Originally Posted by
Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Yup. He's what we needed when we signed GX. We had Santi and Ozil in MF and Alexis on the wings.
The trouble was that we signed MA after Cesc and Nasri left to play as our creative AM {almost a 10.} Next season we got Santi and MA became an 8. Then we got Ozil and the MF all shifted back one place so MA was playing as a DM in front of the back 4.
AW liked this cos MA was an intelligent enough footballer to play this role, while also having a creativity we didn't see in the likes of Song or Coq.
So he signed GX as a "deep lying playmaker."
But having spent all that money on him, MA started the season with GX on the bench and Coq and Santi in MF behind Ozil. It's almost like he realised GX didn't have the defensive attributes for the PL - got turned with people going past him.
Ironically, we only saw the best of GX in his final season when he had Wigwam behind him and Odin to his right. He could use his playmaking ability and box to box skills while having the protection behind him.
But had we had a Gilberto behind Santi and Ozil with Alexis, Olly and a fit and firing Feo, we'd have been much better.
Anyone know what this Zubimendi is like? I was hoping for the Dec-Kai-Odin MF, but Dec is doing so well in the box to box role. He should easily be getting double figures. If we was the fulcrum of MF like Lumpard and Gerrard were, you'd expect 15+ goals from him if he were also scoring penalties like they did.
He's such a complete MF. The year before, he signed Dec and Kai and started with them as DM and IL. And it was working well, other than Kai wasn't scoring. Kai was still winning duels etc. Now he can score when he's through, arrive late for crosses etc, while also creating and still winning duels and being an aerial outlet, it could work and give us that extra creativity and goal threat we've been missing. Dec could still get forward from DM and and score against park the bus sides.
But it's like MA spent ?170m on Dec and Kai yet neither have been playing in the roles for which they were bought. MnM gives us a more defensively secure option and Zubi might allow Dec to play in his new box-to-box role where he's great.
But if, Ganpati willing, we buy a world class striker, I still can't see him dropping Kai. He really knits the team together now he's playing well.
