As it stands, squad wise...
Goalkeepers
Begovic
Boruc
Ramsdale
Travers
Right Backs
A. Smith
Francis
Seaman
Centre Backs
Ake
S. Cook
Francis
Mings
Simpson
Left Backs
Daniels
Rico
Centre Mids
Lerma
L. Cook
Surman
Gosling
Taylor
Ofoborh
Wingers
Fraser
Brooks
Stanislas
Ibe
Pugh
Strikers
Wilson
King
Mousset
Defoe
Well, I mean, it's an absolute state. No available right backs, 3 available centre backs (one of which is a youth academy player), 2 available Centre Mids. But we also have 5 Wingers competing for 2 starting positions. That means we can't play a 3-man midfield, or 3 at the back safely. Brilliant. And of these fit players, how many are out of form atm? Probably Stanislas, Brooks, Fraser, King, Defoe, Mousset and Daniels. Yikes.
And then you remember that EH was playing Smith at Left Back ahead of both Daniels and Rico, which I thought was ridiculous at the time and is now starting to look suicidal. The main problem I have with this is that it's purely to accommodate Francis in the team. And thats not having a go at Francis; EH seems to think one player is good enough to cover two positions somehow. Which has really come back to haunt us now. And if he doesn't think this needs sorting out in January, then I don't know what to say. He needs to decide once and for all whether Francis is a CB or a RB, and then recruit accordingly. Otherwise our defensive options will always be imbalanced. Personally, I view him as a backup, right-sided CB.
I'd like to see EH maybe show some faith in OUR youngsters as well, at least as much faith as he does in the youngsters he spends £££s on. You look at West Ham, Southampton, Everton, Wolves; all clubs around us that play academy players in and around the first team. Hopefully we see some more of Simpson in the Xmas period, hopefully we can have a look at Taylor and Ofoborh, and maybe Seaman will get some games, considering we DON'T HAVE A FIT RIGHT BACK. We won't know how good they are until we see them play. What I absolutely don't want to see is a back 3 of Cook, Ake and Daniels, with Simpson on the bench. If you want to play 3 at the back, play Simpson and have a bit of faith.