Obviously tactics will change with each match but teams generally have a preferred layout. I've been trying to figure out how I would play ICT (NB: not trying to guess what Butcher will do - where's the amateur manager fun in that?).

We don't really seem to have a natural right winger/midfielder. The nearest we can get is probably Nick Ross but I'm not sure that's his best position. I have to admit to not having seen a number of players, and probably won't until late August/early September.

I've gone for the Xmas tree formation. It does away with width. That means A.Shinnie and Doran have more freedom. Doran is normally a winger but I think he could do a good job, using his skills to create and get a few goals too. Sutherland seems the most likely frontman for such a line-up. As well as scoring, his main job will be to do a Rooney and hold the ball up/be a target man for A.Shinnie and Doran.

Even though I've not included him in the line-up, Nick Ross will have an important role in the midfield. There's likely to be a few injuries but I've gone for these three as the most solid. Again that allows Shinnie and Doran more freedom with this behind them.

I'm quite happy in defence as well. We can take a couple of injuries with King and Raven in there. We do have an injury-prone squad. With a bit of luck, I think it looks reasonably good. Obviously we would have preferred a striker but I don't see us being much worse off than our immediate rivals. With the SPL cash flow, I don't think we can expect miracles.

Anyway, my line-up is:

Esson

Meekings - Hogg - Warren - G.Shinnie

Draper - Tudur-Jones - Foran

A.Shinnie - Doran

Sutherland

For me, with the real lack of a clinical striker up front, and the fact that Hayes has gone means that a more narrow approach should perhaps be taken. For me the way to go is with a straight 4-3-3, moving Doran up top.

For me -

Esson

Meekings Hogg Warren Shinnie

Jones Shinnie Foran/Draper

Doran Sutherland McKay

Edited July 18, 201213 yr by Renegade

I think whatever the tactics are A Shinnie & Doran are key players and I pray that they can stay fit.

Also, I am hopeful of big things from Mackay who I predict is going to have a stonker of a season but someone must be played up front with him IMO.

Dont know enough about the players to put them in positions yet. However I think this will be the season that Nick Ross and Shane Sutherland shine.

If we continue to have a feckin tactics talk regularly during the season and a stabilised team selection then we feckin will know that we are moving forward. I am really looking forward to the Coventry game as we must be starting off with the proposed first X1 for next season - but hopefully will change the tactics and formation at least once during the game.

After the game yesterday, it seems obvious now that 4-2-3-1 at home is not going to work. It's far too cautious, particularly with Jones and Draper both being very defensive minded. Add that to fact that McKay is not a lone striker - there's no doubt he's a hard worker, but he looks totally alone up there sometimes.

Terry Butcher seems to be the only man on the planet that thinks that Sutherland is a winger - and in his opinion "the man to replace Hayes and has all the attributes to be a great winger". Utterly baffling. It was quite sad to watch him play there yesterday actually - he's so obviously out of position and so obviously not build for the role that's almost like ICT are playing with ten men.

The strike force looks weak to me, so in my view a switch to an attack minded 4-3-3 with Sutherland or Oswell up top with McKay and Doran alongside them is the way to go I reckon. It's often been the other way round in recent years, with the defence being the poorest part of the team, but this time around, particularly the two centre-backs (with Hogg yet to return) look, while not the biggest, certainly fairly solid. We need more attacking power and playing three out and out strikers is the way to go at home this season I reckon.

second half (up until the red card) we were playing 4-4-2 with Sutherland up front

The idea is for Jones and Draper to sit in midfield, protect the back four, break up play and act as a bridge between the front four and the back four. You'd expect them to play lots of simple passes when in possession and make lots of tackles and win headers. This gives the likes of Shinnie and Doran the chance to get the ball higher up the park and create chances. The problem yesterday is that Draper and Jones, after the first 20-25 minutes didn't do it. They needed to impose themselves on the game and they didn't manage it. On too many occasions the ball dropped into the midfield area and Jones and Draper weren't there. The passing shown by both men also wasn't up to standard. I once read a description of Edgar Davids playing in midfield for Juventus as treating every opposition player coming within ten yards of him as an insult, chasing them out of the centre circle. That's the attitude that Jones and Draper need but all too often when I see Jones he doesn't stamp his authority on games. The guy is an internationalist, he obviously has talent and he is phyiscally imposing. He needs to do more, and also to not get stupid red cards and miss games. Perhaps Foran will do better when he comes in next week.

Regarding Sutherland, having a player who is good in the air in a wide position is a good tactic, you can hit diagonal balls to them as a 'outball' to relieve pressure and it gives you more variety in attacking options. You need to provide proper service to them though, good balls for them to attack. I wonder if Sutherland is good enough for this level though - he's a big willing worker and a strong runner but is he really good at any of these things? I hope he proves me wrong but I have my doubts.

When we went on that year-long away run, we played 4-2-3-1. It works so well away from home. Trouble is, when it comes to being more adventurous at home, we can't play that counter-attacking style. We struggle without having someone so good at passing. Tansey would have been ideal in there. Unfortunately, last year, he had to put in a shift as a defensive mid, that didn't suit him at all.

I would be tempted to go for a traditional 4-4-2 at home. The back four is fine, or will be when Raven begins to settle. Mind you, what does Meekings have to do to get a start? The mid, I'd like to see Ross as outside right and Doran in left-wing. Probably Jones as the defensive mid but it's either him or Draper for 4-4-2. I'd stick Foran in as the more attack-minded mid. That would leave Sutherland up front, where I'd like to see him get a run with Oswell.