Starting line up v villa

I'm less concerned about the players picked than the tactics employed by Parker. As everyone knows when we went up with EH we changed very little and were successful. Even though we leaked, we also scored and obviously this is vital in the PL. Parker is already saying we need to change the way we play before we've even kicked a ball. If it's just tweaking around the edges and tightening up, no problem. But if it's wholesale new tactics I think this could be disastrous. I would rather play largely we way we know, at least for a few weeks, rather than start the new season against elite opposition with a strategy that is untested. Could all unravel very quickly, if goals dry up. I'm sure Parker is eager to prove he can cut it in the PL after what happened last time with Fulham. I just hope his instincts to be cautious don't stifle our attacking play excessively.
 
depends how you define wholesale new tactics
the standard 4-3-3 was relentlessly slagged off last season by the usual suspects so surely any deviation would be welcome?
defensive quality and options appear limited, changing to a back 3 (turning into a 5) is a no-brainer
going to massively rely on converting what little chances we manage to create to be competitive
 
This is a very difficult decision for Parker, whatever he decides to do is likely going to be the wrong decision as it currently stands.

Either we play four at the back, a formation that suits the players he has available, and we likely will be taken apart by a better team.

Or, he plays with a three at the back despite only having one centre back who is PL quality and our only fit right wing back being Stacy who he clearly doesn’t rate. Having Adam Smith at right wing back means no attacking threat down the right hand side so we will become completely reliant on the left hand side. Not to mention we just have to hope that Lerma is a PL standard centre back despite him never even playing there at this level before…

It’s a pretty impossible situation he’s been put in by the board to be honest, I’m not surprised he sounds peed off by it. He hasn’t been given the tools to compete and yet he will be the one who has to burden the responsibility.
 
KingKieffer said:
This is a very difficult decision for Parker, whatever he decides to do is likely going to be the wrong decision as it currently stands.

Either we play four at the back, a formation that suits the players he has available, and we likely will be taken apart by a better team.

Or, he plays with a three at the back despite only having one centre back who is PL quality and our only fit right wing back being Stacy who he clearly doesn’t rate. Having Adam Smith at right wing back means no attacking threat down the right hand side so we will become completely reliant on the left hand side. Not to mention we just have to hope that Lerma is a PL standard centre back despite him never even playing there at this level before…

It’s a pretty impossible situation he’s been put in by the board to be honest, I’m not surprised he sounds peed off by it. He hasn’t been given the tools to compete and yet he will be the one who has to burden the responsibility.
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Cant wait for the season to start.
 
KingKieffer said:
This is a very difficult decision for Parker, whatever he decides to do is likely going to be the wrong decision as it currently stands.

Either we play four at the back, a formation that suits the players he has available, and we likely will be taken apart by a better team.

Or, he plays with a three at the back despite only having one centre back who is PL quality and our only fit right wing back being Stacy who he clearly doesn’t rate. Having Adam Smith at right wing back means no attacking threat down the right hand side so we will become completely reliant on the left hand side. Not to mention we just have to hope that Lerma is a PL standard centre back despite him never even playing there at this level before…

It’s a pretty impossible situation he’s been put in by the board to be honest, I’m not surprised he sounds peed off by it. He hasn’t been given the tools to compete and yet he will be the one who has to burden the responsibility.
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Well over 30 days to go in the transfer window, so let's not panic yet. Yes ideally we would have liked all signings done and dusted weeks ago, but things don't always turn out that way. Phillips I suspect is our preferred target, but liverpool are asking more than we want to pay. A risk waiting until later in the window, all the other rumours no idea if there's any truth in them.
My guess is we sign at least one CB who's not been rumoured.
 
KingKieffer said:
This is a very difficult decision for Parker, whatever he decides to do is likely going to be the wrong decision as it currently stands.

Either we play four at the back, a formation that suits the players he has available, and we likely will be taken apart by a better team.

Or, he plays with a three at the back despite only having one centre back who is PL quality and our only fit right wing back being Stacy who he clearly doesn’t rate. Having Adam Smith at right wing back means no attacking threat down the right hand side so we will become completely reliant on the left hand side. Not to mention we just have to hope that Lerma is a PL standard centre back despite him never even playing there at this level before…

It’s a pretty impossible situation he’s been put in by the board to be honest, I’m not surprised he sounds peed off by it. He hasn’t been given the tools to compete and yet he will be the one who has to burden the responsibility.
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So the board have put him in this position.
you are well informed.
I must admit if there’s an interview with him sounding peed off that I haven’t heard, I’ll stand corrected.
 
AFCBade said:
Funny how Parker says nothing imminent and tavernier deal done/close before the next match! So much can change in the next month
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Indeed and these deals often take weeks to complete at this stage of the window. Just look at Leif Davis’ uncomplicated move to Ipswich, took 3 weeks to be announced.
 
cherrybeetle said:
I'm less concerned about the players picked than the tactics employed by Parker. As everyone knows when we went up with EH we changed very little and were successful. Even though we leaked, we also scored and obviously this is vital in the PL. Parker is already saying we need to change the way we play before we've even kicked a ball. If it's just tweaking around the edges and tightening up, no problem. But if it's wholesale new tactics I think this could be disastrous. I would rather play largely we way we know, at least for a few weeks, rather than start the new season against elite opposition with a strategy that is untested. Could all unravel very quickly, if goals dry up. I'm sure Parker is eager to prove he can cut it in the PL after what happened last time with Fulham. I just hope his instincts to be cautious don't stifle our attacking play excessively.
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I guess one thing had to change: the possession-based football because we simply won't have the ball as much. We'recommend inevitably going to defend more too, so it makes sense to have a hitting teams on the break style. So, in those ways, we need to change. As for formation, I'm not sure. Some teams function really well with 3 at the back and wing backs and are great at using that formation for counters. The danger is that you will just become too defensive. If we can get the ball forward quickly and the number 8s can link up well with the wing backs, it could work. I understand what you are saying about using a completely different style/formation, though. It would maybe be better if the formation was tweaked. For example, a deeper midfielder being a very deep midfielder yet not quite being the third centre back, so he can still make some runs further forward, but also help out defensively a bit more. Having said that, I think Parker is trying to find space for Lerma, Cook, Billing and Rothwell, and the easiest way to do that is to use wing backs rather than full backs and wingers and create the extra midfield spot.
 
Given how late Tavernier and any CB(s) may sign I doubt we'll see any major surprises in the opening few games and it'll be players we already know. Parker will want / take time to get any new faces up to speed.

As with last season, the starting 11 that starts early August isnt necessarily the starting 11 come mid September.
 
Green_Cherry said:
Where’s this playing Lerma as a CB suddenly come from? Not saying he can’t do a decent job there but surely we need to sign an actual defender than a number 8 playing out of position
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I’m with Green Cherry on this one, really cannot understand the notion that putting Lerma as a central defender is even considered an option, his disciplinary record alone is a disaster waiting to happen. In midfield a bad/mistimed tackle is a foul and possible yellow card, in defence it’s a red and penalty. We have an international defender in Mepham who makes an occasional mistake, but apart from Ake I can’t think of many defenders in recent history who haven’t been guilty of a blunder. I would prefer keeping Lerma in midfield and putting Meps or another in defence, round pegs in round holes for me
 
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