https://x.com/extratimehd/status/1690080689817825281?s=46&t=jt3vJ-FZFfl5Y6GTPmQvWA Mendy doing Mendy things. What happened to him!?
Saw this online but you can see we could have quite a exciting and talented squad for this season (and the next decade). No less than you’d expect for what’s been spent but the squad size is a becoming a bit of a worry again. Fofana and Nkunku are missing from that lineup and then we also have Gallagher, Chalobah, CHO, Ziyech, Lukaku etc. to consider. We also have several promising players on loan that we’ve invested in and I’m sure some academy players we have high hopes for too: D. Fofana Gabriel Slonina Hall *Washington
I think we have a lot of players to create different formation variations depending on opposition, but I suspect this is the team we will likely be considered the "A Team". Sanchez James----Silva Colwill----Chilwell Lavia Caicedo--Enzo Olise--------Nkunku Jackson Broja, Mudryk, Madueke, Sterling, Carney, Ugochukwu, Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella Loan the Brazilian trio (Andrey, Angelo, Washington) to Strasbourg.
Apparently we see Olise as a central option (although he can play on the right). Personally, I’d also be surprised to see us move away from Pochettino’s favoured 4-2-3-1. I could see us playing that XI in certain games though. We might not get away with Silva in that team but if the fullbacks provide the width it allows Nkunku and *Olise to be more central.
The way I see it that midfield three (LFC) is far too promising to not introduce regularly. We'll likely see Enzo operate higher up alongside the attack. Maybe against bottom half opposition we can afford to play a CF behind the striker in a 4231. I don't know what we'll do, but optimistic for this season. Our midfield depth is reaching levels of the 2004-2008 era. Lots of variations we can play.
It’s not been a bad squad rebuild. Mendy > Sanchez Koulibaly > Colwill *Chalobah > Disasi Azpilicueta > Gusto Kante > Caicedo Kovacic > Lavia Jorginho > Enzo RLC > Santos *CHO > Madueke Pulisic > Mudryk Havertz > Nkunku Mount > *Olise Aubameyang > Jackson
I mean this is what he was promised when they discussed terms I'd imagine. Plenty of game time with James's dodgy hamstrings.
I'm more concerned as to why surgery hasn't been considered as an option yet. I reckon its the same hamstring.
Misses only 4 games I believe given its crunched in between two international breaks. Poch needs to learn to be more adaptable.
Having both Caicedo and Lavia up to speed and match fit will hopefully give Poch a few more options. Given Caicedo’s performance on Sunday you can see why MC might have been a bit hesitate to throw him in alongside Gallagher and push Enzo further forward. Personally, I think Maatsen would have been a safer bet than Mudryk to bring on for Chukwuemeka but there’s a chance we’re looking to move him on this window so maybe avoiding using him?
