Okay lets assume the comments elsewhere are right and the summer incomings are Elliot, da Silva, Murray and Bellamy. Trying to move on from player abuse, what sort of formation are we going to have ?

Bobby will always have on the team sheet, if they are fit: a goalie (!), Dyer, Solano, Speed, Shearer.

The defence looks more problematic.

Two right backs. We'd all pick Griffin, Barton seems to be Robson's preference. My choice Griffin Three left sided fullbacks, is that is what da Silva is, and four if he fancies Hughes there: I'd go for Robbie as he's defensively hard. Not sure what Bobby's preference would be. An interesting one this as he will have signed all three of them and won't have to pick one just because he bought him. My choice Elliot

Centre halves: O'Brien looked fine towards the end of last season and Dabizas looked good. For me Dabizas will never be quite good enough but if that's what we have then I'll learn to live with the odd aberration. I'd always find a place for Hughes. Then there is the fun to be had with the Caldwell sisters. Steve never lets you down, and Gary is class. Start the season with O'Brien Hughes end it with G Caldwell Hughes I'm happy we have spares at centre half as they tend to get suspended

Midfield is interesting as Dyer, Solano, Speed are all certainties and Bellamy will be too if he's to play wide left. This then leaves us without anyone who can pass. This should bring Bassedas back into the frame, but where ? We also look light defensively as Speed has shown he can't do it on his own, so we need Acuna to help him. Suddenly we look as though we need 6 in midfield. I have no answer to this at all. I just can't get my head around it, but at a push Solano Acuna Speed Bellamy

Up front Robson will always pick Shearer. I need to see some mobility from Shearer when he comes back otherwise he wouldn't be my first choice. Pace and mobility are key to forwards these days and because of that I'd pick Shola ahead of Shearer on last seasons form. Cort has scored consistently but that hasn't been enough for me. Sometimes he can trap the ball further than I can kick it, yet when he does get it under control he's fine. Ciara was right when she said Shola had pace, and he does have the ability to beat a player which only Dyer of the others in the team can claim. If Bellamy is viewed as a forward then there are even more permutations. Mine at a push Dyer Shearer

The Mag has a competition to name the starting eleven from the last game of the season. Maybe we should ahve one for the opening league game, only the daft number of injuries stops it being meaningful.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Answers

very Bold of you MacBeth to leave out Marcy.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

try again

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

ahh power of the admin !!!

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Okay - what's going on? The first time I read this most of it was in bold hence the unwitty comments......

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Thanks for making me look like a .... :)

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

easy done Kegsy !!

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Thanks MacBeth

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Getting back to the point my first choice XI would be as follows: Given Griffin O'Brien/Hughes Dabizas Elliot Solano Dyer Speed Quinn (until we sign a left midfileder) Cort Shearer Subs Harper, OB/Hughes, Acuna, Bellamy, De Silva

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Most of the reports I have seen indicate that Da Silva is either a defensive midfielder or a centre back. I can't see Robson playing him at Centre back so if anything 'the new Frank Riijkard' will play defensive midfielder. I'd go for the following team to start:

Given
Griffin-O'Brien-Dabizas-Elliot
Speed
Solano--------------Bellamy
Dyer
Shearer-Cort

Away from home I'd expect Bassedas or Acuna to come in for Shearer or Cort to form a five man midfield with the following look

Given
Griffin-O'Brien-Dabizas-Elliot
Speed-Acuna/Bassedas
Solano-Dyer-Bellamy
Shearer/Cort

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

One slight problem Macbeth - apart from the obvious one of the team bearing an uncanny resemblance to the one that failed so dismally last season - Robson and Shepherd have said Bellamy has been bought as a striker. This, of course, is intended to imply that being played him out of position was the root cause of his problems at Coventry.

If so, we complete the full circle of having no left-sided m/f player and reverting back to the world-reknowned "lop-sided" formula - with either Speed or Bassedas 'supposedly' playing wide left - that terrified PL coaches last season. Unbloodybelievable!

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

did Robbie play in midfield or at full back for Bolton ?

Wasn't it so much easier when Keegan just said 'you lot are all brilliant go out and play'

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I believe RE largely played in m/f. However, when I saw them on telly he didn't play wide left, but in more of the anchor role. Because of our overall weakness in that position, that could well be where we find him playing, with WQ continuing at LB.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

That depresses me even more - Elliot a good cover for left back (ie sign Ball or Ziege) but not as a defensive midfielder. Nurse

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Elliot seems like the cover for every position bar the goalkeeper. He could cover for left back, defensive midfielder, or left midfield.!!

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I always thought Elliot was the best of that set of Geordie boys who came through. He could be a hard defender either at left back or as emergency sentre half. He had enough wit about him to play in midfield and score goals. I was horrified when he left, but I understood that Dalglish needed money to buy Gary Speed with so it was okay

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

----------------Given
Griffin----O Brien----Dabizas----Elliot
----------------Acuna---------------
Solano--------------------Speed-----
-----------------Dyer----------------------
----------Cort---------Shearer

Obviously not going to start the season, but Elliot is my left backer...

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Anyone else worried what Chelsea will do on the first day of the season against:
Given
Barton Dabizas O'Brien Quinn
Solano Acuna Speed Elliott
Bellamy Ameobi


-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Remember the mackems a few seasons ago v Chelsea on opening day???????

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

yes, still makes me smile

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Such a pity your mirth was short-lived.

ML3

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

As was yours, ML: How long did you go after Christmas that season without winning a game?

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I'm expecting that the lastest method of keeping us as narrow as possible will be to play left footers down the right and continue with right footers down the left. As each player cuts inside onto his favoured foot they should actually cross over and span an impressive 5 yards of the pitch.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Dougal you have to be very careful in that post Xmas period. If you don't really try and mess things up you could qualify for Europe.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I am worried about where Shearer fits into all this...I hope that this is the season that we finally let go of having him as the focal point of the team and the club.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001