I think our style will change slightly, for sure, it already has. But we have more than enough quality to beat most teams. A midfield three from:
Sandro/Parker....Dembele/Huddlestone
Sigurdsson/Dempsey
is still bang up there. Today we played a hyper defensive team and though we scored two goals, they came from set plays/crosses. That is something that rarely happened with our team of technically gifted midgets from last season, that's a good example of how our style has changed. Modric started against PAOK at WHL last season and we lost 2-1. Today we dominated possession, had Dembele and Dempsey ghosting past people and scored two goals. I didn't miss Modric one bit.
I think a team that actually tries to take a more commanding hold of the game will have more luck against this new style, as opposed to the old one centred around Modric. Power and height is good for beating a more defensive minded team, as you really should've done tonight had it not been for some baffling officiating, but when you were at your best last season you moved the ball so quickly and accurately, and it was difficult for the opposition to even get into the game.
I don't see that same ruthless efficiency with the ball from these players in this system, even if I have been massively impressed with your new signings on an individual level since they've come in.
It's also interesting how Bale's been very much restrained in how he's told to play in terms of roaming away from his position. Near your pomp last season he was everywhere, almost in a free attacking role, but now he swaps flanks in planned co-ordination and as a general rule sticks to the left side. AVB seems to really like using Lennon too.
If the issue is the ball breaking down in the final third then that's nothing to do with Dembele or Modric. It's because Defoe is generally shit outside the box.
True, but last season (when Defoe played) you also had VDV who's done a better job at patrolling the edge of the box than what I've seen so far from his replacements.
Really early days though, in two months you could be flying.