O'Neil's current conundrum - who makes Cherries' best XI, and how do they play?

Perhaps those discussions are more varied and common about Cherries due to their seemingly ever-changing starting XI this campaign.

Previous boss Scott Parker was unable to name the same side twice during his four games in charge in the Premier League, whilst incumbent Gary O’Neil has only kept the same team once, deciding to drastically switch things up at half-time against Nottingham Forest after picking the XI that started against Wolves the previous Wednesday.

Of course, as with any team, selection is impacted by a variety of variables. Injury has already reared its head this campaign, with captain Lloyd Kelly flitting between fitness and the treatment room the most notable absence. Summer signing Joe Rothwell is yet to play a competitive minute, whilst fellow newcomer Ryan Fredericks’ own availability has been spotty.

Incoming signings Marcos Senesi and now Jack Stephens have been tasked with gaining match fitness prior to first-team action.

But eight games into the season, are we any closer to determining Cherries’ best XI – and the best shape to get the most out of them?

Parker’s bemoaning comments that ultimately cost him his job, jibes stating that he believed Cherries did not have enough to survive, have been proven somewhat false by the response in the following games.

However, do Cherries have enough of the right players for an incoming manager to shape and mould?

It seems near impossible to find a shape that caters to all of those in the starting XI.

Yes, there will need to be sacrifice, slight compromises that will see some players playing outside of favoured roles and positions.

But some players seem almost incompatible with certain shapes, with a drastic change in formation or role completely nullifying them.

So far into his spell as interim boss, O’Neil has bounced between a three-man central defence and a centre-back duo.

It can be presumed that when fully fit, Lloyd Kelly will start at centre-back, and on current form, it is hard to see anyone other than Chris Mepham partnering the skipper in a two-man pairing.

As mentioned above, Senesi has improved on his initial showings and is settling in nicely, whilst Southampton loanee Stephens waits in the wings for his chance.

Stalwart Adam Smith – who has previously admitted he does not volunteer to play out of position – has tucked in as a right centre-back a few times already this term, meaning there is ample depth at centre-back.

Even Jefferson Lerma has dabbled in the role, even though that arguably wastes his greatest strengths as a combative midfielder.

A rough outline of Cherries' squad depth in a 4-2-3-1 shape... (Image: Jack Tanner, Newsquest)

The evidence points to O’Neil following Parker’s pre-season plans when it comes to shape at least, and sticking to a back five, with wing-backs providing width.

After attempting to match Brentford’s shape on Saturday, O’Neil opted to switch from a 4-2-2-2 to a 3-4-2-1 in a bid to gain the upper hand. To accommodate this change, Kieffer Moore made way for Ryan Christie, leaving a few scratching their heads.

...and the depth for the 3-4-2-1, the other common formation used this season. (Image: Jack Tanner, Newsquest)

For the first time during the 90 minutes, there was a striker leading the line, remaining relatively static in terms of pitch positioning.

Towering striker Moore seems well suited to that role – he performed it admirably in the opener against Aston Villa – but instead, he had been tasked with chasing shadows all afternoon, ending up on either wing and whipping balls into the box where a forward of his ilk should have been waiting.

Instead, Solanke was tasked as operating as a focal point, with Christie and Billing slightly deeper.

Solanke can operate as that main striker, but he has shown many times this season he is adept at running the channels and dropping deep to offer his side an outlet.

Moore and Solanke can co-exist in the 3-4-2-1, but have rarely been given the chance to demonstrate this.

The complexity of the conundrum is not lost on O’Neil.

After the Brentford stalemate, he mused: “When you’re trying to put a team together, you’re trying to get Kieffer Moore in it, because you think he can bring something, it’s then difficult to find a shape that fits everybody in.

“Today was actually a similar shape to what we’ve used before with the ball, but we weren’t good enough with the ball to show that.”

A three-man central defence usually sees the centre of the park stripped of an extra body, with Parker opting at the start of the season to use midfield dreadnaught Billing in a more restrained role.

At the time, and in interviews since, Billing appeared to be frustrated by the limited remit, preferring the opportunity to operate a bit more freely, with attacking his priority.

After two goals in two games prior to the international break, Billing found himself shunted out wide when Cherries were out of possession, unable to truly affect the game in the swashbuckling way he did against Nottingham Forest.

Again, O’Neil is aware of this.

“Phil was planned to be inside the pitch as a number eight with the ball and then obviously someone has to get out and do the right-back and Phil knew that was going to be what it was,” explained the former Bolton midfielder at full time on Saturday.

“And then he wasn’t as influential as he has been, but I don’t think that’s down to Phil.

“I think we needed to be better with the ball so we could find him in certain moments and to be fair he stuck to his task.

“But I went back to the same shape, Ryan Christie off the side and Phil was a 10 with Dom at the end.

“I just felt today was a good one for Kieffer and he did help us with defending set plays, which was a big plus.”

It seems that to have Billing at his sparking best, Cherries cannot afford to constrain him to more defensive duties. Neither Parker or O’Neil have managed to find a consistent way of marrying the Dane to a three-man central defence, with the midfield required to pick up extra defensive duties.

That is not to suggest Billing is lazy – he tops the charts when it comes to attempted pressures for Cherries – but that if he tasked with excess defending, there is too much on his plate to contribute offensively.

Lewis Cook and Lerma can provide the required industry in the middle of the park, but where does Billing fit in the 3-4-2-1?

Do you have him operate as part of the attacking trio up top, playing off the main striker?

Billing’s free role doesn’t quite fit the winger-stroke-wide forward either side of the number nine, and it seems a waste to shunt Solanke out of the striker role to play Billing out of position up top.

Marcus Tavernier, although yet to score or set up a goal, has been a star turn since arrival from Middlesbrough. Direct and brave, only Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli has more successful dribbles this term than Tavernier’s 19.

Tavernier is another head scratcher in regard to fitting Billing – and to a lesser extent Moore – in to the 3-4-2-1.

Of course, you can play Tavernier and Billing with Solanke up top.

But Ryan Christie is another option, a first-choice player that can provide creative spark to Cherries’ stuttering attack.

In that case, you can then drop Tavernier to left wing-back, again, a solution Cherries have already used this season.

That does mean the exclusion of Jordan Zemura, Cherries’ only natural senior left-back.

The Zimbabwean international is improving week on week in the top-flight, adapting to the Premier League.

It would be harsh to see him dropped to accommodate another player out of their natural position.

Cherries have versatility and depth. But is there a stand-out XI that fits together, capable of maintaining the relative defensive solidity O’Neil has found whilst adding a more consistent attacking threat?

The frontline needs a spark, with any tinkering needing to avoid upsetting the balance at the back that is at least keeping Cherries in games.

Only time will tell if an incoming manager – or perhaps O’Neil himself – will be able to find the answer.