Jase

Here's how the battle for Top 4 looks like: If recent history has anything to go by, then doubt we will win tomorrow. We always fail to take advantage of our rivals slip up. However(please, please!), by hook or by crook, we must win tomorrow. We just have to. If we can get at least 4 points from the next 2 games, it would be a great return!

I know we are desperately looking for a striker who can solve our scoring problems but don't think we should be targeting a one dimensional striker like Gomez. He may score against the lesser teams but a more all rounder kind of striker could easily do that as well and against the big teams too! And if he's isn't scoring the goals, at least he will create for others, unlike the one dimensional goal poacher like Gomez. Furthermore, getting an all round striker would offer us more variations in our play through link up plays etc as opposed to just create chances for the ST and does nothing else. And the players such as Oscar, Mata, Hazard, Moses, Ramires and possibly Schurrle are not just goal creators but also goalscorers themselves. Because of this, we need to have ST who can score themselves but also equally capable of creating for others to do so. Would be so so much better to have a team where the goalscoring exploits come from everywhere(like this season perhaps) rather than just rely on the ST and hope the others pop in a few too. Versatility and adapability >>> One dimensional ST!

Would rather get a ST who can score against the big teams and small teams and create for others. Furthermore, buying a limited ST like Gomez would affect the way we play too because then, it will all center around creating chances for the ST and only the ST to score.

@steve22, your thread created in the Transfer Talk section has been merged with this one since it's the same judging by the identical URL.

Mandzukic does scores a number of goals but it's not a lot if you compare with the goals that Gomez has scored for Bayern last season. Partly that and partly also the fact Mandzukic simply offers more to Bayern compare to Gomez simply because of his much better work off the ball, holding the ball, linking up the play etc.

His goalscoring record paper over the fact that he is a very limited player. The fact that Mandzukic - an all around better player but poorer goalscoring record - has been preferred over Gomez despite his goalscoring exploits/record & after returning from injury tells you a lot how Bayern view him.

Here's how the Top 4 race would look like depending on the Arsenal v Everton game result tonight..

Spurs will be playing Southampton at WHL before facing us. And after facing us, they'll go to Stoke.

That match will be played 3 days after we face United at Old Trafford.It means now our remaining games will look like this: 17th Apr - Fulham(A) 21st Apr - Liverpool(A) 25th Apr - Basel(A) 28th Apr - Swansea(H) 2nd May - Basel(H) 5th May - Man Utd(A) 8th May - Spurs(H) 11th May - Villa(A) 15th May - Europa League Final (if we get there) 19th May - Everton(H)

Slightly off topic but... That match will be played 3 days after we face United at Old Trafford.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8643291/

Don't be surprised if Benitez goes into a 'love-in' mode with Liverpool later this week since we'll be playing them on Sunday. And I remember after Houllier lost to them at Anfield in the 10/11 season, he said if there's one team he doesn't mind losing to, it's Liverpool.

Juan creepy Mata...

It's Benitez's 53rd birthday tomorrow or today, depending where you are right now...

HA! Not happy at Bayern now and cue the rubbish rumours once more.

When lollipop meets Mata...

*speechless*......

And BBC MOTD was only praising Howard Webb yesterday.

As if we don't have enough of CAMs already.....

Win this game and we'll have a 4-point lead over Spurs having played the same number of games for both of us. And that would be crucial cushion to have heading into the Liverpool game on Sunday(with Spurs facing City) as well as the one against Spurs, whenever that game would be.

Disagree. Less emphasis or not, crossing is a basic ability that every player should at least be decent at and in the case of full backs(and wingers), they should even be better at it. The problem right now is that we can't even put in a good cross half the time as it is always underhit or overhit and misses the target completely. There is just no consistency in our crossing and it's just incredibly frustrating. How many times have Azpi get into a great attacking position on the right but then produce a horrible cross? Said this many times before, the amount of quality and consistent crosses we delivered in the 09/10 season and now is just plain embarrassing because of the massive stark contrast in them.

Oh dear. I know we are criticizing Mata's performance against the big teams here but is there any need to actually say his corner wasn't meant for Drogba and it was for Lampard instead? Yes, Drogba had to move to get onto the header but it seems that you also forget to mention Lampard had to move towards the ball too. When Mata took that corner, it was meant to be put into a space where one of our players, in this case Drogba, can attack the ball and it was in front of him. If you are just gonna whip a corner into where a player is standing, then you are unlikely to win the header because there will be somebody marking you. And just a note on his performances against Barcelona. Think some of us here discussed last time that Mata should have never played in those 2 matches because the game plan we deployed was never suitable to his style of play. If we are just gonna defend and defend and defend and play on the counter, then we shouldn't bother playing Mata at all since his abilities won't be exploited to the fullest. Speaking of exploiting his abilities to the fullest, while I do acknowledge that he hasn't exactly played well in games against Man City, Juventus, Atletico etc, some people are conveniently forgetting the other good games he had against United, Spurs and Arsenal. Really, if we are gonna criticize his performances against City, Juve, Atletico etc, then think we should really be looking deeper into the issue. In those games, we were practically a shambles especially against Atletico and nobody exactly turned up for those games. Additionally, by constantly sitting so deep just to defend against those said teams, it's never gonna help Mata. Even when he gets on the ball and in turn over situations, he can't really play forward because the other players are so deep and by the time they get up the pitch, the opposition would already have parked their bus and it meant less of a chance for Mata to play any incisive passes etc. The point here is that Mata's performances in those games(and others) suffered as a result because the team as a whole just did not turn up. Mata is a great player but he can't do it all by himself if we are just gonna setup so negative and/or the others don't even bother to turn up for the matches. On the other hand, when we do turn up and decide to play positively, then Mata(and others) have shone just like in the matches against United(despite the defensive mess!), Arsenal and Spurs.