Seems good that we have a manager that doesn't seem to trust youth when our entire transfer policy revolves around signing young players, with the need to integrate them only intensifying due to the financial realities imposed by Covid.

Perhaps there's a lesson somewhere in Simeone altering his longheld tactical system to optimize for João Félix after a season of the Portuguese looking out of place and disconnected and Pedri being a major factor in Barca's recent resurgence. IDK.

It's interesting that we consider ZZ to be a very flexible manager on the pitch given this. In a broad strategic sense I think that's quite true. We've seen him switch from high press to deep block to possession dominance to classic counter-attacking while using many formations.

But at the more granular level he has so far been extremely unwilling to move away from particular tactical features: namely, laborious build-up that emphasizes retention over the risk of semi-transition.

He also has extremely fixed ideas about player profiles.

He has no place for the #10 figure, even when they're adaptable enough to play deeper or on the flanks. The one time he used a #10, Isco's off-ball role looked more like that of a DLP's. And, though we don't know what the exact profile is, he only accepts one type of DM.

Apparently Marcos wasn't it but Camavinga will be (or so we're told).

And then there's the ST position. Unless you're a F9 who can solve all the structural problems in midfield and be a one-man link to the front line, you can't play.

It's interesting who we label as "flexible" and based on what criteria. From the common discourse, it seems that flexibility refers more to philosophical rigidity than to tactics. Yet that perception of philosophical flexibility bleeds over into assuming tactical flexibility.

My ultimate point being that these young players - with profiles Zidane may not prefer - necessitate a new way of playing & Zidane seems very unwilling to go down that route despite the realities being less amenable to his old system. This seems very inflexible to me.

Aight, I'll shut up now. Carry on.