If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Twitch It

Good morning.

Our tight lipped, ashen faced supremo Arry Redschnapps has decided to confound his critics and implement a managerial masterstroke. 

“Aaron’s been in good form lately. I think he’s better on the left than on the right, in all honesty. When he comes on the left, like he did at Fulham and against Bolton, he can score.

He likes to duck inside on his right foot, or he can take it past you.

“I think he gets more opportunities to score goals when he plays on the left. On the other side he tends to go one way. 

When he gets on the left side, he squares people up and he can come inside around the box and he’s got that shot on all the time. I think he’s happier on the left.

Now I’ve seen this work on a couple of occasions. I admit that. But I’ve seen it not work more frequently.

Yes, Arry has done brilliantly, but he’s got this wrong. This is the same guy who thought the boy Bale was in his best position as a left back.  Mixing it up mid game is a good idea but swapping Bale and Azza over on a permanent basis is surely going to generate play as ‘predictable’ as it is right now. 

This is all about facilitating Azza who appears to routinely lack inventiveness and of course a decent final ball. Harsh? Well we spend every season watching essentially the same spiel. Gets the ball, hares off like a lunatic, crosses into row G. That’s if he’s not recovering from some injury at a pace that would put an octogenarian to shame.

No, what’s needed to greater variety in Azza Blud’s play opposed to accommodating his weaknesses. 

Lennon – on his day – is an exceptional player but to my mind he is at most exciting when he breaks from the clock work mouse drill of pelting up the wing. I’m not suggest he knock that stunt on the head, rather he add more moves to his rather limited repertoire.