After
the comings and goings of transfer deadline day, several new recruits
are in line to make their debuts when the Premier League returns on
Saturday
• Clubs spend record £835m on transfers this summer
• Is it time to change rules over the loan system?
It remains to
be seen how Radamel Falco and Daley Blind will fit at Manchester United,
while Danny Welbeck will be hoping for a central role at Arsenal.Photograph: AFP / PA / PA
Arsenal
Olivier Giroud is out injured until the Christmas period, which meant Arsenal pounced to sign Danny Welbeck from Manchester United
on deadline day. Although Welbeck’s goalscoring record is underwhelming
at club level, he has often been deployed in wide positions, and should
receive more opportunities in a central role at Arsenal. His two goals in England’s 2-0 victory over Switzerland on Monday, meanwhile, demonstrated his finishing ability nicely.
How Arsenal could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
Arsène Wenger should throw Welbeck into Arsenal’s starting XI
immediately for the visit of Manchester City at lunchtime on Saturday,
as Yaya Sanogo remains an unconvincing option as central striker.
Welbeck will come short and play neat passes with onrushing midfielders,
one of Giroud’s major qualities, and offer sheer speed in behind –
something the Frenchman lacks.
Manchester United
Louis van Gaal could hand debuts to four players against Queens Park
Rangers on Sunday, with Ángel Di María also set for his home debut.
The most exciting newcomer would be striker Radamel Falcao, although
he faces competition with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie the men in
possession. Should he start, Rooney seems a more natural partner for the
Colombian than Van Persie, who has increasingly become a penalty-box
poacher in the Falcao mould.
How United could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
Three left-footed players could also make their first appearance.
Marcos Rojo should take Tyler Blackett’s spot on the left of defence,
with Luke Shaw now under consideration and a better wing-back option
than Ashley Young. Daley Blind played both those roles under Van Gaal at
the World Cup, but should start deep in midfield.
Crystal Palace
A few debutants should feature against Burnley on Saturday – but much
of the attention will be on Neil Warnock, in his first game back at
Selhurst Park.
Zeki Fryers will hope to go straight into the starting XI at
left-back. Martin Kelly and Joel Ward have played that position so far,
with both capable of playing on the opposite side too – Ward’s place
might come under threat, but he’s a fine, underrated player and would
find his way back into the side.
How Palace could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
James McArthur is a natural partner for Mile Jedinak in the centre
of the pitch, while up front Marouane Chamakh is doubtful, and Kevin
Doyle could play his hard-working, withdrawn centre-forward role,
allowing Dwight Gayle to sprint in behind the opposition. Andy Johnson
is another new option.
Hull City
Steve Bruce has generally played a 3-5-2 system in 2014, but he is a
tactically flexible manager, and even before deadline day, his signings
of Tom Ince and Robert Snodgass suggested he wanted to try something
different.
Therefore, Hull could switch to a 4-3-3 system. This would bring the
best out of Tom Huddlestone, who is best behind two hard-working
midfielders like Jake Livermore and newcomer Mohamed Diamé.
How City could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
Further forward, however, is the most exciting zone. Gastón Ramírez
and Hatem Ben Arfa, two extremely talented if inconsistent attacking
midfielders, could float behind the new Uruguayan striker Abel
Hernández. With those three all set to make their debuts, it’s
impossible to guess how well they’ll combine – but it could lead to some
fantastic football.
Queens Park Rangers
Harry Redknapp has visited Old Trafford 14 times in the Premier
League, and is yet to collect a point – if that’s to change, he’ll hope
for good performances from two deadline-day signings.
Redknapp is forever signing players he has already worked with, and
these recruits are no different. Sandro will play his usual solid,
unfussy holding role, allowing Joey Barton and Leroy Fer to scamper
forward into attack.
How Rangers could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
Niko Kranjcar, meanwhile, has joined Redknapp for the fourth time,
following spells at Portsmouth, Tottenham and a previous loan spell at
QPR last season. Capable of playing from either flank, or in a more
central role, the Croat provides some badly needed attacking quality for
a side that has mustered only a single goal in this season’s Premier
League.
Sunderland
Ricardo Álvarez flattered to deceive at Internazionale – there were
some promising dribbles and some neat passes, but he was highly
inconsistent.
Nevertheless, Gus Poyet is likely to give Álvarez an opportunity to
impress, and he seems best for the left-sided role in Sunderland’s 4-3-3
– it would be a huge risk to base the side around him as a No10 in a
4-2-3-1. He is a good counterattacking player, which fits into the way
Poyet’s Sunderland played in their surprising escape from relegation
last season.
How Sunderland could line up this weekendPhotograph: Guardian graphic/Guardian graphic
Poyet’s fellow Uruguayan Sebastián Coates was not handed many
chances at Liverpool, and it is difficult to imagine he will start ahead
of John O’Shea and Wes Brown for now, although he could work his way
into the side over the course of the season.
The rest
Southampton were also highly active on deadline day, with Sadio Mané
an energetic, versatile attacker who will help Ronald Koeman’s side
press high up the pitch. Toby Alderweireld has often deputised at
full-back for Atlético Madrid and Belgium, but seems Dejan Lovren’s
replacement in the centre.
Burnley have been understaffed in their first few matches, but the
arrival of George Boyd plus loanees Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Keane
provides Sean Dyche with more options ahead of the trip to Selhurst
Park – the type of game Burnley must collect points from, if they’re to
survive in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, West Ham will hope to hand a debut to former West Brom
loanee Morgan Amalfitano, with Alex Song also in line for his debut
against Hull on Monday night – Sam Allardyce’s side look far more
adventurous than last season.
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