When is Ramirez going to start justifying his price-tag?

[110_Persaint]

When will you lot realize: our evolving style of play is not suiting him!

 

Think of when he has been at his best this season: Villa home, Newcastle home, etc. and think why he was playing brilliantly - we as a team were giving him space and opportunity to prosper. I don't know how many of you have watched Bologna games from last season (I've seen a few), but you'll notice he needs space and almost always looks to receive the ball facing the goal. He loves to run onto through-balls and have runners ahead of him. Dropping deep is what he's all about. He likes to spread the play and create as much space for himself and others as possible.

 

Against Villa and Newcastle, for instance, we were not so keen on passing the ball around barcelona-style in our oppopnents' half. Perhaps we were desperate for the wins, but it was all out bombardment. Quick passing right from their penalty box to ours, allowing Gaston to thrive. No hanging onto the ball in their half, bandying it around between Clyne - Cork - Morgan - Shaw, no dallying about waiting patiently for an opening (which is very hard to come by in the prem). One-touch, economical football is what Gaston is all about. That is why he is so much better when Adam is playing - same wavelength - both want to play quick give-and-go football as opposed to pass it around patiently.

 

In other games, particularly away games, our game style revolves around pinning our opponents back and containing them as far up the pitch as possible. Space is limited as a result, and Gaston finds himself surrounded by three or four players before the ball gets to his feet. Likewise he more often than not receives the ball with his back to goal and for a flair-type player he is not ready to work his magic because he is absolutely clueless what to do - no willing runners (no space), no opportunity for flicks and tricks (no space) and all he can possibly do to keep possession is pass it back to Morgan or Cork - credit to him he does not look to do that - he still tries to somehow get himself out of the tight spot he finds himself in and play the ball forward. Unfortunately our style of play means 9 or ten men from the opposing team are in and around their penalty area - even Messi would struggle to do something then (Chelsea semi-final anyone?).

 

Those who say he is not suited to the prem are clueless I am sorry to say. He knew what he was getting himself into and he knew he wanted to play in this league because it suits his style - I am 100% certain he would be thriving now if playing for Swansea, Stoke, West Brom etc. Why? Because they play the English game: fast one-touch passing, spreading the play, not giving the opponents time or space and always looking for runners ahead as opposed to looking back to their defensive midfielders in acres of space. We've switched to a continental style (Italian mostly - I wonder why...) and although prem teams find us hard to deal with, we also make life difficult for ourselves and one of our most talented players.

 

At Bologna they used to always have wingers in the side, not attacking fullbacks - out-and-out wingers. Gaston's specialty is receiving the ball in lots of space, facing the goal and either going on mazy runs or feeding those wingers running ahead of him in acres of space. He hates playing the ball backwards - unfortunately in our system this commendable philosophy of his bites him in the arse and makes us all turn on him when the going gets tough. He is not to blame - our style of play is.

[captainchris]

When will you lot realize: our evolving style of play is not suiting him!

 

Think of when he has been at his best this season: Villa home, Newcastle home, etc. and think why he was playing brilliantly - we as a team were giving him space and opportunity to prosper. I don't know how many of you have watched Bologna games from last season (I've seen a few), but you'll notice he needs space and almost always looks to receive the ball facing the goal. He loves to run onto through-balls and have runners ahead of him. Dropping deep is what he's all about. He likes to spread the play and create as much space for himself and others as possible.

 

Against Villa and Newcastle, for instance, we were not so keen on passing the ball around barcelona-style in our oppopnents' half. Perhaps we were desperate for the wins, but it was all out bombardment. Quick passing right from their penalty box to ours, allowing Gaston to thrive. No hanging onto the ball in their half, bandying it around between Clyne - Cork - Morgan - Shaw, no dallying about waiting patiently for an opening (which is very hard to come by in the prem). One-touch, economical football is what Gaston is all about. That is why he is so much better when Adam is playing - same wavelength - both want to play quick give-and-go football as opposed to pass it around patiently.

 

In other games, particularly away games, our game style revolves around pinning our opponents back and containing them as far up the pitch as possible. Space is limited as a result, and Gaston finds himself surrounded by three or four players before the ball gets to his feet. Likewise he more often than not receives the ball with his back to goal and for a flair-type player he is not ready to work his magic because he is absolutely clueless what to do - no willing runners (no space), no opportunity for flicks and tricks (no space) and all he can possibly do to keep possession is pass it back to Morgan or Cork - credit to him he does not look to do that - he still tries to somehow get himself out of the tight spot he finds himself in and play the ball forward. Unfortunately our style of play means 9 or ten men from the opposing team are in and around their penalty area - even Messi would struggle to do something then (Chelsea semi-final anyone?).

 

Those who say he is not suited to the prem are clueless I am sorry to say. He knew what he was getting himself into and he knew he wanted to play in this league because it suits his style - I am 100% certain he would be thriving now if playing for Swansea, Stoke, West Brom etc. Why? Because they play the English game: fast one-touch passing, spreading the play, not giving the opponents time or space and always looking for runners ahead as opposed to looking back to their defensive midfielders in acres of space. We've switched to a continental style (Italian mostly - I wonder why...) and although prem teams find us hard to deal with, we also make life difficult for ourselves and one of our most talented players.

 

At Bologna they used to always have wingers in the side, not attacking fullbacks - out-and-out wingers. Gaston's specialty is receiving the ball in lots of space, facing the goal and either going on mazy runs or feeding those wingers running ahead of him in acres of space. He hates playing the ball backwards - unfortunately in our system this commendable philosophy of his bites him in the arse and makes us all turn on him when the going gets tough. He is not to blame - our style of play is.

 

He can't play here, can't play there, can't play with back to goal, can't play away .......nod nod wink wink....lol