Multiple Question - Do we pick a formation then the player ?

[guitarmark]

A bit of a multi layer of questions, that maybe can be summed up as what is our best team, in what formation and what is missing to improve us - I've split the post into 2/3 messages so hopefully easier to read, not look to long, and reply as required

But before we start I want to look at the following 6 queries I have about this

1) - Do we pick a formation, then try and find players to fit this as well as possible - Or do we pick players then try and find a formation that allows these players to express themselves, works well and we win

2) My next query revolves around Dallas - Certainly our most versatile player - And I dare say based on this season, then he is in with a shout of player of the year along with Raph, Llorente and Meslier - But if all regular players are available then where does Dallas play - You could say they are never all available - Same as the Revie side - I think our best/most famous X1 only started 1 match - All other matches someone was missing so Madeley played - But back to Dallas - He won't start at RB over Ayling - He won't start at LW or RW over Raph, James, Harrison - You could make a strong case for him to start ahead of Firpo - But would he make part of a midfield 3 with KP and AF - We know he can play there but a) ahead of Klich and b) a head of Rodrigo and c) a head of what many believe is a gap that needs filling - Yet most inc me would say Dallas is a player that you'd always want in your starting line up

[guitarmark]

3) Koch - Where should he play - If a back 4, then in my opinion Llorente and Struijk have practically nailed the 2 x CB options - So much so that I think Cooper, when fit, can only realistically be a sub - Even then, it won't be to long before Cresswell and Hjelde put Cooper further down the pecking order - Option 1) is that Koch becomes part of a 3 x CB role, with Llorente and Struijk and we play 2 x WB's - Or do we keep him at DM and allow KP and AF to move slightly further - A good option to a degree and certainly a midfield full of work - But are KP and AF what we need further forward - Neither are natural goal scores from midfield - I'd want a Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes type of AM who can create and grab plenty of assists and score around 8-12 goals a year as well - I don't see that with KP and AF - Therefore Koch at DM is not a strong option - Unless AF becomes sub as we find a goal scorer assist making AM

4) Rodrigo - Maybe the biggest question - Where do we play him to get the best from him, that suits the team - I was thinking that if he played in one of the top 4-8 clubs, which club and role would suit him best - I was thinking about this to try and see where he might best suit us - Personally I think it would be a 4-4-2 role with him tucked behind/alongside Bamford yet with the freedom to drift and float a head of a midfield 4 - I know LFC play a 4-3-3 but if I look at Jota, then I think that Rodrigo would adapt that role in the same way - I know some will say just sell him - He is talented and still has the potential to be in the Spain WC squad - But I agree it is currently not working for us - Based on current formations etc, then I don't see Rodrigo as part of a Spurs side - Probably MCFC as they don't need a target man, maybe Arsenal, maybe West Ham, not Chelsea - Not sure who works at Man U at the moment - But in that Jota role then I could see him doing a good job

[guitarmark]

5) Raph - Maybe not a query or an issue - But just an observation - I wish he wasn't tied to the touch line - Even if Raph is only a 'poor man's Salah' and I don't mean that in a negative way, but just that we all know what Salah does - Then I'd like to see Raph play a similar role - Come narrow more often and show some of the tricks etc and cause problems near/in the penalty box and not always by the touch line

6) What are we missing - I know we can say X, Y or Z based on current injuries - We do appear to have 2/3/4 key youngsters coming through - I hope we give them a good try out before we loose them - But in my opinion a Pablo/Saiz running/passing AM based player with vision - Can score and become the key assist man - At least a Lampard/Scholes/Gerrard style - They can score outside the box, or take the pass from a Bamford player, go beyond the striker into the box and finish it off - You'd want 6-10 goals and possible 10/12 assists from them in open play - Connor Gallagher would have been a good option - I like Klich - He has certainly benefited from his time with MB, but we need a better version

[SiMamu]

1) When we talk about formation or players, do we mean under Bielsa, or generally? Because Bielsa's formations are always based on how the opposition line up, for the sake of the man marking system. Formations tend to be very fluid anyways. People mostly associate Guardiola's Man City with a 4-3-3, but during a game they'll flicker between a kind of 4-4-2 in defence, a 3-2-5/2-3-5 in attack, and even a 3-3-1-3. It's more about playing style and wanting players to occupy certain zones, rather than picking a particular formation to cater to a set of players. It's common for possession based teams to go through a phase of playing with 3 CBs, because it helps with applying the tenants for playing out the back.

2) & 5) I've joined these up because I think they're linked. When Hernandez played RW, he'd drift into central areas, with Klich moving to the RW to facilitate this. To free up Raphinha, to drift inside, and because Dallas is a former winger himself, I'd like to see similar interchanging between the two. That is what I see as Dallas' best position, and probably Shackleton's too. It's similar to how De Bruyne will move to the RW, to allow Mahrez to come in off the right. To relate this to question 1), I guess it's more about having players capable of rotating positions, rather than a set formation, or one that's just to cater to the players.

3) For now, I think Koch is just a deputy for DM and RCB, behind Phillips and Llorente. In the summer, I'd consider selling one of him and Llorente, and promoting Cresswell, because I doubt either will want to be second choice.

4) Rodrigo essentially only suits a particular kind of second striker role in a 4-4-1-1, similar to what Atletico Madrid play under Simeone. He doesn't really fit and I'd probably look to sell him now or in the summer.

6) Irrespective of injuries and partly because I see Rodrigo leaving in the next 6 months, I would say another forward, and obviously a midfielder. Possibly a back up GK too, as Klaesson hasn't been particularly inspiring so far for the U23s.

When I think about us, I see us in a 4-1-4-1/2-3-4-1/3-3-1-3 mix:
-----------------Meslier----------------- -----------------Meslier------------------ -----------------Meslier-----------------
Ayling---Llorente---Struijk----Firpo ----------Llorente---Struijk------------ ------Ayling---Llorente---Struijk-----
-----------------Phillips---------------- ------Ayling----Phillips---Forshaw----- --Dallas---------Phillips--------Firpo--
Raphinha--Dallas--Forshaw--James Dallas----Raphinha----James----Firpo ------------------Forshaw---------------
----------------Bamford---------------- ----------------Bamford------------------ Raphina--------Bamford-------James

I'd say we're lacking a bit for creativity, so ideally we'd bring someone in to replace Forshaw and/or James in this side.