Leicester (A) 8.15pm Tuesday 3rd December, live on Amazon Prime
A quick turnaround for this one so I thought I'd get this thread open to give ASLEF somewhere to post his always informative guide to the opposition.
Our last 2 matches pose as many questions as they provide answers, so who knows what fayre we'll dish up. Personally, despite a much improved performance against Newcastle, I don't think Antonio has the legs to perform again so soon after the yesterday's match against Arsenal (where no-one exactly shone); I'd really like to try Kudus centrally but I doubt it will happen.
Todibo seemed to struggle physically towards the end of yesterday's match, although he was coming back from an illness that lead to his substitution against Newcastle; will he come out of yesterday's match OK, especially considering that Mavropanos wasn't even on the bench. Will the lack of a 4th senior CB come back to haunt us already, or, given that he might not be a starting midfielder going forward, will Alvarez fill that role?
Unless some recent news suggests anything different, I believe Paqueta will be involved in the sports corruption hearing going on in Brazil on Tuesday, either in person or, as has been suggested, by video-link. Even if it's the latter, with the time difference (3 hours?) I think it's unlikely that he'll be available for the preparation and/or the match itself, so he could well end up missing out on this one.
Finally, although he wasn't wholely to blame, does Fabianski keep his place after letting in 5 goals yesterday? He couldn't be blamed for all of the goals, but he was involved in one of the penalty incidents even if it was only awarded by a dodgy ref basing his decisions on what Arsenal players wanted him to give.
My 11:
Areola
AWB Todibo Kilman Emerson
Soucek Alvarez Soler
Bowen Kudus Summerville
Our last 2 matches pose as many questions as they provide answers, so who knows what fayre we'll dish up. Personally, despite a much improved performance against Newcastle, I don't think Antonio has the legs to perform again so soon after the yesterday's match against Arsenal (where no-one exactly shone); I'd really like to try Kudus centrally but I doubt it will happen.
Todibo seemed to struggle physically towards the end of yesterday's match, although he was coming back from an illness that lead to his substitution against Newcastle; will he come out of yesterday's match OK, especially considering that Mavropanos wasn't even on the bench. Will the lack of a 4th senior CB come back to haunt us already, or, given that he might not be a starting midfielder going forward, will Alvarez fill that role?
Unless some recent news suggests anything different, I believe Paqueta will be involved in the sports corruption hearing going on in Brazil on Tuesday, either in person or, as has been suggested, by video-link. Even if it's the latter, with the time difference (3 hours?) I think it's unlikely that he'll be available for the preparation and/or the match itself, so he could well end up missing out on this one.
Finally, although he wasn't wholely to blame, does Fabianski keep his place after letting in 5 goals yesterday? He couldn't be blamed for all of the goals, but he was involved in one of the penalty incidents even if it was only awarded by a dodgy ref basing his decisions on what Arsenal players wanted him to give.
My 11:
Areola
AWB Todibo Kilman Emerson
Soucek Alvarez Soler
Bowen Kudus Summerville
Comments
Areola
Wan-Bissaka - Todibo - Kilman - Emerson
Souček - Paquetá
Bowen - Soler - Kudus
Antonio
Van Nistelrooy is known for being tactically flexible so maybe he thought three at the back was best against Brentford or maybe he thinks that is the best formation given the players at his disposal
More later
Anyway at PSV he favoured a 4-3-3 but got a repuatation for switching around a lot so its almost impossible to predict what formation or starting XI we'll be facing tonight
Leicester did the double over us two season ago but still managed to get relegated. There are a few old faces but only Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Wout Faes and James Justin have made regular appearances so far
Patson Daka injured his ankle in a pre-season friendly against Lens but was back on the bench for the last two games and got some minutes in both matches. RB Ricardo Pereira is injured, CB Jannik Vestergaard has been in and out with a persistent ankle injury while CM/DM Boubakary Soumare got his third start at the weekend
Last season they picked up Harry Winks from Spurs (currently injured), Conor Cody from Wolves (mostly bench warming this season but got his first start at the weekend), LW Stephy Mavididi (Arsenal youth, Juventus U23 and Montpelier) and Danish 2nd choice keeper Mads Hermansen (Brondby) who along with Faes and Ndidi is the only player to start all 13 Premier League games.
None of the summer signings - Moroccan AM/LM Bilal El Khannouss (£21m Genk), Oliver Skipp, (£20m Spurs), Ghanian RW Abdul Fatawu (£17m Sporting), CB Caleb Okoli, (£14m Atalanta), Jordan Ayew, (£5m Palace) and Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham, free) - have managed to secure regular starting places although Fatawu is now out with a serious ACL while Okoli picked up a knock against Brentford.
Loan signing Odsonne Edouard has been so poor he hasn't even been on the bench for three of the last four games and could be sent back to Palace
However there is a bright spark in all the gloom and doom, 19yo Argentinian AM/RW/Facundo Buonanotte, on loan from Brighton, has been excellent and is currently joint top scorer with Vardy and Ayew on 4.
Mainly because of the Newcastle result and the standard of the opposition, I'm actually really excited about tonight, which hasn't been the case for many matches so far this season.
COYI ⚒⚒⚒
The Athletic
West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta is set to be available to face Leicester City on Tuesday as the club no longer expect him to give evidence to the Brazilian parliament for an inquiry into sports betting.
Caleb Okoli trained yesterday and likely to be in the squad but Harry Winks not ready
Surprisingly he announced his intended formation, 4-4-2 off the ball, 4-5-1 with the ball. Best guess Vardy up top with Buonanotte playing off him
“He started having the problem in Newcastle. And he has that same problem. I think it’s not very [severe], but let’s see. We don’t know exactly if he’s going to be available or not.
“[Niclas Füllkrug] is improving and is very close. Tomorrow is going to be difficult to [play]. But hopefully in the next matches he’s going to be available.
“For sure, [he will not be] in his best fitness, because he has to recover all this fitness — three months is a lot of time without matches. But fortunately he’s on the end of his recovery time.
“Let’s see what’s going to happen with [Mohammed Kudus]. We’re not going to talk about the line-up.
“It’s true that he’s now available after being out for a long time, too. He’s ready, working well and happy to be back, which is good news for us because we have a lot of upcoming matches in a row, and it’s a good thing we have as many options as possible for these games.
COYI ⚒️🇿🇦 🌈( we r known as the rainbow nation)…
Subs: Foderingham (GK), Emerson, Casey, Rodríguez, Paquetá, Summerville, Luis Guilherme, Füllkrug, Antonio
Ings gets a start, Todibo not in the squad (not entirely unexpected), Kudus straight back in putting Summerville on the bench with Füllkrug, Paqueta and Antonio. Casey also back on the bench for this one. Coufal in for Emerson as well, so much to unpack in this selection.
Justin Coady Vestergaard Kristiansen
McAteer Soumaré Ndodi El Khannouss
Vardy Buonanotte
Kasey McAteer, 23yo Irish RW Leicester youth
Victor Kristiansen, 21yo Danish LB, joined from Copenhagen Jan 2023, spent last season on loan at Bologna
Or did you mean Paqueta on the left, as you've not suggested anyone there?