Lineup Lessons – Gameweek 29 – 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 30 line-ups.

Newcastle

Starting XI: Elliot; Janmaat, Taylor, Lascelles, Dummett (Anita 32); Sissoko (Aarons 69), Shelvey, Colback; Wijnaldum; Perez, Riviere (Mitrovic 46).

• Steve McClaren made two changes for the home clash against Bournemouth, with Ayoze Perez and Emmanuel Riviere starting in place of Yoan Gouffran and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
• Perez was stationed on the left of the three attacking midfield positions in McClaren’s usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Riviere coming in for his first start of the season as the lone striker.
• McClaren was forced into an early substitution, though, with Paul Dummett having to be replaced by Vurnon Anita after picking up a knock. That change saw Jack Colback shift to left-back, with Anita partnering Jonjo Shelvey in central midfield. Following a disappointing first-half display, Riviere was replaced by Mitrovic in a straight swap. The final change saw Rolando Aarons come on for Moussa Sissoko, with the youngster taking over down the right flank.
• How Newcastle line up at the back when they travel to Leicester on Monday night will depend on whether Fabricio Coloccini (calf), Chancel Mbemba (foot) and Dummett are available to McClaren. Jamaal Lascelles could shift over to left-back should one of the centre-backs return, with Colback the alternative should Dummett be ruled out. Anita provides another option in central midfield if needed, while Andros Townsend may also shake off a knock to return on the left wing. If he misses out again, Perez may keep his starting berth after scoring in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat. Perez is also an option for the lone striker role though, along with Mitrovic, Riviere and Seydou Doumbia.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Defence, Central Midfield, Left Wing, Central Striker

Norwich

Starting XI: Ruddy; Pinto, Martin, Klose, Brady (Bennett 26); Redmond, O’Neil, Howson, Naismith (Bamford 64); Hoolahan; Jerome (Mbokani 64).

• Alex Neil made two changes for the trip to Swansea, with Gary O’Neil coming in for the injured Alex Tettey, while the fit-again Steven Naismith replaced Ryan Bennett.
• That meant a formation change for the Canaries, switching from a 3-4-3 to a more conventional 4-2-3-1. O’Neil partnered Jonny Howson in central midfield, while Nathan Redmond, Wes Hoolahan and Naismith formed the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Cameron Jerome.
• Neil was forced into making an early change though, with Robbie Brady picking up a calf problem. He was replaced by Bennett, who played at centre-back, with Russell Martin switching over to left-back. With the visitors then trailing 1-0, Neil made two positive substitutions, with strikers Patrick Bamford and Dieumerci Mbokani coming on in place of Naismith and Jerome. The Canaries ended the match in a 4-4-2, then, with Redmond and Hoolahan on the flanks.
• After another lively substitute appearance, Bamford should push Jerome for the starting berth in attack when Norwich host Man City on Saturday. Mbokani provides another alternative to Jerome, while with Brady a doubt for Saturday, natural left-back Martin Olsson looks the obvious replacement. Sebastian Bassong was close to a return from injury to play against the Swans, so he could be fit to face City on Saturday, and replace Martin in central defence alongside Timm Klose.

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

Southampton

Starting XI: Forster; Martina, Van Dijk, Fonte, Bertrand; Clasie (Juanmi 64) Romeu; Tadic, Davis (Ward-Prowse 64), Mane (Yoshida 83); Pelle.

• Ronald Koeman made five changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Bournemouth, with Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle coming in for the injured Shane Long and Charlie Austin. Elsewhere, Cuco Martina, Jordy Clasie and Steven Davis replaced Cedric Soares, Maya Yoshida and James Ward-Prowse.
• Koeman decided to return to a 4-2-3-1 formation against Sunderland, having favoured a three-man backline in recent weeks. Martina and Bertrand were the full-backs, with Clasie and Oriol Romeu in the double-pivot in midfield. Davis, Sadio Mane and Tadic formed the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Pelle.
• With the match goalless, Koeman made a double substitution shortly after the hour mark, with Ward-Prowse and Juanmi coming on for Clasie and Davis in straight swaps. Then, following Jose Fonte’s sending off, Koeman brought on Yoshida in place of Mane in an attempt to hold on for a point.
• The right side of defence continues to be an issue for Southampton, with Martina earning his first start since Gameweek 20 on Saturday. Soares and Yoshida remain in contention for that spot, with little sign of a regular starter emerging. Yoshida is likely to start in central defence for the trip to Stoke, though, with Fonte serving a one-match ban. Rotation is also likely in central midfield, with Clasie and Ward-Prowse vying for a spot alongside Romeu. Should Long (knee) be ruled out of Saturday’s match, Koeman doesn’t look to have a huge number of alternatives for the front four positions, with Juanmi his only real option should he wish to make a change.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Right-Back/Right Wing-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers

Stoke

Starting XI: Butland; Cameron, Wollscheid, Muniesa, Pieters; Whelan (Bojan 74), Imbula; Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic (Ireland 90); Diouf (Joselu 86).

• Mark Hughes made two alterations from the side that beat Newcastle 1-0, with Marc Muniesa starting in place of the injured Phil Bardsley, while Mame Biram Diouf replaced Jon Walters.
• Diouf started as the lone striker for the Potters in Hughes’ usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Muniesa starting in central defence. Geoff Cameron shifted over to right-back.
• With Stoke a goal down, Hughes made an attacking first substitution, introducing Bojan in place of Glenn Whelan. Bojan took up the number ten role, with Ibrahim Afellay dropping back into central midfield. Diouf was about to be replaced just before he scored the equaliser, but he was still taken off by Hughes, with Joselu coming on in a straight swap. Stephen Ireland was handed a few minutes at the death, coming on for Marko Arnautovic.
• Ryan Shawcross remains a big doubt for the home clash against Southampton on Saturday, but should he fully recover from his back injury, he would be immediately reinstalled to the starting XI. After scoring for the first time since Gameweek 7, Diouf may keep his starting position as the lone striker, although Walters, Joselu and Bojan offer Hughes plenty of alternatives.

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

Sunderland

Starting XI: Mannone; Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul, van Aanholt; Kirchhoff (O’Shea 90); Borini, M’Vila, Rodwell, Khazri (Larsson 75); N’Doye (Defoe 58).

• Sam Allardyce made two alterations for the trip to Southampton, with Younes Kaboul and Fabio Borini replacing John O’Shea and Jermain Defoe.
• Big Sam rolled out the 4-1-4-1 formation once more at St Mary’s, with Borini stationed on the right of the midfield. Kaboul slotted in at centre-back alongside Lamine Kone.
• Big Sam introduced Defoe just before the hour mark as he sought to break the deadlock. With the match still goalless, he then brought on Sebastian Larsson in place of Khazri, who picked up a slight knock, with the Sweden international playing on the right of midfield. O’Shea was brought on in stoppage time in a bid to hold on to the 1-0 lead, but the Republic of Ireland international couldn’t block Virgil van Dijk’s late strike.
• Allardyce could have Lee Cattermole (head) back for their next match against Newcastle on March 20, so he may challenge Jack Rodwell for a place in central midfield. Borini and N’Doye are probably competing for one spot on the right flank given Defoe should return as the lone striker.

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

Swansea

Starting XI: Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Cork, Britton (Fer 54); Ayew (Gomis 82), Sigurdsson, Routledge; Paloschi (Barrow 45).

• Head coach Francesco Guidolin made six changes from the side that beat Arsenal 2-1, with Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez, Neil Taylor, Leon Britton, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Alberto Paloschi coming in for Kyle Naughton, Jordi Amat, Stephen Kingsley, Leroy Fer, Ki Sung-yeung and Bafetimbi Gomis.
• Having started with a midfield diamond before switching to a 4-2-3-1 system at the Emirates, Guidolin, who picked the side despite being stuck in hospital due to a lung infection, opted for the 4-2-3-1 against Norwich. Jack Cork partnered Britton at the base of midfield, while Andre Ayew, Sigurdsson and Wayne Routledge formed the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Paloschi.
• In charge on the day, first-team coach Alan Curtis made a substitution at half-time, with Modou Barrow replacing Paloschi. That change saw Ayew take over as the lone striker, with Barrow taking the Ghanaian’s place on the right. Curtis then made a positive second substitution, with the more attack-minded Fer coming on for Britton just nine minutes into the second-half. With Ayew tiring towards the end of the match, Gomis replaced the former Marseille attacker with just eight minutes left on the clock.
• After impressing off the bench, providing the assist for Sigurdsson’s winner, Fer may challenge Britton for a starting berth in central midfield. Ki could also return to contention for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth if he shakes off a minor ankle injury as expected. There’s a chance Ayew could lead the line against the Cherries, so Paloschi’s place in the starting XI doesn’t look totally assured, with Barrow an option to take over on the right flank.

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

Tottenham

Starting XI: Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose (Davies 78), Dier, Dembele (Heung-Min Son 82), Eriksen, Alli, Lamela (Mason 67), Kane.

• Mauricio Pochettino made four changes from the team that lost 1-0 at West Ham for the north London derby, with Kyle Walker and Danny Rose returning in place of Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies in the full-back positions, while the fit-again Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli came in for Ryan Mason and Nacer Chadli.
• Dembele slotted into his usual position alongside Eric Dier in the double-pivot in the 4-2-3-1 system, allowing Alli to start in the central attacking midfield role.
• Pochettino’s first substitution saw Mason come on for Erik Lamela after 67 minutes. That change saw Spurs switch from a 4-2-3-1 formation to more of a 4-3-3, with Mason alongside Dier and Dembele in midfield. Davies then came on for Rose with 12 minutes remaining, with the final change seeing Heung-Min Son replace Dembele, seeing a return to the 4-2-3-1, with Son, Alli and Christian Eriksen operating behind lone striker Harry Kane.
• With Tottenham playing in the Europa League on Thursday against Borussia Dortmund, Pochettino may well start Trippier and Davies in that match, meaning Walker and Rose could keep their starting berths for the favourable trip to Villa Park on Sunday. Likewise, Son and Chadli may start in Germany, so it could be the attacking midfield trio of Lamela, Alli and Eriksen that line up once again on Sunday. Pochettino has hinted that Alli is nursing ongoing knocks but the youngster is suspended for the Dortmund match and is expected to return in to the first XI at the weekend.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Flanks

Watford

Starting XI: Gomes; Nyom (Anya 81), Prodl, Ake, Holebas; Amrabat, Suarez (Abdi 65), Watson, Capoue (Oulare 88); Deeney, Ighalo.

• Quique Sanchez Flores made three changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Man United, with Nathan Ake, Mario Suarez and Nordin Amrabat coming in for Miguel Britos, Valon Behrami and Almen Abdi.
• Ake started at centre-back for the Hornets in the absence of the injured Britos and Craig Cathcart, with Jose Holebas at left-back. Suarez was part of a three-man midfield alongside Ben Watson and Etienne Capoue, with Amrabat and Troy Deeney supporting lone striker Odion Ighalo.
• With Watford 1-0 behind, Flores made an attacking first change, with Abdi replacing Mario Suarez, seeing the Hornets switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Abdi operated alongside Amrabat and Deeney in the attacking midfield trio. Ikechi Anya then came on for Allan Nyom in a straight swap at right-back, with forward Mamadou Oulare then thrown on as a final roll of the dice in search of a late equaliser, replacing Capoue.
• With Watford not facing a match this weekend due to their participation in the FA Cup, Flores will hope to have at least one of Cathcart and Britos back in action when they host Stoke on March 19. Suarez and Behrami continue to be rotated as the third midfielder in the 4-3-2-1 formation, while Abdi and Jurado, should the latter be fit by Gameweek 31, will challenge Amrabat for a starting berth in the attacking midfield positions.

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

West Brom

Starting XI: Foster; Dawson (Pocognoli 55), McAuley, Olsson, Chester, Sessegnon (McClean 69), Yacob, Fletcher, Gardner, Rondon, Berahino (Sandro 88).

• After picking up a point against leaders Leicester, Tony Pulis named an unchanged side for the home encounter against Man United.
• Pulis did opt for a 4-4-2 at the Hawthorns on Sunday, with Saido Berahino partnering Salomon Rondon in attack. Craig Gardner (left) and Stephane Sessegnon operated on the flanks for the Baggies.
• Craig Dawson had to be replaced 10 minutes into the second-half after picking up a foot injury. He was replaced by Sebastien Pocognoli, who played at left-back, with James Chester switching over to right-back. James McClean then came on for Sessegnon with 21 minutes remaining, with McClean stationed on the left of midfield, meaning Gardner shifted over to the right. Pulis’ final substitution saw Sandro take the place of Berahino as West Brom looked to secure their 1-0 lead.
• Should Saturday’s match against Arsenal be rearranged if the Gunners progress past Hull in the FA Cup later tonight, the Baggies next match will be at home to Norwich on March 19. Having scored six goals in their last three matches changes look unlikely in midfield and attack, with alterations only likely at the back should Dawson be ruled out due to injury, while Jonny Evans (hamstring) could be fit to return to the starting XI, particularly if Arsenal win tonight.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Full-Backs, Central Defence

West Ham

Starting XI: Adrian: Antonio, Kouyate, Oxford (Carroll 46), Ogbonna, Cresswell: Noble, Obiang (Song 60): Payet, Emenike (Sakho 60), Lanzini.

• Slaven Bilic had to make one adjustment from the starting XI that beat Tottenham 1-0, with Reece Oxford coming in for the injured James Collins.
• The defensive injury crisis meant Bilic opted for a 3-5-2 formation against Everton, with Oxford, Angelo Ogbonna and Cheikhou Kouyate forming a three-man backline. Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell operated as wing-backs, with Mark Noble, Manuel Lanzini and Pedro Obiang in central midfield. Dimitri Payet partnered central striker Emmanuel Emenike.
• With Everton reduced to 10-men following Kevin Mirallas’ sending off, Bilic made an attacking substitution at half-time, with Andy Carroll coming on in place of Oxford. That change saw the Hammers shift to more of a 4-2-2-2, although Antonio and Cresswell continued to bomb forward down the flanks. Payet and Lanzini provided support to the front two of Carroll and Emenike. Bilic made his final two changes on the hour mark, with Alex Song and Diafra Sakho replacing Obiang and Emenike in straight swaps.
• With West Ham not facing a fixture in Gameweek 30 due to their involvement in the FA Cup, Bilic will hope Winston Reid (hamstring) or James Tomkins (calf) will be available when they travel to Chelsea on March 19. Sam Byram should come back in at right-back having completed his suspension, so Kouyate may be able to return in central midfield, providing that the injury crisis in defence begins to ease. Sakho could get some more minutes under his belt against Man United in the FA Cup on Sunday, and could challenge Emenike and Carroll for the central striker position. Victor Moses and Enner Valencia may also be fit to come into contention to face the Blues.

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