3 at the back has been mentioned a few times this season and I've always thought it was a bad idea. After Saturday though, it does actually look like the way forward. Plus, it means Khazri can play in the No. 10 role which I've wanted to see for a while.
LB seems to been a problem position since Mickey Gray. There can`t be that much of a shortage surely.
Denyer is rank average, he was carried by Virgil up at Celtic, he is too small for a central position, and his positional play is worse than PVA in the full back role, this is one of the reasons I have been promoting 3/2/3/2 all season we just don't have the players to play any other formation imo. I am not saying play 3/2/3/2 and all will be well' far from it with this squad' but it might give us a chance 4/4/1 will see us relegated
Denayer in the centre will be very very good if given a run in the team in that position in my opinion.
It looks like we might have dodged a bullet with Alonso if his first few games at Chelsea are any yardstick, when you think of the fees involved in today's football, it makes you realise why we are unable to compete. Ammend that to 4/4/2 or 4/3/3 take your pick .
So who goes LB if PvA moves up field? Can Manquillo play and if so who fills his place? Not easy with the shortage of numbers/quality. What about that Robson triplet who did ok pre season. Bit of a risk I know.
Stick Oshea there at a push. Not a brilliant option but with a little help from PVA we have JOS organisational skills on the pitch, Denayer in the middle.
Not kean on that idea tbh mate. Too slow now, he`d be caught out too often. At least he wouldn`t be left stranded up at the sharp end though.
This is the problem in a nutshell, our full backs are very poor defenders, not one of them is Premiership quality imo, and our set up leaves us very open to quick wide men, its a nightmare situation we are in atm. Both PVA and Manquillo look better going forward than defending so for now we need a set up that allows for this as they are all we have got for now but playing them in the conventional full back roles will get us relegated. The only positions where we are adequate is CB where we have JoS Cone Denayer and Papy to choose from. Not great but not bad.
As i said not a brilliant option but he's better than Denayer in that position and with PVA on the pitch they should be able to stop most attacks
JoS is more important as an organiser, than a player, and he can only do this effectively if he is in the middle imo,
I noticed he would not pass the ball to PVA, on the left and that's were he should continue playing from now on, PVA gives us more attacking options.