Is this our Best XI

When will fans grasp that Lavery and Madine do not work together. Do we seriously want more of the same, that we saw at the end of the season.

In the midfield, a fit Carey has to play. That probably means 1 up top, and it has to be a mobile player that can link with the midfield & wide players.

Grimshaw
Gabriel
Marv
Keogh
Husband
Kenny
Stewart
Carey
Keshi
The Bowler Replacement
Jerry
 
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4-3-3
Grimshaw
Gabriel Marv Keogh Husband
Stewart/ Dougall Connolly Keshi.
Bowler Madine Lavery.
Can't see Madine being so high up in Appleton's plans. And I can see us possibly losing Gabriel to Burnley.

Be interesting to see who does line up in midfield and attack for us. Not a lot nailed on at the minute. Kenny, probably. I have a feeling Carey and Lavery might suit Appleton's thinking. As it stands...

...............Grimshaw
Gabriel Marv Richard Jimmy
.........Connolly Dougall
....................Carey
Bowler Yates/Beesley Lavery/Keshi
 
Can't see Madine being so high up in Appleton's plans. And I can see us possibly losing Gabriel to Burnley.

Be interesting to see who does line up in midfield and attack for us. Not a lot nailed on at the minute. Kenny, probably. I have a feeling Carey and Lavery will suit Appleton's thinking. As it stands...

...............Grimshaw
Gabriel Marv Richard Jimmy
.........Connolly Dougall
....................Carey
Bowler Yates/Beesley Lavery

Agree with a lot of that, personally can't see JG going anywhere this summer, he had a down year last season, not all his fault, in fact a lot of it wasn't his fault, don't think his market is that big atm.

I'd worry for Lavery out wide in a three I think that spot would be best suited to Dale out of everyone at the club currently, whilst not being overly impressed with him last season he did show some flashes of beating a man and teeing up one of the strikers from out wide, Cov away springs to mind.
 
Can't see Madine being so high up in Appleton's plans. And I can see us possibly losing Gabriel to Burnley.

Be interesting to see who does line up in midfield and attack for us. Not a lot nailed on at the minute. Kenny, probably. I have a feeling Carey and Lavery might suit Appleton's thinking. As it stands...

...............Grimshaw
Gabriel Marv Richard Jimmy
.........Connolly Dougall
....................Carey
Bowler Yates/Beesley Lavery/Keshi
Madine doesn't need to be as high up the pitch in a 4-3-3 you'd have the two wide men pushing past him.
 
Madine doesn't need to be as high up the pitch in a 4-3-3 you'd have the two wide men pushing past him.
Sure, i just doubt Appleton will want to rely on him much. Plan B I think.

Agree with a lot of that, personally can't see JG going anywhere this summer, he had a down year last season, not all his fault, in fact a lot of it wasn't his fault, don't think his market is that big atm.

I'd worry for Lavery out wide in a three I think that spot would be best suited to Dale out of everyone at the club currently, whilst not being overly impressed with him last season he did show some flashes of beating a man and teeing up one of the strikers from out wide, Cov away springs to mind.
If Burnley and Kompany are keen, they may offer money that Appleton would prefer to have than Gabriel.

Lavery started last season really well. He was among the top scorers in the division when he got injured. He may get the central role. Dale has had a couple of good moments. But could play wide of Lavery. Keshi was far more effective than Dale last season though. Needs to recapture that form, of course, and he may not stick around. He looks a bit restless to me.
 
Sure, i just doubt Appleton will want to rely on him much. Plan B I think.
MA likes to play a 4-3-3 did most of last season and year before including the final against us.

So today to pick a side Madine would start as none of Yates or Lavery can play up top(might have to next season) not tomorrow with possible new signings.
 
Sure, i just doubt Appleton will want to rely on him much. Plan B I think.


If Burnley and Kompany are keen, they may offer money that Appleton would prefer to have than Gabriel.

Lavery started last season really well. He was among the top scorers in the division when he got injured. He may get the central role. Dale has had a couple of good moments. But could play wide of Lavery. Keshi was far more effective than Dale last season though. Needs to recapture that form, of course, and he may not stick around. He looks a bit restless to me.
Oh yeh I agree, if the price is right for JG he's off, I just can't see anyone doing that after last year. I'm regularly wrong though.

Oh yeh Lavery centrally would be cracking but he's got stiff competition there just fear he doesnt have the correct skill set or physique to play out wide.

Keshi would be perfect to sit just behind the front three in your formation, he was criminally misused by Quitch
 
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MA likes to play a 4-3-3 did most of last season and year before including the final against us.

So today to pick a side Madine would start as none of Yates or Lavery can play up top(might have to next season) not tomorrow with possible new signings.
Yes 433 but more mobility than Gaz I hope. Will he rate Beesley? He's probably the likeliest option as things stand. But is he good enough?

I'm not suggesting Lavery plays wide really. Either in the centre or a narrower left position with an overlapping full back.

I was keen to see Keshi in behind the strikers last season. We might see that now. Or he might be gone. I wouldn't be surprised if Appleton would ideally like to change about ten players out of the 25. But it'll more likely be 7ish. He needs to make space but I think he'll let anybody in two minds leave. This first week or two will be all about the coaches sounding out the players and the players working out how they feel in the new regime. Some signed for Critch because of his Liverpool U23 background.
 
Carey will be a surprise to most then. Will probably play 4-3-3 to accommodate. With two holding midfield it should allow fullbacks some license.
 
Gaz suffered from being isolated last season in our 4 6 1 formation. He's clearly busting a gut on his fitness in pre season and I have high hopes he'll be out there, playing the nippy lads in and generally shithousing the hell out of the opposition for at least another year.
 
Madine doesn't need to be as high up the pitch in a 4-3-3 you'd have the two wide men pushing past him.
Madine is too slow and too static to play in a 4 3 3. I'm hoping that this season he will be used as a time-wasting late sub and not much more.
 
Last season for me;
Grimshaw
Gabriel Ekpeteta Keogh Garbutt
Bowler Dougall Stewart Anderson
Madine Lavery

No way Appleton plays 442 next season though
 
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