Rousseau

I'm enjoying the IRE-ENG game. Rice and Grealish have both scored after being booed at every touch. This pleases me.

I don't know if this is reputable or not:

Has Lowry not been told he can leave?

He is playing his assigned role: it's called an inverted fullback, like Zinchenko, Timber, Gvardiol, Walker... Greg f*cking Taylor! Do you even watch football? (The benefits of the role and whether Tavernier can do it - I think not - is up for debate.) My original point, again: formations - especially those derived from a team sheet - are mostly irrelevant.

I agree. And it was his first season. He has started this one much more clinical. I could see where the criticism was coming from last season, but there's really no reason to criticise him this season. He is doing his job.

I fully agree with your point, but Dessers scored 16 league goals last season. I think the criticism comes from his wastefulness: 16 goals from an xG of 19. He was wasteful. But, he has been clinical this season: 3 goals from an xG of 3.1. Superb. If he keeps close to that even the haters will fall in line. Dessers is not one of our main issues.

We're more fluid than what you're describing. Tavernier has been inverting for a while: Auxiliary wingers? In phases, sure. In phases they're not. 'That our DMs are primarily defence-minded players is' incorrect. I posted a pass network a few weeks ago showing Diomande - despite playing as part of a '2' on paper - was pushed forward, playing as an #8. He even plays as a #10 at times. Lawrence -who hasn't got a defensive bone in his body - has played as part of a double pivot. So, it's not 'how we line up in terms of playing personnel'. Tavernier is a RB playing as a DM; Barron is a DM dropping in to play as a CB in build-up; Diomande is a DM that pushes forward. Our #10 presses forward without the ball. (Not all at the same time, of course.) The 4-2-3-1 is only used on paper. The game is more fluid than that. Hence my original point: formations are mostly irrelevant.

If you think we line up in a flat 4-2-3-1 on the pitch, then you need to go to Specsavers - or the German equivalent.

You're getting sucked into the idea that one formation equals one way of playing, which isn't true: at times we've defended in a 4-4-2 and attacked in a 3-2-5, despite it always being a 4-2-3-1 on paper - hence my original point: formations are mostly irrelevant. For me, they are only useful in reference to game state. I have always said we're lacking quality players.

I don't know what your point is.

Arguably worse, but it's only been 4 league games. We conceded 0.84 goals per game last season, we're conceding 1 goal per game this season. (Only league data, as that's all I have at hand.)

I don't disagree with your point - we need more from our wingers. The main difference is contributions from midfield, for me:

Did you know our front three have contributed the same number of goals and assists as their front three? I found that interesting when I saw it.

That's not true. Our recent managers have been one-trick ponies, though. I do believe Clement is more flexible. That doesn't mean he'll be successful, though.

Formations are irrelevant. The game is fluid. We've played a 4 in build-up, we've played a 3 in build-up. We've played with a single 10, we've played with two 8s. We've played wingers wide, we've played them as inside forwards. Our fullbacks have overlapped and inverted. Even if you just mean against them, we've also tried different things. The 4-4-2 mid block in the SC final was probably the best. But, that's just in defence. We just don't have the quality to take our chances or cut out defensive mistakes. We can only let PC cook and give the players the time to get used to the automatisms.

Are you in the Gersnet FPL league? Code: nhvz77 https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/nhvz77

Lost ground at the top despite captaining Haaland...

I agree. I think Propper will be a threat - he has scored 5 headed goals for Twente last few seasons.

Won 4/5 ground duels, got joint most shots off in the whole game, had the third highest xG in the whole game (behind the two Japs), and created the second most chances. And, he only had 45 minutes (and 5 minutes of the first).

You're obsessed with aerial duels! Nothing wrong with that. What stands out is they didn't actually challenge aerially at all. The back four and midfield three had one aerial challenge each, winning none. Propper won his single aerial duel. Souttar was the exception winning 3 of 5. (Dessers won 0 of 4!) I think Barron is more of a metronome: a lot of touches, a lot of accurate passes, both long a short. His passing stats are around the highest in the league. He's also quite high in interceptions. Reminds me of Jack a little.

What are your thoughts, folks?

Only that some PR nous is something Gillespie could possibly bring to the table. I don't really know, though. I didn't say it was an issue - although it has been mentioned before by fans, iirc.

Your priorities are spot on.

I didn't say it was.