Okazaki

Everyone will be underrated until they leave, but the one player that is irreplaceable is Okazaki.

He only plays 45 minutes. But whether that's the 1st or 2nd 45 minutes he will make a difference.

The question for the manager is does he use this player in the 1st half or the 2nd half?

......what I'm trying to say is....what do we do for the other 45mins?

To be honest when he came on he looked a class apart from nearly all of our players.

Loved his smile and celebration receiving the MOM award.

Congrats to Slowmani as well, did sweet fack all game then comes up with that goal.

Think iborra did some good and bad. Looks like he will be a player when he's up to speed to me. Also thank god Ulloa knocked himself out and forced the change, although I'm sure the sub was coming regardless, as we were awful first half.

I think I've said it on about 3 threads now, but it's worth repeating.

Surely we will never start another game with Ulloa and Slimani as our front two. It was a combination that is was never likely to work.

Okazaki is a marvel, he really is. I still can't work out exactly what it is he does that improves us so much. Sure, he runs a lot but so do loads of players. He just seems to be infectious somehow - he injects energy into others around him and improves their games too.

Iborra was a million miles off the pace and didn't look like he even recognised any of his teammates, but there were glimpses of class there. He also looked shattered at the end - give him some time to get fit and learn a bit about the other 9 in blue.

Dragovic looked a real class act to me - solid defender and calm on the ball. Could be a top player. Would love to see him and Maguire play together sometime.

Chilwell still needs to learn to stop hugging opposition wingers. Gray was exciting on the ball. I was already looking at row Z when Slimani took his shot but fair play to him - he never stopped trying.

Ulloa...what was the point in his new contract again? I know it's harsh but the best thing he did all game was get injured.

comment by Jobyfox (U4183)
posted 20 minutes ago
I think I've said it on about 3 threads now, but it's worth repeating.

Surely we will never start another game with Ulloa and Slimani as our front two. It was a combination that is was never likely to work.
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I really dont understand 4-4-2 with those two up front. We might as well be playing with 9 men.

Although it was inevitable for us to change the front two at some point, I'm not sure it was going to be the way it panned out! That leaves queations in itself.

But what I do know is, what changed the game somewhat considerably, is the switch from 4-4-2 (flat) to 4-4-1-1 against a team with midfield dynamite...

...taking into consideration 90% of their dynamite came off before we sent on our 99%

Let's not forget Liverpool gifted us that win by taking off Coutinho. Playing to carthorses up front in a rigid 442 was suicidal against the fluid 433 Liverpool were playing. Shakespeare must come in for some criticism for his tactics, he can't rely on hero play from SO every week.

I become increasingly convinced that we're going to look back on Okazaki's time here with great fondness. And he's becoming like Heskey was: Not the greatest player on paper and without the best stats, but massively effective for the functioning of the team.