This may have already been covered but I thought as we’re a fair chunk into the season and we’ve now had a good chance to look at most of the 17/18 squad, I thought it would be good to see what people think our best XI is.
Think the front 4 when fit will be similar for the majority, but with the reemergence of Sarr maybe some people have different ideas about what the back 4 should look like
Mine when everyone is fit would be
Amos
Solly Pearce Konsa Da Silva
Kashi JFC
Fosu Clarke Holmes
Magennis
1
Comments
Konsa
BFG
Sarr
JDS
Kashi
JFC
Holmes
Clarke
Fosu
Big Mag
Bench Phillips, Solly, Pearce, Reeves, Marshall, Aribo, KAG.
2 strikers short of a very good squad, for league 1.
Because Konsa was all over the place at right back, and no way should be ahead of Solly.
He may have more pace to get forward, but a right back's primary job us to defend.
Solly Pearce Sarr Dasilva
JFC Kashi
Holmes Clarke Fosu
Magennis
Phillips, Konsa, Bauer, Jackson, Reeves, Marshall, Best
Few people have told me they think Konsa is a better prospect than Gomez but yet to see what all the fuss is about.
Solly, Bauer, Pearce, Da Silva
Kashi, Forster-Caskey
Holmes, Reeves, Fosu
Magennis
Subs Phillips, Sarr, Aribo, Clarke, Best, Marshall, Konsa
The main reason we will not challenge for the automatic spots is because Magennis is useless
I had expected with KRs style of play that he'd have gone with the false 9 in order to accommodate all the attacking midfield type players with have.
GK: Amos
RB: Solly
CB: Konsa
CB: Pearce
LB: Dasilva
CDM: Kashi
CDM: Forster-Caskey
RW: Holmes
LW: Fosu
CAM: Clarke
CF: Magennis
I'd rather Konsa over Bauer, because of his mobility. Having both Pearce and Bauer in a side, while dependable and such, leaves us prone to, say, Jack Marriott from Peterborough et al getting in and round them particularly easily, while Konsa is athletic enough to cover Pearce (who is the leader, and better of him and Bauer).
The rest of the team, at the moment, writes itself almost. Maybe Clarke/Reeves is a bit of a conundrum as I don't actually feel we've seen enough of either of them, but Clarke has played better when we've seen him.
Kashi is looking more and more like a liability at the moment, though, and we need to arrest this ASAP.
Firstly I think we need a more mobile striker than Magennis.
So controversially I’m starting with Best/A.N.Other. For someone who hasn't played in 12 months I think he showed promise on Tuesday. He set up Magennis with a neat dummy which I only picked up on the highlights on Tuesday. He gets into the right positions. I think/hope he’ll improve game by game. If not, A.N.Other comes in in Jan. I also think KAG shows promise, but he's not quite ready. Magennis needs a rest anyway.
Dijksteel’s debut performance really impressed me, so he’s sharing the sweeper role with Kashi and LB duties with Solly. He looks ready and needs game time.
Also I'm going with a change of formation, with three at the back, certainly against the likes of Wigan. Bauer/Pearce/Sarr. We need Sarr - we haven’t been bullied in matches he’s played in. He’s also set up two goals in the last three matches. As one of the three will inevitably be injured or suspended there'll be plenty of game time for Konsa. Not at right back though.
Marshall will keep improving. He and Fosu are pretty similar, so I'd play play either, with the other used as an impact sub.
Reeves hasn't proved himself yet. I suspect there's more to come from him, but for now he's on the bench.
JF-C and Clarke can share the central midfield role, with J F-C just shading the starting place.
Amos is doing really well, but if Phillips isn't out on loan I'd play him more often, especially in cup matches.
Also, I'd be the co-manager, as Robbo's looking a bit tired.
Amos/Phillips
Pearce ~~~~ Bauer ~~~~ Sarr
Solly/Dijksteel ~~~~ Da Silva
JFC/Clarke ~~~~ Kashi/Dijksteel
Fosu/Marshall ~~~~ Holmes
Best/new striker
I'm sure there was an article put on here where he was tested as being in the top 5 fastest players at Euro 2016.
In terms of CBs you can you make a case for various pairings, but what we need is a settled partnership so that both CBs know their role.
RB: Solly
CB: Bauer
CB: Pearce
LB: Sarr
CDM: Dijksteel
CDM: Forster-Caskey
RW: Holmes
LW: Fosu
CAM:DaSilva
CF: ANOther
Also, he doesn't seem to try and make runs in behind as much as he should which means he doesn't have a chance to show off his pace.
It's a shame really because most players with his pace are small guys, but he's huge so should be dangerous.
Solly
Bauer
Konsa
Da Silva
Kashi
JFC
Holmes
Marshall
Clarke
Magennis
Subs Phillips Dijksteel Pearce Jackson Fosu KAG Aribo
Solly Pearce Sarr Da Silva
Kashi JFC
Fosu Clarke Holmes
Magennis
I think Bauer gets away with a lot, and I wouldn't drop Sarr for him in his current form, only doubt in my mind is two left-footed CBs together. For production in the games he's played I also think Fosu has outshined Marshall's few appearances... although can't tell if he's the better player yet.
Want to see more of Dijksteel as he looked great in the ~30/40 mins we saw of him on Tuesday.
Solly Pearce Bauer Da Silva
Kashi JFC
Fosu Clarke Holmes
Magennis