The players aren't "that bad". They just aren't that good.
How would I do it?
My guess is that some games need Sturr+Firminho. Others need Benteke, Sturr and Firminho.
Countinho can be hustled out of some games. He's much less effective out wide or when physically hassled/closed down.
Henderson and Milner are similar. Neither can make up distances effectively enough by accurate Alonso style passing.
Neither can really make breaks forward in the Yaya Toure manner.
Can seems to have a rawness but MIGHT improve a lot quickly. Lallana is just "ok", and has the added weakness of fading in matches. How can a player who's barely Europa level bring us into the top 4? Thats the case with Lallana and MANY others.
Ibe is lacking judgment, confidence and composure. This is what happens when u keep selling the stars/leaders/winners and expect kids to step up way before time.
Mignolet is just average and his distribution is poor.
Clyne is good enough. Left back is a messy one. Gomez needs to have his confidence protected, and guided along. Same with Moreno who's more of a wing back.
The centre backs are NOT bad players, its a bad setup, bad scouting, bad management. Any two of Skrtel, Sakho, Lovren COULD do "a job" in the RIGHT set up.
Ultimately without 3 top class winners, any team will be a bit lost in a real challenge.
I mean the team Rafa inherited wasnt brilliant. But it had Carra, Hyypia, Gerrard, Hamann AND Alonso.
WTF does this lot have? The potential of Firminho? The one dimensionality of Milner? The injury record of Sturridge?
If Rafa's 04-05 team was a weak one (came 5th? in the league) supercharged, what the hell have we got now - with the added emergence of Man City? We have f**k all.
Fooball is about probabilities, not absolutes. We PROBABLY ok most likely wont get near 4th. Infact who the f**k benefits from 4th really?
So how can we "maximise the possibilities" of one of the top 4 f**king up?
Well perhaps try Can and Milner in the middle esp against less phyiscal teams at home.
Moreno could be left flank. Firminho as 2nd striker, or 3rd if Sturr and Benteke are playing.
Ibe could be brought on late on.
To change it, Firminho/Sturr can be moved left. And Cout/Lallana can be moved behind the forward/s.
I really dont rate Henderson as the midfield leader, let alone captain. Perhaps Henderson can be the "3rd midfielder" eg out wider.
And as for Joe Bloody Allen...
Use Benteke when the opponents want to draw deep, or its time for us to change it.
Use Firminho instead of Countinho in games Cou is likely to be bullied.
The sad part is, the nearest we can have to "leaders" is relying on Sturr, Firminho and Milner. It really is a shitty situation. And tho I cant stand BR, I think to criticise him for our failings is very unfair.
But all in all, I think we've been so shat on, I am refusing to use my home tickets this season. We're being had for cu*ts. I think Rafa (a true miracle worker) would just go ballistic with the owners and say "give the team some cash you pricks".
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