Flanders

Yep - Jurgen seems to have changed tact from three industrious midfielders letting the full backs and forward do their thing. Perhaps the full back game we had was busted so it's more defensive from them and more attack from the middle? Exciting times to see how it works.

He’s at least better than our other defensive midfielder, so a step in the right direction.

We were just used by Chelsea to ratchet the prices up so they can crack £1B.

but of course, they aren't state owned. No sir.

On that note: Alisson Gomez Konate Virgil Trent Szoboszlai Mac Allister Robertson Salah Gakpo Diaz

I was amazing at that game - what days!

Amazing is probably stretching it a bit. That would be an apt description of the attack we had 3 years ago. It's good but not amazing enough to need 4 of them on the pitch at the same time again, let alone all 5!

Yes, massive risk but he was/is decent. If Bajcetic and Thiago have stellar seasons as a start and end to their careers, then someone like Phillips would be a good addition. I'm an optimist and imaging Thiago having his best ever season this year - very few better players if he can manage one final swansong! Ha! Yeah, i know but desperate times! Sadly not. We are going to sit back and watch us make this 3 box 3 thing work by the looks of it. It'll be fantastic or abysmal with no in between.

No one has mentioned Kalvin Phillips for a while. I guess if he wasn't at Man City we'd be considering him right now.

Can’t be too upset about Lavia. If someone told me a few weeks ago we’d be replacing Fabinho with a 19 year old, I’d have thought it was another joke.

No, he’s forgotten more about football than I’ll know and he knows what he is doing. However, he hasn’t been given the players to utilize this formation he is keen on, so unfortunately we need to work around it. I must admit, I don’t have much confidence in the Trent thing with the current players around him.

Klopp isn’t going anywhere. He’s got a challenge that starts now. Whilst he’s got to sign a DM, he could also work out a formation that isn’t so dependent on one.

And they will sign someone. If Jurgen was backed like this we’d be challenging for everything.

It seems so simple for it to be Trent with then either a back three or another right back bought in. This new formation looks like every player has to be on it 100% and, ideally, slightly telepathic to make it work. Always going to be holes so need to take every chance we get. Its almost a fantasy imo

A dearth of other options i suppose?

You are putting a lot onto Lavia there to suggest he was the difference between us winning and drawing away to Chelsea. I gather he is a huge prospect but is he a specialized 6 yet with all that is involved in that position now for our side? Doubt it.

It’s a shame to see Robertsons drop off from arguably the best left back in the World. He seems to be sacrificed for this new formation. I actually thought Chelseas formation suited our best players, although we would need the assurance of another Centre back.

We really do need both. Go back to a solid base, Back four and 2 sitting and stop f***ing about with the system Man City make work.

We just need to hold on until we make our changes….

Hopefully Jones for Jota 2nd half

Riding our luck now. I hope we replace players quicker in matches when they clearly play below par.

Szoboszlai looks a player.

Corker!

All the cheaters will make the victories sweeter and, if we don’t win, we have an excuse. we can’t lose, sort of.

Could be a back 3?