Russell as well. We are in the days of five subs though, so it makes sense to have strength in depth.
Assuming it's only a matter o time before Styles leaves though, it becomes an easy starting 3...once they're all actually available!
Styles is a difficult one for me. If we're certain he's off in January do we work to develope the midfield without him and bring him on as an impact sub if we need to or do we use him in the starting XI and play him and Luca with AN OTHER (Kane?) as our first choice midfield? Over to you Mr. Collins!
Styles should play full back if he stays. He impacts the game better from there. But he will be gone anyway. From those you’d expect Kane/Connell/Phillips to play whenever fit. Back up from Russell and Benson.
You play the best side available to you. And keeping him on the sidelines isn't going to attract bidders. No one willing to pay the £2m (if true) buy out clause at mo. Probably hoping we'll drop the price. Unless theres a panic buyer b4 sept 1st. Then he stays till january window.
You make an interesting point as I could also see Cadden playing in that LCB role bombing forward as Kitching does, if required. That being said, Styles looked immense against Crewe as someone who could really bridge that gap between the midfield and forwards with his pace and drive, in a similar way that Thomas did in patches last season. I’d love him to stay but as you say, it’s highly unlikely. Let’s just try to get the best out of him in the next few weeks and see what happens thereafter.
That was my immediate concern when he signed a new deal; Well, that and him having a release clause inserted that allowed a Championship club to trigger it. He’s the best player we’ve had in years and could go right to the top.
