Nemanja Matic was pretty decent. Palhinha’s a good player and would’ve improved us far more than Endo this season. Jorginho’s had a good season, arguably because he’s playing for a side at its physical peak that limits how much ground he has to cover.
It’s as much about intensity and physicality as it is pace for me. Don’t get me wrong, if you can get pace at the position you do, but I wouldn’t be hamstrung if we didn’t get the fastest 6 about as I think you can make up for it with pace at centre back and at the 8. A good example would be Guimaraes at Newcastle. I think he has all the necessary physical traits needed to play 6 for us, nobody talks about his pace at times because Joelinton provides the running power for that team. Guimaraes sweeps up behind him and usually takes a foul when he can’t keep up. Hopefully one of Jones, Szoboszlai or Gravenberch can go up a few levels defensively (Jones is probably the best of the three defensively) and provide elite athleticism.
I agree I don't think it's as simple as pace, but physical gifts in general. You can qualify in numerous ways: straight-line pace over distance, strength, agility, reaction speed, stamina. Whatever it is, the team has been steadily degraded of those qualities over the past few years since we were at our peak, and in my mind it's a big contributor as to why we look so defensively poor and have done for 2 seasons now, and it needs addressed if we're to be successful again.
I also agree, you don't necessarily need all those traits in every single player, but again for me it comes back to balance. Firmino wasn't particularly physically blessed and his game (and what made him so good for us) was never about that, but we can't ignore that he was playing next to probably to two of the best in the world in that regard - I don't think many players could beat Mane/Salah for sheer speed and strength 2017 - 2022. Ditto Fabinho - his game was never about his physical gifts, but he was paired with Gini/Hendo. At our best, when you think back to that "best 11" we had, we maybe fielded what, 2 players who you might describe as a little one-paced, 2 who were perfectly adequate in terms of the physical side of the game but didn't stand out, but then probably 6 spots being filled by players who were incredible athletes - speed, stamina and strength in abundance. Crucially, all of them worked their bollocks off.
I look throughout the squad now, and any given line-up on a matchday, and it's nothing like that. The only forward you could really describe as having any of those physical attributes are Diaz and Nunez, who lack the decision-making/intelligence of their predecessors. In midfield I'm not sure we have any players in that bracket - maybe Dom and Jones? Both are some way short of the physical monsters we've had in yesteryears. Defensively, Robertson and VVD have neither the pace nor stamina they once had, Konate can't stay fit, and Quansah isn't really in the same league physically. We have loads of very talented players, but I can't shake the feeling that they don't really complement one another, and that
collectively, we look well short of the physical level required if we're going to go toe-to-toe with Arsenal/City over the coming years.
