 Aware that he might be forced to withdraw, Robert drew his forces up in front of Saint-Omer offering the garrison the chance of battle.Robert's dispositions put his best troops, the English longbowmen and men from Bruges and Ypres, in the centre, with the left wing made up of men from Ypres, Veurne and Mons and the right with further soldiers of Bruges.Behind this force was a large mixed force of men from across Flanders and the allied army's camp.