JoeMercer'sWay said:
Not a huge difference between Dzeko and Tevez if we are talking about STARTING partnerships. I think the better test is goals when on the pitch together. And again, I think the goals for the partnership (both players) is the real issue...not who makes Aguero better (i.e. Tevez's goals are just as important in talking about their partnership).
What I think is interesting about these stats (and I think we would need more numbers to really tell) is to see if Aguero really does perform markedly better when he has someone behind him in the hole. If he does (and these numbers suggest he might), I would like to know how Mario would perform in that role. We know Tevez plays well in the hole and we know that Dzeko probably would be a disaster. I personally think Mario could be golden there.
I think most would agree that Mario is at his best when he is playing up top leading the line. That is obviously where Aguero plays best as well. I don't think Mario is nearly as effective coming in off the left (where he was played for most of those games with Aguero). Mario doesn't necessarily have the physique for a natural 10 (Messi, Rooney), but I think he has the talent to excel there. His idol has always been Ibra and that is Ibra's game. He can score gobs of goals but he can also create for his strike partner from the hole. I think Mario has the potential (assuming he gets his head straight) to do the same thing. The very best out there often have the ability to do both (Ibra, Rooney) and I think Mario is in their league.
I personally would get rid of Tevez. I don't think he deserves to play on the team. If we land Hazard, I wouldn't add another striker at all. Let Hazard play in the hole and get a proper winger (Bale or the much cheaper Belhanda). If we don't get Hazard, still get a winger and replace Tevez with a striker (my choice would be Falcao).
With a true winger we can open up Dzeko's game, if we get Hazard, we have a natural player to play behind Aguero and if we don't get Hazard we have at least two options to play the number 10 (Mario and Belhanda).
Anyway...Bobby hasn't ever taken my advice...so I expect we will sell Dzeko and get RVP.
-- Mon May 28, 2012 11:43 am --
\blueyorkie said:
Can't really attribute that to Tevez. Its a logical fallacy. You can also say since Bobby dropped Richards we won x number of games in a row. Yes we won six games with Tevez but in the last three he had little impact. In the end, the most important two goals of our season were scored when he was on the bench by Dzeko and a combination of Mario/Aguero (yes I think Mario deserves just as much credit as Aguero--his poke to Aguero was just as impressive as Aguero's amazing strike). I personally was over the moon that the three strikers that got us to the point of winning the league were the ones that saw us through in the end (while Tevez had his feet propped up).