Check
Active Member
That new deep lying playmaker only makes sense when we persist with 4231, as a Xhaka replacement.Agreed, his distribution from deep is great, its why I never got the clamour for a new "deep lying playmaker" like Bruno Guimares or Locatelli on the summer, especially when someone like Xhaka is still a about.
If we persist with 433, we need someone to play ahead of him with one of Ødegaard/ESR, that's a bit more solid defensively than those two imo.
However, I think we have to persist with 433 and I think Partey with Ødegaard and ESR is a midfield more than capable to compete offensively and defensively, especially in a few years when ESR and Ødegaard are fully developed. Key to making it work is the inverted full backs, just like City had when KDB and Silva were City's no. 8's. The inverted full backs give the no 8's the freedom to make overlapping runs into the box. That combo of Silva and Sane on that left hand side back then was amazing to watch. Would be nice if Saka and Ødegaard could build a partnership like that.