[WBA-Josh]

During his coaching career Bilic has always got his teams playing good football. His Croatia side was very pretty in a fluid 442 that relied on possession football. His Besiktas side played in a 4231 that played a possession based game with the number 10 dropping deep to find space but because they had two fast wingers and a tall striker (Demba Ba) they could also play more quicker and with pace. At West Ham he would rotate between 433 and 4231 but did delve in to 3 centre backs as well. His style of play was attractive but with Andy Carroll in the team, he also mixed it up as well. At Ittihad he played 433 and 4231.

For us I’d expect to see him create a squad that can play a similar game to his Besiktas and West Ham first season with a squad that can rotate between 4231 and 433 effortlessly. I expect to see us have 3 goalkeepers, 2 right backs, 2 left backs, 4 centre backs, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 centre midfielders (1 who can also play as a 10), 1 number 10, 4 wingers (2 for each side) and 3 strikers (1 big, 1 small and 1 in between).

[drewks]

"I expect to see us have 3 goalkeepers, 2 right backs, 2 left backs, 4 centre backs, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 centre midfielders (1 who can also play as a 10), 1 number 10, 4 wingers (2 for each side) and 3 strikers (1 big, 1 small and 1 in between)."

.... I can't see us losing too many games with that line up, Josh

[Onetruebaggie]

I think we might have too many on the pitch but I get your thinking!

COYB

[aries22]

"I expect to see us have 3 goalkeepers, 2 right backs, 2 left backs, 4 centre backs, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 centre midfielders (1 who can also play as a 10), 1 number 10, 4 wingers (2 for each side) and 3 strikers (1 big, 1 small and 1 in between)."

.... I can't see us losing too many games with that line up, Josh

We’re going to need a bigger pitch too.

---

Oh well... It could have been worse... Pulis or Pardew could have been re-appointed. Let's all get behind Slaven & who ever plays in our colours.

A much better appointment than Pardew, and Pulis has forever passed his sell-by date IMHO.

[WBA-Josh]

Now now old timers, joshing the Joshmeister doesn’t make you guys look cool or magically make you guys any younger.

Anyhoo, I’m looking forward to seeing who Bilic is going to look at signing. It’s doubtful that he’ll stick to the tried and trusted British players like a Hughton probably would. Bilic speaks multiple languages including German so I’m hoping to see us raid the 2. Bundesliga for some of the best talent, as long as Hamburg, Stuttgart and Hannover don’t get to them first.

[wba13]

Welcome Slaven great choice from Dowling and co.

[derbybaggie]

Just got back from work. Is it true Boris Johnson is our new manager and Slaven Bilic is going to be prime minister?

[bomberbrown1968]

I have to admit to taking a watching brief over the last few weeks and reading without commenting, due to either not having anything either negative or positive to say, not biting back at the perpetual gloom and doom merchants that never let up or mainly waiting to see who we put in charge.

Until now, where I'm over the moon with Slaven Bilic, he's probably a slightly bigger name than I expected and certainly better than most of the other names that were being bandied around and as big as we were likely to get in the position we're in. I had reservations that we'd get a "yes" man or simply a puppet for the board to bully into following their agenda. but Bilic is anything but these things in my opinion.

For all their mistakes and shortcomings the board have made a real statement of intent with this appointment and for as much as Bilic must have impressed in his interviews, the club must have impressed him too with their plans for us. It isn't a panic choice, they've taken their time before appointing him but then why have a manager twiddling his thumbs for 5 weeks when the season finished when there's probably not even a player near the training ground or many potential targets in their home countries. There's still plenty of time before the season gets underway and I'd bet my last pound Bilic already has a "wish list" drawn up and contact is already being made through various contacts of his. Nor is it the easy option of a manager who's had mediocre success on a tight budget.

We can only assume that assurances, promises and guarantees were part of the process and by the same assumption Bilic would have insisted on not only his wage which I expect is a pretty healthy one for the Championship, but his backroom staff and funds being made available to carry out his job. However those funds are raised if it means selling our better players then so be it, I still say that most of them under performed for most of last season and it was only the nugget, Harvey Barnes that we were lucky enough to have until January, that raised our hopes and had us in pole position for a top 2 finish. When he went our season petered out, we turned in some shocking performances home and away, stopped scoring goals and the players that were left simply weren't good enough, whatever the tactics and whoever gave them. So if they have to be shipped out to bring in a younger, hungrier player then that's fine by me, they ultimately got us relegated and then once the one true talent Barnes left they fell short by some way.

The flip side of all this is that everything promised to Bilic turns out to be lies and we're back dealing in the bargain basement and free transfer bins, in which case Bilic will walk away by September and we'll be well and truly a laughing stock.

But until that happens I'm more than happy with his appointment and my optimism levels are on the rise for the first time in ages. I'm actually looking forward to this transfer window and the start of the new season can't come quick enough.

[tidy]

I have to admit to taking a watching brief over the last few weeks and reading without commenting, due to either not having anything either negative or positive to say, not biting back at the perpetual gloom and doom merchants that never let up or mainly waiting to see who we put in charge.

Spot on...

[talkSAFT]

That's a great post, Bomber. It's just how I feel, but you've put it into better words.