” My intention was to play with both of them but Antonio couldn’t play two or three games in a row after he recovered from injury. Now they are both able to play together and they did very well.”
Manuel Pellegrini
It’s this sort of stuff which has you shaking your head in despair at our manager!
It is one of the most widely accepted open secrets in the club that he has never had Michail on his list of favourites a fact pretty well borne out by his refusal to buy anybody remotely like him.
Pellegrini believes in luxury fancy dan players who can produce little tricks and moments of brilliance – not the Michail Antonios of the world.
And here’s the wicked irony! He is now left relying entirely on the guy remaining fit to save him his job PERHAPS.
All this stuff about intending to play the pair together is surely nothing more than cosmetic bluster…where was Haller for the Stamford Bridge game when Anderson was the choice ahead of him…on the bench!
Where was he against Arsenal… again on the bench while Antonio and Anderson started.
So why on earth are we expected to believe a single word of the above quote. It was a happy accident the pair played together yesterday because Anderson was taken sick with a virus.
There’s too many inconsistencies and poor decision making in the manager’s world for me to accept anything else and it’s even worse that he should say such a thing, because he should understand he’ll be laughed out of the gaff for it.
Antonio and Haller now both need to stay fit and although in my opinion an Ajeti replacement is clearly required I hope we don’t have to trust the manager’s choice.
Frankly I believe he’s a busted flush although even at this late stage I’m ready to be proved wrong. I’m not holding my breath mind you!
If he didn’t like Antonio why didn’t he sanction selling him in the summer when Palace were in for him?
Because with Arnautovic gone or going and Chicharito and Perez on their way or gone he was the single avaialable striking option for a time
and also because Palace managed to keep hold of Zaha. They wouldn’t have paid the supposed 30 million without that sale.
I agree with most of what you said Hugh, Ajeti aside, I would like to see Ajeti given more game time in a 433, 352 or 442 system, he looks like a good finisher but has been starved of chances. The busted flush 451 does nothing for us as an attacking force and defensively we are poor, we need a manager gets the players fighting, we saw a little of that against Southampton but we need to see more of it more consistently, whether MP has the ability to motivate the players like that remains to be seen, from what we have heard it’s usually Noble that provides that but his whole captain’s career would indicate he saves that for only a handful of games when we need a captain who does it fr every match bar none.
Antonio was fantastic and looked good with Haller I hope he keeps them together. The performance was better all round but still some improvements needed from a few players. Need consistency , tempo and fight for the rest of the season with unity. Plus the manager and players listening to each other . COYI
I agree completely – he’s never intended a two up top, and only used in desperation and because of Anderson injury. He now tries to claims some credit for it. Many on here have been arguing this for ages..although not myself in fairness.
I still want a proper 3 up front so we can be even more direct as our midfield is lacking so much (Ride aside).
This “article” shows why this blog is the worst of them all. Guesswork at best.
Merry Christmas Eric – I actually agree with what Hugh has written but your constructive contribution to the debate is one I will enjoy all day.