Our best 11 right now?

[Saddleworth2]

So I think last night was our best team. They looked so good from every aspect.

Ederson
Walker
Stones
Dias
Cancelo
Rodri
Bernardo
Gundogan
Foden
De Bruyne
Mahrez

Which of the remaining squad could play at present in that team without impacting its performance?
My view is that Zinchenko could if Walker dropped out and Cancelo moved across.
Laporte as full back rather than CB as I think there is now a drop in performance when you break the Stones/Dias cb pairing. Fern for Rodri ok although I think the level of control drops a little. Gabby for one of the forwards, probably Mahrez. You would lose his goalscoring ability but gain in energy and movement.

Which leaves the remainder of the senior squad where either for fitness or form reasons, I think we see a difference if they play. I guess the very difficult trick is to give them sufficient minutes to play themselves into contention. This applies particularly to Sterling, Kun, Torres and Ake

 

[BillyShears]

Best XI's don't exist IMO. Not when the squad is as strong and competitive as ours.

Structurally I think the players who are undroppable are Ederson, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, Rodri, KDB, Gundo. They are the controllers. Everyone else is moveable.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Pretending injuries aren't a thing and egos don't have to be managed, I'd be happy to see that lineup every single time.

That's our best keeper, best defence and best midfield this season with our best player at false nine and our most talented wingers out wide.

Form might end up changing some of that later down the line but right now every single one of them is incredible to watch. Even the last couple of league games when we've not looked our best, we end up just shifting up a gear or two and destroying the opposition.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Zinchenko ahead of Walker provides more balance and we also pass from the back better.
I'm also a little torn on Jesus' inclusion against some sides,but it would have to be at the expense of a midfielder.....thats why Pep earns the wedge.

I suspect if we get to the CL final,last nights team with the inclusion of Zinch,will be chosen.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Pretending injuries aren't a thing and egos don't have to be managed, I'd be happy to see that lineup every single time.

That's our best keeper, best defence and best midfield this season with our best player at false nine and our most talented wingers out wide.

Form might end up changing some of that later down the line but right now every single one of them is incredible to watch. Even the last couple of league games when we've not looked our best, we end up just shifting up a gear or two and destroying the opposition.

Agree. If we had a cup final at the weekend and it was the last game of the season then play the same 11.

But reality is you need 17 or 18 players on top form so you can rotate without a drop in standards. You also need to keep those on the fringes as happy as possible as you are managing the whole group. The best way you keep players happy is with game time.

You also have to manage with an eye on the short term and long term. In the short term a fully on form Aguero is needed, in the longer term we need Torres to play and you would want other young players coming through.

 

[hgblue]

Best XI's don't exist IMO. Not when the squad is as strong and competitive as ours.

Structurally I think the players who are undroppable are Ederson, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, Rodri, KDB, Gundo. They are the controllers. Everyone else is moveable.

Add Bernardo, Mahrez and Foden to your list and you have ten certain starters if we have a must win game. The only real debate is whether Walker or Zinchenko fills the other spot.

 

[BillyShears]

Add Bernardo, Mahrez and Foden to your list and you have ten certain starters if we have a must win game. The only real debate is whether Walker or Zinchenko fills the other spot.

Nope. Totally disagree. The players you’ve picked aren’t structural to the side and will be rotated based on form.

 

[Groke]

Best XI's don't exist IMO. Not when the squad is as strong and competitive as ours.

Structurally I think the players who are undroppable are Ederson, Stones, Dias, Cancelo, Rodri, KDB, Gundo. They are the controllers. Everyone else is moveable.

Bernardo is the key man for me

 

[hgblue]

Nope. Totally disagree. The players you’ve picked aren’t structural to the side and will be rotated based on form.

The players you’ve listed will also be rotated. When the cup finals come along the ten I mentioned will almost certainly start. Perfectly happy to wait and see who’s right about this because hopefully we have three cup finals to look forward to ;)

 

[BillyShears]

The players you’ve listed will also be rotated. When the cup finals come along the ten I mentioned will almost certainly start. Perfectly happy to wait and see who’s right about this because hopefully we have three cup finals to look forward to ;)

It’s not about right and wrong. We have never had a best XI. It’s IMO pointless to try and make out that the form side is “the best”. Think we’ll have to agree to disagree.

Also it’s worth checking Pep’s record in “big” games in terms of rotation. He isn’t picking the same team in each one.