I focused on Ake's play quite a bit on Saturday, especially after that early misplaced pass which nearly cost us (he read it completely wrong). What struck me was how often he was actually on the ball, probably more than any of the other defenders, but his overall distribution and decision making were really poor.
Given we’ve lost Ederson and can’t rely on Stones to stay fit, we badly need a central defender who’s comfortable on the ball and can start attacks. Ake’s been a good servant, but at this stage I think it’s clear he’s not the right fit for how we’re trying to play. Unfortunately, it might be time to move him on.