KaKa

 

Atsu - should have scored but also looks tired and should really be playing out wide and not in the middle.. he’s one of the shortest players in the league.. expecting him to be winning headers is retarded.

 

PFM in the making. Urgh.

His leadership is massive for us. Great character that allows him to lead this team and help us get better results. His character is also a big reason why he has improved so much, as he is clearly listening to Rafa and continuing to get better and better.

Very true. I was surprised by that early on. When he is marked tightly it's not as good at all.

Okay. Guess we'll agree to disagree then.

You couldn't be more wrong. Cannot believe you actually watched the game and thought Perez was playing behind Atsu. That is actually incredible to me.

 

Perez:

 

 

Atsu:

 

 

Atsu was definitely ahead of Perez at times like, and Gayle went up top when he came on. Absolutely nothing wrong with what Smal said.

 

Ayoze Perez lead the line man, and moved into the channels to Allow Atsu to move forward at times. It shifted their defenders around and unsettled them. It was very important play from him as the lone striker. Atsu did well to take advantage of the spaces being created, but he in no way lead the line at all.

 

Perez did not start in the number 10 position at all, and it was a major reason he looked so much better, as he had more room to work with. It is why we did not see him receiving the ball as often in deeper positions, and being pushed off the ball, which happens far too often when he plays there.

We started the game with Atsu probably our most advance player whether by design or otherwise, he seemed to drift about more as the game went on but Perez was creating things for him as he was hanging on the last man in the opening 15 minutes or so. Gayle then came and went up top. Perez put a great shift in and got himself about the pitch, he didn't seem to be stuck with the task of leading the line by himself for the whole game.

 

I agree he was technically 'leading the line' before Gayle came on like, just the way you carry on is completely unnecessary.

He dropped back when Gayle came on, yes.

At the start he was not playing behind Atsu and creating for him. I just don't understand how it appeared that way to anyone. Just genuinely befuddled by that.

Yeah, thought he was great. His effort defensively is so much better it's incredible really.

Love a PFM meltdown. Hughes isn't one of the more revolting ones, so I feel for him a bit.

Nah, actually I don't at all. Thanks for the 3 points Mark.

You couldn't be more wrong. Cannot believe you actually watched the game and thought Perez was playing behind Atsu. That is actually incredible to me.

 

Perez:

 

 

Atsu:

 

 

Atsu was definitely ahead of Perez at times like, and Gayle went up top when he came on. Absolutely nothing wrong with what Smal said.

Ayoze Perez lead the line man, and moved into the channels to Allow Atsu to move forward at times. It shifted their defenders around and unsettled them. It was very important play from him as the lone striker. Atsu did well to take advantage of the spaces being created, but he in no way lead the line at all.

Perez did not start in the number 10 position at all, and it was a major reason he looked so much better, as he had more room to work with. It is why we did not see him receiving the ball as often in deeper positions, and being pushed off the ball, which happens far too often when he plays there.

Looking back he has always had his best form for us upfront, and would regularly score goals for us in that position. It's where he was playing when he started getting linked to the likes of Spurs and Barca.

Would love to see him given a chance there now. Fed up of the other two, who could both do with a long rest.

Stoke had Edwards who looked a pacy fullback with a decent delivery down their right hand side and ahead of him was Shaqiri.

Ritchie was very important today in helping to neutralise that threat, and supported Manquillo really well in that regard. He was absolutely critical.

You couldn't be more wrong. Cannot believe you actually watched the game and thought Perez was playing behind Atsu. That is actually incredible to me.

He was leading the line and was fantastic doing it. Not sure I'd have anyone else start upfront ahead of him for the mean time. Far more active than Gayle and more mobile than Joselu.

So much better in central midfield. Good to see he is able to make a valuable contribution to the team still.

This guy is the best. So happy for him today. Great result.

Good half from Diame, really seems to be breaking up play and even looks better on the ball, Yedlin is the weak link in defence again while not being terrible, Atsu lively but wasteful as ever, Shelvey and particularly Murphy, absolutely abysmal, and Ritchie the invisible man.

 

Actually fairly impressed with Perez, had a few good driving runs forward, but we need to make attacking changes before 70 minutes otherwise we wont score.

 

How did Clark miss that chance man

Wow. Not a big Shelvey guy, but think he has dictated our play from the back beautifully today.

Perez is so much better playing upfront. It's a key thing that has to be taken from this game going forward.

Especially, as he has previously shown that he will score goals in the prem in that position.

Ritchie gets some stick, but his effort at winning the ball back and pressing the opposition is incredibly important for this team. I would never take him out.

I like Murphy, but the boy is a 23 in a month and was an expensive purchase, yet plays like an 18 year old academy debutant. Obvious talent, but no confidence, assertiveness, or intelligence. As always, you have to give a player a full season to adjust to a new team and league, but it is worrying.

Yeah, he really does play like a young teenager. It's really weird. Mad that he's about to turn 23.

Our forward play has been really decent. Need to capitalise though.

Really think Aarons would be more of a threat than Murphy.

Murphy is really frustrating.

Murphy still seems a bit too unsure of himself out there. Really needs a goal to lift his confidence badly.

Loving Perez upfront. He is clearly a striker.

Atsu looks a big threat in that number 10 position also.

Hope we get a win here, and go forward with Perez getting more chances right upfront.

Triple captain Kane? Such a tough call man. Is the joker fit or not. This is really irritating!

Not worth the risk for me. Just captaining him!

Yeah, think that's what I'm going to do also.

Tempted to captain Dele or Son though!

Really hope Kane plays both games.

Triple captain Kane? Such a tough call man. Is the joker fit or not. This is really irritating!

Fat Sam Allardyce. What a gargantuan mess of a man. Pig.

Slimani man. 7 goals in 30 league appearances so far. He's hardly gonna start setting the world alight. Crap signing and stinks of relegation.

 

Howay man thought you were better than that. He's played more than 20 minutes just once this season in 8 sub apps. He'll get a lot more games here with not having an already established pairing of Vardy & Okazaki to contend with.

 

14 starts, 19 sub apps with 7 goals and 5 assists at a goal every 200 minutes. He was Rafa's main target had we stayed up last time by several accounts so is obviously someone he likes. I think he'd be a great signing for us.

Don't waste your breath man. He doesn't get a game for Leicester and so must be garbage. Bloody ridiculous people man.