I want Batshuayi to start.
He’s our most natural goalscorer.
My question was whether Roy would play him.
If he persists with the current 4-4-2 with Zaha filling one of the front positions there is only one vacancy .
This would be between Ayew, Benteke and Batshuayi.
Ayew swept the board in player of the year awards last season, was top scorer and does all the defensive work Hodgson requires of his strikers.
Assuming Zaha starts up front I think Ayew will keep his place.
The system could change to 4-3-3 with Zaha, Ayew and Batshuayi but with two holding midfielders it’s going to be difficult to accommodate another Roy favourite, Schlupp,or Townsend in a midfield 3.
I’m also dubious that Eze would be trusted in a 3 man midfield.
Some would say these are nice selection problems to have, but in my opinion with Roy’s conservatism I can see a scenario where Batshuayi and Eze will not start as much as many fans would like.

My personal view is that Hodgson delivers for Parish in that he keeps the club in the PL on a shoestring, in the meantime us supporters are 'short-changed' by having to witness total and utter dross game, on game.As far as the club are concerned the end justifies the means.

I suspect that if Hodgson keeps us in the PL this season and wants to continue for another year the club will be only too glad to extend his contract.

Here, here.

people want to go more attack minded, but then want Dyche in? i'd rather stick with Roy, Thanks. Dyche is a sideways pass, when we need a throughball.

"It was a Team effort, I guess it took all players working together to lose this one"

This extreme negative approach will not help build any future legacy at the club - no potential fan is going to watch a team that rarely has a pop on goal, let alone enticing any decent attack minded players. Hodgson will be gone soon enough, hopefully we won't be relegated by then.

There is also a tipping point when something becomes untenable. It's usual for the fans to reach that point before the powers that be, as they are looking at things through a different lens. However, as some point the growing utterings will become a noise that Parish can no longer ignore or block out. I expect we'll reach that point during the season and hope Parish will be working on a replacement to come in at the end of the season, assuming we can limp over the finish line once more. There comes a time in this season where it's risky to change the manager in case it upsets our depressing-yet-effective points tally.

Dyche is unarguably more attack minded than Roy - he’s just direct. Their approach is about getting balls into the box, and invariably these leads to chances and goals. They’re also far more dangerous from set pieces.

If you can find it have a look at the thread from when they beat us at Selhurst last year.. they played us off the park.

They also have a vastly inferior squad to us on paper.