Getting the tactics right is going to be just as important as recruitment.
We are going to come up against teams with better players than us regularly, so we need a way of playing that gives us the best possible chance of competing with them.
There are obviously massive differences, but I still think there are lessons to take from Leicester when they won the league.
They weren’t obsessed with having the ball or putting lots of crosses in the box. They were compact, difficult to play through and very disciplined when out of possession. Then, when they won possession, they attacked quickly through Vardy, Mahrez and the other runners before the opposition could get back into shape.
I’m not suggesting we could repeat what Leicester did, but that basic approach still makes a lot of sense for a promoted side.
For me, the best way for us to be competitive in the Premier League is to build the team around counter attacks, pace, power and quick transitions, rather than trying to dominate possession against sides that are technically better than us or relying on lots of hopeful crosses into the box that rarely create high quality chances.
For the squad we have, transitions and vertical play have to be a major part of the plan. If we can defend compactly, win the ball and then attack quickly with pace and power before the opposition gets set defensively, that is one area where we can potentially exploit to gain an advantage over teams.
I would stick with a 4-2-3-1 in possession and turn it into a compact 4-4-2 out of possession. I also think the squad we have is well suited to a 2-3-5 build-up, with the full backs not pushing too high and instead forming part of the three in front of the centre backs. That should give us much better protection against counter attacks.
We could still get plenty of players forward when the opportunity is there. Having five players attacking, with the two full backs and a holding midfielder underneath them, gives us numbers around the box without leaving just the two centre backs completely exposed every time we lose possession or having Grimes as part of the back line when the opposition counter.
I also think the 3-1-6 build-up that worked so well in the Championship could be much more vulnerable in the Premier League.
With Grimes regularly dropping deep to form the back three, there is a risk that teams will target the space around him and try to exploit his lack of pace and athleticism.
If the midfield pivot is going to be Grimes and Yirenkyi, I think Yirenkyi may actually be better suited to being the deeper of the two.
He has the ability to help control the tempo of the game, but also the physical attributes to defend transitions, cover space and deal with the pace and power we are going to face in the Premier League.
Basically, I think we should take what Lampard has already done well with this team and make it a bit more pragmatic for the Premier League.
If we are going to be competitive this season and give ourselves a realistic chance of avoiding relegation, we need to play with a much higher tempo and intensity than we showed against Arsenal and Hull.
We are going to come up against teams with better players than us regularly, so we need a way of playing that gives us the best possible chance of competing with them.
There are obviously massive differences, but I still think there are lessons to take from Leicester when they won the league.
They weren’t obsessed with having the ball or putting lots of crosses in the box. They were compact, difficult to play through and very disciplined when out of possession. Then, when they won possession, they attacked quickly through Vardy, Mahrez and the other runners before the opposition could get back into shape.
I’m not suggesting we could repeat what Leicester did, but that basic approach still makes a lot of sense for a promoted side.
For me, the best way for us to be competitive in the Premier League is to build the team around counter attacks, pace, power and quick transitions, rather than trying to dominate possession against sides that are technically better than us or relying on lots of hopeful crosses into the box that rarely create high quality chances.
For the squad we have, transitions and vertical play have to be a major part of the plan. If we can defend compactly, win the ball and then attack quickly with pace and power before the opposition gets set defensively, that is one area where we can potentially exploit to gain an advantage over teams.
I would stick with a 4-2-3-1 in possession and turn it into a compact 4-4-2 out of possession. I also think the squad we have is well suited to a 2-3-5 build-up, with the full backs not pushing too high and instead forming part of the three in front of the centre backs. That should give us much better protection against counter attacks.
We could still get plenty of players forward when the opportunity is there. Having five players attacking, with the two full backs and a holding midfielder underneath them, gives us numbers around the box without leaving just the two centre backs completely exposed every time we lose possession or having Grimes as part of the back line when the opposition counter.
I also think the 3-1-6 build-up that worked so well in the Championship could be much more vulnerable in the Premier League.
With Grimes regularly dropping deep to form the back three, there is a risk that teams will target the space around him and try to exploit his lack of pace and athleticism.
If the midfield pivot is going to be Grimes and Yirenkyi, I think Yirenkyi may actually be better suited to being the deeper of the two.
He has the ability to help control the tempo of the game, but also the physical attributes to defend transitions, cover space and deal with the pace and power we are going to face in the Premier League.
Basically, I think we should take what Lampard has already done well with this team and make it a bit more pragmatic for the Premier League.
If we are going to be competitive this season and give ourselves a realistic chance of avoiding relegation, we need to play with a much higher tempo and intensity than we showed against Arsenal and Hull.
