Pass map time... please log in to view this image The two obvious takes from this 1.) Lo Celso and Ndombele were both very good at making themselves available to receive the ball, with Sanchez and Foyth moving it on to Lo Celso regularly, while Ndombele was readily available for Lo Celso and Sissoko to move the ball onto. While there's no denying that Red Star were no great shakes the other night, and the odds of seeing an identical pass map against Sheffield United even if we fielded the same side is highly improbable, it does show that we're moving the ball a hell of a lot faster than we were a few weeks ago 2.) Dele did a good job of linking midfield and attack, making himself available for balls from Son, Sissoko and Ndombele and also moving the ball on to Son and Kane, so the Narrative of him offering nothing only is falling apart in the minds of everyone who doesn't think that football is only about goals and assists and has nothing to do with how players happened to receive the ball for those goals and assists
I've been one of Dele's biggest critics on here but I was impressed by his performance mid week. It was the sort of game and opponent that many players wouldn't show much interest in (Danny Rose I'm looking at you), but he put in a solid shift, often making excellent 'beyond' runs that just weren't picked out because Lo Celso isn't on the same wavelength and Son can't pass. I'd like to think that his recent omissions from the England squad when players as bland as Delph and Winks have made it will have served as a catalyst to wake him up and make him re-focus. Maybe come the end of the season we'll look back and thank Southgate for inadvertently doing us an enormous favour.
Lets hope RCL is not mega pissed off with you DH at 4:45 tonight. Poch has given you what you asked for.
