27 minutes ago, Skinnedy said:

Unfortunately, not a lot of attacking threat in any lineup or formation we run out there to start the season. 

I think our best chance of goals involves having the likes of Perdo, RLC, Barkley in the starting line up. They take the imitative to take on the goal scoring burden the most out of the squad. 

I think Giroud will start the season as first choice and then it's going to be up to Tammy Abraham and/or Michy B to try and prove themselves worthy of minutes as the season goes on. 

Looks like Abraham intends on sticking around this season based on his recent comments, will be interesting to see what happens with Michy seeing as Higuain is gone (thankfully) so is now the 2nd most experienced striker we have.  

10 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I think our best chance of goals involves having the likes of Perdo, RLC?????, Barkley? in the ?starting line? up

I think RLC being injured is a bigger blow than CHO right now. 

Having them both fit changes the conversation completely. 

Hopefully they're 100% sooner rather than later. CHO and James appear to be making good progress. 

Keeper:                                Kepa

Defence:              Dave, Rudiger, Luiz, Emerson

Holding Mid:                 Jorginho, Kante

Attacking Mid:        Pedro, Willian, Pulisic

Striker:                               Abraham

1 hour ago, Imran_CFC said:

Keeper:                                Kepa

Defence:              Dave, Rudiger, Luiz, Emerson

Holding Mid:                 Jorginho, Kante

Attacking Mid:        Pedro, Willian, Pulisic

Striker:                               Abraham

Have to say I would probably go for something like this... Christensen in for Rudi (till he is fit again)and maybe Barkley in for Willian ( just to give a wing option) 

                         Kepa 

Azpil Christensen Luiz Emerson 

                Kante Jorginho 

            Pedro Pulisic Willian 

                       Giroud 

Loftus Cheek and Odio look as they won't be fit come the first game. 

Reece James..  won't start after a championship season. Rudier won't be fit enough from injury and Emerson was steady last season so the defense picks itself. 

Kante no brainer. Jorginho I think could be used beside Kante and it might work better but since Kovatic is staying now.. he could easily start. 

Wingers pick them selves with Odoi injured.. he's back running now apparently but might need to be introduced slowly. Pulisic plays central often for usa. Barkley could arguably start but I think that's are best team base on who's available. Giroud can't run but is our best striker 

Edited June 27, 20197 yr by BlueITC

17 hours ago, BlueITC said:

                         Kepa 

Azpil Christensen Luiz Emerson 

                Kante Jorginho 

            Pedro Pulisic Willian 

                       Giroud 

Loftus Cheek and Odio look as they won't be fit come the first game. 

Reece James..  won't start after a championship season. Rudier won't be fit enough from injury and Emerson was steady last season so the defense picks itself. 

Kante no brainer. Jorginho I think could be used beside Kante and it might work better but since Kovatic is staying now.. he could easily start. 

Wingers pick them selves with Odoi injured.. he's back running now apparently but might need to be introduced slowly. Pulisic plays central often for usa. Barkley could arguably start but I think that's are best team base on who's available. Giroud can't run but is our best striker 

Just a friendly reminder Willian has the worst accuracy & efficiency but will most likely be starting games for us.

Don't know about day one, but fully fit this is what I'd like to see:

433

                      Kepa

James   Rudiger   Luiz   Emerson

                    Kante

         Jorginho   Loftus Cheek

Pusilic                            Hudson-Odoi

                   Abrahams

 

541

                       Kepa

       Azpilicueta   Luiz   Rudiger

James                                    Alonso

             Kante   Loftus Cheek

Pusilic                                 Hudson-Odoi

                      Abrahams

When all fit:

                    Kepa

James Zouma Rudi Emerson 

           Jorginho  Kante

                       RLC

Pulisic   Tammy/Michy   CHO

Would also be intrigued by a midfield of                        

      Kante    

 Mount  RLC

                           Kepa

Azpili Christensen Luiz Emerson

              Kante  Jorginho

Pulisic    Kovacic      Willian

                Michy

Manager: Frank Lampard

Sub: Caballero Zouma Alonso James Barkley Pedro Abraham

 

How about if Rafa gets the job?

 

Kepa

 

Azpi

christensen 

Zouma

Alonso 

 

Jorginho 

Kante

 

Pulisic

Willian

Kenedy

 

Morata

I would start this team.

------------------Kepa-----------------------------

Azpi----Christensen----Luiz----Alonso/Emerson

--------Kante----Jorginho------Mount-------------

--------Pedro----Abraham-----Willian--------------

Subs: Caballero, Ampadu, Alonso/Emerson (James if fit by then), Kovacic, Barkley, Pulisic, Giroud.

Over the season changes will need to be made with James, RLC and CHO finding their way back in but i would pick this team on day one for these reasons.

Back CBs picks itself with Ampadu as the back up CB while Rudigers out, someone like Tomori over Ethan if he goes on loan.

I would give Mount the gig at Old Trafford in a stable midfield especially if he shines in pre season.

I know people want Pulisic drafted straight in but i think he will need time to settle as it's his first season in England , Abraham will be hungry to kick on where he left off and has the momentum from last year whereas Pulisic doesn't right now. So Tammy with two experienced wingers is how i will start the season. 

Kepa 

azbi zouma luiz Emerson 

kante jorginho 

pedro Barkley pulisic 

giroud 

---------Abraham
Willian------------Pulisic
------Kante--Kovacic----
Alonso--------------James
--Andreas-Luiz-Azpi[emoji2398]----
-----------Kepa

Based on preseason so far:

If Kante is not fit:

Kepa

 

Azpi 

christensen 

Luiz 

emerson 

 

Kovacic

Jorginho 

 

Pedro

Barkley

Pulisic

 

Giroud

 

If Kante is fit:

 

Kepa

 

Azpi

christensen 

Luiz 

emerson 

 

Kovacic

Kante

 

Pedro

Jorginho

Pulisic

 

Giroud

I'm not sure we'll see Jorginho play that far forward

I think it's going to be this at the start of the season

GK: Kepa
RB: "Dave"
CB: Luiz
CB: Christensen
LB: Emerson
DM: Kovacic
DM: Jorginho
LAM: Willian
CAM: Barkley
RAM: Pulisic
ST: Batman

But I think when people come back healthy and later in the season it will look like this

GK: Kepa
RB: "Dave"
CB: Rudiger
CB: Christensen
LB: Emerson
DM: Kante
DM: Jorginho
LAM: Hudson-Odoi
CAM: Loftus-Cheek (Although I think you can interchange Mount here too)
RAM: Pulisic
ST: Abraham

Either team has a fairly strong bench IMO.

First game:

          Azpi        Christensen   Luiz      Emerson 

                                   Kante 

                   Jorginho                Kova 

        Pedro               Giroud                 Pulasic 

 

Full Strength:

       Azpi            Rudi            Luiz        Emerson 

                                 Kante

                    Jorginho              RLC

     Pulasic      (Whoever’s scoring)     CHO 

 

We have plenty of rotation for midfield, 4 wingers, 4 good CB’s if we can get one of the strikers scoring I fancy us to make top 4 again, the squad isn’t bad at all. 

Assuming Kante is unfit

 

Azpi Christenson Luiz Emerson (or Alonso)

Jorginho Kova

         Ross (or Mount)

Pedro(or willian) Tammy Pulisic.

 

This is not the team I would have picked preseason. I can't see Kante or William making the first game, although Willian didn't play much in the Copa, but I think mentally you need a break.

As between Ross and Mount it just depends on whether Ross is having a good day or a bad day. He was about 50:50 on them last season.

Tammy would not have been in my starting 11 but I've come round to the view that we are too slow and predictable with Giroud. 

Hello after a long time. I've been reading regularly but I am not posting as much. Sorry for my english mistakes in advance, it is not my primary language ? And I hope i write this in the right topic..

So my prediction for the following season:

KEEPER:
Kepa, obviously.

DEFENSE:
To the left I would give Emerson the advantage over Alonso, but it's nice to have some width in this position.
On CB the main man is Luiz, with the unknown long absence of Rudiger, it is likely Christiansen to take his place. How much will Zouma play? The question is - I did not fully follow the previous preparatory games ... Did he play and how?
To the right Azpi will be burned-out again, Zappacosta can play cups and get minutes towards the end of the already determined matches in PL and CL.

ATTACK:
I deliberately skipped the middle, because I have most concerns / combinations there.
To the left Pedro and Willian will interchange, the right wing is probably reserved for Pulisic.
I would try (at least from the start) with Abraham, replacing him into the classic 65'-70 'with Giroud. How much playtime will Lampard give to Michy if any at all?

MIDDLE:
If Kante is healthy, he is clearly cemented in the first position. I liked Lampard's first press conference when he laughed and told the journalist that he certainly knows where Kante will play :D
Now comes the interesting part. Lampard obviously counts on Kovacic to play regularly next to Kante. He spoke very nicely of him for the past few days and I have the feeling that he can get "cemented" in the first line.
Now, how about playing Jorghio behind the striker ?? Or vice versa, Kova?i? behind the striker and Jorghinh next to Kante. Then there is the question where Barkley comes into the equation? Mount is another choice, but I do not think that he will get real chances except for maybe cups and possibly a few minutes in PL and CL.

This is how I would do it: Kova?i? near Kante, Jorginho / Barkley behind the striker. Our "creative" Italian with two goals and no assist in the previous season might even work well this way. Similarly, Barkley (because he is too slow in my opinin for the CDM) could be useful in front because he has a good shot from a distance. What do you think? The combination in these positions is really huge, so I really wonder how Lampard will do it.
It is true that Kante is not perfectly fit, so from the beginning of the season we can probably expect Kovacic and Jorginho on CDM and Barkley behind the striker.
 

 

 

Still think we look our best playing a diamond this pre season, especially until CHO is back.

Kepa

Azpi  Christensen  Luiz  Emerson

Jorginho

Kovacic      Mount

Barkley

Tammy    Batshuayi

Pulisic could play in place of either Mount or Barkley imo.

11 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Still think we look our best playing a diamond this pre season, especially until CHO is back.

Kepa

Azpi  Christensen  Luiz  Emerson

Jorginho

Kovacic      Mount

Barkley

Tammy    Batshuayi

Pulisic could play in place of either Mount or Barkley imo.

Who knows what will work, but that set up looks pretty narrow to me, first half yesterday i liked we had two wide m/f's and Tammy alone in between, it stretched Barca at the back, i think with just the two central forwards it may be easier for defences to chaperone them.

Giroud have more or less confirmed the 4-2-3-1 is what we are working on so i expect us to line up in that formation. For me thats also the most suitable formation for this squad and it will get the best out of our best player (Kante).
I also think we'll see a Kovacic at a whole different level this season compared to last and Jorginho as well so i think we will have a very solid midfield this season. 

Edited July 24, 20196 yr by Sindre

i think the 11 that started yesterday will start against united, with the possible inclusion of kante over kovacic if he is 100% fit by then. 

In the coming months, i expect CHO, and RLC to cenent thier places in the team. 

There will be interesting battles for places all over the side.

Just because the formation is on paper as 4-2-3-1 it doesn’t mean it’s two wingers and a no.10. I’m sure Lamps is a lot less rigid and more open to change with formations etc. than Sarri was.