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.

Fabian Ruiz is another that looks very good but it’s not like he would be cheap either. It’s a shame that Locatelli seems like he will never leave Italy because he would be perfect next to Rice.

Mikel Merinolinked today. He’s a tidy passer. Interesting profile

Angles on his passes like Xhaka and is a duel monster

Has experience in the Prem too

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

Watching Zubimendi and Merino closely. The former playing much more like Jorginho while Merino presses and makes forward runs more like Rice with Olmo dropping deep a la Odegaard when he's caught too far up on a transition. It's a good balance and they're totally controlling the game so far. They also swap very easily, Zubimendi popping up on the left every now and then while Merino tucks in to cover.

Zubimendi just ran back 60 yards to stop a counter in a way George can only dream of these days.

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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.

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    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.

      RowJimmy I think the season made clear that Rice is best when paired with a DLP

      IF people had watched his last season at WHU they'd have already known that. He was pretty mediocre at the start of that season until Moyes dropped Soucek back to help him out with the build up, then he played like a beast for the rest of the season. Just think back to him stealing the ball from Partey to break our hearts. Thats where he should be, not sitting back trying to do tactical things and make line breaking passes, thats not him. He's top notch at what he does, we don't need to make him something else.

        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.

          Poor Trossard's wondering what more he could have done to even feature in the conversation.

          Martinelli scored 15 two seasons back, while Trossard scored 17. The left sided attacker is the least of our problems.

          What we need to improve is the midfield balance so we have a left footer who favours moving left to engage and supply the left-sided attackers, and reduce the right side bias.

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            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.

              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.