That's the thing, as much as people saying we have one of the best midfield three on paper - the game isn't played on paper, it's played on grass. I forget who said that, but it always makes me chuckle.
Point being, Joelinton, Guimaraes and Tonali are all very excellent players in their own rights. But for whatever reason, someone with much more tactical knowledge of the game may know, they aren't clicking just yet as a three. The formation we play needs more cover between the defense and midfield I think, that pivot/enforcer to tick things along deep in the middle.
If we were to tweak formation, maybe something not dissimilar to when we finished 5th under Pardew, when Guttierez and Tiote were holding and Cabaye free to roam forward.