Sanchez and Royal on the pitch together highlights how ordinary our transfer window was, I can see our right side being a problem today.
Delighted to see Skipp start, need a big performance from him. I still rate him as having the highest ceiling of all 4 CMs, superbly versatile player who was just getting started before the bad injury last season. Wing backs are going to be limited as we know but let's test the Son-needs-anyone-but-Perisic-to-thrive theory with at least one sample (albeit the full test is Son and Kulu in the same team without Perisic). Toon's defence is full of experience and very well organised but it lacks pace. If we resort to the recent long hopeful punt bollocks and expect it to work against Botman or Burn, we need help. High(er) press, quick through balls on the ground for Sonny to run on to is what we need. Both WBs need to work their arses off pinning back the Toon FBs while simultaneously dealing with the threat of Almiron, Bruno and Joelinton.
With a lot of mewling manbabies on AFTV howling about it being a conspiracy? Wait until Sky tell The FA that their officials are allowed to spot Saka and Jesus' dives...
Romero hasn't looked right recently. I think we rushed him back from his injury and he hasn't looked 100% since. Certainty not crunching into tackles as he used to or pinging those Toby esque passes.
Our midfield not being as solid last season also hasn't helped, as that puts additional pressure onto our CBs that they weren't under during the run-in
Son with a wild shot after a good move. But that's where at least one of the CMs needs to be bombing into the box on the overlap, the Dele Alli run. No point starting 3 of them if none of them are going to do it.
Hojbjerg likely would've been that player if he started today Between either Bissouma or Bentancur, the expectation is Bissouma would be in that role - so the passmap'll say Bentancur is...
Royal just reminds me of the Royale meal. Basically a wet lettuce, lacking substance and overpriced. …and leaves you feeling **** for a few hours afterwards.
