#tactics

#tactics

Pochettino expressed his frustration, stating, 'I think when you see the stats of the game, I think we have clear chances to score.' This highlights the team's struggle to convert opportunities into goals.

I like to be positive, I like to play offensive football. That's my first goal. I like to score goals but in the same way, for sure, you need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play. I believe that style is more important than the system, of course.

"When I say they're direct, I mean it in a really positive way. They use their strengths. They use Dominic [Calvert-Lewin], whose movement in the box is outstanding. They get crosses in and counter-press very well. We have to stand up to that and overcome those intensity [elements] that are key to the game. We've rotated a lot, which we need to do at this stage of the season. You have to be really, really well-prepared tactically, to give the players the best plans and solutions to the problems you face."

I'll probably end up looking silly, but I quite fancy Palace here. Brighton lack a reliable scorer though Katsoulas' brilliant goal against Bournemouth tells us he knows where the goal is and I think Palace have the speed of foot and of pass to cause them problems.

I think that those of us who play in front have to press the ball zones as best as possible because the problem is when the opponent has time with the ball to think about the pass and see the movements of our defence. But it is our way of playing: it gives us intensity to our game, and I think that when we bring that intensity, it is difficult for the rivals.

What must Ruben Amorim make of it? Maybe that 3-4-2-1 might not be the answer for this Manchester United team? Perish the thought. The club's recently sacked manager was clear that not even the pope would make him change presumably because Leo XIV is also a big fan of three centre-halves. Saying that, Amorim did come close to losing his religion towards the bitter end, however brief and unconvincing his dalliance with a back four was.

"We'll have to be good. When you play against man-to-man teams, you have to be very good at playing technically and playing behind the opponent. They're good and in good form, so we'll have to be alert."

Sunderland signed Brian Brobbey from Ajax at the start of the season, and the 23-year-old striker is proving quite an acquisition for the Black Cats. Thierry Henry understands attacking play as well as anyone, having scored 175 goals and contributed 76 assists in 258 Premier League games for Arsenal. Here he is, discussing Brobbey's quality with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.