Benrahma waits anxiously for his debut
David Moyes has fascinating choices to make for the game against Manchester City this weekend and it’s difficult to see how he keeps four players in particular happy!
This is a situation which sorts out good managers from the rest and in our case it’s the first time in a long while that we have been spoiled for choice.
With Said Benrahma anxiously awaiting his debut, Arthur Masuaku in great form and Manu Lanzini hoping to build on the confidence he will have gained from again after that goal of the season qualifier and Pablo Fornals looking to hold onto his place, suddenly there’s a real battle for the starting positions in that area of the team.
Ok we may be light on resources in other areas of the team but on the left side of midfield it will be instructive for the future to see the line up.
Here’s how I think we may line up: Fabianski, Coufal, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma Fornals, Antonio.
Subs: Randolph, Fredericks, Balbuena, Masuaku, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Haller
I think he will stick with a back 5. Luxury dilemma for Mr Moyes here 🙂
It would be a big mistake to drop Masuaku, he is the covering player for Cresswell, if he’s dropped it leaves the right flank very exposed.
The best one to rest would be Fornals who is very physically weak and by replacing him with Benrahma will strengthen up that side.
Should have put attacking right flank
Do you think Moyes will revert to a back four Hugh? I can’t see him doing that personally but who knows..
It will be interesting to see what team starts against Man City. I think that we will still go 3-4-3 (or 5-4-1 if you want to call it that) which means Masuaku keeps his place – and like Moyes did with Bowen he will introduce Benrahma from the bench
In the long term it will depend on form and fitness but I see Benrahma winning a starting place like Bowen did
Only change I’d make would be Balbuena out for Diop. Son gave Balbuena a torrid time last time out and he often struggled to keep up with him, which was especially highlighted with their first goal. You’d expect more of the same from Sterling. Other than that I’d leave it unchanged.
Most defenders struggle to keep up with Son, Diop might have been no different.
I don’t expect Moyes to play him except off the bench if we are losing 1 nil or something with ten minutes to go. Even then I think we are more likely to see same subs as in last game, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, snoddy. In the pellegrini days I’d probably have been part of the clamour for Benrahma to play straight away but now I realise we have a hard working team into which Benrahma is probably in the luxury player category as it stands. I’m sure once Moyes has worked with him for awhile on the training ground though and the lads talent is undeniable he will find a way into the team. It’s just to start with his place in the team would have to be at the expense of Lanzini or Snodgrass or Yarmolenko getting game time.
I think he will start with the same team in the same formation, City are a lot more dangerous than Tottenham despite recent results, I would take playing Spuds over City every day of the year with or without injuries. We will be mostly absorbing pressure and trying to counter. Balbuena was largely criticised especially for the Son goal but he was sprinting back to get in position just as he set his feet Son cut inside, almost every defender would have been done by that move from a World class player but he came back and scored a great goal. We can bring Benrahma and or Lanzini on from the bench if we need too.
I hope Moyes names the same lineup as last time. Balbuena was bizarrely marking Son when he scored but he otherwise played well. Diop needs to work on positioning to break back in.
I agree with other comments on here that Benrahma needs to break into the team like Bowen. Perhaps he’s used as a sub this first time