What is our best XI?

[CoolClaret]

.... 'cause I don't know and I don't think Parker knows either.

However, I do think that we need to get Hannibal into the side, even if he is a crackpot.

Over to you.

[Tricky Trevor]

Trafford
Roberts..CJ E-R..Esteve..Pires/Humphries
Benson..Cullen..Shelvey..Anthony/new man
Flemming
Foster

Need to get Foster with his back to goal, he’s our best hold up man and he makes good runs in the 8 & 10 channels. Flemming can then pick up feeds back from him as he can’t play with his back to goal.
Them two can also be up in the box for crosses coming in, currently our widemen look up and there is 1 man in there so they hold it up waiting for more to arrive.

[ElectroClaret]

If Shelvey and Benson are both ok, they've got to come in.
Need an injection of new ideas/spirit so bad.
And they surely can't do any worse.

[Vino blanco]

I don’t know but I am sure that Sarmiento, Anthony, Laurent shouldn’t be in it.

[RVclaret]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

[CoolClaret]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

I'll go with that as well RV - certainly agree that we were at our best with Hannibal off the left.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Our best team to try and win a game or our best team to extend our clean sheet record?

[Goliath]

Trafford

Roberts (possibly Sonne)..Egan Riley...Esteve..Pires

.................Cullen.......Brownhill/Hannibal

Benson................Tresor...................Foster/Koleosho

.......................Fleming

Maybe this but I struggled with the attacking side of it. We really do have a lack of depth and quality up there. Ps before anyone starts, Tresor is so far ahead of them ability wise that if he's anywhere near fit he would easily be in our best 11

[fidelcastro]

Tresor!

[Goliath]

Tresor!

Knew it wouldn't take long. You really think he isn't one of our best players?
He'd have been sent packing long ago if he wasn't.

[me01jh]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

Yep, I think we need to let Cullen do the pivot role solo and play Brownhill & Flemming as two number 10s with Hannibal on the left and Anthony on the right... high up supporting Foster. We'd have great energy in the press.

If our two centre backs are that good then we need to trust them and show a little more adventure. It's very Southgate esque with two holding midfielders at the moment and with at least one of them not great on the football. We can always revert to type if teams are playing through our press.

[fidelcastro]

Knew it wouldn't take long. You really think he isn't one of our best players?
He'd have been sent packing long ago if he wasn't.

I think we're trying. Just a case of finding a club that's willing to overlook his antics since the summer.

[Devils_Advocate]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

Its this team for me or if Foster is struggling Id consider bringing Koleosho back on the wing and play Hannibal behind Flemming with both him and Brownhill pressing high up the pitch when opposition have the ball

[BleedingClaret]

…………………....…. Trafford ………………………..

…….. CJER ……..… Esteve …….. Humphreys

…………………..……… Cullen…………………………….

Anthony … Brownhill …. Laurent … Hannibal
……………………………….… (Hannibal) (Koleosho)
……………… Flemming ……. Foster …………………

[JarrowClaret]

I think we're trying. Just a case of finding a club that's willing to overlook his antics since the summer.

What antics? I think there has been a wider acknowledgment by Club officials and the more in the know fans that something serious happened with him over the Summer whether it is still affecting or not we gave absolutely no idea, unless of course you have some other inside knowledge.

We haven’t seen it really up to now that much I agree with, but it is unquestionable that a fit and happy Mike Tresor who is played in the right position would be by a country mile our best and most creative player.

[willsclarets]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

I'd go with this. And if you'd told me this at the start of the season I'd be aghast at koleosho not being on the left.

[Stonehouse]

Trafford

Roberts (possibly Sonne)..Egan Riley...Esteve..Pires

.................Cullen.......Brownhill/Hannibal

Benson................Tresor...................Foster/Koleosho

.......................Fleming

Maybe this but I struggled with the attacking side of it. We really do have a lack of depth and quality up there. Ps before anyone starts, Tresor is so far ahead of them ability wise that if he's anywhere near fit he would easily be in our best 11

Not a chance SP will start Benson as he doesn’t track back ,would be alright as an impact sub ( which he should have been at Plymouth.

[CoolClaret]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

Looking at this again, whilst I probably agree that it's our strongest team right now, where are the goals in it?

Only Flemming from that team has ever scored more than 10 goals in a season. There's only him and JB that can sniff chances. Foster sadly hasn't materialised in to that sort of forward.

[MDWat]

Trafford
Roberts Egan-Riley Esteve Humphreys
Cullen
Anthony Brownhill Hannibal
Flemming
Foster

[Hedontplayforyou]

Trafford
Roberts Egan-Riley Esteve Humphreys
Cullen
Anthony Brownhill Hannibal
Flemming
Foster

I’d like to see this myself. If edwards comes in then we have the option to out Anthony left as well and change things up. Foster has to be tried in the 9 to stretch teams in behind.

[Woodleyclaret]

Trafford
Roberts CJ Esteve Humphreys
Cullen Shelvey Laurent Brownhill
Flemming Anthony

[AlargeClaret]

Trafford
Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys
Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill/Shelvey
Hannibal
Benson ( fully fit )
Foster

[LincsWoldsClaret]

Trafford
Roberts Egan-Riley Esteve Humphreys
Cullen Brownhill
Benson Anthony Flemming Koleosho

[fatboy47]

Need to get Foster with his back to goal, he’s our best hold up man

The average pinball machine has more "hold up" ability than Foster.

[Colburn_Claret]

I'm not convinced that our best XI players necessarily make the best team.
I would love to see
Traff
CJER Esteve Humphreys
Roberts Laurent Brownhill Cullen
Fleming Foster Anthony/Benson

It'll never happen, but such a shame we don't try a back 3, and 4 across the middle.

[fidelcastro]

What antics? I think there has been a wider acknowledgment by Club officials and the more in the know fans that something serious happened with him over the Summer whether it is still affecting or not we gave absolutely no idea, unless of course you have some other inside knowledge.

We haven’t seen it really up to now that much I agree with, but it is unquestionable that a fit and happy Mike Tresor who is played in the right position would be by a country mile our best and most creative player.

So he's not refusing to play then? Glad we've cleared that up!

As for whether he'd be any good or not in this system, you don't know, I don't know and neither does anyone else... Yet!

[Ampth7]

Traff

Roberts. ER. Steve. Humphrey’s

Anthony. Cullen. Brownhill. Edwards (assuming he’s joining)

Flemming
Foster

[JarrowClaret]

So he's not refusing to play then? Glad we've cleared that up!

As for whether he'd be any good or not in this system, you don't know, I don't know and neither does anyone else... Yet!

Eh? I have no idea if he is refusing to play Or train for that matter how would I? He could be refusing I suppose but then the fact he was on the bench at reading and actually played wouldn’t make any sense if he was refusing to play? The thing is I don’t know what is going on with him and neither does pretty much everyone on here including you. there are lots of rumours to believe or not that is up to you, personally I choose to ignore them until it is proved as true or false.

What I said was a fit and happy Tresor played in the correct position would be by far our most creative player and I stand by that. I didn’t mention the system deliberately as we would need to make some adjustments to accommodate him I suspect he couldn’t be a defensively minded winger for example

[ClaretPete001]

Thought we were playing some of our best football with Hannibal off the left drifting in.

Trafford

Roberts
Egan-Riley
Esteve
Humphreys

Anthony
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal

Foster
Flemming

That’s what I’d like to see.

I agree with the Hannibal bit but I don't think Parker will play a 4-4-2 and I don't think Cullen and Brownhill play particularly well together albeit at this level they might do better.

I think this is a team we could play against lesser teams who park the bus at Turf but I don't see it as the basis for a team with PL aspirations.

The concern I have is that the system has completely broken down in the last two games and we have effectively become a long ball team with two centre halves hoofing the ball out of play as often as not....! We simply don't have a water carrier that's good enough. Cullen is neat and tidy and Laurent effective against lesser opposition while Lyle can't do it and Anthony is somewhat on his own so we get stuck too deep passing the ball around.

Hannibal plays with more urgency, can beat a player and break the lines as well as causing problems by drifting inside in a way the other do not...!

If that doesn't work then we go 4-4-2. We don't want to get stereotyped as boring Burnley and SP doesn't want to become known as a coach that can't solve a problem but most of all Sheffield United are losing games and pulling away.

With the 7th placed team so far behind it just starts to look stupid to keep grinding out 0-0 draws and lose touch with the top 2. And stupid starts to frustrate the fans and the players.

[fidelcastro]

Eh? I have no idea if he is refusing to play Or train for that matter how would I? He could be refusing I suppose but then the fact he was on the bench at reading and actually played wouldn’t make any sense if he was refusing to play? The thing is I don’t know what is going on with him and neither does pretty much everyone on here including you. there are lots of rumours to believe or not that is up to you, personally I choose to ignore them until it is proved as true or false.

What I said was a fit and happy Tresor played in the correct position would be by far our most creative player and I stand by that. I didn’t mention the system deliberately as we would need to make some adjustments to accommodate him I suspect he couldn’t be a defensively minded winger for example

But you've no evidence to support your assertion that he'd be our most creative player.

Since he signed he's been a combination of crap, injured, ill and unavailable (delete as appropriate!)

[colne-claret]

Trafford
Roberts CJ Esteve Humph
Edwards Cullen Brownhill Anthony
Flemming
Foster

[JarrowClaret]

But you've no evidence to support your assertion that he'd be our most creative player.

Since he signed he's been a combination of crap, injured, ill and unavailable (delete as appropriate!)

I’m not going to question what you said about since he signed for us for the most part that is correct but that ignores he had a career before he came to us, what was it 24 assists? And the Belgian player of the year the season before we signed him. I’m not going to say that the Belgium league is any great shakes but the top 2 or 3 are sort of mid table ish premier league quality I guess. When we think 2 of our better players from the last championship season came from that league as well and he was rated higher than them. There is a little bit of guesswork I agree but you don’t become your leagues player of the year and have 24 assists if you are as bad as some in here suggest he is.

[fidelcastro]

I’m not going to question what you said about since he signed for us for the most part that is correct but that ignores he had a career before he came to us, what was it 24 assists? And the Belgian player of the year the season before we signed him. I’m not going to say that the Belgium league is any great shakes but the top 2 or 3 are sort of mid table ish premier league quality I guess. When we think 2 of our better players from the last championship season came from that league as well and he was rated higher than them. There is a little bit of guesswork I agree but you don’t become your leagues player of the year and have 24 assists if you are as bad as some in here suggest he is.

I don't care what he did two years ago. We can only judge him on his time here, and so far we've just not seen anywhere near enough of him to form an opinion, let alone stick him in our supposed best XI!!!

[JarrowClaret]

I don't care what he did two years ago. We can only judge him on his time here, and so far we've just not seen anywhere near enough of him to form an opinion, let alone stick him in our supposed best XI!!!

Why would you discount what he did before he came to us that bit confuses me? Out of interest Edwards has been barely used this season not sure how much he was used last season either but we all think (I assume you do too) he is going to be great for us why the different approach? I agree up to now Treaor has been mostly crap for us and or sick/ injured some of it has been down to him I guess but in my opinion he was treated awfully last season by Kompany and never really got a proper chance. For example I think it was Liverpool he started and did okay but the next game he was on the bench again and then after that we never saw him again for weeks. What he needed was a chance maybe 3 or 4 starts in the bounce so he could get used to us and the league all moot now I guess as I would be surprised if he plays for us again.

[fidelcastro]

Why would you discount what he did before he came to us that bit confuses me? Out of interest Edwards has been barely used this season not sure how much he was used last season either but we all think (I assume you do too) he is going to be great for us why the different approach? I agree up to now Treaor has been mostly crap for us and or sick/ injured some of it has been down to him I guess but in my opinion he was treated awfully last season by Kompany and never really got a proper chance. For example I think it was Liverpool he started and did okay but the next game he was on the bench again and then after that we never saw him again for weeks. What he needed was a chance maybe 3 or 4 starts in the bounce so he could get used to us and the league all moot now I guess as I would be surprised if he plays for us again.

Because to be in our best XI, you have actually had to have played well FOR US at some point. I went to Brentford last season and his performance was one of the worst individual displays I've ever personally seen from a Burnley player (and I saw Mark Kendall play for us!)

As for Edwards, why are you asking me about him? I'd never even heard of him until this week!

[quoonbeatz]

Whatever our best 11 is, Hannibal isn’t in it. Absolute wasteman so far, two decent games at the most.

[JarrowClaret]

Because to be in our best XI, you have actually had to have played well FOR US at some point. I went to Brentford last season and his performance was one of the worst individual displays I've ever personally seen from a Burnley player (and I saw Mark Kendall play for us!)

As for Edwards, why are you asking me about him? I'd never even heard of him until this week!

I mentioned Edwards as I believe it is a reasonable comparison as most opinions of him are based on a couple of seasons ago as mine is of Tresor. I don’t think I specifically asked you anything other than do you agree he is going to be great for us maybe the answer would be I don’t know then if you had never heard of him.

Don’t think I have particularly disagreed with you though apart from how we judge a players ability, all I have said is a fit and happy Tresor played in the correct position would be our most creative player. The one we have seen up to now as never been particularly fit or happy and not played in his correct position often enough for us to see that side of him.

[fidelcastro]

I mentioned Edwards as I believe it is a reasonable comparison as most opinions of him are based on a couple of seasons ago as mine is of Tresor. I don’t think I specifically asked you anything other than do you agree he is going to be great for us maybe the answer would be I don’t know then if you had never heard of him.

Don’t think I have particularly disagreed with you though apart from how we judge a players ability, all I have said is a fit and happy Tresor played in the correct position would be our most creative player. The one we have seen up to now as never been particularly fit or happy and not played in his correct position often enough for us to see that side of him.

I've no idea what Tresor's best position is, but wherever we've played him so far he's been bloody awful (although he did pretty well when he came on at Reading, to be fair).

You're right that I've no idea whether Edwards will be any good for us, but then neither does anyone else. If people, as you say, are basing their opinions on him from two seasons ago, then they must be eternal optimists!

Only time will tell.

[JarrowClaret]

I've no idea what Tresor's best position is, but wherever we've played him so far he's been bloody awful (although he did pretty well when he came on at Reading, to be fair).

You're right that I've no idea whether Edwards will be any good for us, but then neither does anyone else. If people, as you say, are basing their opinions on him from two seasons ago, then they must be eternal optimists!

Only time will tell.

That means I am an eternal optimist, I will tell my son as he things I’m a miserable old goat.

[fidelcastro]

That means I am an eternal optimist, I will tell my son as he things I’m a miserable old goat.

Do tell. How do you know he'll be so good for us?

[CoolClaret]

Whatever our best 11 is, Hannibal isn’t in it. Absolute wasteman so far, two decent games at the most.

...but our best run of games came when he was playing in the side.

[BigBadBarnes]

Trafford
Roberts, Egan Riley, Esteve, Humphreys
Cullen, Laurent, Brownhill
Anthony, Flemming, Hannibal.

That's probably been he side when we've had our best run. If we had anyone who was anyway reliable at left wing then they would take Hannibals spot. Perhaps if Edwards comes in and does well he'll allow Anthony to play on the left. But surprisingly I think he's looked best when on the right generally

[Stacks]

Whatever our best 11 is, Hannibal isn’t in it. Absolute wasteman so far, two decent games at the most.

Are you the player he stomped on?

[Quicknick]

Let's see who the new signings are first.