00:00There's one theme which I think is really interesting.
00:01I'm going to write a piece on it in the next couple of days
00:03because so many of you asked about it,
00:04so keep an eye out for that.
00:07So Justin said,
00:08Is that the back four settled now,
00:09with Ballard now directly at centre-back
00:11and Mukele at Newham at full-back?
00:14Shiny Tom says,
00:15Defensively solid,
00:16but we must go out with mistakes further up the field,
00:18which could prove costly against a better team.
00:19Agree with that.
00:20Do you think we'll resort to a back five
00:22for Chelsea to be more resolute,
00:23go narrower and try for a point?
00:25Ian says,
00:26Hi Phil, do you think Ronaldo comes straight back in next week?
00:29I think we are a better team with him in,
00:31particularly in possession,
00:32but the defence were colossal today.
00:34Steve says,
00:35Does Hume get his place back at right-back
00:36after that performance by Mukele?
00:38Chris said,
00:39Selection problem next week or not with Reynaldo back,
00:41or do we just go five at the back
00:42with three centre-halves?
00:45Johnny asking a very similar question.
00:48Yeah, I think I have two thoughts on this.
00:51Is that one,
00:52the back four for me that played yesterday
00:54can't come out the side.
00:55I think,
00:56I know it's a little bit of a kind of,
00:58old school thinking that,
01:02and a lot of managers say that you pick your team
01:04for the game in front of you,
01:06and if Labrie doesn't feel that set-up is right for Chelsea,
01:10then he should change it.
01:10Obviously, completely understand that.
01:12But I think that the level that those four played at
01:14yesterday,
01:15I think that they should all be in the team.
01:17And I agree with Ian especially,
01:19he says that I think Reynaldo really does bring something
01:20to the team,
01:21especially as a natural left-foot player
01:22with his experience.
01:25But there's no getting past the fact that he got sent off
01:27and put his team in a really difficult spot
01:29against Aston Villa.
01:30My personal view is that
01:32I wouldn't necessarily be comfortable
01:33with him coming in at the expense
01:35of one of those four players.
01:36That would be my opinion.
01:38I think Trey showed he's more than comfortable left-back.
01:40I don't think there's any way
01:41that you can take Dan Ballard out of the team
01:43after the performances he's consistently produced recently
01:45and how good he is in the air.
01:47And I like Nodi at right-back.
01:49I think you can see that
01:50as well as defensive strength you get,
01:52he offers something going forward.
01:54Now, if Labrice decides that he wants
01:56a back-five against Chelsea
01:57for a bit more defensive support,
01:59if he wants to be really pragmatic in the game
02:01and defending a low block,
02:03then Reynaldo can come back in
02:04and he can play with a back-five.
02:06Absolutely no problem with that whatsoever.
02:07I think it could be a good way to go in the game.
02:09We saw it work.
02:10A bit different against Man Utd
02:11because Sonnen were basically just going man-for-man
02:13against Man Utd.
02:14It's three at the back,
02:15so it might not work as neatly against Chelsea
02:17as it did then.
02:19That's definitely an option
02:20that I wouldn't have any problems with.
02:22But for me,
02:23the primary thing for me is that
02:24if Labrice sticks with a back-four,
02:26I think he should go with the same players again
02:28and it's up to Reynaldo
02:29to wait for his opportunity.
02:30I think that's just how football works.
02:31You saw it with Ballard
02:32and he only had an injury.
02:34He's had to wait his turn
02:35because Michele and Aldereta
02:36did so brilliantly in the interim.
02:38I think he should be the same with Reynaldo.
02:40That's not criticism as a player.
02:41As I said,
02:42I think he's an excellent footballer,
02:44a great sign
02:44and he's got a massive role
02:45to play this season.
02:46But for me,
02:47I don't think you can drop
02:48any of the back-four
02:49from last week.
02:52If Reynaldo does an addition to that
02:53for a back-five,
02:55no problem.
02:56But that for me
02:57is kind of where I'm at with that one.
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