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What is our current strongest XI?

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PloKoon13

PloKoon13

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This may be a little premature as our apparent ambition in the transfer market may lead us to make a couple more scintillating signings (mostly Brazilian attacking midfielders if the papers are to be believed), but our squad is taking on an entirely different look from the crushing physicality of the Essien-Maka days, and I wonder how each of you see us lining up in the new season, personnel-wise, formation-wise and tactics-wise.

There are obviously a few ways you can look at this; the starting XI that you want, the starting XI you predict, etc. I'll leave it to your discretion to pick your team. This is clearly not an exact science, but I've tried to arrange the squad by position. Sorry if I forgot anyone or put anyone in the wrong place:

GK

----

1 Petr Cech

22 Ross Turnbull

40 Henrique Hilario

RB

----

2 Branislav Ivanovic

19 Paulo Ferreira

27 Sam Hutchinson

LB

----

3 Ashley Cole

34 Ryan Bertrand

38 Patrick Van Aanholt

CB

----

2 Branislav Ivanovic

4 David Luiz

24 Gary Cahill

26 John Terry

27 Sam Hutchinson

DM

----

5 Michael Essien

6 Oriol Romeu

12 John Obi Mikel

CM

----

5 Michael Essien

7 Ramires

8 Frank Lampard

14 Kevin De Bruyne

15 Florent Malouda

16 Raul Meireles

20 Josh McEachran

30 Yossi Benayoun

RM/RW

------

7 Ramires

17 Eden Hazard

21 Marko Marin

23 Daniel Sturridge

30 Yossi Benayoun

LM/LW

-------

10 Juan Mata

14 Kevin De Bruyne

15 Florent Malouda

21 Marko Marin

23 Daniel Sturridge

44 Gael Kakuta

AM/SS

-----

10 Juan Mata

15 Florent Malouda

16 Raul Meireles

17 Eden Hazard

20 Josh McEachran

30 Yossi Benayoun

44 Gael Kakuta

CF

----

9 Fernando Torres

18 Romelu Lukaku

23 Daniel Sturridge

[i'll probably set up a poll later on, when we have a better idea of what the squad will look like. Presumably we'll have a far better idea of it after the Community Shield.]

 
---------------------------Cech

---Ivan----------Cahill----------Terry--------Cole

---------------------------Mikel

---------------Ramires-----------Lampard

--Hazard-------------------------------------Mata

--------------------------Torres

 
GK Cech

RB Ivan

LB Cole

CB Terry

CB Luiz

DM Lampard

DM Mikel

LM Hazard

ACM Mata

RM Ramires

CF Torres

 
For me, I'd have Cahill in ahead of Luiz most of the time. Luiz is still a bit of a worry whenever he's on the pitch, I think Cahill is far more solid. That being said, Terry is getting on now and won't play every game, so a CB partnership of Cahill & Luiz should be fine most of the time.

 
....................... Cech

Ivan..............cahill.....Terry...........Cole

..................luiz............lampard

Ramires...........Hazzard.........Mata

................... Torres

Luiz is to good footballer to leave out of my XI, and without proper back 4 duties i could see him being played like a Mattheus type, oscar to come in will upset the mix, and willian or hulk will push ramires down the order.

 
Cech

Ivanovic

Terry

Cahill

Cole

Mikel

Lampard

Ramires

Mata

Hazard

Torres

 
Ballack & Blu said:
....................... Cech

Ivan..............cahill.....Terry...........Cole

..................luiz............lampard

Ramires...........Hazzard.........Mata

................... Torres

Luiz is to good footballer to leave out of my XI, and without proper back 4 duties i could see him being played like a Mattheus type, oscar to come in will upset the mix, and willian or hulk will push ramires down the order.
Click to expand...
he was our best player last season i think he's 1 of the first names on the team sheet he's an untouchable at the moment.

 
....................... Cech............................

Ivan...........Luiz..........Terry...........Cole

..................Mikel (unfortunately)............De Bruyne

Ramires (unfortunately)...........Hazard.........Mata

...................Torres...................

When I say unfortunately for Ramires it's because I don't rate him as a RW, he's better as a CM but doesn't fit into the system. Mikel on the other hand I'm just not a fan of.

 
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Cech

Ivan - Cahill - Terry - Cole

Lampard - Mikel

Ramires - Hazard - Mata (those two will switch positions)

Torres

Are any of Mata, Hazard or Marin good as right wing? Would not mind seeing one of them there.

 
With the squad as it is right now, my lineup would be:

....................... Cech............................

Ivan...........Luiz..........Terry...........Cole

.......................Romeu.................

............Ramires.......Lampard.......

Hazard......................................Mata

......................Torres...................

Hazard/Mata would be allowed to roam freely, behind Torres. In attack Ramires can run up the right side, from deep, allowing Hazard to tuck in behind Torres. Then the formation looks like the one picked by timetowaste. I can imagine something like this being implemented (more likely with Mikel than Romeu). The shape of the team would be fairly rigid in defence but very fluid in attack.

 
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I don't think we'll be going back to the old 4-3-3 system we played since Mourinho days, it seems RDM prefers 4-2-3-1.

I'm gonna make the assumption Oscar is 99% sure to sign for us after having a medical and according to his agent I think we'd made the best offer of any interested party.

So I think we will line up as follows...

-------------Cech----------------

------------------------------------

Iva-----Cahill---Terry-----Cole

-----------------------------------

--------Mikel------------------

------------------Oscar---------

Sturridge----Mata----Hazard

-------------Torres-------------

I'm assuming Oscar will be used to play creatively from a deeper role than he's used to, as there's no way I can see him ousting Hazard or Mata as the most advanced CM and a £25m player doesn't normally warm the bench. I do wonder though if Marin could play on the right in place of Sturridge, he looked really impressive on his debut out on the left. One thing I can say though is this season our 'best' 11 is VERY hard to select, we have a great squad again now if the last couple of our transfer targets sign and we haven't had this much of a selection headache since our first and 2nd Premiership title winning seasons.

 
----------------------Cech---------------------------

----Ivanovic-----Cahill----Terry-------Cole------

---------------Mikel---Lampard--------------------

-----Ramires------Mata--------Hazard-----------

---------------------Torres---------------------------

 
We're in huge trouble if we don't sign another quality striker. Torres shouldn't be asked to shoulder the entire workload up front this season, especially with the amount of competitions we are in.

 
---------------------Cech-----------------

Ivanovic---David Luiz---Terry---Cole

-------------Ramires---Oscar-----------

----Marin-------Hazard------Mata------

------------------Torres------------------

Apparently Oscar can play in the deep lying midfielder playmaker position. When and if he comes play him in there next to Rami.

 
Best team right now is pretty similar to the end of last season:

(4-2-3-1): Cech, Ivan, Luiz/Cahill (toss up in my book), JT, Ash, Mikel, Lamps, Ramires, Mata, Hazard, Torres.

Strength in depth is always the key. Oscar (assuming we get a result), Hazard and Marin will all take a little time to settle. Mata for example will be better given he won't be our entire focus, and presumably the addition of some creators will help Torres as well.

My concern is we perhaps lack a little physical strength. Say what you like about the Nasri's and Silva's, Toure's power drove that team forward last season. With Drogba gone, Essien brittle and Mikel not really one for imposing his will we might lack a little strength in certain areas. Perhaps the extra guile added by some of the smaller players will help, but you need a mix and we might need to address that balance a little.

 
Options are great and we have loads this year I think.

.................................... Cech...........................................

Ivan/AN Other...........Luiz..........Cahill/Terry...........Cole/Ryan

............................................Romeu............................................

.........................Ramires.......Lampard.................................

Hazard.....................................................................Mata..

...................................Torres...........................................

Or

.................................... Cech...........................................

Ivan/AN Other...........Luiz..........Cahill/Terry...........Cole/Ryan

............................................Romeu............................................

................................Lampard/Ramires................................

Hazard...........................Mata....................................KDB.

...................................Torres...........................................

 
Coxy said:
We're in huge trouble if we don't sign another quality striker. Torres shouldn't be asked to shoulder the entire workload up front this season, especially with the amount of competitions we are in.
Click to expand...
Maybe not huge trouble but I think some trouble would be a fair comment. We are pretty much going into a season with one out and out centre forward who has flattered to deceive for seasons now. Sturridge has been played out of position for so long that he might struggle to fill in for Torres on an occasional basis and Lukaku looks like he needs a season or two on loan to try and improve some of the basics. Given how much money we are spending on the likes of Hazard, probably Oscar and possibly one or two others it does seem quite a gamble to put all our eggs in the Torres basket.

 
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