Aguero

[bigblue]

While Mario and Aguero may not link up great together, I think it comes back to the mystical "Plan B". If having the small front 4 isn't working, throw on Mario (like vs Everton at home) and have him create a goal from nothing. He certainly offers something different going forward than our other strikers. Like Aguero, Mario was devastating in the fall before their shot accuracy started to drop off. If he can get back to smashing shots on target from 35 yards, it's hard to see us not scoring a goal even when the main plan isn't going 100%

[Pretty Boy Lee]

While Mario and Aguero may not link up great together, I think it comes back to the mystical "Plan B". If having the small front 4 isn't working, throw on Mario (like vs Everton at home) and have him create a goal from nothing. He certainly offers something different going forward than our other strikers. Like Aguero, Mario was devastating in the fall before their shot accuracy started to drop off. If he can get back to smashing shots on target from 35 yards, it's hard to see us not scoring a goal even when the main plan isn't going 100%

Agree with this,. Mario can be lethal off the bench. This is especially true as I think his arrogance makes him think he has something to prove when he isn't number 1 pick.

Dzeko on the other hand, can't recall seeing him change too many games. He did get a winner at Blackburn last season, but for the most part he comes on and the only thing it adds is s bunch of ppl on here posting the same nonsense about him needing wingers, confidence and 56 straight games before we can expect him to do mind blowing things like break a swear or trap a ball.

[DoomMerchant]

Everyone's being too harsh on Mario. He can be part of a winning team that has us demolish other teams (1-6 @ the swamp). Think he's got his head down and should do better now. He could learn from Aguero, who probably has one of the most professional attitudes in the whole league.

That has been my thinking too but I have to confess that those Aguero stats are a big blow to the theory. If our most effective striker is at his least effective when playing with Mario then that is a genuine reason to think we might be better with someone else. I know people are comparing Sturridge to Mario on the basis of selfishness, I don't think selfishness is the problem with Mario though, I think it is randomness. Aguero cannot guess what Mario will do next and it effects his game.

that's the worrying part for me. I think one of Balotelli's strengths is his unpredictability, but it makes him hard to play with at times for any player, esp. it would seem a player like Aguero.

it would be interesting to talk to City players about where they "expected" Mario to be on the pitch and where he indeed was at given times. Or how he approached getting there.

I'm truly novice at this football stuff compared to 80% of your geniuses, but Mario seems like an unnatural freak who fosters confusion in opponents because of his versatility and unpredictability. Challenging characteristics for teammates when you are playing the kind of game we're usually trying to play.

Am i wildly off-base on this assessment or does someone feel me, dawg?

cheers

[john68]

Socs,
Though I agree that what you say may play some part the in the statistically poor Aguero/Balotelli partnership, I think the bigger part of the problem is that Mario has no clue of the tactical importance of some of Aguero's movement. On Saturday, it was plain to see that Tevez not only understood what Aguero was attempting to accomplish but on many occasions was a step ahead in facilitating the space for Aguero by drawing players.

Mario has great feet, great skill and great ability. He does NOT have a great football brain. His randomness can be an asset, as we have seen when he has attempted some of his more outlandish moves. It is also proving to be detrimental to the team or the players round him.

Notwithstanding his attitude, we must remember that Mario is still a baby in football terms at this level, lacking the necessary maturity. Had Tevez been around, and the Tevez/Aguero partnership flourished, Mario would have been seen as a talented youngster, with huge potential but a lot to learn. He would have been vying with Dzeko to keep the bench warm, maybe playing the last minutes to see games out.

He has such great potential that he is worth keeping. If Tevez stays, the pressure on Mario will ease and he will have the chance to grow up and mature.

[Ted Hughes]

It's a simple enough game when players up front actually make an effort to just knock the ball to each other. Some then hit it off like magic, others have to work on it but if you don't even try, it doesn't work.

None of our strikers, including Aguero, have made any effort to play together since early season. It's ok Gary Neville showing all this wonderful link up between Aguero & Tevez but Tevez is Aguero's Argentinian pal, who he passes to. It's not just about Tevez finding him, it's about him finding Tevez. Loads of time this season Aguero could have laid it on a plate for Dzeko or Balotelli but doesn't even notice them. They are more guilty than Aguero because they tend to just play for themselves most of the time, but Aguero is not blameless in this. Tevez has shown him how he could improve too.

[Im_Spartacus]

It's a simple enough game when players up front actually make an effort to just knock the ball to each other. Some then hit it off like magic, others have to work on it but if you don't even try, it doesn't work.

None of our strikers, including Aguero, have made any effort to play together since early season. It's ok Gary Neville showing all this wonderful link up between Aguero & Tevez but Tevez is Aguero's Argentinian pal, who he passes to. It's not just about Tevez finding him, it's about him finding Tevez. Loads of time this season Aguero could have laid it on a plate for Dzeko or Balotelli but doesn't even notice them. They are more guilty than Aguero because they tend to just play for themselves most of the time, but Aguero is not blameless in this. Tevez has shown him how he could improve too.

Aguero is definately due criticism for not passing to dzeko, sometimes blatently ignoring him, but if he feels he has a better chance himself, with dzekos form and inability to pass, you can kind understand why he might back himself

[carl_feedthegoat]

Socs,
Though I agree that what you say may play some part the in the statistically poor Aguero/Balotelli partnership, I think the bigger part of the problem is that Mario has no clue of the tactical importance of some of Aguero's movement. On Saturday, it was plain to see that Tevez not only understood what Aguero was attempting to accomplish but on many occasions was a step ahead in facilitating the space for Aguero by drawing players.

Mario has great feet, great skill and great ability. He does NOT have a great football brain. His randomness can be an asset, as we have seen when he has attempted some of his more outlandish moves. It is also proving to be detrimental to the team or the players round him.

Notwithstanding his attitude, we must remember that Mario is still a baby in football terms at this level, lacking the necessary maturity. Had Tevez been around, and the Tevez/Aguero partnership flourished, Mario would have been seen as a talented youngster, with huge potential but a lot to learn. He would have been vying with Dzeko to keep the bench warm, maybe playing the last minutes to see games out.

He has such great potential that he is worth keeping. If Tevez stays, the pressure on Mario will ease and he will have the chance to grow up and mature.

Mario plays for a foul all the time..he is not fast enough to get away so instead shephards the ball until he gets fouled which half the time he doest get and then we are on the back foot.

That part of his game is the worst for me and he needs to change.

[john68]

Not sure if it is that he is not fast enough, or whether it is just part of the football culture he grew up with or a habit he has got into. But You are right Carl, when he goes looking for the foul, it annoys the fuck out of me too.

Not getting the foul simply means he has ridiculously given away possession and is on the floor should the ball run free again.

[Ted Hughes]

Not sure if it is that he is not fast enough, or whether it is just part of the football culture he grew up with or a habit he has got into. But You are right Carl, when he goes looking for the foul, it annoys the fuck out of me too.

Not getting the foul simply means he has ridiculously given away possession and is on the floor should the ball run free again.

I agree with both but I also agree it's not down to pace, it's down to attitude.

Seeing Tevez hold his ground & fighting for & winning the ball v 6ft CBs, then contolling it & finding a blue shirt, then sprinting for a return pass, has just really brought it home to me what an absolute pair of turds Dzeko & Mario have been in the same situation. It's also brought home just how much better we could have been with two proper quality grafting front players in place of those two in the squad.

If Tevez can do that, so can they. If Mario has really learned from Tevez & is ready to change then the 1st thing I want to see is him hold off a defender, pass to a City player & sprint rather than just looking for a free kick, then sitting on the floor when he doesn't get it. Somehow as fans (& I include myself in this) some of us have become sanitised to this pathetic fucking behaviour & don't treat it with the utter contempt it deserves. Whether it's down to all the fucking cheerleaders on here who start making ridiculous arguments for Mario's stupid behaviour I don't know but I've actually found myself accepting this garbage wheras I used to pull my fucking hair out at Gareth Taylor for not even half of it.

No more.

[twosips]

It's definitely nowt to do with pace. Balotelli isn't slow. Nor is Dzeko. We've seen bursts of pace from both. Look at Dzeko against QPR and his run against Arsenal that lead to Aguero's counter attack goal in the carling cup. It's all down to attitude.