Dream Team Football Formation

Lineup (4-2-3-1)

9. Stead
11. Murphy
7. Mullaney
10. Pankhurst
8. Hall
6. Kalyuzhyni
3. Hart
2. Moffatt
5. Howard
4. J. Richards
1. Tanner

My thinking: (for what it's worth!!)....

I'm thinking the recent Liverpool type formation could work given our personnel......

Declan is our new number 1.

Ronnie and Adam have established themselves at full back imo.

Jamie is one of the first names on the teamsheet at CB.
Mark was very impressive in the Wavertree game, he's physically strong, solid in the air and like Jamie is a ballplayer also so I think they look a natural combination.

Midfield:

Si Hall, I noticed you have this fella in each of your 3 line ups so you obviously rate the lad as a player. In that case I'm slotting him in the centre alongside Mike K. They can hopefully form a partnership there and be our Lucas/Meireles, one sits and allows the other to bomb on if needed.

Michael K is a talented player, he is playing regularly and will be in good nick, he says himself he is a natural defender, my worry is his height for playing at CB, he's like myself about 5'9/5'10 so I think it might be a good idea if we employ him as we did in '09 in the 'Sweeting' role protecting the back four, he has the fitness levels to get up and down and if Jamie or Mark get forward, actually if any of the back 4 get out of position he could slot in there easily and help us keep formation.
So Michael can be the Lucas type, helping to break up play, keeping it simple when needs be, always providing an option and taking the ball forward, (keeping it on the floor):

Phil M: My problem in 09 was I got injured in Stanley Park, last year it was not preparing properly and being generally not fit enough, then in the second game my calves both locked up with cramp and it was impossible to play on, plus the heat was killing me.
This year I'm aiming to be fit enough to last the full game and be in much better shape. My weakness self-admittedly is my build, I'm light physically although I'm heavier now than I ever was, but being 30 (!) I at least have a bit of experience and I'm not afraid to get stuck in (especially with a liverbird on me chest!).
In Wavertree I thought I gave a decent account but overall, once again fitness told and I couldnt get up and down, but imho my main strengths are passing and dead ball situations. I think my corners from the left and Nas on the right looked good, and i'd like to be given the opportunity on occasion in free kick positions.
I dont have the natural pace to play as a winger but I can be a Dirk Kuyt type like in Wavertree, switching wings, roaming into free space like a No.10 and heloing in both defence and attack and hopefully getting into scoring positions.
Also I'll be the first one to put my hand up id I'm not performing so it's crucial we have subs in like for like positions.

Nas: No point in me telling you where to play as you know best, I get the impression you prefer to be in an attacking position, with James now a non-runner, we need someone who can help turn defence into attack quickly and support Calen and Ste aswell as interchanging between me and Rory (and whoever else).
Plus you can put yourself about and win aerial challenges so I think you could be at your best playing centrally but more in an advanced position. So you'd be the Gerrard in this formation, in a slightly more advanced central midfield role, roaming box to box but being a deep lying attacker who an hopefully test the keeper from long range and alos assist in dead ball scenarios.

Rory - Rory looked boss in the warm up game, if he gets fitter for this he could be a key player, he has good feet, can skip past players and has an eye for goal. Like myself I don't see him on the wing as such but more in a support attck role and acting as a DM when we lose posession.
Hopefully Adam and Ronnie can both get down the flanks to support the midfielders. Rory could be our Maxi type (the prolific Maxi!), based on the left but cutting inside onto his favoured right foot and being the one that's hard for defenders to pick up, also he's a tall lad, it's important we have a physical presence out there too especially if we face a team like the Wisla boys again!

Up front Calen (Suarez) definitely picks himself, he's a proper game lad,thought he was excellent in the game v your mates, chasing down defenders and pulling them out of position plus he looks a natural goalscorer. His size is against him but it didnt stop him last year. If Ste is gonna start alongside him we need him to be a better foil for the lad by getting physical and try and get Calen onto the second ball more.

( Ste: He knows himself he's gonna be knackered after 15 mins in the Lviv sun after a night on the ale/fags.
Just have to hope yer Chelsea trip plus the warm up games have him in better condition and that we have reserve strikers because he'll want to play as much as possible.)

Those are just my observations. I don't know anything about messrs Hall, McGrane, Abraham or Maher really.

I recall setting out a possible formation last year which I thought was okay but because a few of us were out of shape (myself included) and we had an injury or two it didn't really live up to its potential, plus we didnt have any warm up games beforehand.

Just hope we don't suffer anymore injuries/withdrawals between now and the tournament.

I think packing midfield is the way to go, as getting over-run by fitter or stronger/faster players has been our biggest problem. Think of the massive gaps we left in Wavertree for example. Plus a formation like this would mean less pressure on Jamie and Mark (or other CB) and they would be somewhat protected and not as exposed.

Calen could suffer up top on his own, but we've seen the lad is quick enough to hold thr ball up and with you, Rory, Simon and me coming onto it, we have good options.

I think one of the most important things and you said it actually second half in Wavertree like, was to slow it down, and stop playing the game like schoolboys, trying to score every minute, we need to start practising keeping the ball, passing and moving into space as a team, taking our chance when it comes and having a surprise element, its not that complicated but its hard to pull off when theres no team ethic or manager/skipper there telling you what he wants etc.

Those are the thoughts of the Mullaney jury. ;) (fwiw)