I am still wondering what was the tactical plan last summer with the bids of Bellingham, Rice, Paqueta one of them actually lands here. (instead of Nunes panic buy who did have no effect on us tactically neither him having any serious game time while the other 3 names would have been built into the first 11 pretty much after a 80m-100m+ fee spent rather than struck on bench like Nunes )
only Wharton and Guimaraes can be compared to those kind of plans with Wharton being quite off that level yet with some good potential tho.
chances are we see Bernardo playing a lot more centrally and deeper this season rather than out wide while we will be much more quicker and aggressive on the wings, maybe less off the ball control on the wing with Grealish-Bernardo turning back and recycle 9 out of 10 times, but more of trying to beat defenders and punish them put in crosses, take shots from edge of the box try to get Haaland into chances not by only KDB etc.
with a younger wing department Bobb, Savio, Doku pressing should be easier, even Grealish looked fit and more aggressive in few pre season games, albeit hard to do proper press with Haaland and KDB but can be done if done cleverly with Foden as well.
still I am wondering if when we bid for Rice and actually landed him last summer, how it would have changed our formation, play as in he would have been a starter alongside or even ahead-behind of Rodri. that could have changed the defence setup as well as a midfield duo like that allows a lot of things (Rice to stay deeper even step back into defence line allow us a 3 man defence regularly with Gvardiol-Ake as LCB and give us a man advantage other position)
these ideas are still there for Pep imo as in with Bruno, but he also woudnt come as a Rodri sub in case he is injured, he would come as an integral first 11 player.
