silva_shoelaces
Well-Known Member
With Mendy fit, I think you will see us play much more symmetrically. Although it is a feature of Pep's play that the full backs tuck in to flood the midfield, it's clear that Delph tucks in much more than Walker, and conversely that Sane sits out wide much more than Sterling (Hence Sterlings ridiculous goal scoring record this season and Sane's equally impressive assist stats). KDB regularly moves wide right in order to support Walker and Sterling, creating an overload which often frees up Sane to isolate himself against the opposition RB.
With Mendy on the pitch, I think we will see Silva operate on the left in the same way Kev does on the right, and improve our unpredictability on the pitch as we can switch the play and be equally devastating from both sides of the pitch. The inclusion of Laporte to hit the long balls to Sterling/Kev/Walker increases this switching ability and it's clear why Kolarov was used in this position so often last season. However David and Kev will remain the two most important cogs in our midfield and for the biggest games will always start when 100%. Having Mendy providing with width on the left pushes Sane inside into the Centre Forward position.
Dinho, although seemingly a perpetual motion machine, will need a break at points over the next few years. I've slightly altered my position on Gundogan recently, initially thinking he wasn't able to play as a lone pivot for us but I think in playmaking terms he is behind David/Bernardo/Kev in the two CAM positions and has the energy and vision to play the Fern role more than adequately. I also think the signing of Laporte allows us to play 3 at the back in certain games and rest Dinho, with the pivot position being replaced by the middle Central Defender in a high line (notice they play virtually the same position anyway in our system, I actually think the biggest issue with a back three is that Dinho and Otamendi/Stones end up occupying the same position).
So I'll give two starting XIs. First our familiar 4-1-4-1/4-3-3/Whichever telephone number you want to attribute to the system:
-----------------Ederson----------------
Walker--Stones--Otamendi--Mendy
--------------Fernandinho-------------
Sterling----KDB---------David---Sane
------------------Aguero----------------
And when playing 3 at the back, something like:
--------------------Ederson--------------------
---------Stones--Kompany--Laporte--------
Walker---------------------------------Mendy
----------KDB---Gundogan---Bernardo-----
------------Sterling------Jesus---------------
All our players are tactically astute, gifted and suited to either of the two formations, allowing for their own particular skillsets in particular games. Delph has done magnificently and I think is more than capable of contributing in the Centre of Midfield as well as at LB, but Mendy really has been a huge, huge miss for us this season.
With Mendy on the pitch, I think we will see Silva operate on the left in the same way Kev does on the right, and improve our unpredictability on the pitch as we can switch the play and be equally devastating from both sides of the pitch. The inclusion of Laporte to hit the long balls to Sterling/Kev/Walker increases this switching ability and it's clear why Kolarov was used in this position so often last season. However David and Kev will remain the two most important cogs in our midfield and for the biggest games will always start when 100%. Having Mendy providing with width on the left pushes Sane inside into the Centre Forward position.
Dinho, although seemingly a perpetual motion machine, will need a break at points over the next few years. I've slightly altered my position on Gundogan recently, initially thinking he wasn't able to play as a lone pivot for us but I think in playmaking terms he is behind David/Bernardo/Kev in the two CAM positions and has the energy and vision to play the Fern role more than adequately. I also think the signing of Laporte allows us to play 3 at the back in certain games and rest Dinho, with the pivot position being replaced by the middle Central Defender in a high line (notice they play virtually the same position anyway in our system, I actually think the biggest issue with a back three is that Dinho and Otamendi/Stones end up occupying the same position).
So I'll give two starting XIs. First our familiar 4-1-4-1/4-3-3/Whichever telephone number you want to attribute to the system:
-----------------Ederson----------------
Walker--Stones--Otamendi--Mendy
--------------Fernandinho-------------
Sterling----KDB---------David---Sane
------------------Aguero----------------
And when playing 3 at the back, something like:
--------------------Ederson--------------------
---------Stones--Kompany--Laporte--------
Walker---------------------------------Mendy
----------KDB---Gundogan---Bernardo-----
------------Sterling------Jesus---------------
All our players are tactically astute, gifted and suited to either of the two formations, allowing for their own particular skillsets in particular games. Delph has done magnificently and I think is more than capable of contributing in the Centre of Midfield as well as at LB, but Mendy really has been a huge, huge miss for us this season.