Lineup Lessons – Gameweek 31 – Part Two

After rolling out Part One yesterday, we now turn our attentions to the remaining ten Premier League sides to review the personnel, formations and changes made, whilst speculating on the likely Gameweek 32 line-ups.

Newcastle

Starting XI: Elliot; Janmaat (Anita 72), Mbemba, Lascelles, Colback (De Jong 62); Townsend (Cisse 76), Shelvey, Wijnaldum, Sissoko; Perez; Mitrovic.

• Rafael Benitez made two changes from the side that faced Leicester last time out for the Tyne-Wear derby, with the fit-again Chancel Mbemba returning in place of Steven Taylor, while Andros Townsend came in at the expense of Vurnon Anita.
• Townsend was stationed on the right of the three attacking midfield positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Moussa Sissoko played on the opposite flank, with Ayoze Perez operating in the number ten role behind lone striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. That meant Georginio Wijnaldum started in a deeper role alongside Jonjo Shelvey at the base of midfield, while Jack Colback continued to fill in at left-back for the Magpies. Mbemba slotted in at centre-back next to Jamaal Lascelles.
• With Newcastle a goal down, and with Colback on a yellow card, Benitez decided to make a positive first substitution on the hour mark, with Siem de Jong called upon off the bench. The Dutchman moved into the number ten role, with Perez shifting to an inside left position. Sissoko moved to left-back, although he was still playing in a pretty advanced position. Daryl Janmaat then had to be replaced 10 minutes later after picking up a knee injury, with Anita coming on at right-back. Benitez’s final change saw Papiss Cisse introduced in place of Townsend in a final roll of the dice. Cisse played alongside Mitrovic in attack, with Wijnaldum moving to the right side of midfield.
• Colback picked up his 10th booking of the season, so he will now miss the next two matches at Norwich and Southampton. Lascelles or perhaps Anita may have to fill in at left-back then, with Fabricio Coloccini (calf) possibly have the chance to return to fitness over the next 11 days to come back into the side in central defence. Taylor may also be needed, particularly if Janmaat is ruled out for the trip to Carrow Road. Benitez may well stick with the same front six, though. Mitrovic suffered a head injury on Sunday, but should stand a good chance of being fit given the 11-day break until the next match. Cisse, de Jong and Seydou Doumbia all offer alternatives in attack.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Defence, Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks

Norwich

Starting XI: Ruddy; Martin, Klose, Bassong, Olsson; Jarvis (Pinto 90), O’Neil, Howson, Brady (Odjidja-Ofoe 77); Bamford (Naismith 72); Mbokani.

• Alex Neil made three alterations for the trip to the Hawthorns, with the fit-again Sebastian Bassong and Robbie Brady coming in for the injured Ryan Bennett and Nathan Redmond, while Dieumerci Mbokani earned a recall in place of Wes Hoolahan.
• Mbokani’s inclusion in the side saw Norwich start with two strikers against the Baggies, with Patrick Bamford also stationed in attack. It was a 4-4-2 chosen by Neil, then, with Brady and Matt Jarvis out wide. Bassong partnered Timm Klose in central defence.
• Neil’s first substitution saw Steven Naismith replace Bamford in a straight swap with less than 20 minutes remaining. Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe then took over from Brady on the left of midfield, with the Republic of Ireland international having to be replaced after picking up a slight knock. Neil’s final change saw Ivo Pinto come on for Jarvis for the final few minutes in a defensive move as the Canaries looked to hold on for the 1-0 win.
• After registering their first win since January 2, Neil isn’t likely to make many changes for the home clash against Newcastle after the international break. He could perhaps recall Hoolahan and drop one of the strikers and start with a 4-4-1-1 system, while Hoolahan could also start out wide should Brady be unavailable. With 11 days until that match, the former Hull City man should have a good chance to recover in time.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Attacking Midfield, Strikers

Southampton

Starting XI: Forster, Martina, Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand, Steven Davis, Romeu (Ward-Prowse 69), Clasie (Wanyama 45), Tadic (Mane 45), Long, Pelle.

• Ronald Koeman only made one adjustment from the side that won 2-1 at Stoke for the home encounter against Liverpool, with Jose Fonte returning in place of Matt Targett after serving his one-match ban.
• Koeman stuck with the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dusan Tadic, Shane Long (number ten) and Steven Davis forming the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Graziano Pelle. Fonte returned at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk.
• With Saints trailing 2-0 at half-time, Koeman made a double substitution, with Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane coming on for Jordy Clasie and Tadic in straight swaps. Koeman’s final change saw James Ward-Prowse take to the field in place of Oriol Romeu with 20 minutes remaining, partnering Wanyama at the base of midfield.
• Although Cuco Martina has started the last three matches, the likes of Cedric Soares and Maya Yoshida can’t be fully ruled out in terms of returning to the starting XI, with that right-back position having been a troublesome area throughout the campaign. After making hugely positive impacts off the bench, Wanyama and Mane appear likely to earn recalls when Southampton travel to Leicester after the international break, with Ward-Prowse also an option in midfield. The likes of Clasie, Tadic and Romeu look under real pressure to hold onto their starting berths then.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks

Stoke

Starting XI: Butland; Bardsley, Cameron, Wollscheid, Muniesa; Whelan, Imbula; Walters, Afellay (Diouf 84), Arnautovic (Ireland 84); Joselu.

• Mark Hughes made four changes for the trip to Vicarage Road, with Phil Bardsley, Marc Muniesa and Jon Walters coming in for the injured Ryan Shawcross, Erik Pieters and Xherdan Shaqiri, while Joselu earned a recall in place of Mame Biram Diouf.
• The Welsh boss did keep faith in his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, though, with Joselu leading the lone striker for the Potters. Walters started on the right of the attacking midfield trio, while Ibrahim Afellay in the number ten role. Bardsley and Muniesa came in at right-back and left-back respectively, with Geoff Cameron moving to centre-back to partner Philipp Wollscheid.
• Hughes only elected to make two substitutions, with Diouf and Stephen Ireland entering the fray with just five minutes remaining in place of Afellay and Marko Arnautovic in straight swaps.
• The make up of Hughes’ backline for the next match against Swansea will largely depend on which defenders are fit. Shawcross (back) remains a serious doubt, while Pieters could also face a race against time to be fit. In the event they are both passed fit, Bardsley and Muniesa appear most likely to drop out of the starting XI. After a bright performance on Saturday, Walters may well retain his starting berth on the right wing, although should Shaqiri recover from a thigh injury, Hughes will have a tough decision to make. Joselu was another to impress against the Hornets, and looks set to have another chance as the lone striker against the Swans.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Left-Back, Right Wing

Sunderland

Starting XI: Mannone; Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul (O’Shea 73), Van Aanholt; Kirchhoff (Cattermole 84); Borini, Rodwell, M’Vila, Khazri (N’Doye 75); Defoe.

• Sam Allardyce only made one alteration for the Tyne-Wear derby, with Jermain Defoe returning to the starting XI in place of Dame N’Doye.
• Defoe started as the lone striker in the 4-1-4-1 formation, with Fabio Borini (right) and Wahbi Khazri (left) providing support from the flanks.
• Kaboul had to be replaced after picking up a slight calf problem, with John O’Shea taking his place in central defence with 17 minutes remaining. Shortly after, N’Doye came on for Khazri in a straight swap, with Big Sam’s final substitution seeing Lee Cattermole come on for Jan Kirchhoff in the defensive midfield role.
• Kaboul has 11 days to recover until the Black Cats’ next match against West Brom, with O’Shea the likely replacement should he fail to shrug off a calf injury in time. Cattermole could challenge Rodwell for a starting berth in central midfield, while N’Doye provides another option out wide, although he looks unlikely to usurp either Borini or Khazri in the starting XI. N’Doye could come in for Khazri if the latter fails to recover from the knock that forced him to withdraw from the Tunisia squad earlier today, though.

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

Swansea

Starting XI: Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Kingsley (Routledge 86); Fer, Cork, Ki Sung-yeung (Britton 46); Barrow (Naughton 78), Gomis, Sigurdsson.

• Head coach Francesco Guidolin made three changes from the team that lost 3-2 to Bournemouth for the visit of Aston Villa to the Liberty Stadium, with Stephen Kingsley coming in for the injured Neil Taylor, while Ki Sung-yeung and Bafetimbi Gomis came in for Wayne Routledge and Alberto Paloschi.
• With the Italian boss building up the match as a “cup final” for his side, he went with a more defensive 4-3-2-1 formation. Gomis came in as the lone striker, while Modou Barrow played wide on the right in the advanced midfield positions. Gylfi Sigurdsson was stationed in an inside left position though, which limited his influence and left the side looking slightly unbalanced. KI, Jack Cork and Leroy Fer formed the three-man midfield, while Kingsley slotted in at left-back for the Swans.
• After a flat first half display, Guidolin replaced Ki with Leon Britton at the break. After taking a 1-0 lead, the Italian then made a defensive substitution, bringing on Kyle Naughton for Barrow on the right of midfield with 12 minutes remaining. That change was offset once Kingsley had to be replaced shortly after however, with Naughton shifting over to left-back, allowing Routledge to come on down the right-wing.
• With some of the pressure now perhaps lifted, Guidolin may revert back to the more familiar 4-2-3-1 system in the next match at Stoke, with Sigurdsson returning to his usual number ten role. That would allow Routledge to return on the left wing, with one of Fer or Ki likely to drop out of the starting XI. They could in fact both be benched, given Britton impressed after coming on at half-time on Saturday. Paloschi could push for a recall as the lone striker in place of Gomis, while Taylor only missed out due to a couple of minor niggles, so while Kingsley deputised well at left-back, the Wales international may well return at the Britannia.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Central Striker

Tottenham

Starting XI: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dembele, Dier (Chadli 89); Lamela (Carroll 65), Alli (Mason 81), Eriksen; Kane.

• Mauricio Pochettino once again named an unchanged side from the one that beat Aston Villa 2-0 for the home encounter with Bournemouth.
• Erik Lamela continued on the right of the three attacking midfield positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation then, while Mousa Dembele and Christian Eriksen returned to the starting XI after being rested against Borussia Dortmund last Thursday.
• Lamela was the first player to be substituted, with Tom Carroll coming on in his place with 25 minutes remaining. Ryan Mason and Nacer Chadli were handed brief run-outs in the final 10 minutes in place of Dele Alli and Eric Dier.
• With Spurs now out of the Europa League, we should see less rotation in the full-back positions and on the right wing. Kyle Walker and Danny Rose should be fairly certain starters for the remainder of the campaign, then, while Lamela looks to have the edge over Chadli and Heung-Min Son for the starting berth on the right flank. Jan Vertonghen (knee) could be fit to return shortly after the international break, meaning Kevin Wimmer’s stint as a regular starter could shortly come to an end.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Right Wing

Watford

Starting XI: Gomes; Nyom, Britos, Cathcart, Ake (Anya 76); Behrami (Guedioura 55), Suarez, Capoue; Jurado (Amrabat 55), Deeney; Ighalo.

• Quique Sanchez Flores made three alterations from the side that lost 1-0 to Leicester in Watford’s last league match for the home clash against Stoke, with Miguel Britos, Valon Behrami and the fit-again Jurado coming in for Sebastian Prodl, Ben Watson and Nordin Amrabat.
• Jurado returned alongside Troy Deeney in the attacking midfield positions in Flores’ usual 4-3-2-1 formation. Behrami was part of the three-man midfield next to Etienne Capoue and Mario Suarez, while Britos partnered Craig Cathcart in central defence.
• With his side 2-0 down, Flores made two substitutions on the 55 minute mark, with Adlene Guedioura and Amrabat coming on for Behrami and Jurado. Those changes saw Watford line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Guedioura on the right of the attacking midfield trio, and Amrabat on the left, leaving Capoue and Suarez at the base of midfield. Ikechi Anya then replaced Nathan Ake at left-back with 15 minutes remaining.
• After dropping out of the side last Saturday, Watson could perhaps earn a recall for the trip to Arsenal in 11 days time, with Behrami or Suarez making way. Amrabat and Almen Abdi offer alternatives to Jurado in the attacking midfield positions, while Guedioura is another who may push for a start at the Emirates, having scored when the two sides met in the FA Cup earlier this month. Anya’s introduction late on perhaps indicates Ake is under some pressure for the starting berth at left-back, with Jose Holebas another option in that position.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Attacking Midfield

West Brom

Starting XI: Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson (McClean 60), Evans; Sessegnon (Lambert 86), Yacob, Fletcher, Gardner (Pritchard 73); Berahino, Rondon.

• Tony Pulis only made one adjustment from the side that beat Man United for the visit of Norwich to the Hawthorns, with the fit-again Jonny Evans coming in for James Chester.
• Evans started at left-back for the Baggies, who lined up in the same 4-2-3-1 formation as they have done in recent matches.
• With his side a goal down, Pulis made an attacking first change, with James McClean introduced in place of Jonas Olsson on the hour mark. That substitution saw Evans move to centre-back to allow McClean to push forward from left-back. Alex Pritchard then came on for Craig Gardner on the left of the attacking midfield trio with 17 minutes left on the clock. The final change saw Rickie Lambert thrown on in search of a late equaliser in place of Stephane Sessegnon.
• Pulis doesn’t look to have many options in terms of making changes for the trip to Sunderland after the international break. McClean could come in at left-back, but such an attacking move would perhaps be unlikely for an away match. McClean could also challenge Gardner for a place on the left wing, with Pritchard also an alternative in that position.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Left Wing

West Ham

Starting XI: Adrian; Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble; Lanzini (Obiang 82), Payet, Valencia (Emenike 75); Sakho (Carroll 60).

• Slaven Bilic made three alterations from the team that beat Everton 3-2 in the Hammers last league match for the trip to Stamford Bridge, with Winston Reid, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho coming in for Reece Oxford, Pedro Obiang and Emmanuel Emenike.
• Bilic went with the 4-2-3-1 formation on Saturday, with Valencia, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini forming the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Sakho. Reid started alongside Angelo Ogbonna in central defence.
• Sakho lasted 60 minutes as he continues to build up his match sharpness, with Andy Carroll taking his place in a straight swap. Emenike then came on for Valencia with 15 minutes remaining, with Bilic’s final change seeing Obiang replace Lanzini for the final eight minutes in a slightly defensive move as the Hammers looked to hold on for a 2-1 victory.
• Michail Antonio played at right-back on Saturday, with Sam Byram unavailable due to a slight knock. Should the former Leeds defender return to fitness to face Crystal Palace after the international break, he could earn a recall, with Antonio then perhaps replacing Valencia on the right of the three attacking midfield positions. James Collins (hamstring) and James Tomkins (calf) could also be back after the international break and provide further options in central defence and at right-back in Tomkins’ case. After scoring off the bench, Carroll may push for a recall, but with Sakho now having 11 days to further build up his fitness levels, he could be handed another chance to lead the line.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Defence, Right Wing, Central Striker