Line up for the season?

[General]

Jol mentioned after the betis game that there were still several doors open re transfers and that he'd know more about bent or someone else by the end of the week, do you think he has someone better than bent lined up and has used the bent hype as a decoy?

Anyway. Aside from that, I'd like bent - a proven marksman with pace and a couple of years on his side and a work ethic could thrive off the opportunities we are going to creat next season.

My preferred starting lineup from midfield to frontmen ATM is

---------------------bent-------------------

---------------berbatov--------------------

Taarabt---------------------------dejagah

------------------Ruiz---------------------

----------------boateng------------------


Now you can either put boateng next to Ruiz, but I think boateng is more reliable defensively than Ruiz and so have out him in a deeper lying role. I think Ruiz needs to be tried in a deeper cm role to give him more time on the ball to allow hunt o unlock his creativity...

Regarding the youngsters this is potentially the hardest side to things... I'm aware Ruiz has been pretty anticlimactical as a player visually and I think he may even be going into the last year of his contract so should he get guaranteed time in the side or should we be looking to rotate Ruiz and taarabt with the likes of frei , mesca and kaka?

Rumours also have hit twitter saying that we've agreed a deal to let frei sign for galatasary, does anyone know any more of have any opinion on this? I'm aware he played in the team against the Cypriot side yesterday so it could all be bogus but still.

[Holders]

An interesting and very attacking line-up that places a great deal of the defensive responsibility on Boateng. Ruiz does tackle back but would need to do so even more for it to work. 

[Brown@FFC]

I will stick to my guns and go with this. I believe we will sign a striker who will replace Berbatov next season, and will be happy to be a rotational player this season.

[MJG]

Sorry but asking Ruiz to play deeper is suicide. The other night, twice within 5 minutes he lost the ball within 30 yards of our goal.
I'm totally convinced that he can only play for us(under the way Jol plays) behind a striker, far up the pitch. I don't want him wide in a 4 or 3 man midfield, or in a 2 man central midfield.
As to where his best position is..it would be in a team that plays with 3 attackers and he's on the left of that.

[Jack Fulham]

With Kaca injured and with our current players and judging from what I saw against Betis. I reckon it will something like this.

Stek

Riether Hangeland Amorebieta Richardson

Boateng Sidwell

Dejagah Ruiz Taarabt

Berbatov

I just hope he doesn't start Dejagah on the left again as he and Riether are the best attacking partnership in the team.

[alexbishop]

Jol has tried Ruiz on the right wing, as a no. 10, as the second striker in a 4-4-2 and in a central midfield.

So far the only position I am convinced by is as a no. 10. Assuming Jol is always going to play him, it has to be no. 10, which means Berba has to be the no. 9 and furthest forward striker.

This means we can either play with two more inside forwards in the wide positions in a narrow 4-2-3-1 with the width coming from wing backs and using two defensive midfielders.

Or we can play as we are playing now with two wingers - but to me this is pointless as neither Berba nor Ruiz are getting in the box to get on the end of crosses.

I don't see any real way of playing both Berba and Ruiz behind another striker as I think they would just get in each others way.

[Humbled]

 I would like to get Bent and an upgrade on Sidders but I will just put Bent in (or another striker) to make my line ups for the season depending on form, shape, injuries and opponent -


                       Stek
Riether Hangeland Amorebieta Richardson
             Boateng Sidwell
Dejagah         Berbatov        Taarabt
                       Bent

                       Stek
Riether Hangeland Amorebieta Richardson
               Boateng Taarabt
Dejagah           Berbatov              Kaca
                        Bent

                       Stek
Riether Hangeland Amorebita Richardson
              Boateng Sidwell
          Taarabt  Berbatov  Ruiz
                       Bent

My regular subs would be Karagounis and Mesca.....

[Northern Cottager]

Our attacking line up with Bent a possibility and Taarabt in there with Berba and Ruiz is frightening. Not to mention Dejegah and Kaca. Oh eck.

[Brown@FFC]

We have not signed Bent, stop creating teams with him in it. Frankly, I'm happy, don't want him anyway. Past it, with a bad attitude. Gave up at Villa.

[Bryanthebroom]

Agree with Humbled - if we don't play Berbs up front then he'd slot in at number 10 position. We'd be crazy to leave him on the bench.

[Humbled]

We have not signed Bent, stop creating teams with him in it. Frankly, I'm happy, don't want him anyway. Past it, with a bad attitude. Gave up at Villa.

We need a striker!!!!!
We will sign a striker!!!!!
However to make u happy and understand me better replace Bent - with Rodders!!

[Ordar]

I think its almost certain we'll sign a striker. Bent looks the most likely currently, but I think it will be one of:

Bent,
Osvaldo,
Defoe,
Gomis,
Gignac.

[Classic94]

We need a striker, end of - whether or not it's Bent, Gomis etc. is irrelevant. We have Berbatov & Rodallega as our only first team strikers, and the latter is not good enough to start.

[Craven Mad]

Jol has even said in interview that he is looking to strengthen with a new striker! It will happen, I'm sure.

Also, for the people who predicted that tarbs might be our new striker (happened more in the "taarabt" post), Taarabt has been listed as a midfielder on the official website (Ruiz is listed as a forward) so he will 99% be played as a CM or LM/LW.

EDIT: IMO Bent would be an ideal striker for us. We have so many "creators" Bent is the definition of a "finisher". Imagine a Rodders that could finish and you have Darren Bent..

[Ordar]

Yeah I still think Jol will try him next to Boateng

(EDIT: Oh that was my 1000th post. As underwhelming as the previous 999!)

[Craven Mad]

Yeah I still think Jol will try him next to Boateng

I hope so. He'd be immense next to an enforcer like Boateng.

[FFC1987]

I will stick to my guns and go with this. I believe we will sign a striker who will replace Berbatov next season, and will be happy to be a rotational player this season.

I'd love for us to at least try this (taking note that currently we don't have this new striker on our books) Really exciting football to be played here!

[supersimmo123]

I personally think drop Ruiz for the first couple of games. When he was injured and came back and wasnt fully fit, coming on from the bench and proving himself seemed to work. The 2 games im thinking of in particular are the Reading and Arsenal away games. He was brilliant in both of those. If Bent turns up go 4-4-2 with Bent and Berba up top and a Midfield of Dejagah, Boateng, Taarabt and Kaca.

[Bassey the warrior]

I feel Kaca has earned the right to start with some good goals and quality play at times. I would sooner have two wingers than have an advanced playmaker on the wing (Taarabt or Ruiz). We need pace as well as creativity. I'm satisfied now we have sufficient creativity but neither Ruiz, nor Taarabt are known for making good off the ball runs and Berba doesn't often enough.
Berba, Ruiz and Taarabt can all play through balls for the wingers and full backs to run to.

[Bassey the warrior]

I personally think drop Ruiz for the first couple of games. When he was injured and came back and wasnt fully fit, coming on from the bench and proving himself seemed to work. The 2 games im thinking of in particular are the Reading and Arsenal away games. He was brilliant in both of those. If Bent turns up go 4-4-2 with Bent and Berba up top and a Midfield of Dejagah, Boateng, Taarabt and Kaca.

He'll be aware that Taarabt's natural position is the one he plays so with any luck he'll cut out the complacency that marked his game last season. Jol finally has a suitable replacement rather than having to play a centre forward there.