The "maverick" type player has almost gone from our game due to latest coaching practices. These players get looked upon as lazy by their managers.
Obviously more emphasis is being put onto the team playing as a unit as opposed to one or two individual's strengths.
Look at Mata this year, after doing what he did last year, he hasn't had a sniff at Mourinho's team due to his philosophy of playing as a complete unit.
At my own club, we didn't have the players to play the 4.2.3.1 or 4.1.4.1 formation but Elvis insisted on it.
This season we do have the players to do it, but Holt seems to want to play the diamond formation with no flexability. That leaves us open down the flanks if a team flood their midfield.
From what i've seen of the players so far, Bingham, Alston and Fulton sitting behind either Loy or Roberts would be the ideal option.
Ollie and (i would have sais Faulds based on last seasons performances but he seems to be out of things) or Sibbald who has played that role well before. None moreso than the Ramsdens final.