The Tigers are gearing up for the big kick-off at Norwich next Saturday
The start of the new Championship season is just over a week away and while much can still happen before the Tigers travel to Norwich City, attention is already turning to what Liam Rosenior’s starting XI will look like.
Rosenior has so far made three signings in the summer window with Aaron Connolly set to be the fourth. He remains in discussions with a number of other potential new recruits, though with a squad growing in size, the City head coach knows he will need to let some move on in search of regular football.
Ruben Vinagre, Jason Lokilo and Liam Delap are the three arrivals so far and the trio will hope to be involved in some way at Carrow Road on Saturday week.
Barring any injury trouble, Matt Ingram will start in goal and Vinagre is almost certain to start at left-back and Cyrus Christie on the right, though that’s far from an easy decision given the impressive form of Lewie Coyle in recent months.
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Arguably his biggest decision across the back line comes in the centre of defence and who partners Alfie Jones. Will it be Jacob Greaves or Sean McLoughlin?
The smart money would be on the back four being Vinagre, Greaves, Jones and Christie with Regan Slater and Jean Michael Seri in the double pivot role, should Rosenior opt for a 4-2-3-1 shape, though Xavier Simons has shone in the games he’s played and will be a key figure this term.
On the flanks, you’d fancy Harry Vaughan and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh to kick things off if the season started tomorrow, but Jason Lokilo will hope to stake his claim over the next week or so and much will depend on the Iranian’s fitness having missed the draw at Scunthorpe United.
And then comes the grandstand decision. Does he go with a two up front in the 4-4-2 we’ve seen at times in pre-season, and if he does, who gets the nod out of Liam Delap, Oscar Estupinan or Aaron Connolly who is expected to see his move ratified ahead of the FC Nantes clash.
If he opts for a number 10-type in the 4-2-3-1 system, then Ozan Tufan and Adama Traore come into view playing off one of the two mentioned above, but based on what we’ve seen so far, Delap will surely get the shirt with Ozan playing off him with Traore yet to reach full fitness, Connolly can also operate in that role.
Rosenior will also be helped by the rule change which sees nine substitutes named, so his bench would have some strength about it. The likes of Traore, Oscar, Xavi Simons, Ryan Longman, McLoughlin and Coyle.
Could this be City’s starting XI at Carrow Road? Ingram, Vinagre, Greaves, Jones, Christie, Seri, Slater, Ozan, Allahyar, Vaughan, Delap.
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