Pellegrini must make one change above all others
Ok, one or two pertinent questions are starting to be asked, but the biggest by a distance for me is the decision to continue playing Jack Wilshere in the most important area of the pitch.
Having watched him in the pre-season games and four PL outings, it is now clear to me that he is gone and that he must be replaced by Declan Rice.
That not one other club – apart from Fenerbache were reported as being interested in him during the summer – tells us all we don’t really want to know and I believe Pellegrini must have picked him on his memories of what he was about when managing Man City.
Rice for me has everything now missing in the former Arsenal man’s game – pace, athleticism, and the desire to play forward passes which mean something rather than the endless sideways movement.
Yes, he will make mistakes – at his age but they all do… like Sanchez – AT 31 YEARS OLD – but for me Rice is now a must with the impressive Yarmolenko alongside him and a real leader ( for all his faults) in Mark Noble.
Snodgrass too may have to step aside from the starting X1 in my opinion. I have sung his praises over the opening games and I am delighted he is part of the squad but for all his excellent running and energy, the final ball is invariably lacking.
It’s clearly the midfield whixh is struggling and this would be my line up when the action starts again.
Fabianski; Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku; Sanchez, Noble, Rice Yarmolenko, Anderson, Arnautovic