The only player still around from Mohamed Salah's Liverpool debut is Joe Gomez – so it feels weird that Gomez coming back into the side signals the end of Liverpool being Salah's team.
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Fittingly underappreciated
Granit Xhaka in that Sunderland team is a cheat code. It's up there with N'Golo Kante at Leicester, a world-class superstar making it look like it's 12v11 every week
10.30pm on Black Friday and I've not bought anything yet
On Tuchel moving away from Ancelottism and why Bellingham's "behaviour" should be encouraged, for FourFourTwo
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Why on earth is Samu no.3 for Spain? Strip them of the Euros, heathens
God I'm tired of the phrase "litmus test of your football knowedge". Fuck off, now
Facts not feelings, but only if it's a fact that they're interested in
This was never a problem in 2022/23 either, Arteta just reverted to a 3-5-2, who would sustain pressure until they scored. Arsenal have lost that somehow and if they can get it back, the natural inclination from opponents won't be to sit back, like they have they done for two or three years now.
Yesterday was the first time all season that Arsenal actually looked like carving open a deep block. They don't stretch opponents enough, there's not enough movement and it's too slow.
It was much better in that second half and the left-hand side offered more width.
Pep Guardiola didn't defend in a 5-4-1 low block out of respect to Arsenal. He did it because he didn't rate them.
City could have stayed in that shape for three hours and Arsenal would never have scored. Sure enough, the moment they pushed high and Martinelli had pitch to run into, Arsenal scored.
Do we need to have a conversation about Alonso picking up Pep's galaxy brain in big games gene?
Not a criticism, by the way, just didn't expect to see Camavinga pinning Robertson this season
June expectation: Xabi Alonso will make Real Madrid more structured
November reality: Fluid 3-5-2ish shape with Valverde in the first line, Camavinga as a right winger, Bellingham floating and Vinicius as outlet 50 yards north of most of his team-mates
Use of Trai Hume next to him has been outstanding, mind
Every club in the league would take Granit Xhaka, change my mind
Mauricio Pochettino is a flawed manager but god did he know how to manufacture an extra 10 yards of space for his players at his peak
If a bigger team does sign Iliman Ndiaye – and I hope they don't – it has to be someone like Newcastle. Like Grealish, he needs a manager who will platform him with transitional chaos.
Declan Rice is dropping into the backline in buildup for Arsenal more than ever, now that he has a midfield partner in Martin Zubimendi, capable of receiving in the block and cutting through mid-blocks
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Best goalkeeper in the world, Emi Martinez, up to his usual tricks
One of Liverpool's £100m players on the bench, the other benching their best attacker this season. Should've gone for a proper no.6
Riccardo Calafiori is Arsenal's best finisher. Weird
Why did they buy Marc Guiu and not Marc Guehi
Death, taxes and Chelsea in big games.
Like, the fact he always keeps Kluivert close to others, never exposes him to have to beat a man with a burst, he's just the to knit things and provide something unpredictable
Semenyo centre-forward arc needed. Like Ousmane Dembele with the ability to make it stick serially. Would have him in a heartbeat at Arsenal
Andoni Iraola is so good. System is good but his platforming of his players is world class, everyone profiled to perfection
Thanks to Tom and the @scoutedftbl.com team for asking me to vote in the #SCOUTED50. I tried to be as impartial as my heart would allow.
Galatasaray raised Slot by leaving Leroy Sane on the bench and holding Liverpool at arm's length. This is a superteam of discarded parts
I don't mean it in a mean way but could just totally picture Cody Gakpo at Galatasaray. He's a good player but like, maybe one day