We got Rudiger for free and Casemiro asked to leave after the UCL Final (€80mil) so Tchouameni (€100mil) was a necessity. Frugal AF.
It's quite interesting to see how much people have turned on Mendy. Never was a fan, mostly because I don't like the defense first interpretation of that position but people wouldn't shut up about how good he is defensively.
Mendy was good his first season here. His lack of offensive output but solid defensive play was a breath of fresh air. He's gone asleep on a number of goals so far this year and is pretty bad on defending set pieces where he loses his marker. With Carvajal unable to patrol the entire right flank we have no outlet other than Vini and Benz who seems to be out to lunch. I think the team not spending on adequate FB options or a legitimate back up or understudy striker has set us back for sure. We rode the Marcelo train three years too long and rode the Carvajal train into the ground. Militao at RB ain't it. Jovic didn't work out and that's a shame but there has to be someone from Castilla or a veteran that could have given us another option.
It still baffles me how management has managed to fail to address the fullback problem this year. Fullback is supposed to be one if the "cheapest" positions to fill.
Mendy’s defending > attacking. Also, the only big chance from the wing play came from a Mendy cross that Benzema failed to convert. Yes.
What Mendy did three seasons ago does not matter now.... he can no longer defend. And funny how we let go of Theo and Hakimi.
A player that can contribute on both ends of the field can offset a bad night in defense with great offensive contribution. A player who's hyper focused on only one single thing will eventually be a nightmare if that one thing he doesn't isn't working for him. I think the fullback position is one of the most overrated in football. Theo is getting smoked on the regular but his offensive output makes people feel like he's a top level option. Reality is he's a productive player right in the middle of the spectrum.
Defensively he’s not a massive problem, it’s lack of support further up and inability to create anything in the final third
Defensive, Mendy is a absolute trainwreck. I have lost count of how many times he has lost focus and been beaten off that ball. He is so bad (and Carvajal) it's basically like we're using two CBs to cover four positions
Taking a step back: 1. How much of this lackluster performances is due to the Pintus plan of building up fitness for the last two months of the season? Also must be pointed out, this is a new regiment given the World cup was right in the middle, and you will also have players at different fitness levels which is not common at least to this level of variance. 2. We're not sacking the coach and we're not buying new players. The approach should be to find solutions internally. I'd start with a couple of youth players from Castilla. Arribas should be getting loads of minutes over Hazard and Mariano and definitely some of the Asensio and Ceballos minutes. Vinicius should be the back up RB and we should be playing him frequently with the first team. If we expect both to be with the first team next season, why not give them the experience now? Also Alvaro Rodriguez or Iker Bravo should be getting the occasional call up to back up Benzema. You can also look at Nico Paz while Tchouameni is out. Players being discarded in the summer should not feature at all in the summer; the only exception would be Asensio as he does offer depth in a position of need.
I'll always be thankful for Mendy for that goal-line clearance against City. We wouldn't be champions without him. But Fran Garcia seems cheap and exciting enough for a test.
Troubling part is we lost the game versus them winning it, basically gave it to them. Haven’t really seen any adjustments from Carlo with our recent skid that started before the WC. He has been stubborn in the past and with the injuries really needs to get the team going somehow. Lots of season to go but the next few weeks anything but some W’s and the team is in deep water.
Safe to say, we need some new ideas. It’s glaringly apparent that we can’t play Kroos and Modric without Tchoumeni. Why not try 4-2-3-1 but Rodrygo in the 10 and have Camavinga and Fede sit deep and put Asensio out on the left. Try something, we look stale and slow.
Alaba, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho is probably not enough manpower to go 3 at the back. I still think Mendy can paly as CB so if Carlo can make that work it would be another masterpiece on his resume. VinyJr.--- KB9 --- Rodrygo Alaba---Cama---Tchou---Valverde Mendy---Rudiger---Militao
Essentially any wing play in our game is coming through the fullbacks and Vini at this point. Take away whatever the fullbacks are given, and you're essentially trying to penetrate a wall. I'd go the other way and giving Vinicius T. and Alaba a shot at the FB positions.