Who is our best #8?

[BigVic]

Bentancur is the best 8 for sure, but we then need to find the right mix in midfield to compliment him. We can keep chopping and changing every single game.

 

[dontcallme]

Bissouma’s shirt number is 8.

 

[RJR1949]

I’m a septuagenarian who’s been watching football all my life and have no idea what is meant by these numbers. Do they stem from computer games? Is there anything I could read to enlighten me?

 

[soflapaul]

Oooh he's an 8, I think he's a better 6, fuck that he should be a 10

Whatever happened to good old fashioned plain speaking when it comes to all this. Now you have to have a fucking degree in mathematics.

Fucking number hipsters.

It's a consolation of sorts that as with all the other 'buzz' phrases, this'll eventually pass.

haha, i'm so fucking old

If that halfway rhymed it could be a Jimmy Buffet song

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I’m a septuagenarian who’s been watching football all my life and have no idea what is meant by these numbers. Do they stem from computer games? Is there anything I could read to enlighten me?

The numbers refer (loosely) to the old shirt numbering system. It’s not rocket science:

6 = Defensive Midfielder / deep lying playmaker. (This year it has been primarily Bissouma and Hojbjerg playing this role, and is our biggest need of upgrade this summer)

8 = Box-to-Box Midfielder (Bentancur, Sarr, Skipp - sometimes Lo Celso, and next year Bergvall probably competes here)

10 = Attacking creative midfielder. (Maddison, Kulusevski and sometimes Lo Celso have played here)

 

[therealGlenn]

Oooh he's an 8, I think he's a better 6, fuck that he should be a 10

Whatever happened to good old fashioned plain speaking when it comes to all this. Now you have to have a fucking degree in mathematics.

Fucking number hipsters.

It's a consolation of sorts that as with all the other 'buzz' phrases, this'll eventually pass.

haha, i'm so fucking old

it all makes me need a no.2

 

[aliyid]

Sorry A&C you're going to hate this. Probably best if you just skip over the next few lines for the sake of your own sanity...

I think the best traditional number 8 in our squad is Bentancur by a country mile. He's good in tight spaces, has great composure and brings others into play but, Sarr is more suited to what Ange wants from that kind of player in the middle of the pitch. He can close down the spaces out of possession better and he's also better at taking the ball on the half-turn and moving the play forward rather than taking the safer sideways option.

If we're going to fully embrace Ange's style of football in all it's glory then Sarr gets the nod at 8 for me

 

[Ribble]

it all makes me need a no.2

You leave Clint Dempsey out of this!

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Oh and another thing. Seeing as i'm on a roll...........

This habit of using players nicknames. They hardly pulled the shirt on for photos and people are calling them by their nickames with such a familiarity that you'd think they'd been mates all their lives. Deki this, Cuti that...........I suppose that's another symptom of lets save a nanosecond's typing. It's all a bit strange and It's definitely fucking cringeworthy.

Fucking nickname hipsters

haha

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Oh and another thing. Seeing as i'm on a roll...........

This habit of using players nicknames. They hardly pulled the shirt on for photos and people are calling them by their nickames with such a familiarity that you'd think they'd been mates all their lives. Deki this, Cuti that...........I suppose that's another symptom of lets save a nanosecond's typing. It's all a bit strange and It's definitely fucking cringeworthy.

Fucking nickname hipsters

haha

Vic, Cuti, VDV, Biss, Bents, Madders, Deki, Sonny, Richy (Pombo).

Just the fullbacks left in need of nicknames, then our full starting XI is sorted.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Oh and another thing. Seeing as i'm on a roll...........

This habit of using players nicknames. They hardly pulled the shirt on for photos and people are calling them by their nickames with such a familiarity that you'd think they'd been mates all their lives. Deki this, Cuti that...........I suppose that's another symptom of lets save a nanosecond's typing. It's all a bit strange and It's definitely fucking cringeworthy.

Fucking nickname hipsters

haha

Zip it Archie

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

haha you fuckers

 

[thecook]

Vic, Cuti, VDV, Biss, Bents, Madders, Deki, Sonny, Richy (Pombo).

Just the fullbacks left in need of nicknames, then our full starting XI is sorted.

How can you forget Lolo. So good they nicknamed him twice!

 

[easley91]

Vic, Cuti, VDV, Biss, Bents, Madders, Deki, Sonny, Richy (Pombo).

Just the fullbacks left in need of nicknames, then our full starting XI is sorted.

PP and U-Dawg x

 

[easley91]

Bentancur, because his name begins with B and that is just an 8 with a straight edge.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

PP and U-Dawg x

BJ for Johnson?

 

[easley91]

BJ for Johnson?

Brenno? Brenny?

I know I use it, but I still find it funny when Sonny is used because it takes more effort than Son.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

BJ for Johnson?

Advertising slogan?

 

[DogsOfWar]

I’m a septuagenarian who’s been watching football all my life and have no idea what is meant by these numbers. Do they stem from computer games? Is there anything I could read to enlighten me?

It's something most people who have played the game are more aware of (as you are given a shirt with a number on depending on your position) but they've been around donkey's years, here are the numbers from '61:

Formations have changed a bit so number 6 is now the defensive midfielder and 8 the box to box player with 10 being the attacking midfielder sitting behind the number 9 striker.

 

[E17yid]

I’m obviously not going to write Betancur off but I’m definitely worried he won’t get back to the player he was, or if he does, he’ll break down again.

Saar and Bergvaal are the future. I think Bissouma is a box to box but he needs to be alongside the right type of player but we don’t know if Ange even fancies him anymore and he seems to be considered as a DMF moving forward (assuming he stays)