PYRMDSCHMS

If Ash is set to leave us, I like the idea of this: GK: cech CB: ivan, cahill, luiz RWB: ramires/azpilicueta LWB: bertrand DMF: mikel RAM: oscar CAM: mata LAM: hazard CF: torres/anyone else

Although his goal against Benfica was a screamer, I remember thinking that it summed him up in a way. We had been under the cosh for a long period and Benfica had come close to scoring a few times (which, as I'm sure you all know, would've put us out of the tournament). I seem to recall that there was at least a minute or two of injury time left and any sensible player would've taken that ball to the corner and run the clock down. He was too involved with the Benfica fans animosity towards him (as a former porto player) which is why he went for goal. Decent squad player but always struck me as being more interested in making himself look good rather than doing what was best for the team. I accept that he was selfless and heroic against Barca, but other than that he seemed to want to prove himself to be the main man in a team where he wasn't even in the top 5. His passing was either superb or woeful (usually the latter), he dived in to challenges and made it so easy for players to go past him and, for me, never seemed to have much love for the club. On a more positive note, I agree with the theory that Romeu was scapegoated to a certain extent. He had a few shaky moments but he was playing in a team that was underperforming due to a bad system and a poor manager (as has been evidenced by sp*rs' start to the season), and it was his first season in the PL. He also missed most of the previous season due to injury! I think that the board/management see this as the right time to lay Maka's ghost to rest and move away from the style of midfield three that has served us so well. Not many teams play with an out and out Makele-style DMF anymore (look at Khedira, Busquets, Schweinsteiger, Carrick(!) etc.) and I think with Romeu, Frank, Oscar, Mikel and Rambo we have enough class to cover those positions and keep the ball as well as just break up play/tackle. p.s. Snedger's comparison between RM's hair and playing style was spot on!