Whilst I partly agree with the traditional definitions and benefits of a DM 6, or a CM 8, or an AM 10, it does create a reliance on specialist roles that are then problematic if injuries strike, or a player's form drops off, or when we need to find a replacement if they leave.
Elite players are also not usually fixed to one role. Gerrard could be a box to box CM 8, or an AM 10 role playing just off the striker, and then becoming more of a deep-lying hybrid DM 6/'quarterback' in his later years. Not everyone is his level, but with a good footballing brain and a manager like Jurgen, I think a player's role is far more malleable nowadays compared to the more traditional positions.
Perhaps Jurgen's vision is a more fluid one that involves multi-disciplinary players who are very good at set roles, but can seamlessly slot into others without affecting the system. We saw how much we missed Fabinho when he played CB in 2020/21, and again when his form dropped last season. We were perhaps over-reliant on a single player doing a specific job in a specific setup. Replacing that role then becomes difficult, as the pool of players at the club (or elsewhere) that fit the profile and quality will be very small.
It's like the analogy of teams being like jigsaw puzzles - where you need to find the missing piece to complete the picture, and it's not quite the same without it and is far more noticeable when it's missing. But teams should really be more like Lego* - interchangeable pieces that you can rebuild into something different when needed, and where alternative pieces can be used to replace ones that are missing - without affecting the overall structure or purpose.
*not sure how well this analogy works, but having built a Lego Millennium Falcon with my son last night, it sounded good in my head.
