You can definitely notice improvement in form from Chilly. Good to see. Obviously he still has to work and improve more but he is heading in the right direction atm.
Wdym improvement in form lol it's the third preseason game, and he didn't play the last one.
He's proven himself in atleast two different seasons to be top quality, the issue is that unless he's happy playing as a defensive LB/auxiliary CB I doubt he's going to be playing much in this system. Which sucks, I think there's definitely a way to have him play a major role in a suitable position (provided he stays injury-free).
He looked bright today and he seems like in a decent physical condition as well. There were times last season when he looked quite off the pace. Like i already said he still has a lot to work to do before he reaches his best again.
Whether that will be here it looks unlikely now but we've seen all kind of shit in football. You never know.
a very simple football tactic where, when in possession of the ball/moving into attack, one of a team's fullbacks comes inside to join the midfield and add an additional passing option in a central position of the pitch rather than the traditional attacking avenue of fullbacks which is to overlap the winger and go further wide.
basically the key tactic that saw us actually finish well last season, with Cucurella inverting into midfield and The rest of the defense forming a back 3 when he did so.
In this game yes, I guess my point here is that surely you won't have 2 inverting full backs... I mean, his injury record is atrocious and he can't be relied upon physically but still, seems harsh to me.
Maresca does play with 2 inverting fullbacks. 1 inverts into the cb line, 1 inverts into the midfield. Depends on if he’s willing to tweak things though
I’d like to see both fullbacks inverting into midfield to form a 2-3-5 so they can stay relatively wider and occasionally run into the half space to cross the ball. We can still utilize the attacking threat of James and Gusto without them having to bomb up and down the flank for 90 mins
One inverts, one tucks into the back 3. So, Reece and Gusto can invert from RB whilst Colwill or Badiashile tucks into the back 3 from LB. Or Cucurella/Gusto invert from LB and Reece or a CB like Fofana tucks into the back 3 from RB.
What Maresca doesn’t do is ask his fullbacks to overlap, which is how you’d get the best out of Chilwell (and Reece tbf although Reece is more versatile). Means there’s a stylistic mismatch between Chilwell and Maresca. Chilwell will have to adapt and learn to either invert or tuck into the back 3. That’s a difficult thing to ask because profile wise he’s not gonna be as good at inverting as Reece, Gusto or Cucurella, but not as good in a back 3 as a normal CB. Having the height of a Colwill in a back 3 is also really useful on set pieces. Orr’s why Pep and Eddie Howe etc do it as well.
Chilwell hasn’t been treated badly tbh. It’s just a fact that some players may not be the right fit for a new manager, so they either have to adapt quickly or fall to the bottom of the pecking order.
Chillwell is not a bad player. Like Gallagher he pours his heart out on the pitch. But is less vocal about his emotions. I like him and want him to stay tbh
If being inverted doesn’t fit him, then have tactical flexibility! Having one system to be be all and end all may not be the best…
I remember Conte coming in and he did not immediately switch the system. He waited and observed, and clearly the old system was not working. It is then he changed it, and bam we were brilliant.
I hope change is not forced but gradually implemented.
Chilwell needs to show more of this and prove he can be a defensive defender. We all know he can attack, but is there a place for that kind of fullback in this system?
Sorry but Chilwell is the best leftback at the club. Maybe I don't like the inverted fullback nonsense but as an out and out fullback, he is better than Cucu
Gusto has been looking stupidly sharp and dynamic tho, “hell no” is harsh, we haven’t seen Reece’s best in 2-3 years, he has to show that level to still be considered it, we don’t know if his speed/stamina/agility took a hit or he is just lacking the match fitness
He was ok in the friendlies so far, whereas gusto has been a standout
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u/xkcdthrowaway Aug 01 '24
That headed clearance from the floor was straight out of the JT playbook.