As you all know Barcelona plays a 4-3-3 this season. If we start FDJ in Fermin’s position will it in a make our right hand side more fluid provided Espart starts at RB?

FDJ is at his best when he has the freedom to choose to play deeper or drive the ball into space. He is press resistant but he isn’t the best creating danger in tight spaces. Espart can play as an 8 and play in between the lines so they could switch positions. Both can box crash.

Example 1 vs PSG when we were struggling with build up due to their press. FDJ could help relieve the pressure by holding on to the ball. Lamine drops back, FDJ plays a 1-2 with Lamine and carries the ball or Lamine passes it to Espart making a 2nd man run rotating with FDJ. That allows us to drag our markers around.

The key to making it work is developing a chemistry between Espart and FDJ. One goes the other stays and both have to make runs for Lamine to provide options and decoys for him.

Caveats:

1)We would lose goals from midfield but gain more control.

2)We would need to sort out our LB situation because I don’t trust Cancelo in big games. I hope Balde returns to form tbh.

3)Lastly I’m not sure about FDJ’s ability to press high. Sometimes he loses the ball doesn’t track back which pisses me off. As a DM he doesn’t have the positional discipline and the timing required in defence. He’s can be too early or too late at times. So could pressing upfront help reduce those responsibilities? Removing some of those off ball responsibilities by reducing the territory he has to defend?

Just food for thought.