The starting XI

[PlainmoorRoar]

There's alot of debate on what the best 11 is from are currently crop of players and how best to play them, what are people's opinion if they could choose?

For me 442

Rice
Tonge Pearce Downes cruise
Chappell Mansell Lathrope Bodin
Hawley Benyon

Or if the formation changed 4-3-3

Rice
Tonge Pearce Downes Cruise
Lathrope Craig Mansell
Chappell Hawley Bodin

[AustrianAndyGull]

I'd stick with how it is for the minute and see if any improvement is made but if not then:

RICE
TONGE PEARCE DOWNES CRUISE
LATHROPE
CHAPPELL MANSELL CRAIG BODIN (can't have Cameron at all, at least Billy moves his legs and gives it a go)
HAWLEY

[Dave]

As Matt has suggested on another thread that Mozika is signed and only 2weeks from being fit, this.

Rice
Tonge Pearce Downes Cruise
Chappell Mansell Mozika Bodin
Hawley Benyon

[AustrianAndyGull]

Yep, can't argue with that one either Dave.

[Rjc70]

Rice
Tonge Downes Pearce Cruise
Chapell Mozika Harding Bodin
Hawley Ball

Loaned out: Craig; Yeoman

[PhilGull]

Interesting to see everyone picking Bodin, are people starting to relise that whatever his form he is still one of the best wingers at the club?
Also, Isn't Ball's loan deal up soon? From what I remember it was a 1 month youth loan so we either need to make it a proper loan deal or look at other options?

[Richinns]

Rice
Tonge Downes Pearce Cruise
Chapell Mozika Harding Bodin
Hawley Ball

Loaned out: Craig; Yeoman

This but Manse over Harding for me

[Bloggy]

Ball was signed on a 2 month loan deal which expires on 7th Oct. Meaning four more league games. (Rochdale, Cheltenham, Newport and York).

[AustrianAndyGull]

Interesting to see everyone picking Bodin, are people starting to relise that whatever his form he is still one of the best wingers at the club?Also, Isn't Ball's loan deal up soon? From what I remember it was a 1 month youth loan so we either need to make it a proper loan deal or look at other options?

Errr , no Phil. I'm starting to realise that perhaps Cameron is potentially worse than Bodin and as we have nobody else then he gets my preferred starting berth by default. I prefer Bodin over Cameron from what I have seen thus far as Bodin at least looks busy and tries to get involved in games.

[ferrarilover]

Ball was signed on a 2 month loan deal which expires on 7th Oct. Meaning four more league games. (Rochdale, Cheltenham, Newport and York).

While potentially true (I've not checked the irrelevant facts), it was a youth loan, which will be extended without issue at the turn of Ball's (20th?) Birthday.

Matt.

[tomogull]

This but Manse over Harding for me

Ditto for me. too, with Benyon, Lathrope, Craig, Nicholson, McKenzie, Niall Thompson, Callum Thompson on the bench. If as RJC suggests, Craig & Yeoman (& possibly McKenzie) are loaned out I hope it would be to give them more match experience - as did Notts Co with Labadie - rather than with a view to moving them out permanently. I also think that it would help Cameron if he was loaned to, say, a Conference Premier side. He's got bags of potential but needs to be more aware positionally.

[PhilGull]

The way AK has put this squad together it's hard to play anything other than the current pacy 4-4-2 but I think it can be done.
We could be playing a modern "ticka-tacka" 4-2-3-1.

Rice
Tonge Downes Pearce Cruise
Lathrope Harding
Bodin Craig Chappell
Hawley


Harding can be swapped for Mansell or Mozika when he's ready. Any one of the attacking three can be swapped with Cameron/Thompson/Sullivan/Yeoman even Hawley or Benyon could be tried in there.

But to be honest I think the most important thing, regardless of formation is the players need to be told to keep the ball on the floor and always look for the easy option - and the easy option is never to look for the head or chest of the striker at the other end of the pitch but the team mate closest to you. Just play the simple pass, move in to space and look for the return. SIMPLES

[chunkygull]

The way AK has put this squad together it's hard to play anything other than the current pacy 4-4-2 but I think it can be done.
We could be playing a modern "ticka-tacka" 4-2-3-1.

Rice
Tonge Downes Pearce Cruise
Lathrope Harding
Bodin Craig Chappell
Hawley


Harding can be swapped for Mansell or Mozika when he's ready. Any one of the attacking three can be swapped with Cameron/Thompson/Sullivan/Yeoman even Hawley or Benyon could be tried in there.

But to be honest I think the most important thing, regardless of formation is the players need to be told to keep the ball on the floor and always look for the easy option - and the easy option is never to look for the head or chest of the striker at the other end of the pitch but the team mate closest to you. Just play the simple pass, move in to space and look for the return. SIMPLES :cool:

love this post, my thoughts exactly (especially the bit in bold), the formation is easily interchangable through the game if needs must, but the main thing is passing it simple and on the floor to nearest team-mates, this is the most basic fundamental of football and also the most effective and threatening kind of football, its very hard to defend against and tires out the opposition.

people moaned and slagged off the 2nd half spell v hartlepool where we kept the ball and knocked it around a bit, spread the play and tried to pull the opposition around, a killer ball was lacking and a few passes went astray, but i would much rather see us play like that and keep the ball than play hoofball, giving our forwards hardly any chance to get it under control, have to run themselves into the ground and we keep losing the bloody ball.

you can bet players would prefer to try and play this way, because it is more enjoyable , each would see more of the ball, its less tiring and the chance of winning games is greater.

if players are incapable of passing the ball on the deck simply to each other, then they should not be professional footballers, also this asks the question again, what the hell do they do in training all week?

long balls can be effective if you have a team of hulks or real battlers, but you still need players who can pass it accurately and creatively into spaces or to the frontmen. it is still a tactic that has to be practised and mastered, rather than just hoof and hope.

[Sunnysideup]

The way AK has put this squad together it's hard to play anything other than the current pacy 4-4-2 but I think it can be done.
We could be playing a modern "ticka-tacka" 4-2-3-1.

Rice
Tonge Downes Pearce Cruise
Lathrope Harding
Bodin Craig Chappell
Hawley

I thought we tried that around November last year, obviously with a few different names that have since moved on?

[FavGull]

I'm definitely with the idea of flexibility in the formation, and that we need to pass the ball effectively and keep it simple. I would opt for something more like a 4-1-2-3 when attacking, which becomes a 4-2-3-1 when defending. Knoll clearly prefers a 4-4-2, but this is not working well enough at the moment largely it seems as we don't have enough in midfield. Given current resources and preferences, how about starting with:

Rice
Tonge, Downes, Pearce, Cruise
Lathrope
Mansell, Harding
Chappell, Hawley, Bodin

With provisos:
a) Any of the midfield three who do not perform with this added protection and freedom provided by an extra body should be under immediate threat from Craig or Mozika.
b) Chappell and Bodin would have freedom to go wide but would also need to support central man more as well. Have no doubt they could both do this effectively. Ball, as a young professional trying to force his way into the Championship should be able to fill this role also.
c) If Hawley not performing, Ball at present could also play here. Formation doesn't suit Benyon (who definitely deserves chance if we persist with 4-4-2) but perhaps Yeoman.
d) Cameron and Benyon could be utilised to change formation with cameos from the bench.

This may be overly optimistic, and will require plenty of coaching I imagine (I am a fan, not a coach), and I do appreciate we aren't Barcelona, but good teams are flexible and have numbers where they are needed, at any level of football. 4-4-2 is looking increasingly rigid and less and less effective.