3 | Ruben Dias - 2022/23 Performances

[Dipsis_LTU_MC]

The fact that Akanji has been playing ahead of him for most of the season, even before the World Cup, shows that Pep simply doesn't trust his ball-playing ability. We play with a three man backline, with Akanji being the middle centre back of the three, which is like the playmaker role of the centre backs. The worrying thing is that Akanji is also not a world beater at playing out from the back, and yet he plays the libero role aka Franz Beckenbauer for us.

 

[domalino]

The fact that Akanji has been playing ahead of him for most of the season, even before the World Cup, shows that Pep simply doesn't trust his ball-playing ability.

You're memory is letting you down, Dias started 17 of our 23 games before the world cup, most of them next to Akanji because of Laporte and Stones' injuries.

 

[Lauz9888]

The fact that Akanji has been playing ahead of him for most of the season, even before the World Cup, shows that Pep simply doesn't trust his ball-playing ability. We play with a three man backline, with Akanji being the middle centre back of the three, which is like the playmaker role of the centre backs. The worrying thing is that Akanji is also not a world beater at playing out from the back, and yet he plays the libero role aka Franz Beckenbauer for us.

It's a problem.

I don't see Ruben's defensive positioning being good enough on the left or right of that three. He's never been any kind of right or left back to be able to cover one of the wider positions. So if he plays, it's got to be central.

But our build-up play suffers enormously if the defender in the middle of that 3 isn't Stones or Laporte. But Stones is the only one who looks anywhere near comfortable on the right so that's forced Pep's hand a bit.

With Stones injured, I think we have to get Laporte in the starting line-up for his passing ability. Given that's more effective from the middle, and Aké's really nailing down that left-hand side, it seems obvious to play him centrally, and move Akanji out to the right (where he's played occasionally, is a step down from Stones, but is the most obvious option there).

Ruben makes sense as one of two central defenders in a standard back 4. But I'm not sure his passing is what we need in the middle of a back 3.

Aké - Ruben - Akanji is a back 3 that would struggle to bring the ball forward effectively.

 

[Tevez City]

Are we selling all our Portuguese ?

 

[bluethai]

It seems the Portuguese gang always has problems since Jesus gone.

 

[Kamaro011]

It seems the Portuguese gang always has problems since Jesus gone.

Wrong, since Fernandinho gone.

We really missed his leadership badly, he will not tolerate at all Cancelo antics.

 

[jaiguruKun]

Wrong, since Fernandinho gone.

We really missed his leadership badly, he will not tolerate at all Cancelo antics.

It's a shame we weren't able to keep Ferna around in some capacity or another.

 

[Dipsis_LTU_MC]

It's a problem.

I don't see Ruben's defensive positioning being good enough on the left or right of that three. He's never been any kind of right or left back to be able to cover one of the wider positions. So if he plays, it's got to be central.

But our build-up play suffers enormously if the defender in the middle of that 3 isn't Stones or Laporte. But Stones is the only one who looks anywhere near comfortable on the right so that's forced Pep's hand a bit.

With Stones injured, I think we have to get Laporte in the starting line-up for his passing ability. Given that's more effective from the middle, and Aké's really nailing down that left-hand side, it seems obvious to play him centrally, and move Akanji out to the right (where he's played occasionally, is a step down from Stones, but is the most obvious option there).

Ruben makes sense as one of two central defenders in a standard back 4. But I'm not sure his passing is what we need in the middle of a back 3.

Aké - Ruben - Akanji is a back 3 that would struggle to bring the ball forward effectively.

I think Laporte has never played as the middle centre back in a back three. Pep always plays left footers on the left of a back three. That's why he wants Gvardiol, assuming Laporte or Ake will leave in the summer.

 

[Lauz9888]

I think Laporte has never played as the middle centre back in a back three. Pep always plays left footers on the left of a back three. That's why he wants Gvardiol, assuming Laporte or Ake will leave in the summer.

He played in the middle when he came on for Stones the other night.

 

[FJRMCFC]

Pep must’ve completely gone off him. Sad decline from his first two seasons