I would like to see Fabinho study Hendo's performances and use them to improve, because the rotation of positions of our midfield it has created has made us far more fluid and a lot harder to defend again, it's been actual real total football, not in the false pretentious Van Gaal sense, but actual total football, there are loads of example and subtleties and layers to what I'm talking about, Van Gaal's wasn't total football, it was just players assuming each other roles if/when they found themselves in another players position and being comfortable in that position and delivering in it, we've evolved our play so we're doing a lot of that and not for the sake of it or to be smart or pretentious, but as natural evolution and progression, but what we do is a lot more evolved than Van Gaal's version, the entire team defending, pressing and counter pressing especially, with the counter pressing positioning becoming more advanced so the players are not only in a great defensive and counter pressing position as they're not involved in a move, but they're also in a position to support the ball and become actively involved in the move.
An example of Fabinho having to be more fluid when he comes back in and play his part in the team being more fluid can be demonstrated by Wijnaldum's just offside goal in Sunday's game, he (LCM) was doing the high press/supporting the ball, Hendo was in a DM/inside RCM position and it was Ox (RCM) who played the through ball for Gini from the LCM No8 position, brilliant stuff, but that wasn't happening with Fabinho in the team, it was a lot more rigid, easier for opposition teams to make plans to deal with each player, it's something that's developed hugely in Fabs absence
Edit: And all of that said is why I bang on about more goals from Robbo, when he gets in the ball in that channel between RB and RCB, becoming a forward, rather than being a full back that's found himself in a forwards position, but he keeps getting in there and I'm sure it will come with time. Similarly, although the LB LCB channel for Trent to attempt through balls, smash a shot through it or make a run through it is often closed, take advantage of any opportunities to open it by driving the ball in field towards it with Mo or Firminho making an inside out run to open it for him, assuming the role of an attacking midfielder, looking to then play a through ball towards the far post for Mane or Bobby, shoot from distance across the keeper, drive through the channel with the ball or play it in to Bobby's feet making the run through the channel looking for the return pass
I think we're just 'warming up' brilliant as we've been so far this season, there is a hell of a lot more to come from this team/squad
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