta Fellaini Cahill Pienaar

Yak Jo

 

That's perhaps a bit too offensive but you get my drift.