Preferred starting XI

[Yellow Green Army 243]

2 minutes ago, SwindonCanary said:

I'm sure our manager will pick a team to win the match 

Yes, I hope this is the case for every match!

[TheGunnShow 6,222]

Going back to 4-2-3-1 if the video @hogesar threw in holds true. There are a couple of spectacular omissions and assumptions which I'll explain below.

GK: Angus GUNN
RB: Max AARONS
RCB: Andrew OMOBAMIDELE
LCB: Grant HANLEY
LB: Dimitris GIANNOULIS
DCM: Jacob SORENSEN
DCM: Liam GIBBS
LAM: Adam IDAH
CAM: Gabriel SARA (can't see him playing it like a classic number 10, think he'll go a bit more box-to-box)
RAM: Marcelino NUNEZ
CF: Josh SARGENT

The most obvious and understandable question to this line-up is "where's Pukki?" - but I would say we have to look at learning how to play without him fairly soon and I have assumed he will not renew his contract. We already know that Sargent can get us goals at this level when we... actually put him up top. I kinda want Idah to go out on loan and play up top but I'm not sure how Hernandez fits in a Wagner team, and Placheta (who I think could work much better with Wagner than Farke) is not fully fit but I'm not sleeping on him yet. His problems really stem when teams sit deep, nullify his pace and force him to play much more with the ball in tight spaces. But his workrate, pace and willingness to cover ground could see him be a good presser in a Wagner side and you'd think he'd be dangerous if he got an interception or turnover high up the field.

Suspect Hayden might not trip any conditions in the loan deal due to his previous injuries and latest surgery so I have also assumed he's not going to make these, and would say we should develop what's ours. Gibbs has been one of the brighter spots this season and could use the first-team experience anyway, and I'd keep McLean as a very useful squad option - a good older head to bring on from off the bench.

Also assumed that Todd will go this window if those Rangers rumours are true.

Wouldn't mind losing a few in this window bearing in mind we're out of the cups, so don't need quite the same size of squad. Sinani and Dowell can definitely go for me and I think Dowell's lack of explosiveness could see him fall out of favour with Wagner quickly.

[KeiranShikari 1,494]

Gunn

Aarons - Omobam - Tomkinson - Giannoulis

Gibbs - McLean

Sara - Nunez - Idah

Sargent

[dylanisabaddog 5,165]

On 09/01/2023 at 09:08, Robert N. LiM said:

I was encouraged by Kenny's performance yesterday and would use him as a double pivot with Gibbs (assuming Hayden never regains full fitness for us). I'd also want to try Pukki as a ten. Not ideal but the best way of getting him and Sargent in the side, I think (the other way is the 3-5-2 that someone mentioned above, which I have a lot of time for). So 4231 with the full backs providing the width (which was the most promising aspect of yesterday, I thought).

Gunn

Max Omo Hanley Dimi

The Mayor Gibbs

Nunez Pukki Sara

Sargent

This is the team I'd go for having accepted that Cantwell clearly isn't going to play for us again. 

Pukki is a very good all round footballer and is probably the best we have available in that position. 

[Robert N. LiM 4,770]

4 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Pukki is a very good all round footballer and is probably the best we have available in that position. 

Amazed by the number of people picking a team without Pukki in it at all...

[Capt. Pants 4,361]

10 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Amazed by the number of people picking a team without Pukki in it at all...

So to play Josh Sargent at CF. 

What's clear is that JS cannot continue on the wing. It's been called out all season and Wagner said exactly the same thing the minute he walked in the door.

I'm still not convinced that he starts ahead Pukki if I'm honest, equally Teemu doesn't have the legs to play a Wagner high tempo game in midfield.

Instinct tells me to get as much out of Teemu as possible whilst he's here and see if he can adapt to becoming a more traditional CF. If not then pretty swiftly we have to revert to Josh.