The Squad

[Matthew Le God]

van Dijk signing, Wanyama staying, Bertrand/Clasie back from injury & Koeman's options are looking good.

 

We aren't going to play the same XI every week, but one option would be...

 

 

 

Plus...

 

Keepers - Forster, Davis, Gazzaniga

Defenders - Targett, Martina, Caulker, Yoshida, Gardos

Midfielders - Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Davis, Reed

Attacking players - Juanmi, Long, Ramirez

Edited 1 September, 2015 by Matthew Le God

[Golden Balls]

Romeu is too good for the bench and Tadic is far better on the left.

[Matthew Le God]

Romeu is too good for the bench and Tadic is far better on the left.

 

We aren't going to play the same XI every week, its just one option of a line-up. Some good depth and options for Koeman.

[Pamplemousse]

Romeu over Wanyama, his passing is so much better.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

We had a better squad second half of last season.

 

EDIT: I should better qualify that - squad was just as good last season but first team was better.

Edited 1 September, 2015 by Lallana's Left Peg

[naiser]

Tadic on the left, Rodriguez behind Pelle and Mane on the right.

 

Don't think Clasie can walk back into the team. I'd stick with Romeu with Vic first.

 

Other than that, we're looking pretty strong on paper.

[SuperSAINT]

Romeu over Wanyama, his passing is so much better.

 

Nice to have the options! We'll spend the next 12 months scouting for a Wanyama replacement, hopefully.

[itchen_dan]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

[sadoldgit]

Not too shabby! Looking forward to having the full squad fit.

[Super_Uwe]

They certainly are.

 

I've been happy with the club's dealings throughout the summer, we all knew Clyne and Schneiderlin were off, and we got £40 million for the pair which was pretty much as good as we could have hoped. Not sure of the exact maths but basically we've now spent all of that on the new faces?

[Chris27687]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

This is a great Line-up.

 

options of the bench in the form of Long, Juanmi & JRod - Stevie D & JWP for some legs when we need them and solid cover across the back.

 

I'm predicting the continuation of constantly improving league positions.

 

Top 4 - who cares

5th - Liverpool

6th - Saints

7th - Palace

8th - Spurs

[saint97]

Romeu over Wanyama, his passing is so much better.

 

Oh dear

[Saint-Armstrong]

Total squad, as it stands... (inc the long-term injuries)

 

 

[shurlock]

van Dijk signing, Wanyama staying, Bertrand/Clasie back from injury & Koeman's options are looking good.

 

We aren't going to play the same XI every week, but one option would be...

 

 

 

Plus...

 

Keepers - Forster, Davis, Gazzaniga

Defenders - Targett, Martina, Caulker, Yoshida, Gardos

Midfielders - Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Davis, Reed

Attacking players - Juanmi, Long, Ramirez

 

That's a horrible line-up

[Matthew Le God]

That's a horrible line-up

 

Why?

[Saint_Ash]

That's a horrible line-up

It's not really horrible is it? I'd change a couple of players around and have Romeu in there but it's not horrible.

[saint97]

van Dijk signing, Wanyama staying, Bertrand/Clasie back from injury & Koeman's options are looking good.

 

We aren't going to play the same XI every week, but one option would be...

 

 

 

Plus...

 

Keepers - Forster, Davis, Gazzaniga

Defenders - Targett, Martina, Caulker, Yoshida, Gardos

Midfielders - Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Davis, Reed

Attacking players - Juanmi, Long, Ramirez

 

Why an earth would you have Tadic on the right. So obvious he's better on the left.

[Daft Kerplunk]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

This is the strongest possible team, apart from Rodriguez.

[Golden Balls]

We aren't going to play the same XI every week, its just one option of a line-up. Some good depth and options for Koeman.

 

Seemed to me like you were posting your perceived strongest 11 with additions to that 11, no? Agree there seems to be good depth and options now.

 

Obviously we wont play the same 11 each week. Not sure why that was mentioned.

[Matthew Le God]

Why an earth would you have Tadic on the right. So obvious he's better on the left.

 

The three behind Pelle all rotate during games and its only one option of many now available to Koeman.

[Saint_Ash]

This is the strongest possible team, apart from Rodriguez.

I like that very much but where would you put Rodriguez? Pelle is on fire at the mo.

[Matthew Le God]

Seemed to me like you were posting your perceived strongest 11 with additions to that 11, no? Agree there seems to be good depth and options now.

 

Obviously we wont play the same 11 each week. Not sure why that was mentioned.

 

I mentioned it, because as most of the replies to this thread show... people will want to make changes to the one I suggested.

[sadoldgit]

Not at bad looking bench either if we can keep players fit.

[shurlock]

Why?

 

Way too open. If you're going with four attack-minded players (I wouldn't), I'd start Romeu over Clasie. In practice, I'd have Romeu and Wanyama in the middle, with one of Clasie, Davis and JWP (none of whom are ideal) in front of them. The front three from Jrod, Tadic, Pelle, Mané (not to mentiom Juanmi and Long) is debatable, though if you're opting for Tadic, at least, play him on the left.

[Suhari]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

Yep. I reckon this is our strongest side.

[shurlock]

Seemed to me like you were posting your perceived strongest 11 with additions to that 11, no? Agree there seems to be good depth and options now.

 

Obviously we wont play the same 11 each week. Not sure why that was mentioned.

 

Of course, he is...

[Giordano]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

Impressive. Assumes VvD is up to speed but I fully agree. Its probably the best optimised Saints 11 line in the up we could put out assuming the whole squad team is at full strength and we put balance and defensive impenetrability at a premium... Romey and Wanyama in front of that back four is like a steel curtain...and Clasie will chase all day too :-)

[eddie]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

you forgot martina

[Matthew Le God]

Way too open. If you're going with four attack-minded players (I wouldn't), I'd start Romeu over Clasie. In practice, I'd have Romeu and Wanyama in the middle, with one of Clasie, Davis and JWP (none of whom are ideal) in front of them. The front three from Jrod, Tadic, Pelle, Mané (not to mentiom Juanmi and Long) is debatable, though if you're opting for Tadic, at least, play him on the left.

 

Depends who we are playing.

[Saint Garrett]

------------Stek

Cedric Fonte VVD Bertrand

-----Wanyama Romeu-------

Mane------Davis-------Tadic

------------Pelle-------------

 

With options of Juanmi, Long, JRod, Clasie, JWP, Yoshi, Gaston (maybe) on the bench....!

[Jimmy_D]

I like that very much but where would you put Rodriguez? Pelle is on fire at the mo.

 

Any one of Romeu, Wamyama, Clasie with Rodriguez playing off of Pelle if we want to change the shape of the team, or for any one of Mane, Tadic, Pelle depending on form/fitness.

[SaintBobby]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

 

That's a really tasty line-up - and Jay Rod could play anywhere in the advanced four slots too.

 

I think we now have a better squad than last season and a comparable, possibly only very marginally weaker, starting XI

[Hokie]

Assuming Clasie comes back, Romeu for Wanyama for the next few weeks, then rotate them according to card accumulations/suspensions. Against weaker sides, I'd like to see more of JWP as CM. Bit depressing for Reed, though.

 

I would not be surprised to see Yoshida playing right back for Cedric on occasion, especially when playing against strong sides away from home.

[angelman]

Only shame that there aren't more English.

[alpine_saint]

Still short at central attacking midfield, I think.

[Matthew Le God]

Still short at central attacking midfield, I think.

 

Are we? Rodriguez, Mane, Juanmi, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, Tadic, S.Davis and your favourite Ramirez can all play in variations of that role. Thats 8 players.

[Saint_clark]

I'd definitely have Romeu in midfield instead of Wanyama, stick Victor on the bench until he sorts himself out.

[nta786]

So if we had to make a second team- here goes!

 

Kelvin Davis/Gazzaniga (FF Injured)

 

Martina

Caulker

Yoshida

Targett

 

JWP

Reed

Steven Davis

 

Jay Rod

Juanmi

Long

 

(Not to forget Gardos, Gaston Ramirez and Forster)

That team looks decent on paper tbh- i reckon that 11 would be bottom half Prem team

[Matthew Le God]

I'd definitely have Romeu in midfield instead of Wanyama, stick Victor on the bench until he sorts himself out.

 

I agree in the short term due to recent events, but I was just offering one potential XI if everyone (bar Forster) was fully fit.

[sadoldgit]

Shame about Clasie getting crocked early on but it hasn't been a bad window for us overall. A bit worried about Cedric defensively but he looks good going forward. Comfortable top 10 I would say at this point.

[fez]

Only shame that there aren't more English.

 

We're going to see much more of an improved JWP this season than most posters realise

[ericb]

The problem for MLG is as soon as conversations move away from stats and into actual football he's shown up time and again as being completely clueless. I can't help but think he'd be better off taking up a hobby like train spotting or competitive sudoku, something more fitting to a person like him than a sport.

[Matthew Le God]

The problem for MLG is as soon as conversations move away from stats and into actual football he's shown up time and again as being completely clueless. I can't help but think he'd be better off taking up a hobby like train spotting or competitive sudoku, something more fitting to a person like him than a sport.

 

Bloody hell! Not enough McInnes' in the world for that, so four will have to do... :mcinnes::mcinnes:

 

I wasn't saying that should be the line-up in every game; I was giving a brief overview of options we now have. In any case Koeman uses the formation I used in the OP, has used all of those players in those positions and has used 4 attacking players in the front four roles before. So what did I do that was clueless...?

Edited 1 September, 2015 by Matthew Le God

[Son of Bob]

I personally think this is the strongest and more importantly most balanced side we could use. More than good enough for another top 8 finish in my opinion.

 

 

I like the look of that one!

[Bobbyboy]

I like the look of that one!

Agreed. The weakest link there is probably the right back. There's depth pretty much everywhere else also.

[Saint Charlie]

Lots of people seem to put Clasie in the wrong position.

[Daft Kerplunk]

I like that very much but where would you put Rodriguez? Pelle is on fire at the mo.

 

was more saying that a fully fit and firing team would probably feature Rodriguez. It is good that Pelle has competition/a foil to play alongside when different formations are needed.

 

With the way the team was set out and played on Saturday, albeit against a weak Norwich side, we should be doing decent things again this season.

[S-Clarke]

itchen_dan has it nailed. Clasie will fit in that position pretty well, can rotate with Davis. Then you have Reed/JWP to rotate with the other 2. Lots of good options.

[verlaine1979]

Lots of people seem to put Clasie in the wrong position.

 

I think Guan or Monk said that before his injury Clasie was training as the most forward of the three central midfielders, though his playing history and the opinions of the Dutch supporters who contribute here all seem to suggest he's a straightforward defensive midfielder. That said, Davis isn't a #10 either, so we're already playing someone in the wrong position there - perhaps the hope is that Clasie will just be less wrong?

[sfc1976]

But Wanyama is a c unt isn't he?