JazzG How was the dynamic between Rice and Zubimendi? Was Zubimendi mainly staying deep or when one went forward the other dropped back?
That's the thing. Zubi plays almost exactly how I remember him. Defensively very strong, wins the ball back often and carries it very, very well. Better passer than I gave him credit for so have to hold my hands up there, he is great at that playing in a team like ours.
But the carrying and his ability to get high and also wide looking for the ball, whilst a great trait, is something we need to compensate for. He is much more attacking at times than Jorginho and Partey and pushes up ahead of the ball often when we have possession in attack. A number of times he was in the box, once in the 6 yard box haha.
But the dynamic between him and Rice is really good. Rice seems to always drop deep to cover him when he pushes up and I feel we'll need that semi double pivot if we are playing through the middle in this way otherwise we leave ourseves open to the counter.
More I think about it, I don't think we necessarily need another 8 save for resting Rice/Odegaard because attackingwise with Zubi pulling the strings and joining the attack, Rice covering any breaks in those moments (and vice versa when Rice pushes up), and Gyok running the channels and off the shoulder, we'll get plenty of chances for Saka and Martinelli (or Madueke). And then let the defenders defend with only one of Rice/Zubi mopping up any failed attacks.
This performance has left me quite optimistic I have to say. If we can keep playing it early and through the lines and with the movement we now have with a proper 9 in place, we can do some crazy shit I reckon.
