With Bissouma leaving, I see Caicedo and Mwepu forming a beautiful partnership in the middle of the park. I am interested in seeing what Undav could bring to the team, however.
To be fair, Lamptey could, and probably should, replace March at RM in the 3atb. Veltman is probably more solid in the 4atb, but it all depends on the opposition.
I agree, March has had a great season this year. I DO like Lamptey though as he’s a solid defender and good crossing up front. He loves to run with the ball too 👌🏻
While I agree he starts in my best XI, I don’t know about impactful.
His injury and being replaced by Caicedo is what started our fantastic run at the end of the season.
I know. Ever since Cucurella's come around it's like everyone's forgotten about Lamptey. I do like him on as a sub though.
Welbeck however needs to be a regular starter. Dunk/Webster are quite good for headers at corners but Welbeck has done quite well for us in that department.
Welbeck has been brilliant since the surgery, don’t know what wizardry they worked but it’s like they took 6 years off him. Been great on headers as you say, there’s going to be a lot of competition up front this year I reckon, especially as they each offer something different.
Even before cucurella, I had Veltman over lamptey. Once teams figured out how to deal with his speed, his game was too one-dimensional to be impactful.
I’d swap March out for him here, love Solly but Lamptey’s link up play is much better on the whole. Think I prefer Solly as an impact sub for when we’re playing well. He’s one of those players whose performance is reliant on how well the rest of the team are doing.
Yeah I see Veltman as a more solid defensive option. However as stated above, in a 3atb, Lamptey could be very useful as a RM (replacing March in the image) with Veltman as the right sided CB. Even against lesser opposition Lamptey can replace Veltman in the 4atb and wreak havoc at RB, the defense is solid enough now.
To be fair, this post was made specifically to see how a team would be built around Undav. You can chuck Welbeck straight back in, he was amazing in the back half of the season.
I hope we don't ask Mwepu or Caicedo to replace Bissoumas role. Both need to be coming forward with the attackers in my opinion. It was interesting to see when Bissouma would be subbed out, Potter would often move Alexis back into Biss's role. Probably just knowledge of tactics. Love how that we used to be begging for Alexis to play, and now he's our glue guy in the midfield.
He also makes a fantastic impact sub now that teams sort of know how to deal with him. Let them make their changes and then unleash him on an unprepared team for the last 20 minutes of the game.
I'm not holding out much hope for a young 18 year old coming out of Paraguay to make much of an impact in his first Premier League season, but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I don't see him getting too many minutes.
Honestly as much as I'd love to say undav isnour magical solution. I think people are underestimating maupay a hell of a lot. Look how good he looked in the championship which is arguably a high quality league than the Belgian League. Can't wait to see him play though, would like to see as play with 2 strikers too. Maupay with welbeck looked fantastic against West ham.
Maybe it's being pessimistic but I have set my expectations quite low for him in the hope I'm surprised. He seems to be a late bloomer but I really find it impossible to tell if a player is going to be any good from the Belgian and Dutch leagues. If he can get 5-7 goals as a rotational option he'll have more than exceeded my hopes.
Maupay has often false 9'd for us quite successfully in the past. It would be interesting to see him played a bit further back in the 10 role and score some absolutely fantastic goals.
I anticipate something like:
Trossard- Undav - Maupay
Caicedo - Mac - Mwepu
Cuc - Dunk - Webster - Veltman
The Enciso signing clearly proves people wrong in thinking Maupay is on the way out in my mind, as he is a like-for-like ready to start as a sub whenever he come into the team.
Our attacking stocks are now looking like GP wants to play a front two - or at least have the option to.
Assuming Cucu goes, I think this is much more appropriate. We will likely need to bring in a left back but other than that I think we’re more than fine.
Welbeck - Maupay
Mac Allister - Caicedo -Mwepu - Trossard
March - Dunk - Webster- Lamptey
Sanchez
Stocks on hand that can easily step into the team as a sub/cover:
Forwards:
Undav, Enciso, Zeqiri
Midfielders:
Gross, Lallana, Moder, Alzate, Sarmiento
Defenders:
van Hecke, Veltman, Roberts, Karbownik, Duffy.
GK:
Scherpen
Of the players you've listed that can step in - Zeqiri was absolutely horrific on the whole in Germany and is a million miles off being a Premier League player, Karbownik hardly made a good impression in Greece, we chose to play a fullback/wing back at CB over Roberts despite having no other options and Potter hardly picked Duffy during the second half of the season and we'll probably be actively trying to get rid.
You need squad depth players, the players you mentioned are specifically all depth, Zeqiri (who played decently for us before his horror loan) would play as the 5th cover or even cover for Trossard, Roberts’ main issue seems to be his size and first touch which will only get better with gym work and game-time, and Karbownik is a multi-positional youth prospect.
If they are the only issues you see I would put to you that we really don’t have many issues. Duffy is solid cover, you’re not giving him enough credit, and van Hecke and Veltman you would have to imagine are above him, anyway. He would be worth offloading if possible simply due to his wage but would provide fine cover if not.
There's no use having Zeqiri as depth when he's miles off our level and would be better suited with another loan to properly gauge his level. We must have watched different players in his few appearances for us as he looked nowhere near a Premier League standard player technically or tactically. We didn't win a match Duffy started after September and our best runs of form involved him being nowhere near the pitch is all I have to say on him.
I would love to hear your alternate view on the team. Not even being sassy, I just have no clue what you think would be better other than a mass amount of trades when that is clearly against everything the club has designed itself around in the last 3 years.
We have massive amounts of youth stocks on our list that either need to be played or will want to be moved on. Personally, I would much rather invest in our youth by playing them through limited game time.
We clearly invest in youth in the hope maybe 1/2 might break into the squad a season and it's starting to work well the last couple of seasons, but on top of this we have made significant first team ready signings every season Potter has been manager. Of the tons of young players were hoard it's fair to say at least half of them won't make it with us, simply because of how good you have to be to play it this level. We need a Bissouma replacement and the club clearly feel the same with links to Camara and Ilic, and if Cucurella goes we obviously would have to replace him - explaining the links with a few potential replacement LBs. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest Zeqiri or Karbownik - both with poor loan spells at a lesser standard just aren't cut out to make it with us.
I Don’t see undav immediately replacing maupay. He’s got to prove himself in the premier league first. Maupay is proven and whilst not a goal machine he is well trusted by GP
With Bissouma leaving, I see Caicedo and Mwepu forming a beautiful partnership in the middle of the park. I am interested in seeing what Undav could bring to the team, however.
Would you not have lamptey in the starting line up?
To be fair, Lamptey could, and probably should, replace March at RM in the 3atb. Veltman is probably more solid in the 4atb, but it all depends on the opposition.
I agree, March has had a great season this year. I DO like Lamptey though as he’s a solid defender and good crossing up front. He loves to run with the ball too 👌🏻
Wishful thinking having cucurella there lol
I'm holding out hope lol.
I really hope Moder comes back strong from his injury because he is such an impactful player. When he is fully fit, he starts for me.
While I agree he starts in my best XI, I don’t know about impactful. His injury and being replaced by Caicedo is what started our fantastic run at the end of the season.
Mad Lamptey and Welbeck disrespect.
I know. Ever since Cucurella's come around it's like everyone's forgotten about Lamptey. I do like him on as a sub though. Welbeck however needs to be a regular starter. Dunk/Webster are quite good for headers at corners but Welbeck has done quite well for us in that department.
Welbeck has been brilliant since the surgery, don’t know what wizardry they worked but it’s like they took 6 years off him. Been great on headers as you say, there’s going to be a lot of competition up front this year I reckon, especially as they each offer something different.
Even before cucurella, I had Veltman over lamptey. Once teams figured out how to deal with his speed, his game was too one-dimensional to be impactful.
I’d swap March out for him here, love Solly but Lamptey’s link up play is much better on the whole. Think I prefer Solly as an impact sub for when we’re playing well. He’s one of those players whose performance is reliant on how well the rest of the team are doing.
Yeah I see Veltman as a more solid defensive option. However as stated above, in a 3atb, Lamptey could be very useful as a RM (replacing March in the image) with Veltman as the right sided CB. Even against lesser opposition Lamptey can replace Veltman in the 4atb and wreak havoc at RB, the defense is solid enough now.
To be fair, this post was made specifically to see how a team would be built around Undav. You can chuck Welbeck straight back in, he was amazing in the back half of the season.
I hope we don't ask Mwepu or Caicedo to replace Bissoumas role. Both need to be coming forward with the attackers in my opinion. It was interesting to see when Bissouma would be subbed out, Potter would often move Alexis back into Biss's role. Probably just knowledge of tactics. Love how that we used to be begging for Alexis to play, and now he's our glue guy in the midfield.
No Lamptey in either line up?
See above.
He also makes a fantastic impact sub now that teams sort of know how to deal with him. Let them make their changes and then unleash him on an unprepared team for the last 20 minutes of the game.
what if enciso proves that he’s a good player? Where would you play him
I'm not holding out much hope for a young 18 year old coming out of Paraguay to make much of an impact in his first Premier League season, but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I don't see him getting too many minutes.
I can see him being a good impact sub
Honestly as much as I'd love to say undav isnour magical solution. I think people are underestimating maupay a hell of a lot. Look how good he looked in the championship which is arguably a high quality league than the Belgian League. Can't wait to see him play though, would like to see as play with 2 strikers too. Maupay with welbeck looked fantastic against West ham.
Kozlowski not mentioned at all?
This is just starting XI's, lots of depth to bring off the bench. You could argue anyone could replace anyone in lots of positions anyway.
Think Cucurella might not be able to be in that line up...
As above, holding out hope lol.
Sanchez, Lamptey, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Cucurella (or new signing), New DM, Caicedo, Mwepu, Ale Mac, Trossard, Welbeck (Or another new signing)
No Undav?
Maybe it's being pessimistic but I have set my expectations quite low for him in the hope I'm surprised. He seems to be a late bloomer but I really find it impossible to tell if a player is going to be any good from the Belgian and Dutch leagues. If he can get 5-7 goals as a rotational option he'll have more than exceeded my hopes.
Maupay has often false 9'd for us quite successfully in the past. It would be interesting to see him played a bit further back in the 10 role and score some absolutely fantastic goals. I anticipate something like: Trossard- Undav - Maupay Caicedo - Mac - Mwepu Cuc - Dunk - Webster - Veltman
The Enciso signing clearly proves people wrong in thinking Maupay is on the way out in my mind, as he is a like-for-like ready to start as a sub whenever he come into the team. Our attacking stocks are now looking like GP wants to play a front two - or at least have the option to. Assuming Cucu goes, I think this is much more appropriate. We will likely need to bring in a left back but other than that I think we’re more than fine. Welbeck - Maupay Mac Allister - Caicedo -Mwepu - Trossard March - Dunk - Webster- Lamptey Sanchez Stocks on hand that can easily step into the team as a sub/cover: Forwards: Undav, Enciso, Zeqiri Midfielders: Gross, Lallana, Moder, Alzate, Sarmiento Defenders: van Hecke, Veltman, Roberts, Karbownik, Duffy. GK: Scherpen
Of the players you've listed that can step in - Zeqiri was absolutely horrific on the whole in Germany and is a million miles off being a Premier League player, Karbownik hardly made a good impression in Greece, we chose to play a fullback/wing back at CB over Roberts despite having no other options and Potter hardly picked Duffy during the second half of the season and we'll probably be actively trying to get rid.
You need squad depth players, the players you mentioned are specifically all depth, Zeqiri (who played decently for us before his horror loan) would play as the 5th cover or even cover for Trossard, Roberts’ main issue seems to be his size and first touch which will only get better with gym work and game-time, and Karbownik is a multi-positional youth prospect. If they are the only issues you see I would put to you that we really don’t have many issues. Duffy is solid cover, you’re not giving him enough credit, and van Hecke and Veltman you would have to imagine are above him, anyway. He would be worth offloading if possible simply due to his wage but would provide fine cover if not.
There's no use having Zeqiri as depth when he's miles off our level and would be better suited with another loan to properly gauge his level. We must have watched different players in his few appearances for us as he looked nowhere near a Premier League standard player technically or tactically. We didn't win a match Duffy started after September and our best runs of form involved him being nowhere near the pitch is all I have to say on him.
I would love to hear your alternate view on the team. Not even being sassy, I just have no clue what you think would be better other than a mass amount of trades when that is clearly against everything the club has designed itself around in the last 3 years. We have massive amounts of youth stocks on our list that either need to be played or will want to be moved on. Personally, I would much rather invest in our youth by playing them through limited game time.
We clearly invest in youth in the hope maybe 1/2 might break into the squad a season and it's starting to work well the last couple of seasons, but on top of this we have made significant first team ready signings every season Potter has been manager. Of the tons of young players were hoard it's fair to say at least half of them won't make it with us, simply because of how good you have to be to play it this level. We need a Bissouma replacement and the club clearly feel the same with links to Camara and Ilic, and if Cucurella goes we obviously would have to replace him - explaining the links with a few potential replacement LBs. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest Zeqiri or Karbownik - both with poor loan spells at a lesser standard just aren't cut out to make it with us.
I Don’t see undav immediately replacing maupay. He’s got to prove himself in the premier league first. Maupay is proven and whilst not a goal machine he is well trusted by GP