The piece that everyone is conveniently leaving out with Rice as the 6 is that Havertz was playing as the 8 then and that clearly did not work. It was also when Odegaard was playing higher up and not helping to dictate the buildup. If you add in a player like Eze/Simons who can progress the ball through the dribble much better than Kai could, I believe Rice would be exactly what we need in the 6. Rice at the 6 with Odegaard dropping deeper and then a more attacking option at the 8 is really something I want to see - whether that’s Eze/Simons or ESR.

Seconded - Odegaard was definitely dropping deeper in the first half of the season when Rice was at the base of midfield.

Gotta give up on categorizing these positions as 6 or 8. The numbers don't really mean anything anymore. Rice is a defensive, athletic, pressing monster and that's how he's best deployed. To play him with a metronomic passer like Jorginho doesn't change that.

In fact, what I want is an elite passer who can also burst beyond when needed while Rice covers him. Jorginho did that once last season and managed a cutback assist. More of that, please.

Formations are for when we're off the ball. Shape is a defensive concept. Positions are relative when you're on the ball and attacking, so it's more about attributes and personality. Rice is a runner and carrier, we need a younger, fitter, disciplined, always-available passing midfielder to complement him and give Arteta maximum selection flexibility.

Of course, there are other ways to do it. We could just triple down on hard running athletic monsters and get an elite forward to turn all those broken game-states into goals.

I wouldn’t mind an amazing passer there either but who would fit the bill that’s also potentially available this summer? If you’re looking for a Vitinho type then we could go big for Joao Neves. If we are looking more for a Jorginho regen then we could go for the other Neves, Ruben. Who are others of the same ilk? Kimmich? Wharton? It just doesn’t feel like we are being linked with these types right now but I also feel like Arteta/Edu are keeping things close to the vest.

Angles on his passes like Xhaka and is a duel monster

Has experience in the Prem too

Starting next to Zubimendi for Spain, replicating their club level partnership.

Mirth I agree which is why imo we need someone like FDJ to partner him in midfield. Someone who can carry the ball forward but also when Rice moves forward he could always drop back.

I will die on the hill that Rodri is not a great defensive player. Elite in just about every other capacity as a deep lying playmaker who can also pop up for important goals but defensively, Rice mops the floor with him. If Rodri got half of the cards he deserved to get for his “professional fouls” to break up play, he’d be playing far fewer games in the league as well. Not knocking him as I thought he was the player of the season but I don’t think he’s a great defensive midfielder personally.

We should just plop 40m plus Nketiah in front of Palace for Wharton and see if they blink.

RowJimmy I'm not opposed to a left-sided attacker if it's a transformative player, or a punt on a kid. R or S in Burnwinter's terms.

Whoever we look for in that position should either force Martinelli out of the first XI, or be an unreal talent headed for world class status. It's a hard ask. Fall short and there's no change to the status quo.

Even though our midfield targets are extremely elusive and expensive, it'll be slightly easier to shift the dial in that part of the pitch.

Quite disagree with what you're saying there. Trossard is out of the conversation because he doesn't have ninety minutes in his legs, and he's also more effective later in matches when play breaks down more often. There's no sense in pencilling him in as starter, he's not built that way.

Our "right-side bias" is all about the quality and understanding on that side. Saka and Øde are the most prolific passing pair in the league by a margin, a testament to our league-leading territorial domination.

The right tilt in our game won't, and shouldn't change. We want to maximise the seconds Ødegaard and Saka are over the ball with room to breathe.

A more consistent one-on-one threat from the left creates width to that end. A 6 who can pass gives us an alternative to Ødegaard beating the press and leading in transition, which gets us more energy and time nearer the opposition goal for our best player.

daredevil To build and create through the left side, you need a winger who can either take on defenders 1-vs-1 or play deft combinations in the final third (ideally both). You need creativity from that position, like we have from Saka on the right, it's not just a matter of getting the LW service.

I don't think we need to sign a "transformative player" at the left wing, we just need someone who can actually be creative from that position, providing ball retention and penetration in tight spaces. Neither Martinelli nor Trossard really do that. Martinelli at his best is a relentless presser and amazing runner on counterattacks, but he struggles in tight spaces (and I don't think that will ever change). Trossard has popped up with crucial goals, but his general play is more limited, and he turns 30 in December (and is not an athlete to begin with).

I like Eze because he would add penetration and creativity to our team, provided his tendency to drift inside is managed/incorporated. He's less dynamic than Nico Williams but more intelligent IMO, a better decision-maker once he's beaten his man. He (or whatever other similar signing) may not be an automatic starter over Martinelli, but it gives you options and flexibility. City away, Martinelli starts. Porto away, Eze starts. For instance.

Kvaratskhelia