"Cherki is hit and miss at best ...Reijnders has been poor...RAN is being kept out of the team by a kid...". That's too negative.
What I see now is a City squad with some strength in depth. We could have played Khusanov, Reijnders and Marmoush at SJP and we still have Rodri to come in.
The theme that I would concentrate on is improving our goal output across the side. We attacked very well at Newcastle until the last action.
They all have potential...espeCherki and Reijnders I would strongly agree.
goal output from others I would defintly agree but we are desperately in need of some physicality in as well.
This is where Cherki and reijnders are lacking at present...however they can improve in this area but do they have the mimdset to do it is the question. .....we have seen players like David Silva turn into physical machines to go alongside his undoubted technical ability...he was a fighter as well as brilliant with the ball at his feet. ...so was Bernardo Silva when he was at his peak....
A lot of this squad at the moment are not putting in the physical graft to go along with their undoubted technical ability....Reijnders is weak for such a physical player, Cherki just floats around and the bits Ive seen of RAN in this one respect is worrying
Yes Rodri changes this of course....but dont put him in there and take out Nico G for instance...that would just be swapping out a player for a player and although Rodri is the best in the world in that position the problems would still persist
Marmoush is a very strange one - where does he fit....he can play the 10 role but he aint as creative but more of a goal threat than our other options there. If we play him as the 10 we need creativity outwide - we simply dont have it besides Doku(who is a good example of what some of our players are lacking at present...regardless of performance Doku is always up for a battle - determined, strong and will fight for everything). Likewise Marmoush is wasted outwide and comes inside so we then lack width on one side when he does play.
Our right had side is defensively weak. Nunes has improved but no matter who we play in front of him other teams target that side as Nunes has no cover over there. Khusonov sorts out that problem but Pep clearly wants Nunes there as his build up play is better (Im presuming this is what Pep sees - I dont know)
With EVERYONE fit and at peak I wonder what our best 11 for a big game would be against a physical and technical team
You can assume these would start:
---------Donarumma----------
-----RB?------RCB?------Gvardiol--------LB? (for me its NOR)
------------Rodri-------Nico G------
------------------Foden??? or Cherki?--------
----RW?----------Haaland------------Doku
A lot of question marks
Is it Khusonov or Nunes...at present its Nunes but are EITHER of them good enough there...neither are fullbacks by trade.....
the number 10.....Foden gets the nod over cherki for me but I can completely see the opposite argument for Cherki as well
Marmoush doesnt really fit anywhere in this but who plays on the right.....None are good enough at present....Bobb and Sav are young but neiter are performing well much at all. Marmoush is too good to sit on the bench but he doesnt really fit in anywhere....square peg in round hole outwide
Would Pep even play Rodri and Nico G in the same team...It certainly makes us more solid and both those players can weigh in with goals and Rodri's creativeness is understated as well