Lineup Lessons – Gameweek 13 – Part One

Roberto Firmino thrives in a central forward berth as Jurgen Klopp rolls out a 4-3-3 for Liverpool’s win at City. Eden Hazard is handed the role in “the hole” for Chelsea’s victory over Norwich, whilst Arsenal’s injury concerns sees Kieran Gibbs afforded a rare start in attacking midfield.

Arsenal

Starting XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin (Arteta 14) (Flamini 48), Cazorla; Sanchez, Ozil, Gibbs (Campbell 63); Giroud.

• Arsene Wenger made two changes from the side which drew 1-1 against Tottenham, with Hector Bellerin returning in place of Mathieu Debuchy, while Kieran Gibbs came in for Joel Campbell.
• Bellerin came straight back in at right-back for the Gunners, while Gibbs played on the left of the three attacking midfield positions in Wenger’s usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Alexis Sanchez was shifted over to the right flank.
• Francis Coquelin picked up a knee injury in the early stages, and was replaced by Mikel Arteta, but the Spaniard only lasted 35 minutes himself, before being forced off with a calf injury. That brought Mathieu Flamini onto the pitch in another straight swap, while Wenger’s final substitution saw Joel Campbell enter the fray.
• With Coquelin ruled out for at least a couple of months, Wenger has revealed he could turn to Flamini or Calum Chambers as cover in the double-pivot. Aaron Ramsey returned to training today and should be fit for tomorrow’s clash with Dinamo Zagreb – he could also be stationed centrally alongside Santi Cazorla, though is more likely to return to his role on the right, with Sanchez switched back onto the left wing.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks.

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Guzan: Hutton, Richards, Clark, Richardson: Carles Gil (Gestede 57), Veretout, Westwood, Gueye (Sanchez 46), Grealish (N’Zogbia 74): Ayew.

• Remi Garde made three alterations for the trip to Goodison Park, with Kieran Richardson replacing the injured Jordan Amavi, while Ashley Westwood and Jack Grealish came in for Carlos Sanchez and Scott Sinclair.
• Having opted for a 4-2-3-1 system against Man City in his first match in charge, Garde went for a more defensive 4-5-1 against Everton. Richardson played at left-back, with Westwood starting in central midfield, whilst Grealish (left) and Carles Gil(right) were fielded on the flank, with Jordan Ayew the lone striker.
• With his side 3-0 down at half time, Garde changed things at the break, with Sanchez replacing Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the park. The Frenchman then introduced Rudy Gestede, with Ayew dropping to a slightly deeper role, while his final change saw Charles N’Zogbia replace Grealish in a straight swap.
• After such a disappointing performance, Garde could make plenty of changes for the crucial home clash against Watford on Saturday. Sanchez and Gestede look the most likely to earn recalls, while some changes at the back can’t be ruled out, with Leandro Bacuna perhaps coming into the equation at right-back. Alan Hutton could also be an option at left-back, so Richardson’s starting place could be vulnerable.

Current Status: Very Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Midfield, Flanks, Central Striker.

Bournemouth

Starting XI: Federici; Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels; Surman; Ritchie (Smith 79), Arter (MacDonald 90), Gosling, Stanislas; King (Murray 86).

• Eddie Howe only made one adjustment from the team which lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle last time out, with Steve Cook coming in for Adam Smith.
• Cook started alongside Sylvain Distin in central defence, with Simon Francis reverting back to his usual position at right-back. Howe continued with his recent 4-1-4-1 formation, with Andrew Surman operating in the defensive midfield role. Harry Arter and Dan Gosling played slightly further forward in the central areas, with Matt Ritchie and Junior Stanislas out wide. Josh King operated as the lone striker for the Cherries.
• With Swansea putting pressure on the visitors in the latter stages, Howe made a defensive change by replacing Ritchie with Smith. Glenn Murray and Shaun MacDonald provided fresh legs for the final few minutes.
• With Cook now back to full fitness, Howe looks to have a settled backline once again, while Adam Federici has started the last three matches as Artur Boruc continues to be troubled by a groin problem. The rest of the team also looks fairly settled, largely by virtue of the lack of options available, but should Marc Pugh recover from a minor knock, he could come into contention for the home encounter against Everton on Saturday. King looks to have won the central striker role, so Murray may continue to be utilised off the bench.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks

Chelsea

Starting XI: Begovic, Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Kenedy, Fabregas, Matic, Pedro (Oscar 83), Willian (Ramires 87), Hazard (Azpilicueta 93), Costa.

• Jose Mourinho decided to make three changes for the home clash against Norwich, with the fit-again Branislav Ivanvovic coming in for Cesar Azpilicueta, while Kenedy and Cesc Fabregas took the places of Baba Rahman and Ramires.
• Ivanovic slotted straight in at right-back, with youngster Kenedy starting at left-back for the champions. Fabregas played alongside Nemanja Matic in the double-pivot in Mourinho’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, with Eden Hazard stationed centrally behind Diego Costa. Thsi saw Willian and Pedro handed the wing roles.
• Mourinho only looked to the bench in the closing stages, with Oscar, Ramires and Azpilicueta given brief run-outs.
• Given it was a rare victory for the Blues, Mourinho may stick with a similar starting XI for the trip to White Hart Lane on Sunday. Certainly, Azpilicueta will be expected to return at left-back in place of Kenedy, while Rahman and Gary Cahill provide different options at the back. If Mourinho is worried about Fabregas’ defensive frailties in a deeper role against stronger opposition, he could move the Spaniard into the number ten berth, or perhaps even drop him once again. Ramires’ industry and work rate could see him earn a recall, with Pedro perhaps looking the most vulnerable of the three attacking midfielders.

Current Status: Fairly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield

Everton

Starting XI: Howard: Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Galloway: McCarthy (Gibson 84), Barry: Deulofeu (Mirallas 73), Kone, Barkley (Osman 74): Lukaku.

• Roberto Martinez named an unchanged team from the one which drew 1-1 against West Ham in Gameweek 12, with Brendan Galloway keeping his place at left-back.
• The former Wigan manager lined up his team in the usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with the in-form Gerard Deulofeu continuing to provide width on the right, with Arouna Kone rifting into central positions from the left flank.
• With the match won before the hour mark, Martinez gave some of his fringe players some minutes in the final quarter, with Kevin Mirallas, Leon Osman and Darron Gibson all getting some playing time.
• With the Toffees in great form, changes appear unlikely for the trip to Bournemouth on Saturday. Kone is likely to hold off the challenges of Mirallas, Steven Naismith and Aaron Lennon for a starting berth out wide, though Leighton Baines turned out for the reserves on Sunday and is putting pressure on Galloway at left-back.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Flanks

Leicester

Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez (Dyer 88), Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Ulloa (Okazaki 72), Vardy (King 76).

• Claudio Ranieri made just one change from the team that beat Watford 2-1, with Leonardo Ulloa coming in for Jeffrey Schlupp.
• That change meant Ranieri opted for a 4-4-2 against Newcastle, with Ulloa partnering Jamie Vardy in the front two.
• Shinji Okazaki replaced Ulloa in a straight swap, while Vardy was replaced with 15 minutes to go by Andy King, having been a doubt before the match due to his hip problem.
• With Man United up next for the Foxes, Ranieri could go for a slightly more cautious approach and revert back to the 4-4-1-1 formation, with Schlupp coming back in at the expense of Ulloa, and lining up out wide on the left, allowing Riyad Mahrez to play just behind Vardy. Otherwise, the Leicester team has a very settled look to it.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Flanks, Attacking Midfield

Liverpool

Starting XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Skrtel, Moreno; Milner, Lucas, Emre Can; Lallana (K Toure 89), Firmino (Benteke 77), Coutinho (Ibe 68).

• Jurgen Klopp made three alterations from the side which lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace, with Dejan Lovren replacing the injured Mamadou Sakho, while James Milner and Roberto Firmino started in place of Jordon Ibe and Christian Benteke.
• Klopp went with a slightly different system at the Etihad, opting for a 4-3-3 formation. Lovren came straight in at centre-back for the Reds, while Milner started on the right of the three central midfield positions. Firmino played the central striker role, where he was flanked by Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana.
• Coutinho picked up a hamstring problem, and had to be replaced by Ibe. Benteke was introduced for the tiring Firmino in a straight swap.
• Lucas Leiva will serve a one-match suspension against Swansea on Sunday, so Klopp could hand a rare start to Joe Allen, or perhaps switch back to the 4-2-3-1 formation and play Milner alongside Emre Can in the double-pivot. Ibe could possibly earn a recall, then, although the German has options for the front four positions, with Benteke and Daniel Sturridge also set to be available. Should Coutinho fail to recover in time, Firmino could drop back into his role on the left, allowing one of Benteke or Sturridge to take the lone striker role.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield, Central Striker

Man City

Starting XI: Hart; Sagna, Demichelis, Mangala, Kolarov; Y Toure (Fernandinho 46), Fernando; Navas (Delph 46), De Bruyne, Sterling, Aguero (Iheanacho 66).

• Manuel Pellegrini made four changes for the home encounter against Liverpool, with Martin Demichelis, Eliaquim Mangala, Jesus Navas and the fit-again Sergio Aguero coming in for Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony.
• City lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 system, with Demichelis and Mangala forming the centre-back pairing. Fernando partnered Yaya Toure in the double-pivot, with Navas starting on the right of the three advanced midfield positions. Aguero operated as the lone striker.
• After a disappointing first-half showing, Pellegrini decided to make two changes at the break, with Fernandinho and Fabian Delph coming on for Toure and Navas. That meant more of a 4-3-3 formation for City, with the two substitutes lining up alongside Fernando in central midfield. Aguero was only fit enough to play 66 minutes, and was replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho in a straight swap.
• With Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta now both fully fit, there’d be no surprise to see rotation in the full-back positions as the schedule starts to pick up. Otamendi was left out of the starting XI following a busy international break, but looks sure to return for the home encounter against Southampton on Saturday. Should he recover from his calf injury, Kompany is also certain to come straight back in. Pellegrini also has options in the middle of the park, so the team he chooses against Juventus on Wednesday night should provide some clues as to who will get the nod against the Saints – Fernandinho looks the most likely to earn a recall. David Silva may be able to play some part on Saturday if he’s overcome an ankle problem, while Bony’s hamstring injury means Aguero will surely spearhead the attack come the weekend.

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

Man United

Starting XI: De Gea, Young, Jones (McNair 69), Smalling, Blind, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Mata (Pereira 79), Herrera (Rojo 25), Lingard, Depay.

• Louis van Gaal made four alterations from the team which won 2-0 against West Brom, with Phil Jones, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera and Memphis Depay taking the places of Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial.
• The Dutchman kept faith In his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Schneiderlin partnering Bastian Schweinsteiger in the double-pivot, while Herrera played in the central attacking midfield role. Depay played as the lone striker, although there was a fluid rotation among the front four, with Jesse Lingard often taking up advanced positions. Jones started at centre-back alongside Chris Smalling, with Daley Blind playing at left-back.
• Herrera picked up a hamstring injury in the first-half, and was replaced by Rojo. That saw United play with more of a 3-5-2 formation, with Ashley Young and Blind operating as wing-backs, and Rojo slotting in alongside Jones and Smalling in central defence. Jones then suffered an ankle injury, and was substituted for Paddy McNair, while Andreas Pereira came on for Juan Mata late on in a straight swap.
• Van Gaal’s selection for the trip to Leicester will be largely dependent on who is fit, with a mounting injury list building at Old Trafford. Rojo could come back in at left-back, with Blind partnering Smalling in central defence. Wayne Rooney should be available after missing out against Watford due to illness, and could replace Herrera should the Spaniard be ruled out. Martial remains a doubt, so Depay could keep his place in the starting XI, be it as the lone striker or in a wide role.

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

Newcastle

Starting XI: Elliot; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett; Anita, Tiote (Thauvin 19); Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Perez (De Jong 81); Mitrovic (Cisse 62).

• Steve McClaren once again named an unchanged team for the visit of Leicester to St James’ Park.
• The former England boss kept faith in the 4-4-2 formation, with Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum continuing in the wide berths.
• Cheick Tiote was forced off with a groin injury in the early stages, and was replaced by Florian Thauvin. The former Marseille man played on the left wing, with Wijnaldum slotting in alongside Vurnon Anita in central midfield. Papiss Cisse was introduced for Aleksandar Mitrovic shortly after the hour mark, while Siem de Jong was thrown on for the final 10 minutes.
• McClaren has kept a settled side in recent weeks, but the lacklustre performance against Leicester could mean he looks to change things up for the trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Should Tiote be ruled out, Wijnaldum could start in central midfield, with Thauvin possibly getting the nod out wide. Yoan Gouffran could also come into contention, while Mitrovic has been substituted around the hour mark in the last two matches for Cisse, so the Senegal international could earn a recall to the starting XI. De Jong may also come into consideration, although Perez should onto his starting spot.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers

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