Vinny

[gavin]

Great to see him back and I thought for the most part he looked fit and ready for action. If only the same could be said for David Silva - there still seems to be something badly wrong there.

[Lekos]

Being stuck on the wing won't help

[gavin]

He's not been played there much. He's just not right at all. I tend to think that injuries take their toll more on quicker players but it is taking him an age to get back to his usual self. Either it is still niggling or he's lost something. Vinny seemed almost on his game right away.

[Swiss]

Aye, he needs to be a support striker, which then begs the question, with no one out injured, what is our strongest team/formation???


------------Sergio---------------
Sterling-----Silva-----KDB-----
---------Delph---F'Dinho-------
K'rov----------------------Zabba
-------Ota-------Kompany------
-----------Hart--------------------


There are a few issues with that formation for me.
Sterling is still young and learning and loses the ball too often.
Delph, Jack of all, master of none. I like Delph and he could develop into a great mid for us, however he needs to score and create more if he is to be our main driving force.
Fernandinho: A solid defensive mid. Someone who could play more as part of a 3 CM and the defensive link for more attacking mids. However, again lacking in the goals and assists department.


I actually believe Delph is the better Def midfielder out of those two and if Pep can bring in two CM's (Pogba would be a dream) then I can see him making up the fulcrum of a 3 man mid. Something ideally like...

---Tielemans-----Pogba---
-------------Delph----------

That would be an extremely mobile midfield not short of skill on the ball, passing ability and all three can shoot from distance should the tactic need to be employed. Downside, lacking experience that comes with age. MAybe add Matuidi instead of or as well as...

If we need to lose the third mid and put in another striker:
--------------Aguero---------------------
-------------KDB or Silva or Nacho------
wing fwd-----------------------Wing fwd
-----------Tielemans----Pogba-----------

As i'm in dream zone, why not pair it with

--------------Aguero---------------------
Sterling-------------------------------Bale
-----------Tielemans----Pogba-----------
------------------Delph--------------------

or

--------------Aguero---------------------
------------------KDB--------------------
Sterling-------------------------------Bale
-----------Tielemans----Pogba-----------


I think i went off topic

[Neil Mcnab]

It is how many games he can play, vital he stays fit for the rest of the season.

The MEN had Silva as "fit enough" for the Spurs game, so playing with an injury?

[gavin]

It seems like a very unrealistic dream to have a squad without injury at the moment!

[gavin]

He doesn't seem to be in bad shape generally!

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35593514!

[gavin]

Looking good so far. He looks properly fit and able to me.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Much more like his old self. Fingers crossed!