Possible Starting Lineup for the Season Opener

[LFC8]

What I would like to see for our first game of the season:

(4-2-3-1)

ST: Gilberto

LAM: Dwayne De Rosario
CAM: Jermain Defoe
RAM: Jackson

LDM: Michael Bradley
RDM: Jonathan Osorio

LB: Justin Morrow
LCB: Steven Caldwell
RCB: Doneil Henry
RB: Bradley Orr

GK: Julio Cesar

Subs:
Andrew Widemann
Kyle Bekker
Alvaro Rey
Reggie Lambe
Ashtone Morgan
Gale Agboussomonde
Joe Bendik

[prizby]

I don't think DeRo starts on the wing ahead of Jackson and Rey on a turf field; also, with what Nelsen has shown throughout the pre-season is a consistent flat 4-4-2, so why would they deviate from what they have been playing with all pre-season and what Nelsen has been trying to implement since last year.

with that being said, the prospect of Gilberto being starting fit by March 15th on turf with the rumoured hip flexor injury; just seems unlikely; here is your starting XI assuming no one else picks up an injury


---------Cesar------------
Orr-Caldwell--Henry-Morrow
Jackson-Osorio-Bradley-Rey
-----Defoe---DeRo--------

Subs:
Bendik
Morgan (maybe Bloom)
Hagglund
Bekker
Hall
Lambe
Gilberto

you may also find Wiedeman in the mix...Nelsen really likes him for whatever reason, he's healthy, and he always trains well/hard

[tfcleeds]

I have a feeling Weeds is going to be a bigger part of our opening games than we might want to think. I'd be very surprised if Gilberto is fit before our home opener.

[prizby]

I have a feeling Weeds is going to be a bigger part of our opening games than we might want to think. I'd be very surprised if Gilberto is fit before our home opener.

impresstion i'm getting from everything is that he'll be fit enough to see the bench

[SirBobSaget]

Agree with Prizby's lineup. Its going to be a 4-4-2 no mater what. Defoe is a poacher not an ACM. If anything Dero drop behind and lets Defoe push the line.

[khso11]

I would prefer a 4-1-3-1-1 formation:

--------------------------------Defoe (RS)--------------------
----------------Dero (LF)--------------------------------------
Rey (LM)--------------Osorio (CM)----------------Jackson (RM)
----------------------Bradley (CDM)--------------------------
Morrow (LFB)---Henry (CB)-----Caldwell (CB)----Orr/Bloom (RFB)

Subs:
Weeds > Dero 65'
Bekker > Osorio 75'
Hall > Defoe 85' (assuming we'll be winning at this point )

[LFC8]

^I actually like that one, now that i hear Gilberto is almost certainly out. Although i have seen ALOT of defoe in my days and he plays way better when he's behind the front man. I hate when managers resort to 4-4-2.....it is so easy to defend against.

[khso11]

^I actually like that one, now that i hear Gilberto is almost certainly out. Although i have seen ALOT of defoe in my days and he plays way better when he's behind the front man. I hate when managers resort to 4-4-2.....it is so easy to defend against.

Nelsen said Gilberto might be ready for the season opener, so he might actually play as a sub , who knows. And I agree, flat 4-4-2 is just too broad to play with and may require extreamly technical players, especially the 2 CMs, they're like pillars. But as we know, Nelsen is stubborn with his formation so 4-4-2 will likely be our formation for the opener.

[notthesun]

---------Cesar------------
Orr-Caldwell--Henry-Morrow
Jackson-Osorio-Bradley-Rey
-----Defoe---DeRo--------

Subs:
Bendik
Morgan (maybe Bloom)
Hagglund
Bekker
Hall
Lambe
Gilberto

Yup. Think Wiedeman will be on the bench for either Morgan/Bloom or Bekker, but that's about it. If we're winning I think Gilberto will probably stay on the bench as a precaution.

[Graeme]

If the injuries are mostly smokescreen:

------------Cesar------------
--Orr---Henry---Caldwell---Morrow
Jackson--Osorio--Bradley----Rey
------Gilberto-------------------
------------------Defoe---------

Bench: Bendik, Hagglund, Hall, Lambe, Weeds, DeRo

If the injuries are serious:

------------Cesar------------
--Hagglund---Henry---Caldwell---Morgan
Jackson--Osorio--Hall----Rey
------DeRo-------------------
------------------Weeds---------

Bench: Bendik, Lambe, Empty Seats, Bekker

[burlington Red]

4-4-2 isn't a popular formation, but as Man City and Liverpool are proving this year, if played correctly it can be effective. Obviously we don't have that calibre of players but the movement and link up play by both teams has been excellent and yielded lots of goals. Liverpool don't have a great defence, but the link up play between their mid and attack has been very good.Our defence on paper probaly isn't great, but we have enough firepower in theory to be scoring a fair amount of goals. We are probably maybe lacking the type of creative player that Man City have in Silva and that Liverpool have in Countinho, but a lot of teams in this league have that same issue