New look team

[swjf50 0]

Great signings which should really bolster our squad and strengthen our line up. There may yet be more comings and goings in the transfer market but now we have these players in what do you think our best line up would be?

My starting eleven would look something like this......

Rudd

Pinto. Bennett Klose Olsson

Tettey. Howson

Jarvis. Naismith Brady

Mbokani

With Tettey one booking away from a ban, hopefully he can avoid a booking at the weekend or we might be a bit light in that area with O''Neil being suspended.

What about a loan deal for Bamford? Or Shane Long now that would be the icing on the cake, but I can''t see Southampton letting him go yet.

[If wed only kept Howie.. 3]

Unfortunately Liverpool are sniffling around Long... but there are other strikers out there... and if Hooper n Lafferty leave there is a spare place in the 25...

[The Great Wall Of Tettey 0]

I would go with that team exactly.

Jarvis didn''t look 100% fit and despite the stats I still think olsson is our best LB and Brady is the best LM at the club. Reading up regarding Naismith they all seem to say he''s not got the pace to play out wide but he''s far more suited as a forward/number 10. IMO mbokani is completely wasted playing with hoolahan, he needs a finisher playing around him feeding off the knock downs, wes has never been that kind of player.

Still think there may be legs in the haller deal. He wouldn''t have travelled all this way if he didn''t know we weren''t playing in Europe and I''m sure he was aware of the facilities. His agent has obviously had his head turned but I''m sure when push comes to shove he''d rather play premier league than Dutch football.

[nu_matik 184]

Fully behind that starting XI

We definitely need Brady at LM even if I think Brady is a better LB than Olsson.

The new signings make things look pretty rosy. Being completely realistic though, we won''t see Pinto in yet as he is still getting up to speed after his mid season break. Martin will be in and have to really fight for his place which is no bad thing.

OTBC

[Tumbleweed 106]

That team looks good. However we crumbled against a high pressing game from Bournemouth and Liverpool will be exactly the same, its the way Klopp seems to like to play usually. So I am not sure how things will change materially from what happened last Sat at the moment, Tettey and Howson will still be under immense pressure.

[swjf50 0]

I doubt all 3 new signings will be played v Liverpool but hope they can. It''s great that Klose can play on either left or the right, as it means we could drop Bennett or Bassong. There''s not much in it, but if I was picking the team I''d pick Bennett at the moment but that could change. Now we have true competition for places ie right back - Pinto, Wisdom, Martin and Whittaker. I think one of those may be released in this window, possibly Whittaker with his limited chances of playing.

Getting the right balance in midfield is the key to how well we are going to perform I think. Hoolahan may not have so many games with the introduction of Naismith unless Naismith is on the right wing, but I believe his best position is a No 10 where he will be more of a threat. VOO could still play a big part as an attacking midfielder, although the defensive side of his game needs to improve.

In summary I think we have some good options, they now have to gel. Let''s hope one of our strikers can start scoring regularly and the midfield start creating some chances.