Lineup Lessons – Gameweek 11 – Part Two

Big Sam’s decision to opt for three at the back sees Sunderland ship six goals at Everton. Norwich move to 5-4-1 for their trip to City, whilst West Ham taste defeat in Andy Carroll’s first start of the season.

After rolling out Part One yesterday, we now turn our attentions to the remaining ten Premier League sides to review the personal, formations and changes made, whilst speculating on the likely Gameweek 12 lineups…

Aston Villa

Starting XI: Guzan; Hutton, Clark, Lescott, Richarson; Sanchez, Westwood (Ayew 38); Bacuna, Grealish (Carles Gil 65), Sinclair; Agbonlahor (Gestede 46).

• Interim manager Kevin MacDonald made four changes for the trip to White Hart Lane, with Ciaran Clark, Ashley Westwood, Carlos Sanchez and Scott Sinclair coming in for the suspended Micah Richards, Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Ayew and Rudy Gestede.
• McDonald went for a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Westwood partnering Sanchez at the base of midfield, while Sinclair played on the left of the three attacking midfield positions. Clark started alongside Joleon Lescott in central defence in the absence of Richards.
• Westwood was forced off in the first-half with a head injury, with Ayew coming on in his place. The Ghanaian moved to the right flank, with Bacuna shifting back into the double-pivot. Gestede took the place of the injured Gabriel Agbonlahor at half-time in a straight swap, while Carles Gil replaced Grealish in MacDonald’s final change.
• With Remi Garde taking charge for the home clash against Man City on Sunday, it’s difficult to assess what sort of side we may see him opt for. The general consensus is that he’s been brought in to get the best out of the French players signed in the summer, so Jordan Amavi and Jordan Veretout are two that could perhaps earn recalls. Gueye also played in France, so could also come back into the reckoning. Ayew will have made a positive impression on his new boss with a goal off the bench, and could return to the starting XI.

Current Status: Very Unsettled
Risk Areas: All Positions

Norwich

Starting XI: Ruddy; Brady, Bennett, Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Howson, Tettey, Mulumbu (O’Neil 70), Jarvis (Redmond 45); Jerome (Grabban 87).

• Alex Neil made three alterations from the side which lost 1-0 against West Brom, with Martin Olsson, Youssouf Mulumbu and Cameron Jerome coming in for Nathan Redmond, Wes Hoolahan and Dieumerci Mbokani.
• On the back of three straight defeats, and with a daunting task facing the Canaries at the Etihad, Neil opted for a 5-4-1 formation, with Olsson (left) and Robbie Brady (right) operating as wing-backs. Ryan Bennett, Russell Martin and Sebastian Bassong played in central defence, with the midfield four made up of Jonny Howson, Mulumbu, Alex Tettey and Matt Jarvis. Jerome was the lone striker, with Mbokani missing out because of illness.
• Jarvis was replaced by Redmond at the break, with the former Wolves winger picking up a knee injury. Mulumbu’s first league start for Norwich saw him last 70 minutes, before Gary O’Neil took his place in the middle of the park.
• With Norwich facing Swansea at Carrow Road on Saturday, it’s expected that Neil will revert back to either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation. Jarvis is a serious doubt for that match, so Redmond could earn a recall out wide, while Hoolahan is another likely starter. The Scot could continue with Tettey and Mulumbu at the base of midfield, offering solid protection for the back four, so Howson could be the one to miss out. Martin is suspended for the Swansea clash, so Steven Whittaker could return at right-back, with Brady another option. Providing he’s back to full fitness, Mbokani will challenge Jerome for the starting role in attack.

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

Southampton

Starting XI: Stekelenburg; Cedric Soares, Fonte (Yoshida 46), Van Dijk, Bertrand; Clasie (Romeu 71), Wanyama; Tadic (Ward-Prowse 80), S.Davis, Mane; Pelle.

• Ronald Koeman named an unchanged starting XI from the one which drew 1-1 at Liverpool in Gameweek 10, with Jordy Clasie making his first home league start.
• The Saints lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 system, with Clasie alongside Victor Wanyama at the base of midfield. Steven Davis once again filled the central attacking midfield role.
• Skipper Jose Fonte picked up a hamstring problem in the first-half, and was replaced by Maya Yoshida at the break. Clasie played 70 minutes as he continues to build up his fitness, with Oriol Romeu taking his place in midfield. James Ward-Prowse provided fresh legs late on as Bournemouth pressed forward in search of a lifeline.
• Victor Wanyama will miss the trip to Sunderland having being sent off against the Cherries. Romeu looks the most likely player to replace the former Celtic man, with Ward-Prowse another option. Should Fonte fail to recover from his hamstring injury, Yoshida is likely to deputise in central defence.

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

Stoke

Starting XI: Butland; Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Adam, Whelan; Shaqiri (Crouch 90), Bojan (Afellay 59), Arnautovic (Van Ginkel 88); Walters.

• Mark Hughes made two adjustments for the trip to Newcastle, with Ryan Shawcross replacing the injured Geoff Cameron, while Jon Walters came in for Joselu.
• Hughes stuck with his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Shawcross making his first league start of the campaign alongside Philipp Wollscheid at the heart of the defence. Walters took the lone striker role for the Potters.
• Bojan once again failed to complete 90 minutes, being replaced by Ibrahim Afellay just before the hour mark.
• With captain Shawcross now back to full fitness, Hughes may stick with the same backline for the home clash against Chelsea on Saturday. Mame Biram Diouf was surprisingly an unused substitute against the Magpies, so Walters could perhaps lead the line once again. Hughes has options in that area though, with Peter Crouch and Joselu also available.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Striker

Swansea

Starting XI: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ki (Britton 85), Shelvey; Ayew, Sigurdsson, Montero (Barrow 79); Gomis (Eder 85).

• Garry Monk named an unchanged team from the one which beat Aston Villa 2-1, with KI Sung-yeung continuing in central midfield alongside Jonjo Shelvey.
• The Swans lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jefferson Montero and Andre Ayew stationed on the flanks.
• Monk introduced Modou Barrow, Leon Britton and Eder late on, with the trio providing fresh legs off the bench.
• The Swansea boss has options in the middle of the park, with Britton and Jack Cork possibilities to replace Ki in the double-pivot. Bafetimbi Gomis is now without a goal in his last seven league appearances, although it would seem likely that Monk will keep faith with him at the expense of Eder.

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

Sunderland

Starting XI: Pantilimon; Coates, Brown, Jones; Yedlin (Larsson 64), Cattermole (Rodwell 38), M’Vila, Johnson, Van Aanholt; Fletcher (Watmore 75), Defoe.

• Sam Allardyce made four alterations from the team which beat Newcastle, with Sebastian Coates and Wes Brown coming in for injured duo John O’Shea and Younes Kaboul. Patrick van Aanholt replaced the injured Ola Toivonen, while Jermain Defoe started ahead of Jeremain Lens who returned from suspension.
• Big Sam opted for a 3-5-2 formation at Goodison Park, with the idea to try and limit the amount of possession Everton were likely to have. Coates, Brown and Billy Jones started at the back, with DeAndre Yedlin and van Aanholt as the wing-backs. Lee Cattermole, Yann M’Vila and Adam Johnson formed the central midfield trio, with Defoe and Steven Fletcher up front.
• Cattermole picked up a knock in the first-half, and had to be replaced by Jack Rodwell. Sebastian Larsson came on for Yedlin, with Allardyce switching to a back four, while Duncan Watmore provided fresh legs in place of Fletcher for the final 15 minutes.
• Big Sam’s selection for the encounter against Southampton encounter on Saturday will largely depend on who is available. O’Shea and Kaboul remain doubts, while Cattermole also needs to be assessed. It is likely he’ll revert back to a back four, so van Aanholt could miss out, with Jones and Yedlin perhaps starting as the full-backs. Larsson could come in on the right side of midfield if he wants to continue with Defoe and Fletcher in attack, while Rodwell and Jordi Gomes provide options in central midfield should Cattermole miss out. Lens will also be hoping for a recall to the starting XI having sat out Sunday’s meeting.

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

Tottenham

Starting XI: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Alli; Lamela, Dembele, Eriksen; Kane.

• Mauricio Pochettino opted to name the same team which won 5-1 at Bournemouth.
• Tottenham lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alli playing alongside Eric Dier in the double-pivot, while Mousa Dembele again started in the number ten role, behind Harry Kane.
• Ryan Mason entered the fray for Dembele, exactly as he did last time out. Danny Rose limped off with a leg injury, forcing Ben Davies into the action late on.
• After another victory, Pochettino should go with a similar line-up for the north London derby on Sunday. Rose is an early doubt, but Davies provides a quality replacement at left-back. Mason has two substitute appearances under his belt now, but appears unlikely to oust Alli or Dembele from the side.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back

Watford

Starting XI: Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Ake; Capoue, Watson, Abdi (Behrami 75), Deeney, Anya (Paredes 68); Ighalo (Guedioura 85)

• Quique Sanchez Flores kept faith with the team that won 2-0 at Stoke, naming an unchanged starting XI for the home clash against West Ham.
• Flores went for a slight variation on his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, opting for a 4-4-1-1 against the Hammers. Ikechi Anya played on the right of midfield, with Almen Abdi on the left. Ben Watson and Etienne Capoue operated in the middle of the park, with Troy Deeney playing just behind lone striker Odion Ighalo. Miguel Britos was again preferred to Sebastian Prodl in central defence.
• Anya made way for Juan Carlos Paredes as he did last week, with the Ecuadorian offering protection in front of Allan Nyom down the right flank in the latter stages. Valon Behrami then came on for Abdi, again, a change which we saw last week at the Britannia. Ighalo picked up a minor knock in the incident which saw James Collins dismissed, and was replaced by Adlene Guedioura.
• On the back of consecutive 2-0 victories, Flores may again name an unchanged team against Leicester on Saturday provided Ighalo is fit to start. The Nigerian is expected to be fine to face the Foxes, but if he were to miss out, Victor Ibarbo could come into the team, or Deeney could be pushed forward, with Guedioura possibly playing in a central attacking midfield position. Jurado remains troubled by a hamstring and would seem likely to be preserved until after the international break. Meanwhile, at the back, Britos looks to be above Prodl in the pecking order for the role alongside Craig Cathcart, although this requires further monitoring.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence

West Brom

Starting XI: Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt (McManaman 82); Sessegnon, Yacob (Morrison 76), Fletcher, McClean; Berahino (Lambert 76), Rondon.

• Tony Pulis once again unchanged starting XI for the visit of Leicester to the Hawthorns, with Stephane Sessegnon earning a third straight league start.
• Pulis stuck with the 4-4-2 formation used in recent weeks, with Sadio Berahino continuing to operate alongside Salomon Rondon in attack.
• James Morrison returned to first-team action following injury, coming on for Claudio Yacob. Rickie Lambert replaced Berahino in a straight swap, while with the Baggies trailing, Pulis threw on Callum McManaman for Chris Brunt who had picked up a knock.
• With a trip to Old Trafford up next, Pulis may revert back to a 4-5-1 formation. Should he make that adjustment, Sessegnon looks the most vulnerable, with McClean and Berahino possibly taking the wide positions. Morrison could slot in centre midfield alongside Yacob and Darren Fletcher.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks

West Ham

Starting XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Collins, Tomkins, Cresswell; Noble (Jelavic 75), Kouyate, Lanzini (Zarate 46), Payet; Moses (Valencia 46), Carroll.

• Slaven Bilic made two alterations for the trip to Vicarage Road, with Victor Moses recalled in place of Mauro Zarate, while Andy Carroll earned his first start of the campaign in place of the injured Diafra Sakho.
• The Croatian stuck with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, but Moses operated down the right-hand side against the Hornets, having spent most of the season on the left. Manuel Lanzini played on that side, with Dimitri Payet in the number ten role behind lone striker Andy Carroll.
• West Ham’s wide players struggled in the first-half, so Bilic decided to replace Lanzini and Moses for Zarate and Enner Valencia at the break. Nikica Jelavic was thrown on for Mark Noble with the Hammers two goals down.
• With Valencia now back, Bilic has a plethora of attacking options to choose from. Sakho could well shake off his thigh problem to face Everton on Saturday, so he could come back into the starting XI. Only Payet looks “nailed on” in the front four, with Lanzini, Moses, Zarate and Carroll all battling for positions. James Collins now has to serve a three-match suspension, so Bilic will hope Winston Reid can shake off his back problem to return to the side. Angelo Ogbonna provides another option at the back.

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