Since Spurs when he needed a group huddle between him and his coaching staff to decide how to changed the half back in our favour after Spurs dropped Eriksen deeper.
So, your argument is that he shouldn't consult his team? What's the point in having one? Is Pep also winging it for constantly discussing with his assistants during matches?
Changed the formation from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1. Granted he said if he didn’t get a midfielder in the summer he had formations to adapt. I take it that was it.
We only used 4-3-3 to ensure stability in midfield for a limited period of time. He played 4-2-3-1 in Molde too. The fact that we are after a midfielder doesn't change that at all. It's called improving on what you already have.
He then brought Bruno who is really an 8 but kept the formation the same even when Pogba returned. Granted it was working but I hardly think he’s going to change back does anyone else?
Bruno is a very good player, able to play as an 8, as well as a 10. We have a very good 8 in Pogba and thus are utilizing him (to an astonishing effect, I must add) as a 10. And you have a problem with that?
Can’t make in game changes to positive effect. He pretty much didn’t use his squad all lock down. We went from maybe Pogba will have to fight his way back into the team to his unstoppable?
Are you for real? Pogba came in as a sub (and changed the game completely) against Spurs, performed well and then became a starter. Would you rather keep him on the bench longer, regardless if he plays well? And if so, why?
James was overused then totally underused.. I’m sure subs are allowed to get more than 5-10 mins sub appearance.
James was overused because the alternatives were worse. Then he was underused because the new alternative (Greenwood) in the new setup (Bruno, Pogba, Martial and Rashford) worked better. That's called being a good manager. When you adapt to make the team stronger and win more games.
He need a striker. Did he? We haven’t used Ighalo to any effect really. The only time he used him effectively was against City when he came on to relieve pressure. This has then never been used once since lockdown.
Ighalo played when we needed him to (when Rashford was injured). Since the restart Martial and Rashford have both been in very good and productive form. Why change that? The games we had to play were extremely important and our system depended on the quick interplay between the front 4. Making changes just for the sake of it wouldn't have helped.
Transfers. All good relatively speaking. But what was the plan? Just buy good players? Maguire and Lindelöf are basically the same player. AWB can’t attack even though we are supposed to be playing attacking football. Bruno again he’s an 8 playing a 10. I don’t think that’s what we was thinking when we let Herrera go. Or are we still looking to replace Herrera? James, not very good. But at the same time overused. So if you was going to use your gamble signing a lot maybe get someone like Saint Maximum for the same money.
Just buy good players? Instead buy worse players? Is that the plan? AWB has been on an upward trajectory all season, taking almost full control of our right wing in defense and contributing a lot in attack as well. He will never have TAA numbers, that's for sure, but he doesn't need to because we play in a different system, with two main creators in the middle and 4 goal threats up front. Not relying on our fullbacks to do that.
Herrera went to PSG because A) He was approached too late, B) Asked for quite a lot of money, C) Asked for a long contract, and probably some other reasons we would never find out about.
James has been quite good for the money we spent on him and considering he is quite young. He has always been a development project and not the final product. He played so much in the first half of the season because the others (Mata, Lingard and Pereira) were worse than him. I'm certain the expectation before the season started was for them + Chong to play better and thus more.
Playing style. We pretty much play the same football Mourinho played except Ole talks positive and he’s wingers aren’t told to be full backs. But put us against a gold side. Like Jose we will sit back and soak up all the pressure.
If you are honestly saying that we play the same football as under Mourinho, I think your bias and prejudice have put you in a place where we would never find common ground. Every person who watched us play this season would tell you we are incredibly different, miles from where we were under Mourinho. The fact that we hit the better teams on the counter is something that SAF did as well. Were we playing the same football back then as under Mourinho?
