Congratulations to the under 23's

[AucklandRover]

Very interesting thoughts, Robin and Champs.
The formation stuff is surely going to continue to be flexible.
On the Telegraph site, you always get people saying, "Pick the best XI, and play them in their best positions", but that's not modern football.
TM has not always got this right, by any means, but what he has been TRYING to do is to match the team and the formation up with the opposition's strengths and weaknesses.
Picking up the point of the two No. 10s, we have also heard TM talking recently about the No. 8 spot - the old-fashioned "inside forward". We now have a lot of attack-minded players, but it is only possible to play an absolute maximum of five of those at any one time.
The following can all play out wide, but I would say only the first two named are proper old-style wingers: Chapman, Gladwin, Conway, Bennett, Armstrong, Rothwell, Brereton, Rankin-Costello. (I am assuming Reed won't be with us next season, by the way).
Of course, Bennett and Conway are much more often used as 'wide midfielders', with support of the full-backs in mind.
Now - along with Samuel and Butterworth - Armstrong and Brereton would almost certainly prefer the 'secondary striker' role, presently occupied by Dack.
As proper centre-forwards, we only have Graham and Nuttall, and the latter may not be quite good enough.
That leaves Rothwell, and I am assuming he is the one Mowbray sees as being best suited to that roaming No. 8 role, between midfield and attack.
In the more defensive areas of midfield, we have Travis, Davenport, Evans, Buckley and Smallwood. Probably, though, RS WILL be leaving. (The other midfielder who has had a lot of praise recently is Jack Vale - only 18).
What I am getting at is that - even leaving aside new signings - we aren't going to be looking at the same formation every week. Assuming Dack and Graham are still with us and first choices, and that Rothwell and Travis have made themselves very difficult to drop, we appear to have nine places taken (whoever the back five are). So, do we play with only ONE 'holding' player (Travis), a winger (Chapman) and a utility player (Bennett, Conway or Buckley, for example)? If so, a lot of people are going to miss out on a weekly basis. Can Rothwell be turned into a play-maker in central midfield? It's possible, but that would then put a hell of a lot of pressure on Travis, behind him, in a 4-4-2.
If we could get hold of someone else for that role who is guaranteed a place, that would probably take up most of our budget, because the gambling compromises (Murphy and Whittingham) haven't paid off. I have been reading that Tom Cairney has struggled in the PL (as the central play-maker), despite having starred in that role last season. All the same, he is valued at 20 MILLION! You see what I mean.
Obviously, there are going to be defensive changes as well, but I am really focusing on the shape and composition of our front six. To sum up, the choices (assuming Reed leaves):
Defensive/Holding Central Midfield: Travis, Davenport, Evans, (Smallwood), Buckley (can play a more creative role too).
Wide Right: Chapman, Bennett, Rankin-Costello (flexible), (Vale - can play either side, apparently)
Wide Left: Conway, Gladwin, (Vale)
Creative Central Midfield: Rothwell(?), A.N. Other
No. 8: Rothwell(?)
Secondary Striker: Dack, Armstrong, Samuel, Brereton, Butterworth.
Centre Forward: Graham, Nuttall, A.N. Other.

I have indicated the spots where I think we need strengthening. Elsewhere, we are spoiled for choice.
This is where flexibility and horses-for-courses come in. Assuming we do get the two A.N. Others shown, I would be a bit a lost when it comes to choosing the "best" six.
I know there are always injuries to take into account, but being a manager is still a hell of a juggling act. As far as I can see, even if no other youngsters come into contention, TM will be looking at starting with 6 from between 18 and 20!!