Blue Roo
Player Valuation: £20m
Y, these things are at the centre of it. But you don't solve the problem by playing two of your best players away from their strengths.Maybe because he has Siggurdson at 10? Or because we don’t have a midfielder like Fernandinho who can ply the holding role by himself allowing this two floating attacking players, a system that only City have the quality to play in this league.
Until we can get a holding mid I'd be getting Gomes to play there.
Its not his natural position, not ideal, but for the moment, it allows the other to settle into a better balance.
Richarlison-----------------Tosun-------------------Lookman/Walcott
--------Sig-------------------Gomes------------------Bernard
I wasn't convinced at first but Sig and Bernard work their butts off, they'll do the work in the trenches.
Bernard going forward, working more inside, is much more effective, he's and outlet, a got to man who will give you the 4-5 secs on the ball in transition.
If you play Lookman on the wing, then it sets up Kenny or Coleman to do more effective overlapping than just relying on balls to Walcott in space.
With Bernard linking more with Gomes - they are used to switch the play, dictate play, get the side ticking - be the cover in transition.
It allows Sig the free role to come in to the box and do what he does best, with Digne filling the space.
Tosun will get goals and assists with that set up behind him.
The key to winning matches is Gomes staying disciplined and working intelligently with Bernard, Sig and the two CB - in covering and transitioning out of possession.
Then, when we get a proper holding mid, we have a good set of options in the squad. At the moment the selections are a bit out of kilter.
The above is risky and its certainly not Citeh, but it gives balance and purpose and will make them play together more.
There is a bereftness to some of the attacking play, they are far from linking confidently, its disjointed and one off linking, its highlighted by missed opportuities to play the square ball against ManU. Bernard with a differently mentality would have squared that ball all day long.
There is a bit of, see what I can do with the ball, rather than what we can do with the ball. The 3 man Sig-Gomes-Bernard midfield is worth giving a go.
	







