Romano retweeted that too. ![]()
Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!
Nope, it would be 2nd in the greatest joke competition.
Suppose he can’t say they remind him of Stoke.
… … …consecutively for 3 years, at least.
We have more of an idea on who plays where now after 3 games (Provided Guehi and Isak are in). Assuming Gomez stays in along with Elliot
LB - Kerkez / Robertson / Gomez*
CB - VVD / Konate / Guehi / Leoni / Gomez*
RB - Bradley / Frimpong / Soboszlai / Gomez*
CDM - Gravenberch / Endo / Macallister / Bajcetic
CM - Jones / Macallister / Soboszlai / Elliot*
AM - Soboszlai / Wirtz / Chiesa / Elliot*
RW - Salah / Frimpong / Chiesa / Elliot*
ST - Isak / Ekitike / Chiesa / Danns
LW - Gakpo / Wirtz / Chiesa / Rio / Ekitike
Does seem that the squad is more or less sorted. Reasonable depth across all fields. This is assuming that Gomez stays this season. As bad as his injury problems are, He’s someone who can be used to plug the holes across defense. I don’t think he should be going this season. Even 10-12 matches by Gomez this season will help maintain the fitness of the team in general.
Much also depends on the formation that Slot uses. I don’t see us buying Wirtz / Isak and Ekitike for the money that we did and not use them as the preferred starting X1. Might give Slot a headache on how to add Salah there as well.
Some big decisions to be made on how Slot decides to adjust his tactics going on forward.
Mo to the bench, Isak and Hugo up top with Wirtz and midfield 3 behind. Back to the 2000s?
Part of me does believe that Mo is going to be offered to Saudis come next season.
I think we won’t be looking to do that. Mo strikes me as someone who will look to move on or retire once he feels he can’t meet the level he expects from himself - so any move to SA or elsewhere will be probably driven by his side.
For the first half of the season, with Isak having not had a proper pre-season, I could imagine him having minutes from the bench to help regain fitness with starts coming in the league cup or ‘easier’ CL games (if we have any).
It increasingly looks like we are planning for life beyond Mo. We won’t replace him like for like. But tactical changes. Almost all the other players in the frontline play in multiple positions. Except Mo. We seem to value versatility more now.
I would actually just go ahead and put Szobo’s name by every position - except maybe goalie. He feels like a player who will be in the lineup almost every week somehow some way.
Have to say I was dreading him at right back but no he’s proved me wrong, I’ll never doubt you again my love.
Soboszlai probably offers a quality option anywhere on the right side. Rightback , right midfield, rw.
His versatility offers us huge benefits.
I think it’s a fair comment about Mo, above. Obviously you have to tread carefully as he has been such a great player, and no doubt will do well for us this season.
But I think I am starting to see a bit of a changing of the guard. You never want to rush it, but the ingredients are coming together.
I see Mo doing well first half of the season, but AFCON might be a bit of a marker, for various reasons. By then the team will hopefully be playing well and will have a good rhythm, and Isak should be up to speed.
With Salah gone, I see us going two up top with Ekitike and Isak, Wirtz behind them at the point of a midfield diamond, Szobo right, Mac Allister left, Grav at the base.
That might be the best side we can put out, and if it emerges, there will of course be implications for Salah. He might play up top as one of the two, rotating with Isak and Ekitike, but I could see a scenario where he departs next summer, as we add Olise or possibly Rogers.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Mo is here, he is a brilliant player, he has a vital contribution to make right now, and I can’t wait to see it all unfold.
Up the reds!
That’s kind of you MH, but let’s keep this professional.
You’ve cancelled on me twice… ![]()
I mean we have literal just changed half the team in the last couple of months!
I’m slow to see it!