[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Seven weeks on from promotion, the rollercoaster of football in 2020 resumes with the latest start to a new season since 1889. Of course, we're now back in the promised land, but as it seems in our absence to have acquired VAR and a half-decent Wolves team, I'm not sure the promise is all it's cracked up to be. Nevertheless, on Sunday afternoon we get the ball rolling on the survival campaign, playing host to Leicester at the Hawthorns.

Having suffered a brief slump after the stars aligned for them in 2016, the Foxes enjoyed a renaissance last year with a 5th place finish largely inspired by Jamie Vardy's 23 Premier League goals, as the 33-year-old blasted his way to the Golden Boot for the first time. It's no coincidence that his relative loss of form in the back half of the season accompanied a slump for Leicester overall, and despite boasting the likes of Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez and a certain Harvey Barnes, he remains the man that Albion must keep quiet to take points from this match. No easy task, considering his prolific record against us. In fact, for over a decade Albion's showings against the East Midlanders have been woeful, particularly at home, where we've suffered four consecutive defeats since our 3-0 victory under Roberto Di Matteo in April 2010. Somehow we've got to shake off our own late-season malaise from July, face up to our bogey team on Sunday, and start this trickiest of seasons as we mean to go on.

[drewks]

The pessimist in me says there will be no points for us here, as does the realist...... but haven't Leicester got loads out through injury (how does THAT happen for the first game)?

All of us saying we've got nobody to score the goals - I say 4-1 to us!

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

The pessimist in me says there will be no points for us here, as does the realist...... but haven't Leicester got loads out through injury (how does THAT happen for the first game)?

All of us saying we've got nobody to score the goals - I say 4-1 to us!

 Ha ha, always an optimist Drewks, though it'll be great if it happens.

[drewks]

Nice article here from Leicester, brings back many great memories of a fantastic team - the best I've known
https://www.lcfc.com/news/1820385/legend...ille-regis

[Blue Baggie]

This game could be 2 - 0 to either side, but I will go for a 2 goals for each side, so it's a Desmond 2-2
Drewks - nice write up by Cottee and Ska'd great start to the season.

[WBA-Josh]

Johnstone
O'Shea - Ajayi - Bartley
Furlong - Livermore - Sawyers - Gibbs
Pereira - Robinson - Diangana

Button, Hegazi, Harper, Edwards, Grosicki, Austin, HRK

[Slick_Footwork]

After looking at the team initially I thought it looked like 3 at the back, but now I'm thinking it could be 4 with Furlong at right midfield to help with the threat of Barnes.

Leicester are without Maddison and Ndidi so there's no reason why we can't give them a game IMO. Do wish we had a bit more defensive awareness in the middle of the park though.

Eagerly awaiting...

[Beefy 1965]

Bartley

[WBA-Josh]

I'm not sure about this formation. To me it gives up more ground in front of the defence than a 4411 defensive shape (last season's normal) would and we have 3 centre halves to mark 1 man in Vardy. Ajayi and O'Shea don't know what to do when Perez and Barnes move inside.

We also have no out ball when we get it because Sawyers and Livermore are immediately pressed and the only ball forward is longer to Robinson or sideways to Pereira and Diangana who then have to go backwards or sideways.

I'd like to see O'Shea move to the right side of a back 4, Furlong move forward to the right wing and Pereira inside as a 10.

[BaggieSteve]

Before the start I would probably have taken 0-0 at half time but we are looking very vulnerable and lightweight in midfield. Leicester are finding it pretty easy to move through