Team I’d like to see

comment by Franko Cantona (U22187)
posted 1 minute ago
Just watching City I think they must practice passing to each other in the week, I know probably tiresome but maybe we should try it ?
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you ain't from around here are you boy?

comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Franko Cantona (U22187)
posted 1 minute ago
Just watching City I think they must practice passing to each other in the week, I know probably tiresome but maybe we should try it ?
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you ain't from around here are you boy?
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Stupid idea I know, go out and kick that round thing lads isn’t often wrong

It’s not just as simple as changing a few players. Especially as the back four and cm’s aren’t in good form. Plus I don’t think the performances of the team are massively worse than a lot of what we’ve seen over the last couple of years, particularly last season. We’ve just been punished in these games. We had loads of games like Leicester, Everton and Villa last year that we won.

comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
It’s not just as simple as changing a few players. Especially as the back four and cm’s aren’t in good form. Plus I don’t think the performances of the team are massively worse than a lot of what we’ve seen over the last couple of years, particularly last season. We’ve just been punished in these games. We had loads of games like Leicester, Everton and Villa last year that we won.
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All true, but at least getting a bit of balance in the midfield and attack might help. The OP’s team does that (though I’d still have Cavani up top).

I think that balance can be overstated, particularly when the form of the individuals comes into it. Take Sancho, for example. Is it more balanced if he’s still ineffective? Same goes for Greenwood down the middle. McTominay has been awful this season as well.

I don’t think the solutions are as simple as making a few changes. People tend to assume that the line up is the problem.

comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 1 minute ago
I think that balance can be overstated, particularly when the form of the individuals comes into it. Take Sancho, for example. Is it more balanced if he’s still ineffective? Same goes for Greenwood down the middle. McTominay has been awful this season as well.

I don’t think the solutions are as simple as making a few changes. People tend to assume that the line up is the problem.
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Getting both Pogba and Bruno into our side does cause an issue though, and if either or both isn’t performing you sacrifice balance for nothing. I’d rather have McFred (I know they’ve been poor so far but they can at least be effective) and just one of Pogba and Bruno. You’re right that both personnel and coaching are still issues but they’re not ‘quick wins’, whereas getting a coherent XI could be.

Yeah but my point is that McTominay isn’t especially balanced if they aren’t playing well either. Plus much of it depends on opponents as well.

I think the bigger concern is Shaw and Maguire. Their form hasn’t been good enough, and I don’t think it’s down to what is in front of them, as they’ve proven they can perform in spite of the issues further up the pitch.

Sometimes you just need the players to ride out the poor form. Maguire did exactly this last season when there were calls to have him dropped. This will probably need to be the case with a number of other players as well (which isn’t to suggest we don’t make a few changes, we’ll need to rotate a bit regardless).

We could just borrow Griezmann for the weekend I guess.

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 29 minutes ago
We could just borrow Griezmann for the weekend I guess.
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Suspended

Nah:

AWB Varane Maguire Shaw

Fred (or Matic)

Ronaldo Bruno Pogba Martial (or Sancho)

Cavani

you don't leave your best players out, and a proper club doesn't play two defensive midfielders.