I'd like to see Matip & Keita feature in this game.
Think Matip would make the team more solid and Keita or Ox would give a bit more from midfield.
Interesting you should say this, as I've been looking at our defense.
Gomez is quick.
Very quick, and as a result of that, is much keener to step forwards, knowing he has superb recovery pace.
The problem is that it upsets the line, and has a knock on effect.
The first knock on effect, is that VVD (quite naturally) wants to keep the line straight, and so goes to step up in line with Gomez, but he also knows that the line is getting too close to the midfield, and that gives the opposition a jumbled line to play through instead of 2 banks.
The second knock on effect, is that as well as upsetting the line, it leaves a hole behind Gomez so it becomes difficult to support TAA, and he regularly gets targetted, so this becomes an issue, becuse Gomez is also stepping up into midfield territory (see above) and slightly disrupting our defensive (MF) options.
It's not a major issue, and is one that will soon be eradicated as Gomez gets more playing time, and gets back in sync with his defensive colleagues.
Matip, on the other hand is very good at holding the line, along with VVD.
He only really steps up to break opposition lines with one of his runs, when there is plenty of space in front of him, which allows a CM to come in behind and cover until he gets back in position.
Persnally, I'd probably keep going with Gomez, because that's how he will get it right sooner.
He has not played much (apart from training) with Fabinho in front of him (or to the side etc), so he needs to get used to Fabinho's style, in which he is very good at floating across the space in front of the CB's, to snuff out threats.
In other words, stop getting in his F***ing space.
It's just early season teething toubles.
All very minor and easily fixed.
On Friday, it ws very noticeable, how in the second half, we used a press to push the opposition attackers onto the other flank, taking the pressure off Gomez and TAA and letting VVD and Robertson bear the brunt of the defensive work, leaving TAa much more leeway to attack, without getting ganged up on.
As regards the Super Cup, no Hazard, a defensive liability in Zouma, a team getting used to a different style of play, all means I think we can turn them over.
I don't think it will be easy, but I think we have more than enough to get the result we wnt.