Team vs Liverpool

[Hatch007]

It'll never happen but I'd go with:

Leno
Tete Affengruber Bassey Sess
Charles Larsson
Iwobi King Kevin
Garcia

but what I expect AA to field is:

Leno
Castagne Affengruber Bassey Jedi
Berge Charles
Bobb King Palacios
Garcia

I'd play Tete over TC because he's better defensively.

Although Sess lacks Jedi's pace he's solid enough defensively and a far greater threat offensively.

Let's find out if Affengruber is, indeed, "pacey"

Iwobi and Kevin will track back far more effectively on the flanks than Bobb and Palacios but Kevin won't start over Golden Boy Palacios.

[JimmyConway]

              Leno

    Andersen Affengruber Bassey

Tete                          Sessegnon/Robinson                       
          Charles Berge

      King            Iwobi

              Garcia

For one game only and to attempt to either nick an unlikely point or three or damage limitations?
I put the Austrian lad in as not sure Cuenca would give the balance in a back three next to Bassey.
Big call to start Larsson at a place like Anfield. Would go with a straight bat and play Berge at least to start.
Not sure we can affored either Palacios or Bobb for this game well to start?

[Lordedmundo]

Leno

    Andersen Affengruber Bassey

Tete                          Sessegnon/Robinson                       
          Charles Berge

      King            Iwobi

              Garcia

For one game only and to attempt to either nick an unlikely point or three or damage limitations?
I put the Austrian lad in as not sure Cuenca would give the balance in a back three next to Bassey.
Big call to start Larsson at a place like Anfield. Would go with a straight bat and play Berge at least to start.
Not sure we can affored either Palacios or Bobb for this game well to start?

Yes - this is the team I would go with (Robinson to start). It looks a bit more solid to me with 2 DM's and Iwobi in his better position. Palacios or Kevin to replace Iwobi after 70mins or so. Sess to replace Robinson if he tires late in the game (ditto Castagne for Tete). Larsson on for Berge - if we need more attacking impetus/energy.

[ArcticOctopus]

Only thing I'd like to see is Lecomte starting. Leno's indecision is killing us.

[twang]

Not going to happen but I'd go with:

Lecomte
Castagne - Affengruber - Bassey - Robinson
Charles - Berge
Iwobi - King - Garcia
Muniz

[KentFulham]

Sess in for AP please

[hovewhite]

Leno

    Andersen Affengruber Bassey

Tete                          Sessegnon/Robinson                       
          Charles Berge

      King            Iwobi

              Garcia

For one game only and to attempt to either nick an unlikely point or three or damage limitations?
I put the Austrian lad in as not sure Cuenca would give the balance in a back three next to Bassey.
Big call to start Larsson at a place like Anfield. Would go with a straight bat and play Berge at least to start.
Not sure we can affored either Palacios or Bobb for this game well to start?

that would be a great lineup and wouldn't get embarrassed don't think

[Jim©]

Seeing as through all of his managerial years (in Castilla) he's played 4 at the back, I'd imagine that we won't be getting a change of formation at all.

I'd like

                  Lecomte
Tete     Andersen     Bassey     Robinson
         Larsson      Charles
Sess                  King       Iwobi
                      Garcia

I wouldn't be shocked if Iwobi and Palacios were swapped or Sess and Bobb. The two out of three centre mids are a hard choice and little to choose between them. What is 100% clear in my mind is that Leno must not start.

[JimmyConway]

Seeing as through all of his managerial years (in Castilla) he's played 4 at the back, I'd imagine that we won't be getting a change of formation at all.

I'd like

                  Lecomte
Tete     Andersen     Bassey     Robinson
         Larsson      Charles
Sess                  King       Iwobi
                      Garcia

I wouldn't be shocked if Iwobi and Palacios were swapped or Sess and Bobb. The two out of three centre mids are a hard choice and little to choose between them. What is 100% clear in my mind is that Leno must not start.

Jim however poor Leno has been and this is only my opinion which you can take with a pinch of salt but Lecomte is average at best. He'll get his chance at Westham next Tuesday I would imagine.
My personal take on Leno form dropping over the last couple of seasons is down to not having anything like good enough competition within the club and only natural complacency creeps in. I would take the inconsistencies of Leno currently over a early round cup goalie.

[Angus Telford]

but what I expect AA to field is:

Leno
Castagne Affengruber Bassey Jedi
Berge Charles
Bobb King Palacios
Garcia

That would be my XI so if he goes with that, I'm fine.
Drop Anderson and Iwobi basically.
But there need to additionally be some instructions to Castagne et al so the CBs aren't so isolated.

[Matt10]

This is a tough one because you want to see consistency in the lineup, but at the same time...something has to be done from last week. Arbeloa strikes me as a player's coach where he wants to send a message to his team first. I think he has to start showing how much more he trusts the veterans than the rebuild mentality.

The tricky part for me is the left side where Palacios vs Iwobi battle begins. Palacios has the momentum after scoring his first goal, but didn't have the best overall game. Iwobi got on the ball a lot more, but also made a crucial error leading up to the winning goal. One of the unspoken rules is you don't ruin momentum, such as taking out a goal scorer in Palacios, but at the same time, you don't just take out someone like Iwobi - who is known to be pivotal in big matches.

I understand the desire to change formation, but I don't think a team spends two months in the same formation, only to change after 3 matches. Anytime I've ever done that as a coach is just another way to tell everyone that "you don't know what you're doing", because it's true. Changing shape is affecting multiple areas of the pitch, pressing triggers, distances - just to name a few. In the end, it's not simply plug and play. You can lose a lot of buy-in from the players and in Arebloa's case, more than that.



I'm bored, so I've included my starters and reasoning.

Leno- Sure, definitely needed to make the near-post save, but he made a lot of good saves v Palace and was fine with his feet.

Castagne- Despite lunging wildly in the 50/50 that led to the first goal, he still played well enough and it seems Tete is out of favor.

Andersen - Best defender v Palace for me. Power of suggestion on boards and social media would worry about his speed, but the goals Palace scored on us had zero to do with speed and everything to do with over-aggression and falling asleep. Andersen never did that for me and defended the LWB multiple times.

Bassey - I know he's captain, but he's a big source of the over-aggression at the wrong times for me. Still need him though, and hopefully he's being coached on more specific ways to press rather than just putting a body on a player.

Robinson - Same issue for me with Robinson in the over-aggression, rather than being positionally disciplined - which is why he fell asleep to the through ball leading to the 4th goal. Need his pace at Anfield, would be great if he could get a cross or shot on target as well.

Charles - For me, he's the perfect blend of calmness and aggression. Some of our players need to take note of how he is defensively. In possession, he gets caught on the ball a bit as a result of his calmness, but that can be coached and I think he's a good enough player to learn very quickly from his short PL experience.

Berge - Brings the calmness and distribution that is needed when we have been aggressive the majority of the time. Also can drop into the defensive line to cover like he's done this season already.

Bobb - One of the best in possession and has steadily made the RW spot his. Emphasis on RW, not RM, not inside midfielder either. He has a freedom to drop back or not it would seem. He's also an outlet for the counter.

King - Incredible season so far and one we will need badly to penetrate Liverpool's lines. Bobb and him have interchanged well along with connecting in his goal v Palace.

Iwobi - It's a thin line for him, but the better comparison is Iwobi at the LM rather than the center mid area. Let him drift inside as well where he can be unpredictable and create from all over the pitch. If he gets lost or doesn't make an impact, then Palacios should be hungry enough to prove himself.

Garcia - I like Garcia and love his workrate. Obvious choice for me and hopefully he can hound the Liverpool defenders with the high press.

[demeant0r]

I would have:

            Leno
      Aff Andersen Bassey
 Castagne               Jedi
         Berge Charles
 Bobb                   Iwobi
            Garcia

But that won't happen. That would involve a back five which I'm not sure he's ever played.

[Angus Telford]

Jim however poor Leno has been and this is only my opinion which you can take with a pinch of salt but Lecomte is average at best. He'll get his chance at Westham next Tuesday I would imagine.
My personal take on Leno form dropping over the last couple of seasons is down to not having anything like good enough competition within the club and only natural complacency creeps in. I would take the inconsistencies of Leno currently over a early round cup goalie.

Agree

[LC]

I would go with:

Leno
Tete Affengruber Bassey Robinson
Charles Larsson
Bobb King Iwobi
Garcia

[iansthailand]

                           Leno      Lecomte

               Tete   AffenGruber      Bassey      Jedi

        Castagne      Andersen      Berge       Charles

                                Garcia

Get Trump to authorise the use of 2 keepers and no matter how many fouls or bad tackles no cards to be issued to FFC players. Referee Ray Lewington.

[Fulham 1879]

        Leno
Castagne Affi Bassey Sess
   Charles Larssen
  Iwobi King Palacios
       Garcia

[Woolly Mammoth]

Leno      Lecomte

               Tete   AffenGruber      Bassey      Jedi

        Castagne      Andersen      Berge       Charles

                                Garcia

Get Trump to authorise the use of 2 keepers and no matter how many fouls or bad tackles no cards to be issued to FFC players. Referee Ray Lewington.

Done 👍

[Neutral Zone Ultra]

Leno
Castagne Affi Bassey Sess
   Charles Larssen
  Iwobi King Palacios
       Garcia

This for me, tempted to keep Bobb but given we're light up top in terms of physicality Iwobi's physique may be beneficial.

[Jim©]

Lecomte is average at best

I've seen this bandied around by a few people, but not sure on what basis they say it?
He's had some odd games to come into, usually against lower league opposition, so he's been rarely called on.
I don't think any of his performances deserve the "average" tag, perhaps one cross v Newcastle could have been cut out, but there's nothing that I've seen from him that makes him appear any worse than Leno, who is failing IMO.
 

[@jolslover]

No idea why everyone is suggesting benching Palacios (who scored last game and looked good) and playing Iwobi on the wing (who has been poor this season).

I think it is simple to see what can make us more solid, two changes. Iwobi out for Berge (thus Berge and Charles both playing in midfield) and Andersen out for Affengruber. Simple, instantly makes us more solid and doesn't take away from our attack that's been so good.