Both those two players lead me on a roller coaster... A few times this happened with them over the years... I get excited by their sustained run of a good performances, and just when I'm ready to prepare for their golden futures the slump.... And just when I'm. Ready to write them off, they come back and have a good run again. I'm ready for the real Jones and Gomez to step forwards please. I feel like they're always trying to prove me wrong.
Catching up on a couple of pages here makes me think of a dilemma that comes up every now and again. I'm not taking sides, and there's no implicit criticism of either stance - but one the one hand we bemoan the lack of squad depth, and then we're discussing players leaving because they're not up to first 11 or are under-used. We'll never have a squad to match City, and unless something is done to make them toe the line they'll continue to dominate. Any club will have to have a barnstorming season with relatively few injuries to make a good fist of challenging them. Of course if players want to leave to pursue their own career path then it's their decision, but we can't improve the squad significantly whilst simultaneously losing players who can't nail a regular first team place. We'll only be replacing them with others in the same position. That won't attract a higher standard of player, unless we have a conveyor-belt of new players who think they can establish themselves in the first team, most of whom leave frustrated after a couple of seasons after failing to do so. The best we can hope for is 15 or so first-choice, and a group pushing them. You can only field 11 at a time, so some have to accept that their opportunities will come through rotation or injuries.
Let's just look at the attacking options as an example. One of the problems is that we have the personnel - Salah, Diaz, Jota, Nunez, (Gordon, Danns and Koumas coming through) but they have all either been injured or misfiring. So 'on paper' we don't need any more attacking players but in reality we probably actually do. Can you make a case for adding another proven striker based on what's happened this season? Is it reasonable to think that we'll have the same problems next season as this?
It's hard to swe what slot would do with nunez but that lad is a good header of the ball We make zero use of thst now. Lord knows nunez can't play offside or go 1 on 1
You are right but at the same time citys squad is not that big. Its not chelsea bloated anyway. I think guardiola is able to rotate more.as he has the players to go do it but also klopp resists doing it a bit too much I think we need a bit more quality and we do have a tenancy to over rate players at times I think we've got more than we probably have any right to out of these players. I mean we are looking at city and they have a few players they rotate through and they get the job done. We seem to have guys who sit there without a game and come in and look dire. Maybe city have actually more flexibility who knows. Gomez has looked a lot better that last season with games. Endo looked better once he got a few under his belt. Gravenberch got himself going before being assulated in the league Cup final. Tsimikas is a specialist full back so he will sit there and not get minutes but he is also a very average player generally.
Ederson walker Dias stokes gvardiol kdb rodri silva foden haalabs grealish Ortega lewis akanji ake gomez Nunes kovacic Bobb Alvarez doku Def have way more squad depth, prob say full backs is one area but city essentially play 3 cbs plus Walker anyway so pretty solid. That second team full of remulate internarionals bar lewis and Gomez. City also play in a much more controlled way, less foul throttle so easy to manage the last 20 mins with subs being 3/4 goals up and don’t need to exert themselves which helps.
Yeah but also city play 3241 or whatever so they don't have a "specialist" fullback So when you write akanji he can play 2 or 3 positions to cover walker or doas or stones Dolu is probably the most specialised player thry have as a "left winger" The issue for me is thst the reality of our squad is players.like Jones etc Al wouldn't get a game at another top club. Not a chance.
All fully fit, I was thinking about who are best II would be. I really don't know. Alisson Virgil, Trent, Robbo ? Salah, Jota ? Macallister ? ?
For now, I'd go with... Alisson Trent - Konate - VVD - Robbo Elliott - Endo - AMC Salah - Jota - Diaz ...but it's going to change after one more match; none of us know what it'll be under a new manager, never mind after the summer activities
Gakpo has been the best forward for several weeks now. On a different note, I think these mass substitutions are a terrible idea. I wouldn't bring on more than two at any one time, reasonably early and see how it goes before changing further if necessary. Apart from disrupting the flow, bringing four on at once leaves you with almost no wiggle room if they don't work.
Alisson Bradley Konate vvd Robertson Trent AMC Sbozo elliot gakpo Nunez For something a bit different
I'm not as convinced as I was that Konaté is better than Quansah. I can't fault the work rate of that midfield but it is small and slow-ish. Jones is good at protecting and progressing the ball but isn't consistent enough. Szoboszlai's early promise has got lost somewhere and haven't seen enough of Gravenberch to come to any conclusion. I find the midfield the most puzzling area in terms of which combination works best.
I think slot likes 4231 If trent us going to play midfield then let him play it all the time. Robertson and Bradley provide the width. 5 in midfield hopefully make us more solid, without being ltd by playing a pure dm who not good enough ( sorry endo) Could help us pin teams in, and allows for more movement and late runs than the current system. 433 is done to death, a little suprise could make all the difference.
Nunez is by far the best striker the premier league has ever seen. He's a wonder and I refuse to hear a word against him! (As long as he learns the offside rule & how to finish) ( oh and how to hold the ball up & link play) (And keep his temper) In all honesty I'd give him next season, I dont think he suits the "9" role but as a lone striker making runs all along the front he'd do well. I find it astonishing that we still have salah as the player furthest forward to kead a counter, rather than Darwin. He's just got by far to much promise to bin him off.
I think opposition teams would love that two. Both very good at creating but questionable when it comes to breaking the opposition. I do agree about moving Trent though, just don't know the answer in that system. In a 433, put Trent at RCM with a DM in the middle
I'd suggest that most of our defensive issues come from being less than solid, to many bodies caught forward, out of position, to much space to break into, rather than defensive ability. Hopefully having two in there will allow to cover fullbacks, and just give a body stop us being wide open.
i like the idea but have serious doubts about Trent covering the full back .Personally think he is now a "luxury" player who needs to be treated as a free player unless Slot can instill some defensive discipline and desire in him
