King Kante

Nah, 343 is by far and away our best formation if we want to get actual results. I know a 4atb has been a dream of many for years as our solution but the fact of the matters is that every time we have played it in the past 7-8 years now - for a significant amount of time - we have suffered as a result. 2015-16 - Finished 10th and were disjointed the whole season. 2018-19 - Couldn't control the midfield properly without resorting to sideways passing the entire time 2019-mid 2021 - Couldn't prevent counter attacks/deal with teams overrunning our midfield. Late 2022 - Now - Cannot create chances and barely win a game. Our problem is that 3atb is the only system that for the past 7-8 years has produced any consistency and I believe it has become ingrained. 4atb has cost Jose, Sarri and SFL there jobs and Potter looks next. We cannot keep saying that 4atb is failing because of the manager and not the system. Additionally, two of of most consistent players - James and Chilwell - thrive best as WB's and we have only looked good in the past three years when they, along with Kante, have been playing well. At this point, I really cannot see the logic in playing 4atb as it has failed again and again. Trev will just have to come in and replace Badman. For me the team should be: Kepa Trev Fofana KK James Enzo Kova Chilwell Felix Havetz Sterling Arguments can be had for RLC and MM/Ziyech for Kova and Sterling but I give the nod to those two simply because we need the European/big game experience, especially without Silva.

The owners really need to get a grip on this situation. It all looks a bit toxic atm. If this isn't sorted soon e.g. Potter being replaced, then this form will continue into next season.

We aren’t beating Dortmund with Potter.

He is out of his depth. No coherent strategy whatsoever.

Kai best position is the 10, so I don't think he is playing the CF role. I reckon it may be 4231 with Felix upfront. Also not discounting 433 with Kai in the 8 or 424 as you suggest. Although to be fair, 424/4231 can be fairly fluid.

Todd is going to look a right clown if we don't get Enzo and have sold Jorgi. Our CM will be very depleted.

Not getting the point of loaning Ziyech, unless there is a obligatory buy in the loan. I have to be honest and say, whilst I haven't ever really rated him, Potter has started to use him as he always should've been used and he is now getting a lot more time to whip his crosses in. Additionally, with our injury list, not sure we can afford to go down to such bare bones options in AM, especially as that kid from PSV is a perma-crock.

It doesn't really matter what he was worth 6-18 months ago. The thing is, he had suitors that were going to pay something similar; sure we may have gone higher but he was sought after. I mean, I remember when 'Arry was going to sell Bale for £5m one Summer at Spuds, then six months later he was worth £50m and 24 months later he went for £88m. That is just the way of things, sometimes players just explode. Felix and Benfica was another the season before he exploded, he wasn't spoken about. 12 months later, bam €120m. Personally, I haven't seen enough of the MM to say if he is worth it or not, but figures going crazy after a few months isn't out of the ordinary. As for the Summer, firstly TB was learning on the job. Secondly, we were in a real hole. Granny completely fecked up the AC/Rudiger situation and every Tom, Dick and Harry knew we were essentially straped down ready for a shafting. Could we have targeted better players, sure but I do imagine any CB discussions were difficult with other clubs. Additionally, this is probably were TT lost TB and didn't help enough. I did have doubts about KK in the PL but equally we were absolutely crying out for CB's. As for Cucu, City went to £50m didn't they? Additionally, he just had a good season in the league and people were largely thinking that, yeah, overpriced, but good quality and PL proven. For someone not knowing football much with the cash to hand, that one probably also made sense. Fofana the Jury is still out. We need to see if he can stay fit and what is performance levels are like. For me, there were clear issues in the Summer, which the board have tried to address in the mean time. However, at least they were proactive and put their money were their mouth is. Not many teams can say that about their owners.

This guy is definitely getting labeled Dave the Second.

Still think he may be better than Kepa.

As @Pizysays, it is a different with AM/CF's. In those positions you have to essentially be Mbappe or Häland levels to be appreciated; especially if you go for a high fee. Enzo is different, he'll get a lot more time and be able to settle without so much spotlight. The issue I see with Enzo is how he deals with the press and intensity in the PL. I do have concerns about that with him as whilst technically gifted, he'll have to process a lot quicker here and deal with the rough stuff. That is always difficult to judge a player on as to whether they can adapt to the PL; that said, I am not so worried about the rough stuff as typically Argies are massive sh*t housers, so I expect he is already used to that. Going back to Felix for a second however. I also feel AM were pretty much the worst move for him. DS's system really doesn't play to his strengths. I still feel when watching him that if he gets the right environment, he'll be a top player, if not quite a world class one.

Probably just like Sunderland til I die. Except instead of £1m, Todd starts with £10m and goes to £70m. Probably still ends up with him lamenting after his crazy last offer is accepted that he can no longer pay the pizza guy.

Let's just hope it isn't Paul Pogba's witch doctor. Last f*cker he put a voodoo curse on scored a hat trick in a world cup final and still lost.

Think the club is probably worried about our CL place. CM is an issue if we want to push for 4th. Cannot see them in this instance being happy to shell out the big bucks and then wait.

He seems to be surprisingly naive; even more so than SFL. He keeps changing things, with the impression that because he has a squad of good players they should be able to play any system better than most other teams with a consistent formation because they haven't got the same quality man to man. He really needs to calm down and focus on what is the best formation and who suits that best. His chopping and changing is causing mass confusion.

Do you go to games or watch him live? I ask as he was the only player today in the front three that moved off the ball to create space. This is also typical of most of his performances which is why he keeps playing whereas his stats show he shouldn't. This is the thing with Kai, he isn't a show reel player, he is rather a team player where he makes space for others. The problem we have had for the past two seasons is that he and Mount are the only players we can trust off the ball on a consistent basis (Kante is the other but he is always injured.) I am not saying Kai is great, in fact I think he is not going to develop as I hoped (I knew he needed to improve his finishing and his build up play; but this hasn't really developed) however, I find it quite boring how people say what does he do well. His strengths are quite clearly finding space and losing his marker to open up spaces. The problem however, is that the rest of the team cannot work in tandem with him and he hasn't improved his game outside of this.

Not as bad as feared. Obviously deverstating for him so I hope he is able to recover quickly and not dwell on the disappointment of missing out of the WC.

Looks a very promising player, but €100m, that is crazy.

If that is the case, that is his season over. Didn't Barkley do this prior to signing for us? If I remember correctly that was around 12 months.

Not sure he is physically able to do that. He has been playing a lot better but once teams start to bombard him with high balls, I fully expect to see old Kepa, just simply because their isn't much he can do about it as it is largely down to him being a small GK. As for the result, it all worked out for us. We can now play a reserve side in the next game which is great as we could do with the rest.

Well this also makes no sense if people are going off stats; Mount 3rd year: 53 games - 3782 minutes - 13 goals - 16 assists - goal involvement every (GI) 130 mins 2nd year: 54 games - 4242 minutes - 9 goals - 9 assets- GI every 235 minutes 1st year: 53 games - 3741 mins - 8 goals - 6 assists - GI every 267 minutes SFL 3rd year: 58 games - 5041 mins - 15 goals - 6 assists - GI every 240 mins 2nd year: 48 games - 4127 mins - 8 goals - 5 assists - GI every 317 mins 1st year: 53 games - 4483 mins - 7 goals - 2 assists - GI every 489 mins So, every season Mount has been here is has significantly outperformed SFL in terms of year for year (their first three years) stats. In addition, SFL started to take pens in the latter part of his third season whereas Mount I think has only had the peno against Norwich last year. Certainly from the 4th season SFL became the no.1 penalty taker, so that will need to be considered moving forward. Furthemore, Mount is 2.5 years younger than SFL was when he came into the team, so SFL was already more developed and had more experience of the PL from West Ham. Additionally, Mount has had to also adapt to playing in the CL straight away whereas SFL didn't do this until the latter part of his mid-20's (he only started playing CL in his 4th season here.) For me, the SFL comparisons are a good one, but not in terms of stats and contribution as the stats and the eye test show he is performing better overall than SFL was in his first three seasons. People also forget that a lot of people where complaining that SFL at Chelsea was overpriced and overrated until Jose rocked up. The real comparison here is how football fans in England don't particularly like educated players who come from what the deem middle class backgrounds. This was seen with SFL and the supposed 'nepotism' he recieved from Ol' Arry and his Dad at West Ham; and the comments about how he attended a private school and had a Latin GCSE. Another example of this is Bamford who has had difficulties with fans and coaches because he is quite middle class (probably more so than both SFL and Mount.)

I think Potter may have heard me, only missed Cucu over Chilwell. Line up has to be 442, no?

Can see him at Villa. They're good sized club and spend decent money. Poch, I think, is best in that sort of environment.

I am really not very sold on Nkunku, he screams to me another Budesliga attacker that does well over their because of the space he is afforded like Werner, Sancho, Kai etc. Kvaratskhelia looks more like someone who would adapt quickly in the PL.

Yeah, I am the same. Doing a bit more thinking about this game, our injuries and Silva's game management, I would be against going to a back four and trying to hustle them in CM. For me, Jorgi is going to be quite important in this one as he is our best CM at drawing in the press then quickly bypassing it with a short pass. I would actually be tempted in this game to go 442 (diamond.) As it will give us the best option to try and take control of CM as well as put on our most athletic players in their positions. I wouldn't be against, something like this: Kepa Dave Trev KK Chilwell Jorgi RLC Gallagher Mount Kai Broja Arguments could be had for Kova over Gallagher and Puli for either Kai or Broja. If it doesn't work then we could bring of Auba and Sterling/Puli for Broja and Kai and go 433.