Still think the CM issue is less about finding a partner for Rice and more about find someone more complementary to our attacking quartet. The additions of Timber and Havertz suggests to me that a fullback pushing into midfield was meant to be Rice’s partner which frees up the center midfielder to be more of an attacker who can defend than the other way around. I still think Havertz off-ball movements and his experience as both a forward and attacking midfielder is why he was signed to be our LM, but I would love to see Trossard given a shot in that role more often after Jesus returns from injury (alongside LB Tomiyasu rather than LB Zinchenko to add better defending and physicality).

Politics is common in everything. The dreaded vote of confidence is just decision makers playing politics before sacking someone