Football is about putting the ball in the net more than the opposition. It’s not either or between defence and attack. Everton have stayed in the league with decent defences and poor strikers whilst other teams have gone down with good attacks and bad defences. It doesn’t really make a difference, both teams are near the bottom as they’re unbalanced. Martinez had us heading that way with a top striker but wide open at the back.
That’s why the manager who throws everything forward with overlapping CBs fullbacks, 3 strikers is as bad as the manager who won’t let a player leave their penalty area if both are equally ineffective at winning games. The game is about balance, City and Arsenal have piled millions in transfers into getting multiple CBs along their backline. There’s not an attacking fullback to be seen anymore in those two teams and they play the ‘best’ football in the league. Real Madrid won a load of CLs recently playing on the counter attack and defending deep.
There’s no right way to play football, it’s whichever method wins the most. Man City don’t play the same football today they did in 17/18 when they first won the league it’s completely unrecognisable form it.
We need to keep our defensive solidity from last season and increase the attacking output. It doesn’t have to be either or.