Then we also have I Lupi and Le Aquile,
http://1986gf.blogspot.com/2016/11/this-is-how-you-nail-your-target.html
The big blue bus?
Claudio "a new Julio-Claudian dynasty?" Ranieri is surely a likeable guy. So likeable, many people may have felt sorry for him when José "O Especial is back" Mourinho assumed command of the San Siro.
So would tonight be a grudge match of sorts? After all, Marc "will he model for Marc Jacobs?" Albrighton did give Antonio "better don't call him El Mariachi until end of the season" Barragán a total nightmare. To cap things off an unforgettable night for pundits, punters, the faithful red and blue, Marten "fights like a marten, run like the Roon, still playing like an Italian" De Roon decided to take a legal acid trip.
So will Caesar Ranieri employ trench warfare against us? At home, they're content to cede possession and hit us at the break. While plenty has been stated about Jamie "the party must still go on" Vardy's importance in the wake of his absence, I find that Islam "no pork in my salami pls" Slimani and Ahmed "a musa named Ahmed" Musa played a more vital role against us. With the Vardy party only (re)starting after tonight, what should we expect?
Definitely not this one above...
Against Albrighton, let me give just say that Barragán got brutally roasted. Don't get me wrong, I still think Barragán is a good fullback. However, I do find Bernardo "will he be our Santo Bernardo?" Espinosa to be much better defensively. Against Man Utd, he held fort firmly like what we'd expect from a player under Señor (or even Senhor for that matter). A centreback by default, he did his chances no harm by turning a solid shift as a rightback. One might wonder whether Albrighton would have gotten past our right if El Santo was there instead of El Mariachi.
Unlike Barragán, Espinosa isn't exactly the kind of fullback to transit play from defence to attack. That's Barragán's territory (in this sense, he's quite similar to our BFF George). However, Espinosa's physical approach also means giving Señor a welcomed strategic headache. Leicester will see this match in the same way we will see it: 6 pointer match up for grabs.
Last time round, there's not much pressure on the Foxes. The reason being that our standing in the league table was more precarious than theirs. This time round, it's a 50-50. If Leicester dares to play for a draw, the Caesar will be facing a rebellion worse than the Bar Kokhba revolt aeons ago.
How low will they go?
'Tis very hard to say. Our pitch at Riverside is definitely wide enough to boss possession while making the most out of it without playing it like Barcelona. In this sense, I won't be surprised if Leicester will play the same old game: cede possession>break and counter. In the form of Albrighton and Riyad "first name reads like Riyadh, last name reads like Jason Mraz" Mahrez, they have one orthodox out-and-out winger and an orthodox continental winger respectively. Leicester's approach out wide is that simple. Extremely effective in narrow pitch, but it may also mean Albrighton having to cut inside more oft than not.
As for the fullbacks, they'll be doing the same thing 90% of the teams we've played so far were doing against us: whipping in crosses via the back. Remember, me lads and ladies, this is a team which plays like a stereotypical English team with a semblance of success.
In the absence of Vardy, we have Slimani (or Musa for that matter). In the absence of Okazaki "the Japanese Buzzsaw" Shinji, who might we be facing? After all, key to Leicester's fortunes both last season and this time round has always hinged heavily on pace, width, and a second striker around the 1.7m height range.
50 Shades of Gray
There's a reason why I mentioned the most famous work of softcore pr0n here. It has nothing to do with Christian Grey, but rather another matter of Gray.
We all have done stupid things in our lives before, only a moron will deny this. Yet, it doesn't mean that Demarai "neither Christian nor a Yank" Gray should emulate a certain Brock "I don't care if he's a Turner or al-Turner" Turner. Yes, his form is hitting a dip right now. But if there's a player who can hurt us in tandem with Slimani (or Musa for that matter), it will be him. Unlike the Japanese Buzzsaw, he's got pace abound. Unlike the warrior from Nigeria and slayer from Algeria, he's got mobility apart from pace. Caesar can opt for a Musa-Slimani partnership against us, it's actually tactically doable. However, this partnership tends to work better in narrow pitches. It's either that or Leicester will have to risk slowing down play once they get the ball.
Talking point: BFF
It should be clear by now. When I mention BFF, I'm not referring to that of my super mignonne legal housebreaker. When I mention BFF, I'm talking about George "neither St George nor Lonesome George" Friend.
Fabio's recent consistency may have thrown some interesting questions on how our BFF leftback can/will force his way back into the team bar a trip to the FICU (i.e. Footballers' Intensive Care Unit). I know plenty of ppl will laugh at me and call me crazy for saying "hey, let's try our BFF out on the offensive left!"
Laugh all you want, but Señor's tactical decision whenever he tossed our BFF off the bench has vindicated my words. Against Swansea, he did just that. Against Man Utd, I won't be surprised if that's the reason why Fabio stayed on the pitch. It's like the late Steve Jobs saying "I have a dream and it's called the i-technology." People laughed and call him barking mad even though he's just as smart as Bill "not Robert" Gates. Years later, we have the i-technology minus the iCloud platform gap (read: you don't expect a dead genius to know what happened after he died).
When Mogga signed our BFF leftback, the intention was to get an attacking fullback. Out of all his signings, I'll have to say our BFF is one of, if not the better performers so far. As a rampaging George, he was terrorising the opponents like St George charging out of his stronghold. Under the new government, he's forced to play Lonesome George. Señor's pragmatism is quite the antithesis of Mogga's idealism, there's no way he would tolerate gaps and holes anywhere at the back.
So why gave me the idea that our BFF can play on the offensive left? Firstly, he has the attacking instincts of an offensive fullback. This was the reason why Mogga signed him in the first place. Secondly, he has improved a lot on the defensive end. This was the reason why he's the only notable survivor from the Mogga era. If our BFF can play as a wingback (something which he has alrdy proven to all), what makes us think that it's tactically impossible to play a more defensive variation of the left midfield? Formation is there for a reason, it's not for us to guess who will be having the upper hand. Given the manner which Señor employs his strategy and tactics, who are we to say that our BFF out wide in a more attacking role is a case of IMPOSSIBRU!!!!
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| And while we're at it, how about Barragán as El Mariachi alongside BFF George and Gastón El Bestia? |
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