April 03, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread

Who to play alongside Norgaard in CM? Eze/Ode for 45 each plus who? Don’t want MLS there, want him at LB for the full 90.

Reckon we’ll see something like this tomorrow

Martinelli – Jesus – Dowman

MLS – Odegaard/Havertz (if Martin is fit)

Norgaard

Calafiori – Gabriel – Mosquera – White

**Long read Klaxon**

*”I would like to have 20 players who can play everywhere. Nuno Mendes as a full-back, Nuno Mendes as a winger, Nuno Mendes as a number 9.. Except for the goalkeepers, who are at a very high level, it would be a dream to have 20 players who can play everywhere.” – Enrique (today, 2026)*

*“I said to the club I don’t want that (a bigger squad). As a manager, I cannot train 24 players and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six players stay at home because they cannot play.” – Guardiola (2025)*

*“Manager Mikel Arteta is targeting players who can play in multiple positions” – Simon Collins (2023)*

*“I’ve heard a lot that we have two players per position, well (in some positions) we have three or four because there are players that can play in different positions as well.” – Arteta (2025)*

Top coaches have been / are moving towards building a squad full of versatile players, and I believe we’ve been at the forefront of it for quite some time now. E.g. –

Rice: Plays as a defensive midfielder (No. 6) or more advanced (No. 8), frequently dropping into the backline as a third centre-back or carrying the ball into the opposition box.

Ødegaard: Dictates the play and progresses the ball from the deep (No. 8), as well as makes key passes into the penalty box and through-balls up top for creating goal-scoring chances (No. 10).

Havertz: Functions as a central attacking midfielder or a primary striker (No. 9).

Timber, White, Calafiori, Hincapié: Capable of playing across the backline as centre-backs or fullbacks, frequently inverting into midfield or overlapping with wingers.

Zubimendi: Can drop between centre-backs to create a back three or play in a higher, more attacking role in the midfield.

There are definite advantages with this approach (*subject to squad fitness/availability*) –

1. You don’t need to train a large pool of players to teach your system
2. Having a smaller pool of positionally flexible and tactically competent players allows you to set up a different team each time while managing player load more effectively (and better deal with injuries)
3. The tactical advantages of having multi-positional players in the starting XI are immense (e.g. 43 different formations against Man City in the 2023 Community Shield win)
4. Also introduces unpredictability in the way team can set up to attack/defend; Opposition manager has to prepare for all possible scenarios

I see so much online discourse on where a player should or shouldn’t play, about wanting to see free flowing football, all the while modern game has been constantly evolving. More and more teams are leaning into “less entertaining” and more efficient ways of scoring/winning.

Has Saka played false 9 role?