I’m a big Kun fan, and have never liked Pep’s under appreciation for the importance of a strikers instinct to hit the target, but the way we are playing at the moment is probably THE BEST I have ever seen us play, and it’s all about the system.
It’s easy to say that he’d replace a midfielder and play up top to finish off the chances in the six yard box - but in doing this we’d lose that extra man in midfield that has allowed us to be so powerful, that has allowed Gundogan the extra freedom to burst forward (because he knows there are still 5 other midfielders there).
People might also think that Kun could fit into midfield like Jesus did yesterday, rather than being up top - but Kun really isn’t that player, he isn’t built for 90 minutes of that, he doesn’t have the energy for that much running and it isn’t his strength.
On a different point, just because it’s such a turn on for me... do we agree that our defence has been sitting deeper? Allowing less chance for teams to get behind us? Pressing someone who’s comfortable on the ball a bit less and sitting back, rather waiting for those key moments when the ball is being received and they’re more vulnerable
Below shows our defences heat map in key matches this season and last, and to me it does confirm that we are sitting deeper to deal with this problem. It actually makes me think that PEP HAS CHANGED/TWEAKED HIS PHILOSOPHY!!! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.
It’s easy to say that he’d replace a midfielder and play up top to finish off the chances in the six yard box - but in doing this we’d lose that extra man in midfield that has allowed us to be so powerful, that has allowed Gundogan the extra freedom to burst forward (because he knows there are still 5 other midfielders there).
People might also think that Kun could fit into midfield like Jesus did yesterday, rather than being up top - but Kun really isn’t that player, he isn’t built for 90 minutes of that, he doesn’t have the energy for that much running and it isn’t his strength.
On a different point, just because it’s such a turn on for me... do we agree that our defence has been sitting deeper? Allowing less chance for teams to get behind us? Pressing someone who’s comfortable on the ball a bit less and sitting back, rather waiting for those key moments when the ball is being received and they’re more vulnerable
Below shows our defences heat map in key matches this season and last, and to me it does confirm that we are sitting deeper to deal with this problem. It actually makes me think that PEP HAS CHANGED/TWEAKED HIS PHILOSOPHY!!! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.