Obinna

It must be hard to adjust to playing RB Leipzig after playing Cuba.

@costarg Re: Davies at LB for Bayern comments... Let's not forget his job at LB at Bayern is much easier considering all the players around him are world class. I don't think we can simply say we should play him there for Canada because Bayern do play him there (sometimes). Two very different teams with different circumstances and priorities. Not saying we absolutely shouldn't though. I just wouldn't use the Bayern thing as a reason.

I see it the same way, though perhaps I trust Piette in posession more than you, by the sounds of it. I have my doubts Hutchinson will be fit and available, but if so I think he is our best choice. If not, I am confident Piette will do Piette things. Except for a random weak back pass on occasion, he is extremely consistent.

Yes, but he's not a defensive-minded player. Can he do a job there? Probably, but I doubt he can do a better job for the team than Piette or Hutchinson (and probably Eustaquio). The box-to-box Kaye that we know and love is not going to play that way if he's tasked with sitting in front of and protecting the back 4.

Why are you proposing formations we are not going to see? If this is just a fantasy discussion or what you would do if you were coaching, then proceed I guess. For a realistic conversation about what our line up may look like, we should stick to the 4-3-3 offense/4-2-3-1 defense we have seen under Herdman. There is absolutely no indication we are going to play some Conte formation, out of the blue, in the biggest game for 10-15 years. Do you know what this is? This is people desperately trying to create the most offensive front 6 possible, disregarding the need to have a balance of players. We can't have a front 6 void of any defensive players. We can't lack that balance. Sorry, but that is a short-sighted pipe dream. I don't mean to target you directly, I am just getting tired of reading these proposed lineups with no Hutchinson or Piette or Eustaquio in the front 6. It's just not realistic. Maybe I am wrong and Herdman trots out a front 6 of Davies, David, Hoilett, Cavallini, Kaye and Arfield. Goes for broke, as you say.... But I would bet money that one of Piette, Hutchinson, Johnson, Teibert or Eustaquio are going to provide a defensive midfield option, if healthy and selected for the team. Basically, I can't see us not playing with a defensive-minded midfielder. I just can't. And no, Arfield and Kaye are not defensive-minded midfielders.

Speaking of Lille, I notice they have bought Renato Sanches for £25M. It didn't work out with him, but I think they'll (Bayern) do a better job developing Davies. As for David, Lille is the type of club that I would like to see him move. A place he can earn playing time, but also get European games. Timothy Weah has done that, joining from PSG over the summer. France would perhaps be the right level. Portugal or Holland are perhaps not much of a step up?

We will see how Eustaquio adapts to football after an ACL tear (that was the injury, right)? Speaking from experience, your knee is never the same. Aside from losing speed, there is a mental barrier to overcome when it comes to contact, and as a no. 6, there is going to plenty of contact. The other thing I would say is that even after he recovers, he may still be a better player than Piette, but more importantly his style of play is much different (from what I can tell). To use a Chelsea reference, he is the Jorginho to Piette's Kante. The good news is that we can adapt our style, with time, to play in different ways, depending on who the no. 6 is. If we want the combative, destroyer type, who can shield the backline, break up plays and keep posession, we can go with Piette. If the game calls for more of a deep-lying, elegant playmaking midfielder, with a good passing and shooting range, than Eustaquio is out guy.

Gotta get at least 4 from the USA and knock them out the old fashion way. To be the best you have to beat the best. They have more depth than us, but aside from their one special player we can match them man-for-man. You can only play 3 subs in a match, so their superior depth counts for little. Any of our subs will be as talented as theirs. It's going to be about who wants it more. Despite their insistence on possession football, they are not Spain. They are not even Mexico. El Tri pressed them, we would be wise to do the same.

You'll be happy to know I have softened up my stance on that one. As well as Osorio and Kaye and Piette all played together, and as good as their chemistry was on the night, I think I need to give el capo Arfield the benefit of the doubt and say he starts over Osorio. Hoilett is just as hard to leave on the bench, but if not him then it's Cavallini, probably. If we don't play Alphonso or Kaye at LB, that is. At least Hoilett came off the bench and scored for Cardiff this season, so there is that.

You will never walk alone with Anfield in your 11.

Gotcha. I see where you are coming from. That is arguably the most talented front 6 we have. For me that front 6 is too unbalanced without 1 of Piette, Hutchinson or Eustaquio - but I can't argue about the level of talent.

For sure. David and Davies are undropable. And I really like David as a 9.

Can't see us doing that and if we did we are really inviting pressure onto our CBs. They have a good midfield. They are going to easily find spaces between the lines if we do that.

David is not going to play in the midfield: Davies---Cavallini/David---Hoilett/David Kaye---Piette/Hutchinson--Arfield/Osorio

This is how the lineup was announced, but the way we played did not reflect that. Osorio and Kaye played as dual 8's as far as I recall. Piette was rarely found ahead of Kaye and Osorio.