mrbelfry
Well-Known Member
Don't think Alvarez will start much unless his first touch improves a whole lot. Looks like everything is going to be compressed and we are looking at players who can play in the tightest of spaces. Alvarez's first touch is among the worst in the team and his short passing is also not great.
That's why we are going for powerful players who can receive the ball in a tight space and hold off or push past the defender (like everyone used to run through Rodri in his first year). If that first burst is successful then I expect it'll go up to Haaland quicker than this year otherwise it'll get the usual Pep recycle across the front with Rice or Rodri doing what Stones was doing this year with Rice ready to race back into defence should we lose the ball (picture Grealish against Salah).
That's why I'm also not expecting a fast pacy winger. They'd almost be a waste. Pep 4.0 is going to be unbelievably solid with a lot of vertical runners coming backwards on transition (I think Jose Chelsea has the least goals conceded in a season and I expect we will be challenging that). All these ball players at the back are there for how compressed it's going to be - they'll need to be the playmakers almost when everything is in the opposition third.
Then I expect lots of intricacy around the penalty area to find quick darting runs into the box to either create a shooting opportunity or a pull back to the edge of the box for a Rodri pass into the box. We used to be masters of the tap in but I'm expecting the Rodri goal against Inter to be the typical city goal next year. That or a Haaland madness.
The wingers and dribblers will be used to push the defensive line back rather than break it. Then they'll either try and find something short for Haaland's quick movement and power or pull it back into the space on the edge of the box.
That's what I think anyway
That's why we are going for powerful players who can receive the ball in a tight space and hold off or push past the defender (like everyone used to run through Rodri in his first year). If that first burst is successful then I expect it'll go up to Haaland quicker than this year otherwise it'll get the usual Pep recycle across the front with Rice or Rodri doing what Stones was doing this year with Rice ready to race back into defence should we lose the ball (picture Grealish against Salah).
That's why I'm also not expecting a fast pacy winger. They'd almost be a waste. Pep 4.0 is going to be unbelievably solid with a lot of vertical runners coming backwards on transition (I think Jose Chelsea has the least goals conceded in a season and I expect we will be challenging that). All these ball players at the back are there for how compressed it's going to be - they'll need to be the playmakers almost when everything is in the opposition third.
Then I expect lots of intricacy around the penalty area to find quick darting runs into the box to either create a shooting opportunity or a pull back to the edge of the box for a Rodri pass into the box. We used to be masters of the tap in but I'm expecting the Rodri goal against Inter to be the typical city goal next year. That or a Haaland madness.
The wingers and dribblers will be used to push the defensive line back rather than break it. Then they'll either try and find something short for Haaland's quick movement and power or pull it back into the space on the edge of the box.
That's what I think anyway