So who does Lumpy drop with Kante now back in the side. Puli and Willian are the clear wing favorites and will not be dropped. Tammy is up top obviously. Mount's time at LW appears to be over as CHO is next up after Puli. Kovacic has been one of the team's top players all season. He btw is forming great chemistry with Puli and picking him out on cross field switches. Jorginho has been absolute class too and he'll be back for the City match. I think you have to go Puli/Tammy/Willian as the front three and Kovacic/Kante/Jorginho as the midfield three. And Mount gets dropped, who btw has 1g/1a in his last 12 matches.
I think I agree Kante needs to replace Mount if only because of his experience and quality of opposition. It would be harsh to drop Mount because he has been one of the most active players. But than again CHO lost his spot when Pulisic started to produce.
THis is the only option, there's no other; especially against Man City. Against lesser opponents, you can put Mount back in and rest one of Kante/Kovacic/Jorginho.
I agree so much with the Kovacic point!!! Can you imagine if Pulisic HAD agreed to play for Croatia... Oh man in a parallel universe that would be fun. I doubt he would have started in the World Cup, but Croatia at Euros next summer... With everyone healthy they would have to be considered the Dark Horse, if not one of the three favorites... Back to club talk though, Mount needs a rest. The guy is clearly talented. I hope Lampard considers Pulisic as his backup there, instead of Barkley. IF the transfer ban gets lifted you'd have to think that A-Mid would get preference over Winger based on their depth options, followed by central defense. Long term if they'd need a winger especially if Willian leaves/ages. But I've come around to Pulisic playing on wing with Mount, because Mount seems to be more than capable of playing with a winger that drops centrally, without losing any attacking shape or standing around. It's why I really want to see Duane Holmes get a shot at the position for the USMNT, because both seem to have a similar tweener status where they are comfortable being fluid with rotating out to the wing/centrally.
I don't think it's a matter of 'dropping' Mount or anyone else. I think it will be more a case of rotating players with some guys playing more than others, BUT, (and this is worth saying), if the guys that get to play more don't perform they'll bloody soon find themselves playing a LOT less.
I was watching a Chelsea PR video showing the guys in training the other day. They're all doing short shuttles and Pulisic was just blowing everyone out of the water. His initial burst is absolute world class.
Chelsea has been recently linked to Hakin Ziyech, Ajax's left-footed right winger which would surely means Willian's end there. My guess is he's the fall-back option in case Sancho gets too expensive or goes elsewhere. Willian's work rate is great but Chelsea probably want more goals from him since he's never really done much in that department.
Pretty great considering he used to have a conversion rate somewhere around 11%. Also a chance that multiple of those players are just in a very nice run of form. CP’s hat trick, while great for him, will certainly skew data in a young season.
Exactly. I'm more excited about three games with a goal in a row on top of his two games where he was subbed in and assisted the game winners than the hat trick.
i wouldnt think kante would effect pulisic(s minutes) at all- he should be on the two line, "rotating" with jorginho and kovacic. playing kante higher was sarris thing- lampard seems basic, so i would assume hed use the best dm in the world you know...as a dm.
Ok folks what are we going to remember when he has a mini slump and he goes 5-10 matches without scoring or assisting?
So now I have to question what exactly happened at Dortmund toward the end when he was kept to the bench? Was it loss of form or simply Sancho was far better or did the manager not see the point since the club had sold Pulisic?
Probably a bit of all of the above. Sancho was playing just a good and would be able to go for at least a 100 million pound fee to some English club if spotlighted as a starter.
He had several injuries. Each time he had to work his way back into the team. Each time he did. This includes the end, when he was not kept to the bench.
In the Palace pregame press conference he was asked about Kante returning now that Jorginho and Kovacic are playing so well. He suggested he could accomodate all three. He also said Kante is so much more than a defensive midfielder, implying he may not restrict him to a DM role. That said I agree that Kante won't affect Pulisic's minutes.