ChicagoBlue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 10 Jan 2009
- Messages
- 17,631
When Bernie plays in MF now, it is usually as a second DM to hold and carry, rather than the creative “inside winger midfielder” which created his reputation. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have pace either!
He is a creative force that is frequently nullified because his positive attributes and supreme versatility help spackle over the cracks of lesser talents in the team.
Personally, I’d like to see Philips play RM/LM WITH Rodri every now and then, which might give them both license to get forward a little more, but also provide the solidity needed in some games. That would then free up KDB or Bernie or Foden to be more creative in and around the box.
I envisage a 2-2-3-3 as our ideal attacking set up, with two players shielding the CBS while the FBs supplement KDB/Bernie/Foden in an attacking midfield role, allowing us to still have two wide men and a striker.
When clear it is on, adding Alvarez to the mix in lieu of one of the wingers, and pushing one of the FBs even further upfield helps add even more potential goal scoring opportunity into the mix.
Watching Arsenal yesterday, Partey and Xhaka patrolled the middle of the park like lions looking for their next meal, which released the other midfielder. They played a 2-2 with full backs getting forward and one of them almost scoring a cracker from the edge of the box!
Make no mistake, I think Rodri is an absolute Boss! But, he’s getting flogged to death to placate a system that exposes him to waves of counterattacks without teammates pulling their share. I have been heartened by Grealish & Mahrez putting in a shift in our “defensive” 4-4-2, but Rodri needs an able bodied assistant (an equal would be almost impossible to find!) to serve the team and tighten it up a bit!
We are on course for 90 points, and that’s after a difficult spell, but are probably 8 pts behind The Arse. Our two games against them are crucial in closing that gap. However, in looking at the stats, we are shipping goals (8 more than last year so far) to teams we shouldn’t be BECAUSE of the fast counter. We need to close that door and make clean sheets more important than the third or fourth goal! I think we are minus 11 on GD this year over last. That’s 3 less for us and 8 more we have shipped. That needs to change, and some more strength in the middle of the park would help that, I believe.
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