Newcastle aren't in great attacking shape at the moment either; their current strike force is Callum Wilson and Dwight Gale; their pursuit of Arsenal's Joe Willock is on-going. So Liverpool looks like being the first serious defensive test
From the reports it sounds like Gilmore acted as a quarterback deep, suggesting he also contributed defensively - but with PLM and Rupp just ahead either side. Presumably PLM and Rupp carried out the fullback cover role that McClean and Skipp did last season when our fullbacks got forward? Anyone watch the match able to confirm. I appreciate we might not have had too much trouble being caught on the break so maybe it wasn’t clear… Anyway that suggests to me that in the absence of a specialist DM, we essentially have an overall deeper lying structure with all three midfielders doing heavy defensive work. Trouble is that might mean we then don’t have enough going forward against the really stuff PL defences…
That would be the Saint-Maximin who played with Lees-Melou at Nice and praised him highly to do well in the PL.
It seemed to be even more complicated than that, Rob. Gilmour was very much the pivot, but cleverly the formation was never static. There was a constant vacating of spaces to draw away defenders before another moved into that space to move the ball forward. The poor Gillingham defenders looked bamboozled much of the time as all of the midfielders were involved, even Cantwell and Dowell, and Idah was also given much more room to operate. As you say, Rupp and Lees-Melou also covered for the FBs when they went forward and that snuffed out any threat on our goal. Both keepers had a very quiet night. How all of this might work in the PL will be explored on Saturday.
I only saw the second half, but that was played almost entirely in the Gillingham half, mostly in the final third. Far too one-sided to draw any conclusions.
It was more competitive in the first half and at HT I played back sections to look at the tactics more closely (the Canaries TV link allows that for the £5). It was a good chance to try out new tactics and even in the second half there were times the midfielders had to get back to cover for the FBs. Newcastle should tell us more though. Here's Gilmour's view: “I am loving it," he said. "All the boys are really good with me. I have settled in quickly. It is a good bunch of boys, and you can see from what we showed out on the pitch that we have got a good understanding already and hopefully that continues throughout the season. We are a good attacking team, with Max (Aarons) and (Dimitris) Giannoulis who will go down the wings. If we can find them, then we can get balls into the box and that is the reason we scored five goals tonight.” https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/players/billy-gilmour-chelsea-liverpool-clash-21220092
The Geordie fans's view of Joelinton is that he's about as much use as a striker as a damp match ........... and of ASM that he's "pretty on the ball", a provider but not a finisher.
Apparently Newcastle v Norwich tomorrow 2pm kick off will not be streamed live because the EFL starts this weekend. Which doesn't really make sense
Newcastle team news: "With Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson not pictured in training, they seem certain to miss the game against Norwich. Therefore, it will be down to Joelinton and Dwight Gayle to lead the line." Predicted XI to face Norwich: Woodman; Schar, Lascelles, Clark; Murphy, Hendrick, Shelvey, Hayden, Lewis; Joelinton, Gayle.
That bench is so thin again. No Rashica, Mumba, Placheta, Hernandez, Hugill, Hanley... I wonder how much of that is Covid, and how much is players being on the way out (e.g. Hugill.)
