A different approach to team selection

I'm just musing here, but I thought this might be interesting. My question is, who are the best ten outfield players at our club, forgetting formation for a moment?

My theory is that we should figure this out first, and then determine the formation that gets them all on the park together.

I wonder this may be one of the things pointing MP towards a 3-5-2, even if it is considered more defensive - the more quality on the pitch the better.

For me:

VVD

Bertrand

Cedric

Gabbiadini

Lemina (on brief evidence so far)

Romeu

Davis

Austin

Tadic

Yoshi

So that suggests to me 4-3-3 would be the way to get them all on the park with Tadic, Austin and Gab the front three.

Who's your best ten? Let's generate some chat in a quiet week - play nice [emoji4]

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We did something very similar a few years back

https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?7949-Saints-Greatest-XI-B-Team-Right-Striker-Nominations#.WcAufbJ97IU

No chance Austin is one of our best 10 outfield players.

I'm just musing here, but I thought this might be interesting. My question is, who are the best ten outfield players at our club, forgetting formation for a moment?

 

My theory is that we should figure this out first, and then determine the formation that gets them all on the park together.

 

I wonder this may be one of the things pointing MP towards a 3-5-2, even if it is considered more defensive - the more quality on the pitch the better.

 

For me:

VVD

Bertrand

Cedric

Gabbiadini

Lemina (on brief evidence so far)

Romeu

Davis

Austin

Tadic

Yoshi

 

So that suggests to me 4-3-3 would be the way to get them all on the park with Tadic, Austin and Gab the front three.

 

Who's your best ten? Let's generate some chat in a quiet week - play nice [emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I admire your optimism. I'm not sure many of the forum members can 'play nice'.

Good idea...

VVD, Lemina, Hoedt, Romeo, Bertrand, Cedric, Gabbiadini, Austin, Yoshida, Davis.

(Not necessarily in that order)

Cedric, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand, Romeu, Lemina, Davis, Tadic, Boufal, Gabbiadini

Good idea for a thread this. And MP said something when he came in about creating a style that suits the best players rather than the other way round so makes sense. For me, on current form:

VVD, Yoshida, Hoedt, Cedric, Bertrand, Lemina, Romeu, Davis, Tadic, Gabbiadini.

So that would suggest the following:

-----Yoshida -- VVD -- Hoedt -----

Cedric -- Romeu - Lemina -- Bertrand

----- Davis - Gabbiadini - Tadic -----

Looks a very solid team and I can't imagine we'd concede many goals but it doesn't look overly attacking. My problem with any formation with wing back is always that they become the main point of attack in the game whilst also having to be responsible for defending which is a lot of pressure. I think Bertrand and Cedric are capable enough and experienced enough to deal with that but I'd worry about how effective Targett/McQueen/Pied would be should injuries occur (which they will)

van Dijk, Romeu, Lemina, Gabbiadini, Bertrand, Tadic, Cedric, Hoedt, Boufal, Austin.

The problem is, these 10 are based on players being best under certain conditions. Austin is very good at scoring goals, that's why he makes the list, but if we don't play to his strengths he wouldn't. Then if we played to his strengths, we might not be playing to, say, Gabbiadini's strengths. It's also a bit flawed in that if you have 5 defenders and 5 attackers, you're not going to play a 5-0-5.

Although with that 10, you could feasibly play:

Cedric van Dijk Hoedt Bertrand

Boufal Romeu Lemina Tadic

Gabbiadini Austin

If not a 4-4-2, drop Gabbiadini back and make it a 4-5-1. Surely be overrun in midfield with Boufal, Tadic and Gabbiadini as our attacking midfield though.

Best players also generally don't make the best team....

Amazing, isn't it, that we fans, without having studied football coaching, lacking any coaching badges and with no practical experience can come up with an idea that no one in football has ever thought of. "Increíble" as Mauricio might say.

England of 1998-2012 should prove that 11 individually great players do not make a great team!

Leeham, you should be England manager.

England of 1998-2012 should prove that 11 individually great players do not make a great team!

I think England have been guilty of shoehorning the "best" available 10 outfield players into the side for what seems forever! Square pegs in round holes very seldom works, if ever!

Cedric, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand, Romeu, Lemina, Davis, Tadic, Boufal, Gabbiadini

Sold

Leeham, you should be England manager.

Agreed, FA won't reply to my emails

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Good idea...

 

VVD, Lemina, Hoedt, Romeo, Bertrand, Cedric, Gabbiadini, Austin, Yoshida, Davis.

 

(Not necessarily in that order)

so that would point to 3-5-2 fairly plainly I guess?

* Ignore me.

Didn't read the O.P. properly.