Schneiderlin ready as Europa League campaign looms

Pickford
Holgate
Keane
Williams
Baines
Gana
Schneiderlin
Klaassen
Sandro
Rooney
Lookman

That would be my final choice but maybe Calvert-Lewin.

Will Kenny or Martina play right back?
Is Williams a shoe in next to keen or will Holgate get a chance?
Will Koeman revert to a back 3 which he played a few times last season?

We have a plethora of midfield options causing all kinds of selection headaches, and that's before we sign Sigurdsson.

Up top , the Rooney conundrum dominates, but like you say we also have Sandro, Lookman and Calvert-Lewin vying for the remaining two spots if we play 4-3-3.

Exciting times!

Holgate can defend well but his ability to cross could cost us. Play the strongest team, get the job done, and start the season flying.

I hope Kenny plays right back and it'd be harsh to ditch Davies now after such a great start last season. Does Dowell rate a start?

As I said on another thread, these are obviously no mugs, because we all thought because Brann won the away leg 1-0, it was a formality for them to go through. These should not be underestimated in any way, shape or form.

Hope this Sigurdsson saga is solved by then, still looking forward to Thursday.

I think it might take Klaassen some time to settle in but the lad scored 20 goals last season with a good few in Europe.

I was all on for Sigurdsson last season but with the players we've brought in I'm not sure would he now be first choice.

Isn't it great we have so many players under 25 who seem to be up and coming in their careers and 5 of them World Cup winners now also. For these young lads to be surrounded by Wayne Rooney and see the club being ambitious there must be a real buzz about the camp again.

I'd settle for the FA Cup, League Cup or Europa League. I think it will be very tough to do well in the Premier League and keep a cup run going.

But I still think Jags will beat out Williams.

David (#8), no, I have been unable to find any US outlet showing the game. I think we'll have to watch it online.

Which of Lennon, McCarthy, Barry, Besic and, of course, Barkley, do you see still being here in early September?

However many move on, it will, of course free up the money for the much loved Sissoko to get his loan move to Goodison Park!

I'm not sure Sandro will start on Thursday along with one or two others but you never know. From then on, Sigurdsson in for Dowell.

Of course the window is still open, so maybe another centre-forward, and as Phil, suggests there will probably outgoings too.

Best if we let Koeman pick the team. I'm sure he knows better than anyone eh? He gets paid a lot of money to know better. Let's hope we go all out for a win – no matter who plays.

Personally I would like to see Lookman and Mirallas out there with just one holding midfield player.

Much as I really rate Gana and Davies, neither has stood out in the preseason so I would have them on the bench.

We really need goals in this game so I would go with:

Pickford
Holgate Keane Williams
Lennon Schneiderlin Baines
Lookman Mirallas
Rooney Sandro

So excited for the start of the season. Shame the early fixtures are so tough as it may take a while for the new line-up to really start clicking, but imagine if we win a few of those early ones against the "top 6". the shock waves we've sent out this transfer window will only start to get bigger.

Great to see we've sold out this first leg too. I think that tells us all we need to know about how the majority of Blues fans are feeling right now.

I actually like the idea of Davies at right-back too. He has the energy to get up and down, has really good tackling ability and good positional sense for one so young. I thought this last season when I saw him in a rare appearance in that position.

He has the physical strength and presence too. Like you, I don't think it'll happen. I don't think McCarthy would be too shoddy in that role either, or Lennon as a right wingback if three centre-backs are played.

I hope Jonjoe Kenny gets a run at right back.

It'd be lunacy to play Lookman as left back. Koeman has shown he intends to play 4-3-3. So why change now?

Question is: Kenny or Holgate? Then Dowell, Mirallas or Calvert-Lewin?

I predict:

Pickford
Kenny Keane Williams Baines
Gueye Klaassen Schneiderlin
Mirallas Rooney Ramirez

Let's hope that this team Ron is building is something he thinks can take us to the next level, because the pressure is on, the none-Ron fans will be sharpening their knives.

At the moment, the odds are on Slimani as being the best available and at a club that wants to sell him. Maybe not the long term answer or quite the quality I had hoped for – but we need to hit the ground running now with the best we can get.

Steve (#26) – yes nail on head there. I think Kenny might start given the amount of attacking we expect to be doing in this game which will play to his strengths over Holgate. I think Holgate may be used against the top 6 sides.

I would like to see Dowell (or Lookman) in ahead of Mirallas. I think Lookman will do well as an impact sub.

I fully expect either Holgate or his old pal Martina to play. Not saying that's what I would do as Holgate is not great at going forward and Martina should be no where near the team but don't kid yourself thinking Koeman will play him. Nothing hes done in team selection during pre-season would point to that or 3 at the back.

Sandro
Mirallas Rooney
Klaassen
Gueye Schneiderlin
Baines Williams Keane Jagielka
Pickford

Pickford
Holgate Keane Williams Baines
Gueye Schneiderlin Klaassen
Sandro Mirallas
Rooney

I would love to see Dowell in place of Mirallas, and Kenny for Holgate and Holgate for Williams but I think he'll go for experience until we get a few goals in front.

Not missed him at all, I hope he does make the step up, he looks capable, but as yet none of us know. We have a lot of new players to bed in, so it makes sense to bring Kenny in at a later date when all has settled.

No matter what the attributes of Davies/Holgate/Martina they have all played in the Premier League. It is much better for an untried youngster to come into a settled team than one full of new players. Gently ease him in, me thinks!

To me the forward line looks slightly square pegs for the round holes. I hope Sandro eventually shows he can be that goal-scoring forward and that the likes of Lookman fulfil the promise they have shown and become established starters.

How has Kenny earned the right to play there? Because the U23s won the Premier League 2? The first team is a massive step up and I've had this off a good source: Koeman doesn't fancy the kid.

I personally think the lad is a gem but mine or your opinions don't really count – it's down to the manager and the manager only. I'd love to see the lad feature this season because he's got that bit of devil in him that I love. But, going off this source, it's not going to happen.

I like the other Brian's line-up but would certainly start with Kenny at right-back, a bit tough to leave Tom Davies out of the team as well so they would be my two starters.

Other than that, I pretty much agree with other predicted line-ups by fellow posters.

If that's true about Kenny with Koeman not wanting to give him a chance, that's a black mark against him from me. Unfortunately, with his team selection against Genk in mind, I suspect you're right.

The kid has done everything asked of him and more. He's come on leaps and bounds and certainly deserves some game time. I'd much rather have him playing there sometimes over one or two of our other options. At least to start with anyway.

Pickford
Martina
Williams
Keane
Baines
Barry
Schneiderlin
Klaassen
Sandro
Mirallas
Rooney

Davies, Gana and Lookman unlucky to miss out – what a squad (minus a centre-forward)!

Absolutely agree about the centre-forward. When you try to get the names on the sheet, you realise the last thing we should be doing is spending 㿞m on another centre-midfielder, unless we have another 𧴜m floating about somewhere for a centre forward.

I do think we are waiting for some clubs 'above us' to make their moves before we see what opens up towards the end of the window.