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Mario Balotelli


WhiskeyJar
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He's fucking shite as a lone striker, always has been.  He was shite at Inter, City and AC as a lone striker so why did/do we think it'll be any different here?  His best form has always come when he's had a striker with him.

 

I won't judge him until him and Sturridge have had a run together.

 

Don't want to see it, it's like playing with 10 men when he's in the team, would much rather see Coutinho on the left, Sterling on the right and Sturridge in the centre.

 

It's like Einstein said "insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

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Right now, with Sturridge out, my temporary approach would be:

 

Mignolet

Johnson Skrtel Sakho Moreno

Sterling Henderson Allen Lallana

Balotelli Borini

 

Tell Sterling and Lallana to stretch the play wide when in possession

Tell Henderson and Allen to get forward and grow a pair.  Each.

Get Borini to work hard in central areas to make space

 

Coutinho/Gerrard as impact subs.  Can to come on to bolster midfield when necessary.

 

 

Do you not think we'd get absolutely bummed in midfield, though?

 

I'd also argue that Mario's shortcomings would be an issue however we play. Things like switching off during critical moments (see the 1st goal yesterday), missing sitters and generally not having a clue cannot be fixed by a change of formation. To me it's looking like he's just not good enough.

 

I'd go with the formation we played yesterday but use Borini instead. Give him a run of games and see what he can do, he can't be any worse.

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Good use of the subs yesterday I thought,despite my view that Lallana was doing quite well.

Coutinho is much more useful as an impact player I reckon and Can was well off the pace despite some good moments and obviously needs more games.

The thought of Borini playing scares the crap out of me and would rather see Lambert given more time than him.

I would much rather see Lallana central and Sterling wider so as to exploit the space available. Our fascination with trying to go through central areas and not exploiting the width is a handicap at the moment.

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Do you not think we'd get absolutely bummed in midfield, though?

 

I'd also argue that Mario's shortcomings would be an issue however we play. Things like switching off during critical moments (see the 1st goal yesterday), missing sitters and generally not having a clue cannot be fixed by a change of formation. To me it's looking like he's just not good enough.

 

I'd go with the formation we played yesterday but use Borini instead. Give him a run of games and see what he can do, he can't be any worse.

 

My big fear is that we give away the ball too cheaply.  Possession is paramount if we are to avoid a perineum-tearing blood-stained creampie. 

 

The more I think about it, the more I wimp out - I would actually not play Balotelli.  A midfield of Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Can and Lallana and Sterling as a false 9.  

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Good use of the subs yesterday I thought,despite my view that Lallana was doing quite well.

Coutinho is much more useful as an impact player I reckon and Can was well off the pace despite some good moments and obviously needs more games.

The thought of Borini playing scares the crap out of me and would rather see Lambert given more time than him.

I would much rather see Lallana central and Sterling wider so as to exploit the space available. Our fascination with trying to go through central areas and not exploiting the width is a handicap at the moment.

 

it's a legacy of last season, which would be fine if we had the same personnel.  We ain't, and we refuse to countenance a plan B.  

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Apparently the Madrid game is the type of game that Mario will do something 'genius' in. Y'know the type of goal everyone talks about with Mario "he won't do anything for ages then he'll do something amazing in a big game". Fuck him - give Borini the chance.

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Fuck playing any of Borini, Lambert, or Balotelli. For differing reasons they're all unlikely to offer anything against one of the best teams in the world. Play Sterling up front so we have the best chance of scoring on the break, Lallana and Coutinho either side, and Gerrard/Henderson/Allen to hopefully have the odd spell of possession. 

 

We can't have any passengers in this game. Lambert and Borini would touch the ball less than five times in the 90 minutes, and with Balotelli we'd be hoping that was the case.

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