Our best 11?

[DmanDmythDledge]

Does anyone think we would be better off trying McGeady on the left and Duff on the right? We've seen that Duff can play well on the right for Chelsea, albeit in a different formation, and McGeady plays on the left for Celtic all the time. McGeady's best performances have seen him playing on the left.

[eirebhoy]

Well my main point was that with Duff and McGeady in the team we need 3 battlers. I don't think we can play Duff, McGeady, Andy Reid and one of the front two and get away with it.

I don't see why. If we played 2 up front we're going to be playing Duff and McGeady/Reid anyway. If we play 1 up front then surely the 3 of the can fit in?

Does anyone think we would be better off trying McGeady on the left and Duff on the right? We've seen that Duff can play well on the right for Chelsea, albeit in a different formation, and McGeady plays on the left for Celtic all the time. McGeady's best performances have seen him playing on the left.

I'd prefer Duff on the left. McGeady's best performances have come on the left because he doesn't play in any other position for Celtic. He's not really a winger anyway so it shouldn't bother him what side he plays on. The reason Strachan plays him on the left is the same reason he plays Maloney on the left and Nakamura on the right. He wants them cutting inside all the time like, say, Ronaldinho does.

[bigmac]

I don't see why. If we played 2 up front we're going to be playing Duff and McGeady/Reid anyway. If we play 1 up front then surely the 3 of the can fit in?

well I wouldn't play Duff and McGeady if we play 2 up front - I just think that it leaves our midfield looking extremely exposed. Both players are very attack minded and you end up with a situation where they can both get caught forward leaving us in a 4-2-4 formation.
As Dr.Ogba says, you could easily swap McGeady for Reid, but my main point is that I don't think we have a strong enough midfield to play 4 attacking players, which leads me to the 3 attackers, 3 scrappers approach. After that, it's just a matter of picking your trios. Unfortunately, while we have Keane, Doyle, McGeady, Andy Reid and Duff as attacking players, we are lacking someone who can combine the two. Steven Reid is the most attack minded of the others, and I'd be looking at 3 from himself, Kilbane, Carsley and Douglas after the Czech game.