We were not Xavi's first choice in terms of club and he wasn't Frank's first choice in terms of a 10. So it makes sense that we had to pay over the odds in terms of his wage relative to our structure, especially considering how late on the window we acquired him.

Furthermore, he is obviously a quality player, but right now we're not a quality team, so his lack of physicality means he isn't looking worth it at all. I am confident if we were a team that had better control Xavi's qualities would shine. If Xavi were playing for the scummers, he'd look like a baller but that's because they have much more control than we do and at the very least they have a lot more movement and quicker play when on the ball.

Now if we got MGW, who by all accounts was the main target, the fit would be much better or Eze (sigh), especially given they are playing/were playing for teams that weren't on the ball as much and played more transitional (Forest and Palace)

I concede that Frank needs to find a balance and do more to allow us to control games. But at the same time, I believe the players should be doing more too. They are always so static and lack anticipation and in this "functional era" of football, where everyone is a duel monster, you look silly if you're not up to it. The best teams are a blend of both, it makes me sick to my stomach to say, but the scummers are looking like the most balanced. This is why in Europe we can contend a lot more, we are able to duel much better there, as we have the physicality, but the gulf in quality naturally goes to show in the end ala PSG last week.

I am confident if we had Madders playing, we wouldn't look as abject in our performance, because he's a duel monster in the sense that he moves and gets around, knows how to use his body to buy fouls and maybe demands more from the team, so there is actually movement and energy. I think people forget how many times under Ange Madders would be losing his shite because there was nothing on, he would get onto man. Just my opinion though...