Guess The Starting XI & Formation

I know Warburton doesn't like him but I'd have Leistner in my team because he is a more commanding figure than Masterson.

Last season Warburton played various formations but his favourite seems to be 4-2-3-1.

IMO Thomas is a cert for the bench and  I don't see him getting a starting place. In addition if we sign Amos he has to play behind a front 3 because he always seemed more comfortable in that position rather than in a ,ore attacking role where his finishing left a lot to be desired.

Lumley
Kakay, Leistner, Barbet, Manning
Cameron, Ball
BOS, Amos, Eze
Hugill

Once Eze and BOS have departed I reckon he will go with,

Lumley
Kakay, Leistner, Barbet, Manning
Ball, Cameron
Shodipo, Amos, Chair
Hugill

My presumption regarding Hugill is that West Ham don't want him and nobody will want to sign him for the fee of £8m being reported plus his wages. Therefore, because we are not going to get Kieffer Moore we will get Hugill on another subsidised loan deal.

Quick question to jimjams , northwesthoop & stoatey : You have selected Cameron to sit alongside Ball, for fairly obvious reasons, but would you consider Masterson there instead if Leistner occupies the CB/R slot? Just a thought because he is very good going forward and faster than Cameron.....

btw it looks as if we have Lyndon Dykes up front as another option, so where does that put Oteh/Chair/Shodipo in our selections?

Ah, I forgot about Charlie Owens!

From a purely footballing standpoint I like that team NWH.
However it shows how very light we are on leadership and experience. It looks too 'nice', perhaps even naive, a team.
Cameron would need to start to add experience, and leadership to get the heads of the youngsters back up and refocused if we go behind in a match.

Last season Warburton preferred the 4-2-3-1 system (played 28 times, W11, D5, L12) although occassionaly he did set up differently and his second favourite formation was  5-3-2 which he tried 8 times (W3, D1,L4)  and in two of those games we had Barbet get sent off at home against WBA and Wallace get sent off at home to Forest. He did play a system with 3 at the back but only twice (W1,L1)

One of the other things to mention about last season was how many games that Manning played. He might not be able to defend but he really is a Warburton favourite and seems to get picked whatever his performance. Only Eze with 46 league appearances seemed to play more than Manning who played in 41 league matches. Not too far behind and only tending to miss matches due to injury or bans was Cameron with 36 league appearances.

Warburton in my opinion likes to stay loyal to his players and whilst Dickie and Dykes are certainties for a place I can't see him changing too much from last season and I believe that barring any injuries or BOS going, the starting line up against Forest will be.

Lumley
Kakay, Dickie, Barbet, Manning
Ball, Cameron
BOS, Amos, Chair
Dykes