
This is exactly it. Clearly our front three need a full upgrade (Saka aside maybe).
Against City Havertz will have to play up top. There is absolutely no point playing Gyokores in that game as City will play very deep with defenders that can easily mange his limited skill set.
He did. And we did compete for the title. In fact, we got closer then, against a good city side, than we will this season against a **** one. And we won more points than we will this season.
If we had played like that this season we would have won the league. There is nothing obtuse about it.
This....style....of....play....does....not.....wor k!
But you are treating the way teams play against us as a constant. They have adapted? previously we were afforded lots of space in the PL which is why players with limited technical ability excelled. Now we face the deepest block in the league every week.
This is also why we do so well in the CL now.
The only answer (and I really mean it) is elite talent in the final third. We have very much mid range talent there now. Which makes us unusual compared to our rivals.
It doesn't seem to me teams are playing deep anymore in fact they are high pressing and we don't have a clue what to do.
He will play. Unless he gets injured against Sporting.
And I expect Havertz will play behind him, lingering as the long ball outlet to help us bypass the City press. What Arteta doesn't know, and wont have prepared for, is that Pep will have a different plan for us this time.
Our inability, or lack of desire, to pass through a high press has been with us a while, Peter. If Arteta could have solved it this season, with these players, I think he would have.
It would surprise me if City do anything other than what they did at the start of the second half in the Caraboa Cup.
Minnd you, I have no intention of watching it![]()