RowJimmy Rodri is absolutely City's most defensive and deepest positioned MF.

I don't think he is, he's played a lot of games with a CB (Stones) or in a double pivot with Kovacic. Then factor in he plays with four CBs behind him as well. He has a system around him that lets him get forward.

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

Kvara on the left with Saka on the right would be so deadly and would finally restore some balance to our left. Kvara is basically Grealish if he had more explosiveness and didn't get neutered by Pep. Saka would certainly see far fewer double/triple teams if we had an equal threat on that wing (not discounting Martinelli but he's nowhere near the pausa player that Kvara/Saka are).

Arteta has already neutered Martinelli, and I'm not sure Kvaratskhelia would fare much better.

MistaT Arteta has already neutered Martinelli

Think Martinelli has played his best stuff under Arteta. The drop-off last season isn't anything to do with how he's been managed as far as I can see.

————————Raya
White——Saliba——Gabriel—-Calafiori
————————-Rice
————Odegaard——Musiala
Saka————-Havertz———Williams

What are we saying 1mOrEiNtHeToLlBaG?

Big Willie what about Calafiori?

QuincyAbeyie what about Calafiori?

Nothing specifically about his football. He seems a good player, is tall as fuck and pretty good on the ball both coming inside and staying wide. I just never feel confident about Italian players adapting to the PL, or even coming here in the first place. These were all before your time so that's saying something but aside from Zola, Vialli and Di Canio, they all either have serious issues adapting, or simply decide to not come at all.

Big Willie there are plenty of top Italian players who was superb in PL. Aquilaini, Emi Viviano, Scamacca, Diamanti, Nocerino, Boriello etc