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Roberto De Zerbi *OFFICIAL*

Bishop said:
Id be concerned that this team id used long term would still struggle for incision. It would be quite reliant on the wide players both creating the play and finishing the chances.

Obviously with what we have available needs must, but that lineup I think still missing something and would be quite blunt in practise save for a moment of brilliance from either Marmoush or Savio.
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I think Fernandes is more creative than you have seen so far.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
You can call the formation what you want but that 10 role doesn’t work in a 4-3-3 where the 3 are all CMs
That set up is what Liverpool used to excel but I can’t think of another team that has
If we want to play like that then we have to accept the midfield role is leg work not creativity and hope the attack create something
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Saudi Sportswashing Machine with Guimaraes, Tonali and Joelinton. Many pundits (for what their opinions are worth) commented on them having the best midfield three in the PL and none are a creative #10.

It can work, especially now while we work on getting our real #10s back to full fitness. We have the wingers who play with chalk on their boots to fit the system, and it offers us the bodies to not get overrun in the middle of the park.
 
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Ace Face said:
Saudi Sportswashing Machine with Guimaraes, Tonali and Joelinton. Many pundits (for what their opinions are worth) commented on them having the best midfield three in the PL and none are a creative #10.

It can work, especially now while we work on getting our real #10s back to full fitness. We have the wingers who play with chalk on their boots to fit the system, and it offers us the bodies to not get overrun in the middle of the park.
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I said excel
By that I mean have a real impact
Saudi Sportswashing Machine had one decent season then a bad one … not for me a good example
The wingers we have are not goal scorers
And the current starting 9 is not a CF
We have lost our top 3 scorers from last season and not addressed that issue
 
Bedfordspurs said:
I said excel
By that I mean have a real impact
Saudi Sportswashing Machine had one decent season then a bad one … not for me a good example
The wingers we have are not goal scorers
And the current starting 9 is not a CF
We have lost our top 3 scorers from last season and not addressed that issue
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There is a reliance on the two #8s chipping in with 5-8 goals each in that system for sure.

But if our top 3 scorers last season included a CB and loanee DM plus the fact we don’t have a fit #10 currently, what are our options?

It all needs time to come together, as it did at BHA under RDZ. I enjoy your posts and discussions on the game and our club but I would ask you give the team another 3-4 games before we truly know how it’s going to work.

RDZ has a strong record of delivering attractive, Tottenham-style football with teams punching above their weight. I’m going to enjoy the journey even though I’m not sure what the destination looks like yet stylistically. Yes we are far from the finished product but as long as I keep seeing progress week-in and week-out I’ll be happy.
 
Ace Face said:
There is a reliance on the two #8s chipping in with 5-8 goals each in that system for sure.

But if our top 3 scorers last season included a CB and loanee DM plus the fact we don’t have a fit #10 currently, what are our options?

It all needs time to come together, as it did at BHA under RDZ. I enjoy your posts and discussions on the game and our club but I would ask you give the team another 3-4 games before we truly know how it’s going to work.

RDZ has a strong record of delivering attractive, Tottenham-style football with teams punching above their weight. I’m going to enjoy the journey even though I’m not sure what the destination looks like yet stylistically. Yes we are far from the finished product but as long as I keep seeing progress week-in and week-out I’ll be happy.
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I’m here for the journey
But I think it’s right to highlight that even last year, when we were better under him it was because he had at least one player in attack who occupied the CBs… genuinely kept them neutered
We have had 3 leagues game in which we have dropped points and not scored
IMO That is because he is playing a side with no risks in the set up and no one dealing with the CBs who have all had a free reign
That is worrying and I don’t think it’s going to improve dramatically because we’re not playing people who score goals
Now playing a genuine CF with maybe Marmoush at 10 (how he played at Frankfurt) would be imo well worth seeing
And if they can’t all finish a game that’s fine
 
Bedfordspurs said:
I’m here for the journey
But I think it’s right to highlight that even last year, when we were better under him it was because he had at least one player on attack who occupied the CBs
We have had 3 leagues game in which we have dropped points and not scored
IMO That is because he is playing a side with no risks in the set up
That is worrying and I don’t think it’s going to improve dramatically because we’re not playing people who score goals
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I’m still to be convinced that we have people who are capable of scoring more than the odd goal.
 
Mikey10 said:
I’m still to be convinced that we have people who are capable of scoring than the odd goal.
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We don’t have players with any scoring record
That’s is alarming
And I don’t see how playing RDZ football is going to change that without at least having a few players on the pitch who have scored double figures once or twice
Goals are the hardest thing in football to get
 
robp135 said:
And who plays as your #10?
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I’d be playing Marmoush 10 behind Solanke
Savio left, Kudus right
And as he will need to make subs at 60 minutes as is they current way, and assuming we have actually scored so could be ahead with space to go at you can play with tel, maybe stiffen up midfield and push Marmoush forward and bring in Gallagher as a workhorse
You can also go 4-3-3 and be bland but potentially effective
The issue is, right now we do not look like scoring
We have had some scrappy chances from corners
We also had the cross that Porro missed hit but got a shot away from vs Saudi Sportswashing Machine
We’re not really working the keeper because all the football is too far away from their goal and it’s not because we dint have capable players it’s because the system is designed for control… control doesn’t score goals
 
Bedfordspurs said:
I’d be playing Marmoush 10 behind Solanke
Savio left, Kudus right
And as he will need to make subs at 60 minutes as is they current way, and assuming we have actually scored so could be ahead with space to go at you can play with tel, maybe stiffen up midfield and push Marmoush forward and bring in Gallagher as a workhorse
You can also go 4-3-3 and be bland but potentially effective
The issue is, right now we do not look like scoring
We have had some scrappy chances from corners
We also had the cross that Porro missed hit but got a shot away from vs Saudi Sportswashing Machine
We’re not really working the keeper because all the football is too far away from their goal and it’s not because we dint have capable players it’s because the system is designed for control… control doesn’t score goals
Click to expand...

I do think your front 4 is the right one for now. We have to pick Solanke to lead the line and the other 3 pick themselves. As people have said though, Bentancur is first name on the team sheet so when you take Solanke off and push Marmoush forward then you could use Fernandez instead of Gallagher.

I'm just glad we were able to rotate 8 attackers in the last game over the 95 mins. I've not seen that for a very long time. Throw in Madds and Kulu and it gets even stronger.

What we really need to look out for is which of our forwards aren't putting in the defensive shift.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
I’d be playing Marmoush 10 behind Solanke
Savio left, Kudus right
And as he will need to make subs at 60 minutes as is they current way, and assuming we have actually scored so could be ahead with space to go at you can play with tel, maybe stiffen up midfield and push Marmoush forward and bring in Gallagher as a workhorse
You can also go 4-3-3 and be bland but potentially effective
The issue is, right now we do not look like scoring
We have had some scrappy chances from corners
We also had the cross that Porro missed hit but got a shot away from vs Saudi Sportswashing Machine
We’re not really working the keeper because all the football is too far away from their goal and it’s not because we dint have capable players it’s because the system is designed for control… control doesn’t score goals
Click to expand...

So you are dropping Tonali?
 
For me, the starting 11 right now should be

Kinsky
Porro VH VdV Udogie
Tonali Fernandes
Kudus Marmoush Savio
Solanke

I want a better striker personally (don't we all) and honestly, if we had an Osimhen instead of Solanke we'd likely be scoring for fun. But it isn't, and we've burnt the ties with Richy, so Solanke it is.
I appreciate what RDZ wanted from Gallagher at the weekend, but for me, we need to impress ourselves on others so we really need to be playing Tonali and Fernandes. I think Rodrigo has been immense for us recently, I relly do, but we have to see how Tonali and Fernandes can pair up in a deeper pivot.

The two players who would make a huge difference to all this if they come back fit, are Deki and Xavi. I think either allows us to play Marmoush as a 'striker' and put Dom on the bench.

But I am currently working on huge hopium that we have 12-15 goals out of at least two of our attacking unit, as well as others chipping in. Right now, that does not seem wholly possible to predict...
 
thfcsteff said:
For me, the starting 11 right now should be

Kinsky
Porro VH VdV Udogie
Tonali Fernandes
Kudus Marmoush Savio
Solanke

I want a better striker personally (don't we all) and honestly, if we had an Osimhen instead of Solanke we'd likely be scoring for fun. But it isn't, and we've burnt the ties with Richy, so Solanke it is.
I appreciate what RDZ wanted from Gallagher at the weekend, but for me, we need to impress ourselves on others so we really need to be playing Tonali and Fernandes. I think Rodrigo has been immense for us recently, I relly do, but we have to see how Tonali and Fernandes can pair up in a deeper pivot.

The two players who would make a huge difference to all this if they come back fit, are Deki and Xavi. I think either allows us to play Marmoush as a 'striker' and put Dom on the bench.

But I am currently working on huge hopium that we have 12-15 goals out of at least two of our attacking unit, as well as others chipping in. Right now, that does not seem wholly possible to predict...
Click to expand...

After the break maybe. But Kudus won’t be fit enough to start until then.
 
Mikey10 said:
I’m still to be convinced that we have people who are capable of scoring more than the odd goal.
Click to expand...
And IMO (although a small sample) we are not playing with anyone who can bring players into the danger areas in and around the box in numbers in order to be a constant threat. Although that does not seem to be the style RDZ wants or has played, seems to like his press bait and play almost as a counter attacking side
 
MartyFunkhouser said:
And IMO (although a small sample) we are not playing with anyone who can bring players into the danger areas in and around the box in numbers in order to be a constant threat. Although that does not seem to be the style RDZ wants or has played, seems to like his press bait and play almost as a counter attacking side
Click to expand...
We have ball players not creators
It’s a style without substance at the moment
And I don’t think (for many reasons) we’re seeing the best of anyone
 
MartyFunkhouser said:
And IMO (although a small sample) we are not playing with anyone who can bring players into the danger areas in and around the box in numbers in order to be a constant threat. Although that does not seem to be the style RDZ wants or has played, seems to like his press bait and play almost as a counter attacking side
Click to expand...
I agree that we aren't playing with anyone who does what you describe but I think that's mainly a function all of those players we have of that type being unavailable. I do think all of Kulu, Maddison and Simons would do exactly this albeit in different ways and that is what we are lacking as a complete currently.

That's not to say that all will be well and perfect if one of them was available but I do think it hampers our football significantly. The midfield in terms of controlling works reasonably well but it lacks that connective element with the attack.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
We have ball players not creators
It’s a style without substance at the moment
And I don’t think (for many reasons) we’re seeing the best of anyone
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I think that's fair, we don't really have creators. Savio can be if he's on the left but he alone isn't enough. Fernandes can contribute as well to this but again i wouldn't think it fair to put all the creation on his shoulders.

Ideally, Savio on the left, Fernandes in one of the CM berths + one of Kulu/Maddison in the middle (Simons as well in the long term) is a good mix of creation and ball playing. When we are Ble to out our a team something close to that then I think we will be very close to what De Zerbi is actually trying to achieve.

I do think that's why ending up missing out on Ndiaye was so costly. He could have covered the No 10 role for now whilst we wait for Kulu or Maddison to return.
 
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