Gk - Mes, good keeper, would sign a new number one next year when we go up, but he is perfect for us now despite how ridiculous the criticism of him gets

Rb - Bogle - if you are playing a fully fit squad you have Struijk and Rodon and therefore, particularly in this league have the ability to push forward as you have good options at the back to cover attacking full backs

CB - Rodon on the right and Struijk on the left pick themselves due to how good they are. It kind of blows my mind that at the LCB slot for the past ten years we have had Coops followed by Stuijk. It's insane we have had two footballers as good as those two in a position most teams struggle with

LB - Firpo. He's learnt his "redemption." The guys is just a solid attacking leftback who has been good for ages now despite his awful start.

RW - James - due to the shear amount of quality we have this is probably the most difficult position to pick, however James is the best attacking option in this league, gone from a headless chicken with pace to a complete player with pace.

CM - Tanaka, 3 or so million... how did we manage that... it's actually silly how good he is, everything about him oozes class, I personally don't see him as a ten, I see him a little further back than that as I think his passing unlocks the wingers.

DM - Ampadu - is just a different level when he is fit, class and if you are playing two attacking full backs you want a player of his ability to help out covering the centre backs when needed.

LW - Solomon. While I always feel playing your own players is preferable I just think when he is fully fit he is not a championship player, he's a level above that and if it wasn't for his injuries he'd be a regular for a top league team.

10 - Aaronson - I think this is our weakest position not because we don't have attacking options, because we do, however I don't like square pegging players in and he is a number 10 so he gets the nod for me. He does a lot good, but I just don't think he offers enough for a team in the premiership so would be a player I'd replace next year.

FW - I'd go Piroe for this, I think we need to sign a striker as a matter of urgency at the end of the season, I've said on the Luton match thread what I think about our three options here and I stand by that, but even though he isn't mobile enough and doesn't fit our system as well as you would hope he still knows where the back of the net is so in a league where most teams sit back against us the fact he is missing half the time doesn't play out, but his goals do, so gets the nod

Subs
Wober is decent enough despite what has happened in the past and it's insane that if we played the team above we would have Gnonto, Largie, gruev and Byram on the bench, all players who work into any other team in this division.

Agree 100% with the op.
Largie and Willie are too good for the bench when Aaronson starts every game and basically just runs around.
Piroe off the bench has done well.

Mes
Bogle Rodon Struijk Firpo
Tanaka Ampadu Rothwell
James Ramazani Gnonto

Tanaka is playing brilliant, but we want to move him into a different position.

Its utter madness.

Were top of league, and yet people want to start playing a winger upfront.

Its utter madness.

I honestly cant believe what am reading.

Leave Tanaka the **** alone. Madness to even consider moving him. If you don't rate Aaronson, then suggest we sign a 10 in Jan.

Team picks itself, Ampadu will have to wait a while to get ahead of Rothwell. Wouldn't touch the side atm except for rotating the attackers.

At this point it's whatever Farke says it is. He's won me
over last two games. He's rotating brilliantly. Funny thing
is the locks in the line up are Meslier, Rodon, Pascal,
and Tanaka. Everything else seems quite fluid. And it's
working fantastically. No complaints here.

I know it's a thing that's never going to happen due to practical reasons such as needing a midfield, but just for laughs I can't stop wondering what an opposition defence would do if facing James, Largie, Gnonto, Solomon and Aaronsson all at the same time?

My bet is "fill their trousers"!

comment by LIW 100 Points, champions, Lose two games only (U8453)
posted 8 hours, 55 minutes ago
Tanaka is playing brilliant, but we want to move him into a different position.

Its utter madness.

Were top of league, and yet people want to start playing a winger upfront.

Its utter madness.

I honestly cant believe what am reading.






----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed. He was almost our third central defender for most of the game on Tuesday. Had a superb game.

Also Aaronson gets stick for “running around”
But this is exactly what he’s played to do! He gets in people’s faces and if you watch Tuesday he was involved in lots of attacking moves. Farke understands that he needs to learn when to release the ball but still starts him for his energy.

At the moment I wouldn’t change the team and use the subs pretty much as we are doing now - although Largie and James could quite easily replace Solomon and Gnonto but why change what is obviously working up front?

We’ve just about played every other team and not one of them have looked anywhere near as good as us.

Don't think any changes necessary in the slightest..

we actually have the best squad by a country mile.

if we don't win the league.. I'm guna concede I know nothing about football - other than a typical Leeds carve up, I can't see how we can't win it

No need to change anything. I do think we need to rotate a little more in the attacking / wingers positions than e did last season. Rutter and Summerville looked a bit leggy at the end of the season. So James/Gnonto/Largie and James all rotated for some games and Aronsson if we have another option.

Ive got a feeling we will get one signing in January, possibly McAtee on loan or similar so we can rotate Aronsson more.

Rothwell seems to be relegated to the bench in some line ups, or not included. His partnership with Ao stays for me. Ampadu will need to be phased back in anyway i'd suggest, so that may help rotating the players, especially if he's close to returning through the Xmas/NY period. Controversial, but not convinced he's better than either Rothwell or Ao. Absolute bonus having that sort of selection headache when he's back regardless.

Similar to Batty - leave Farke to decide who's fit and ready, or performing in his system.

On balance Amps has been my favourite player over the last 18 months, but taking the performance against Luton, which I believe was the most comprehensive we've seen for some time, Amps will have to bide his time before he gets back in. The flip side to this could be that Farke decides more rotation is necessary to keep it fresh over a 46 game season - Either way, it's going to be interesting.

Think Byram is Mr Reliable and Piroe is an opportunist, nothing wrong there. Rothwell is intelligent and experienced.

Could Ampadu rock the boat when he's back ??

DF is a pragmatic character so he will undoubtedly stand by the "if it ain't broke" adage so I would be very surprised if what we are seeing now in terms of starting line up if everyone is fit changes much except for one player who I think walks into any side in the Championship and that is Ramazani.

Ive got a feeling we will get one signing in January, possibly McAtee on loan or similar so we can rotate Aronsson more.

^^^

I feel the same about January window. McAtee
would be a great add. Looking at the team balance
and depth now, just think if we had landed Hamer.
So, yes a #10 added we'd be untouchable.

Or, club goes for a #9 to add to Mateo and Piroe.
That would mean selling or loaning Bamford.
There are rumours that Bamford's not happy.
He sits on the bench most games. Does that mean
Farke thinks he's last resort? Or is there truth to
the thinking that Bamford has said something to
Farke and Farke's doing a 'Cresswell' on him?
Regardless, if it were my choice, sell Bamford and
get in a younger striker from the Prem on loan.

Injuries willing, we're absolutely stocked everywhere
else at this point. And what an addition Guilavogui's
been. Top drawer work there by the club.

Bamford must be frustrated - part of the furniture for a while and now the old sofa waiting to be skipped it appears. Always, or at least mostly, in the matchday squad, but sporadically given game time. For me Mateo has to do more (really rate him, but not sure he's doing enough when he comes on), or PB given a chance as a sub. Maybe there is unrest behind the scenes ala Creswell?

VOF, I'll say up front, I love Mateo (even did a thread
about that pre season). But, you're right. Mateo needs
time by the looks of it. He's not quite there.

Piroe is our best finisher. But, Don could beat him over 20 yards. Bamford (outside of my own bias) is just
not up to this level any more.

That's why for me, in a stocked team, adding a #9
in January makes sense. Hope the club feel same.

Can't be easy for any player if you aren't involved.

Cant see us signing number 9, unless Bamford leaves, and even then am not certain we would.

Options are good upfront, and apart maybe a number 10, I dont think we will sign anyone

comment by LIW 100 Points, champions, Lose two games only (U8453)
posted 3 hours, 13 minutes ago
Cant see us signing number 9, unless Bamford leaves, and even then am not certain we would.

Options are good upfront, and apart maybe a number 10, I dont think we will sign anyone
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If both our strikers are injured and we have sold Bamford we cam always play our Dominican Republic striker until one of them is back...

Cant see us signing number 9, unless Bamford leaves, and even then am not certain we would.

^^^

I said if Bamford leaves we can sign another,
younger #9 to replace him. But you're advocating
to keep a guy who gets no minutes, is injured too much,
can't score, and is one of the highest earners
at the club. Rather than take that waste of money and jnvest in someone who could be better than we have using Bamfords wages. Brilliant. You sre a genius.

comment by Batty (U4664)
posted 4 minutes ago
Cant see us signing number 9, unless Bamford leaves, and even then am not certain we would.

^^^

I said if Bamford leaves we can sign another,
younger #9 to replace him. But you're advocating
to keep a guy who gets no minutes, is injured too much,
can't score, and is one of the highest earners
at the club. Rather than take that waste of money and jnvest in someone who could be better than we have using Bamfords wages. Brilliant. You sre a genius.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Where did I say keep him 🤷🏻‍♂️

I just understand that it aint going to be able shift him, because of the high wages.

It aint champ manager pal

and even then am not certain we would.

^^^

There. You're not certain we would.
Which is your veiled defence of you
defending Bamford for 3 seasons.

We play much better when Bamford plays.

^^^

He's sat on bench or medical table 3 seasons.

Cant see us signing number 9, unless Bamford leaves, and even then am not certain we would.

————————————————————-

You cant understand basic english 🤦