Lineup Lessons – Gameweek 9 – Part One

Pedro’s surprise return to the Chelsea starting XI came at Eden Hazard’s expense. Wayne Rooney is moved back into the lone striker role for United’s win at Everton, Riyad Mahrez is benched yet again by Claudio Ranieri, whilst Jurgen Klopp rolls out a 4-3-2-1 set-up for his first match in charge of Liverpool.

Arsenal

Starting XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil (Arteta 81), Sanchez (Oxlade-Chamberlain 80), Walcott (Giroud 64).

• Arsene Wenger made just one change from the side which beat Man United 3-0, with the fit-again Laurent Koscielny replacing Gabriel at centre-back. The Brazilian was sidelined due to illness but has already been passed fit for the midweek clash with Bayern Munich.
• Koscielny lined up alongside Per Mertesacker at the heart of the defence, while Theo Walcott continued as the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 system.
• Olivier Giroud again got on the scoresheet coming on as a substitute for Walcott. With the match won, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta were introduced late on.
• The Arsenal starting XI continues to have a settled look to it, with Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla clearly the first choice pairing in central midfield, while Aaron Ramsey continues on the right of the attacking midfield trio. Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal look regular starters in the full-back positions. Considering that the Gunners face Bayern Munich in a vital Champions League tie on Tuesday, Wenger’s decision to start both first choice full-backs and with Walcott up top, suggests that he’s keen to invest in a settled lineup at this point in time.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Guzan; Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Richardson (Amavi 64); Westwood, Gueye; Carles Gil, Grealish, Ayew (Traore 69); Gestede.

• Tim Sherwood made four changes for the trip to Stamford Bridge, with Kieran Richardson, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish and Jordan Ayew coming in for Jordan Amavi, Jose Angel Crespo, Jordan Veretout and Scott Sinclair.
• After starting with a 3-5-2 formation against Stoke, Sherwood went back to a 4-2-3-1 system on Saturday, with Richardson at left-back, and Ashley Westwood and Idrissa Gueye in the double-pivot. Gil was on the right of the three advanced midfielders, with Grealish in the number ten role and Ayew on the left.
• Amavi came on to replace Richardson just after the hour mark, while Adama Traore made only his third appearance of the season, taking the place of Ayew.
• On the back of another defeat, it’s clear Sherwood is still yet to settle on a system or his favoured personnel. Amavi was surprisingly dropped, but given he came on as a second-half substitute, the Frenchman may well return to the starting XI against Swansea. The other main area where Sherwood keeps chopping and changing are the attacking midfield positions. The return to fitness of Traore could see the former Barcelona man push for a starting berth, with Ayew again failing to make much of an impression. Sinclair could also come back into the equation having lost his starting role at the Bridge.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Attacking Midfield, Flanks

Bournemouth

Starting XI: Federici, Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels; Surman; Gosling, O’Kane (Macdonald 65), Smith (Pugh 77), Ritchie; Murray (King 74).

• Eddie Howe made three changes from the team which drew 1-1 against Watford, with Adam Federici, Eunan O’Kane and Adam Smith coming in for Artur Boruc, Marc Pugh and Josh King.
• The Cherries lined up in a 4-5-1 formation at the Etihad, with Smith playing on the right of midfield, and Matt Ritchie on the left. O’Kane played alongside Dan Gosling and Andrew Surman in the engine room. Boruc picked up a thigh injury in the warm-up, handing Federici a first league start for the south coast club, whilst Pugh could only make the bench due to a rib problem.
• Shaun Macdonald, Pugh and King all came on as second-half substitutes, with fresh legs needed against the league leaders.
• Howe showed he isn’t afraid to opt for a more defensive formation away from home, although it ultimately didn’t pay dividends. Should he revert back to the 4-4-1-1 formation against Tottenham, King could come back into the starting XI, possibly for O’Kane, while Pugh, a natural winger, could replace Smith, who is primarily a full-back, although he can do a defensive job in midfield.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Support Striker, Flanks

Chelsea

Starting XI: Begovic; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Terry, Baba Rahman; Ramires, Fabregas; Willian (Remy 90), Loftus-Cheek (Matic 46), Pedro (Hazard 83); Costa.

• Jose Mourinho made five alterations from the team which lost 3-1 to Southampton, with Baba Rahman, Kurt Zouma, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pedro and Diego Costa coming in for Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, Oscar, Eden Hazard and Radamel Falcao.
• The big surprise was the omission of Hazard from the starting XI, with the Belgian replaced by Pedro on the left flank. Willian lined up on the opposite side, with Loftus-Cheek playing in the number ten role. Cesc Fabregas played in the double-pivot alongside Ramires, who was the more disciplined of the two.
• Loftus-Cheek was replaced by Nemanja Matic at half-time in a tactical change, with Fabregas moving into the number ten role. Hazard eventually made it onto the pitch, but only with seven minutes remaining.
• Mourinho revealed Hazard was dropped because of his lack of defensive discipline, and with Chelsea recording a 2-0 win, there appear to be no guarantees he’ll return to the starting XI against West Ham. Matic has failed to start the last two matches, and also appears slightly out of favour. Ivanovic’s hamstring injury saw Baba Rahman earn a start, and on the back of a rare clean sheet, he could keep his place in the starting XI. Gary Cahill could come back into the equation for either John Terry or Zouma. At this point, only Willian looks a fairly sure starter in the attacking midfield positions.

Current Status: Very Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks, Attacking Midfield

Crystal Palace

Starting XI: Hennessey; Kelly, Dann, Hangeland, Souare; McArthur (Jedinak 62), Cabaye (Ledley 76); Zaha (Sako 46), Puncheon, Bolasie; Gayle.

• Alan Pardew named an unchanged team from the one that beat West Brom 2-0 in Gameweek 8. Damien Delaney, somewhat surprisingly, was passed fit but failed to oust Brede Hangeland in defence.
• The Eagles lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation as usual, with Dwight Gayle continuing as the lone striker.
• Gayle’s sending off on the stroke of half-time saw Pardew opt to bring on Bakary Sako for Wilfried Zaha at the break, with Yannick Bolasie then playing as an isolated lone striker. Mile Jedinak replaced James McArthur with the former Newcastle boss trying to shore up the midfield, with the same thought process behind Joe Ledley coming on for Yohan Cabaye.
• With Gayle suspended for the trip to Leicester, Pardew has plenty of options for the lone striker role, with Bolasie, having played as the lone forward away from home already this season, one option. Patrick Bamford and Frazier Campbell were both unused substitutes against West Ham, and should also come into contention. Sako could also push for a start, probably in place of Zaha, while Delaney and Joel Ward, should the latter recover from a knee injury, will come into consideration at the back.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Goalkeeper, Central Defence, Flanks, Central Striker

Everton

Starting XI: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Galloway; Lennon (Deulofeu 72), Barry, McCarthy, Naismith (Kone 45); Barkley; Lukaku.

• Roberto Martinez made three changes from the team which drew 1-1 against Liverpool, with the fit-again Seamus Coleman and John Stones coming in for Tyias Browning and Ramiro Funes Mori. The other alteration saw Aaron Lennon start in place of Gerard Deulofeu.
• The Toffees played in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lennon on the right of the three attacking midfield positions.
• Arouna Kone was introduced at the break for the ineffective Steven Naismith, while Martinez’ other substitution saw Deulofeu replace Lennon in a straight swap.
• With Coleman and Stones now back, the defence should have a settled look to it until Leighton Baines returns at left-back. Martinez continues to rotate his wide men, and having been hauled off at the break, Naismith may lose his starting place to Kone or Deulofeu for the trip to Arsenal.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Flanks

Leicester

Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Schlupp (Dyer 46); Albrighton, Drinkwater, Kante, Fuchs; Vardy, Okazaki (Mahrez 46).

• Claudio Ranieri named an unchanged side from the one which won 2-1 at Norwich, wtih Riyad Mahrez again having to settle for a place among the substitutes.
• Leicester started with their usual 4-4-1-1 formation, with Shinji Okazaki playing just off Jamie Vardy. Jeffrey Schlupp continued on the left side of midfield, with Christian Fuchs at left-back.
• With the Foxes down 2-0 at half-time, Ranieri turned to Mahrez and Nathan Dyer to change the game, with Schlupp and Okazaki making way. Ranieri went to more of a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dyer on the right of the three advanced midfield positions, Mahrez in the number ten role and Marc Albrighton on the left.
• Given the impact Dyer and Mahrez made, both bagging assists as Leicester came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw, the pair could both push for starts against Crystal Palace. Okazaki and Albrighton could be the ones to make way, or whoever out of Schlupp and Fuchs doesn’t start at left-back. Danny Simpson started at right-back for the second match in a row, with Ritchie De Laet now seemingly down the pecking order.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Flanks, Attacking Midfield

Liverpool

Starting XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Lucas, Milner, Coutinho (Ibe 86), Lallana (Allen 80), Origi.

• In his first match in charge, Jurgen Klopp only made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 in Brendan Rodgers’ final team sheet, with the injured Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings replaced by Adam Lallana and Divock Origi.
• Having lined up in a 3-5-2 at Goodison Park, Klopp opted for a 4-3-2-1 formation in his first match in charge, rather than the expected 4-2-3-1 system that dominated his time at Dortmund. This saw James Milner, Emre Can and Lucas starting in central midfield, with Lallana and Philippe Coutinho stationed behind lone striker Origi.
• With Joe Allen and Jordon Ibe only being introduced very late on to provide fresh legs, the pair don’t appear very likely to be pushing for starting berths against Southampton on Saturday.
• Unless Sturridge or Christian Benteke are available to face the Saints, we could see a similar side take the pitch at Anfield. Both strikers could well return for Thursday’s Europa League tie, according to Klopp.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Striker, Attacking Midfield

Man City

Starting XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Sagna; Fernandinho, Toure (Fernando 45); Navas, Sterling (Iheancho 77), De Bruyne (Nasri 62); Bony.

• Manuel Pellegrini made four alterations from the side which beat Newcastle 6-1, with Bacary Sagna coming in for the injured Aleksandar Kolarov, while Wilfried Bony started in place of the stricken Sergio Aguero in attack. Elsewhere, Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas replaced Fernando and the crocked David Silva.
• City rolled out a 4-4-2 formation, with Kevin De Bruyne stationed on the left and Raheem Sterling partnering Bony up front. Sagna played at left-back, with Pablo Zabaleta at right-back.
• Yaya Toure was taken off at half-time, with City holding a commanding 4-1 lead. Likewise, De Bruyne was withdrawn just after the hour mark, with Samir Nasri taking the Belgian’s place though he is a major doubt for midweek after sustaining a hamstring injury. Kelechi Iheancho was also given a run out late on.
• Vincent Kompany was an unused substitute on Saturday, but looks set to return to the starting XI against Man United, providing he comes through unscathed against Sevilla in the Champions League. Pellegrini may also look to start Toure in the number ten role at Old Trafford, with De Bruyne moving to the right, allowing Fernando to partner Fernandinho in a more defensive minded centre midfield pairing.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Attacking Midfield

Man United

Starting XI: De Gea; Darmian, Jones, Smalling, Rojo; Schweinsteiger (Carrick 73), Schneiderlin; Mata (Lingard 45), Herrera (Fellaini 80), Martial; Rooney.

• Louis van Gaal made four changes from the team which lost 3-0 at Arsenal, with Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo coming into the backline for Daley Blind and Ashley Young. The other alterations saw Morgan Schneiderlin replace Michael Carrick, while Ander Herrera came in for Memphis Depay.
• United were in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, but it was Wayne Rooney who played as the lone striker this time, with Anthony Martial on the left of the attacking midfield trio, and Herrera in the number ten role. Jones played at centre-back alongside Chris Smalling, with Rojo at left-back.
• Juan Mata was surprisingly hooked at half-time, with Jesse Lingard taking his place. Carrick provided fresh legs for Bastian Schweinsteiger, with Marouane Fellaini introduced late on.
• The switch of Rooney and Martial may well have been made to nullify the attacking threat of Seamus Coleman, so the Frenchman may well return to the central striker role against Man City. Despite an impressive performance, Herrera may not be assured of a place in the Manchester derby, then. By the same token, Memphis Depay now looks a big rotation risk. Van Gaal continues to rotate his centre midfield options, while Rojo may now have an extended run at left-back. Jones may also keep his starting berth ahead of Blind, with the physical challenge of Wilfried Bony a similar one to that of Romelu Lukaku.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-backs, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks

Part two of Lineup Lessons, covering the remaining ten teams, will be published later tomorrow.