Rousseau

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[Bülent Uslu] Giovanni van Bronckhorst requested the Beşiktaş management to go for right-backs James Tavernier and Steven Berghuis. Not sure about the credibility of the source.

Beckenbauer was probably the quintessential libero. Yes, which is why I said that the position could be defensive or attacking.

Yes, but then it doesn't resemble the old style formation, which was the point of the post.

That all-round game has been coached out of modern players, because their roles are now specialised. Being supprime at one role will always trump those players that do a bit of everything.

Basically what you see today, but reversed: Man City play a 4-3-3 on paper, but in attack it morphs into a 3-2-5. What you're describing is a modern #8. Your imaginary rectangles are virtually what is called the half-space today - with the exception that it doesn't go to the touchline and leaves a central channel, too. Yet a #8 will be expected to cover those areas regardless.

The only thing I'd disagree with is the Right-half as a modern Right-wingback. That's just incorrect; a wingback hugs the touchline.

OK - so in your conception it's more of a 3-2-5. (How Man City line up today.) It's pretty much the same, though. I still maintain that a Half-back is the equivalent of a central midfielder - who, as you say, can go wide, but are nominally central, like a #8 today.

Now you're talking! A regista is a #6 - Pirlo Trquartista is a #10 - Riquelme, Rui Costa, etc. Mezzala is an #8 - Gerrard, De Bruyne Libero is a sweeper, or CB with a free role; they can be defensive or attacking - obsolete now, but Koeman, Baresi?

He doesn't hug the touchline, though, does he? Off the top of my head: LW - Inside Left - ST - Inside Right - RW Left-half - Centre-Half (Half-back?) - Right-Half FB - FB In the modern game the Left-half would be central - the equivalent of an #8 - on paper at least. An Inside-left (or -right) would be an outside forward; like Salah and Mane.

You're mistaken.

A central midfielder. Compo wants a midfielder to take the ball off his CB, pass it into space for a winger to run onto, before the winger plays it back for the midfielder to smash it into the top corner from the edge of the box. That's it. On repeat. Compo forgets that this is very difficult when you're playing against 12 men camped inside their own box. Compo is also living in the 50s.

We paid £5m for a 28-year-old Dessers last season.

Playing an attacking fullback at wingback is hardly unusual. He has actually played left wing for the Greek club he was playing for.

Yes. I like him, but I don't think he fits with what Clement wants.

Jefte is an attacking left back. Poveda is a winger just released by Leeds. I quite like him. We're not linked with him - neither with Riedewald - but I quite like them as players, and they've been released.

Here's my first team: Cortes - Danilo - Poveda Jefte - Diomande - Alzate - Sterling Riedewald - McKenna - H. Souttar Butland Second string: Kabadayi - Dessers - McCausland Yilmaz - Raskin - Barron - Devine Galdames - Balogun - J. Souttar Kelly Championees!

This matches the stats: quick, likes to take on his man, but doesn't contribute much in the buildup with very few passes. I quite like the profile. I think that we could teach/coach the buildup stuff.

We're being linked with Steven Alzate again.

Those two numbers don't really tell you much. I believe they are in a really bad state financially?

Which numbers specifically caught your eye?

We're very picky for a team that has ... *Checks notes* ... Nae defenders.