There is absolutely no reason why Phil Brown shouldn't approach tomorrow's game against Arsenal in precisely the same way he did last season.
Pick a 4-3-3, based on skill, pace and energy.
Geovanni roaming around behind a duo of Jozy Altidore and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. A midfield that sees George Boateng, Dean Marney and Stephen Hunt offering workrate, determination and a large enough lung capacity to switch them from box to box.
The back four and goalkeeper remain as before.
Arsenal couldn't cope with a team daring to have a right go at them last season. The willingness of their opponents to attack until they dropped dead was something entirely alien to them at the Emirates and they had no idea how to deal with it.
This year they will be more aware, but some of their more influential figures are out injured and the comments made by Arsène Wenger about fixture congestion suggests that, if not running scared, they are certainly not treating this weekend as the home banker that most of the uneducated in the game will.
Brown should also fill his bench with attackers. Kamel Ghilas, Bernard Mendy, Nick Barmby, even Peter Halmosi and Daniel Cousin all should be available. Use the energy of one starting player to rob an Arsenal defender of his spirit, then send on another to finish him off.
Of course, there is every chance that Brown will pick a cautious 4-4-2 or even an ultra-defensive 4-5-1 and park the bus in front of goal.
But he really shouldn't. It will do nobody any good, including himself. He has history in this fixture. He should exploit it.
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