My vote is #1

I'm less convinced. But happy to be wrong. We also need to break up this PB pairing just for sake of rotation. Gray, pape, bergvall are rusting a bit.

Bentancur was great! And it pains me to admit that.

I'm gonna close my eyes, wake me up when we have a set piece.

Agreed, absolutely. I'll add that we've benefited from a lot of randomness in our goals allowed column this year. Whereas the final 6 mos of last year we were.. not benefiting. I'd like to see us have a run where we're giving up less big chances before I deem this a clearly better defensive unit.

I'm assuming for this discussion that Palhinha and Xavi are nailed on starters at 6 and 10 but one of our 8 types (or all of them) are not workable? What about the system or the surrounding personnel make a progressive passer at 8 a necessity? Or, are they not enough to start in the EPL at all?

The going narrative is that outside of Porro and Romero we are 'not capable' of progressive passing. I have a hard time believing that there isn't a systemic solution to that technical deficit that would allow one of our SIX b2b mf types to excel? Or that none of them could excel in this system?

Rodri was ALWAYS the heir apparent to the Danish throne.

Didn't look great but not as bad as xg indicates. Xavis best game easily. Kudus best game in a while too. Wilson looking more and more confident. Destiny back near his best. We didn't deserve 3 points but we didn't NOT deserve them either.

But ..Could we?

Meaning bergvall is an eight wandering in the right half spaces but also staying out of kudus' way so Porro can overlap sometimes while xavi is a 10 wandering into the left half spaces. Drawing this up would look super unbalanced but in my head it works.

Upon further review, I get it. And I don't hate it. Would we want to switch Xavi to the other side though? I feel like he's better in the left half space.

What devilry is this Nathan? I don't understand it, and I won't stand for it.

Hopefully among anyone who watched that match that narrative has been buried. That doesn't mean football media won't keep saying it.

I agree although I was in a very different headspace at 66'

I was hate watching the second half and failed to notice anything positive but I'm happy to hear you say this. I look forward to rewatching when less angry.

You're right. Maybe a six against weaker competition where he's not expected to be pressed.

Agreed. He's a fine 6 if we have an offensive 8 and a fine 8 if we have an offensive 6 (biss?) and we pretty much always need an offensive 10. The problem is when we have 3 midfielders who don't pass progressively all together.

I can't believe how lucky we are. B-G should by all rights be laughing us out of the league stage right now. BUT ALSO the defensively solid narrative lives on. Hoping for some adjustments at half.

Right? Defensively solid my rump.

He only scores goals though. Is a sentence that people say.

I heard it too. Tried to ignore it.

if palhinha and gray are swapped I like it a bit better. not THAT much better.

this doesn't make me happy, for a number of reasons. Danso hung out to dry a bit. not good for his sharpness. Gray doesn't belong there and that's not good for his development. Porro might die if we don't get him a rest. Feels like we've seen this movie before.

I don't hate it

could we?

was wondering about this and am happy to hear it. I hope he beats spurs. (but not really! beating everyone else would be fine.)

tip from experience: don't sell davies or you will NOT be happy with how much you need to play dragusin/gray at CB/FB. It's a lot of matches and fatigue on the back line plagues me.

i'm doing a manager career mode and it's not TOO bad going through all the manager stuff. most of it you can ignore. it's not like football manager where you have to put in 10 hours before your first game. Of course, now I need to start over with Xavi and muani (and without Sonny and Madders)

Co-sign