Post of the year right there!
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Interesting diamond tonight, although second half it seemed like we opened up a bit more and tried to press, go for the winner.
It crossed my mind when I saw our 19 players who travelled with Ngumoha being our only winger. But I didnāt think weād do it.
Inter though had two change their central CB and Calhanoglu and it was vital to have a player on him, we tried to block him before he went off.
Tonight, it was Mac Allister at the tip of it and I guess the reason why Szobo at RCM was to give protection on Gomezās side.
We put a good shift in, took part of the game from the opponent, sometimes off the ball, sometimes on the ball. Isak still clearly not fit enough, struggling to stay alive in possession or win fouls.
Itās game by game now, might not be the answer long term, but right now the focus must be on the short term anyway.
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I thought with the diamond we had very good control. If we can get Isak and Ekitike on the same page up top this can be lethal in my opinion. I wouldāve loved to have seen Flo on the pitch with both of them on. I thought Mac was poor again tonight.
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For me, Mac did a good job off the ball in the most advanced position of the diamond (usually youād imagine Szobo there rather than Mac, but I think Szobo was again needed to support on Gomezās side). The defensive aspect against Interās deep central players, in between Ekitike and Isak, was massively important. Weāll see what we do next, it could be different again, depending on the opponent.
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yep just said as much in the game threadā¦those three on the park wold have been very interesting.
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Mac still no closer to reaching the standards he set last season, if he isnāt playing with a knock/pain, which Iām not sure we can excuse him for, then what is the issue?
Yeah, he said recently that he feels physically totally fine and objectivelly nothing is blocking him from reaching his form. Which was a very fair and honest comment. I saw some improvement in some games, but itās clear that the last thing or alongside improving, is consistency.
I wonder if anything psychologically significant or troubling happened to him in the last 6 months. 
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Apparently Morton is cooking at Ligue 1 and his team is not doing too badly as well. Should consider him after Endo is moved on.
Btw, one can consider trying a midfield consisting of both Wirtz and Jones at the same time for a while.
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You mean other than Diogo passing away? Also he did suddenly lose a lot of fellow south americans as well (Diaz, Nunez)
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Lee Dixon was making a point on the US coverage after the game about the really testing times when youāre in a funk like this is once youāve got home. Back in the changing rooms some players will saying all the right things, some tensions will be relieved as players say hard truths to each other, but it all leaves you once you get home and are alone with your thoughts. Thatās where all the intangibles kick in. I donāt think itās reasonable to argue the form is directly related to the loss of a close group, but it is worth thinking about if those changes have removed an informal support structure that has made it harder to get out of the funk.
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We sold him thoughā¦or do we have a buyback clause I donāt know about?
Completely different league for intensity, I always liked him as a player but appeared to light weight.
But the again he performed in the Championship whic is far more physical in several aspects
Not sure if heād be dying to return here to be 4th option after he left being 5th option. And thatās only on paper, it could be 6th to 5th realistically (as Endo looks like our last CM option).
Doubt a return for Morton, but by the looks of it weāll probably have McConnell and Elliott back in the squad come January.
It will be interesting to see if we use the diamond again. Certainly seems that having the extra midfielder has helped the team be less leaky. Would really like to see Wirtz at the tip of the diamond. By his stats has been truly unlucky not to have far more goal involvements, and donāt think anyone genuinely doubts his class.
As mentioned on TIA, the 442 diamond could also offer a way back for Mo, if he wants it.
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Back to a more narrow 4-2-3-1 today. Off the ball a compact 4-4-1-1, on the ball Wirtz again having freedom to be more tucked in off his side than Szobo on his (so it can appeared as almost a Christmas tree 4-3-2-1). We kept Mac at #10, funny as itās a position he used to play a bit at Brighton also.
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Was interesting the switched we made in midfield yestereday.
When I realized Wirtz picked up an injury, I didnāt think Jones would go to RB, but keep Szobo there as that was probably what we worked on in days before the game.
But then I wondered whether weād have enough threat going forward, reminiscent of the Forest at home game (when we were without Szobo and switched to a 4-3-3 shape midfield, without a single #10 and started Isak ahead of Ekitike, that day we were disconnected through the centre and the only positives were Salah and Gakpo).
I did think weād likely switch Szobo and Jones by HT if things arenāt working, but I think we did it even before HT.
Then near the end of the game, Szobo played the right sided midfield pivot, Gravenberch left sided and Mac actually got pushed to the single #10 role.
If we use Szobo as one of the two pivots, Iād prefer him as the right sided one, compared to a few games at the start of the season when he was the left sided one.
Hopefully with Frimpong back in training this week and Gomez fit for a few weeks, we can have more options what to do in midfield and between the lines.
Salah and Gakpo donāt have to start in all games.
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The amount of criticism Macca gets compared to Gravenberch never fails to make me laugh.
Absolutely useless season from Ryan, Iām convinced he only gets the praise he does because heās tall. So poor on the ball and keeps turning away from it when somebody threatens to kick it at him. Awful stuff.
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No mention of his world class pivots?
Both have been poor and I do think recent results perhaps are more down to Wirtz improving with Dom continuing his fine form.
But itās not limited to CM