Mario Mandžukić (37 Viewers)

[Osman]

You could say the same about Higuain with his misses. Both he, cuadrado and Mario all ballooned shots over the goal.

If Mario is going to be a winger (which he shouldn’t, sorry) then Cuads needs to be consistently trying to cross back post because Mario is easily the best in the air

Are you kidding me? Mandzu lost us 3 pts by missing multiple chances in front of goal. Higuain didn't have a single open chance, just wide shot outside the box. Even bigger joke to compare Mandzus terrible misses to Cuadrado ballooning one shot from outside after a corner.


Mandzukics finishing instincts was horrible this game. He has no bussiness being compared to Higuain.

Skickat från min SM-G930F via Tapatalk

 

Buy on AliExpress.com

[ALC]

Are you kidding me? Mandzu lost us 3 pts by missing multiple chances in front of goal. Higuain didn't have a single open chance, just wide shot outside the box. Even bigger joke to compare Mandzus terrible misses to Cuadrado ballooning one shot from outside after a corner.


Mandzukics finishing instincts was horrible this game. He has no bussiness being compared to Higuain.

Skickat från min SM-G930F via Tapatalk

Imo he had a better game than Higuaín regardless of the misses. At least he can provide way more danger than Higuaín does. Don’t see why he has no business being compared to him.

 

[Hængebøffer]

Imo he had a better game than Higuaín regardless of the misses. At least he can provide way more danger than Higuaín does. Don’t see why he has no business being compared to him.

Lol. Did you even watch the game?

 

[ALC]

Lol. Did you even watch the game?

Yes. And Mandzukic was the only thread in attack b sides that Asamoah shot and Inter almost scoring an own goal. Higuaín had one weak shot from long range and that’s it.

 

[Osman]

Imo he had a better game than Higuaín regardless of the misses. At least he can provide way more danger than Higuaín does. Don’t see why he has no business being compared to him.

Mandzukic COST us the game, he did not have better game then anyone on this team.

 

[Hust]

Imo he had a better game than Higuaín regardless of the misses. At least he can provide way more danger than Higuaín does. Don’t see why he has no business being compared to him.

Yep

Higuain does not fit in the current lineup and either does Dybala. That should be our biggest concern.

Mario holds the call up wayyyyy better than Higuain and if we insist on whipping crosses in with wingers why use Higuain? Guy is useless heading the ball. Current tactics Mario is more effective IMO.

Until we start playing the ball through the middle more we won’t see the best from either Higuain or Dybala

- - - Updated - - -

Mandzukic COST us the game, he did not have better game then anyone on this team.

Mario cost us the game but had he scored people would be suddenly rushing back to his defense or whatever narrative they have. How many games has Higuain or Dybala (PKs) cost us? What logic is that?

 

[Xperd]

Imo he had a better game than Higuaín regardless of the misses. At least he can provide way more danger than Higuaín does. Don’t see why he has no business being compared to him.

This is pretty ridiculous considering Higuain won us a big game last week

He's a terrible left winger who provides nothing other than his workrate and his occasional aerial threat where he botches up the chances most of the time

Yes absolutely. Mandzukic has no business being compared to Higuaín

- - - Updated - - -

Yep

Higuain does not fit in the current lineup and either does Dybala. That should be our biggest concern.

Mario holds the call up wayyyyy better than Higuain and if we insist on whipping crosses in with wingers why use Higuain? Guy is useless heading the ball. Current tactics Mario is more effective IMO.

Until we start playing the ball through the middle more we won’t see the best from either Higuain or Dybala

- - - Updated - - -



Mario cost us the game but had he scored people would be suddenly rushing back to his defense or whatever narrative they have. How many games has Higuain or Dybala (PKs) cost us? What logic is that?

But he dint score. That's the whole point.

Higuain scored the winner in a big game last week, saved our asses against Sporting where we looked flat as hell, brace against Milan etc yet he is getting bashed week in week out. Now tell me what logic is that?

Irony is , Mandzukic is glorified not for his attacking skills or his goalscoring instincts but for his workrate.

There's no way he should even be considered ahead of Higuain at CF except for dead rubber games.

As for the wing position, Costa is in very good form. Criminal to bench him for an inferior LW in Mandzukic.

So ideally, his place should be on the bench.

 

[Hust]

Yes. And Mandzukic was the only thread in attack b sides that Asamoah shot and Inter almost scoring an own goal. Higuaín had one weak shot from long range and that’s it.

 

[Osman]

Mario cost us the game but had he scored people would be suddenly rushing back to his defense or whatever narrative they have. How many games has Higuain or Dybala (PKs) cost us? What logic is that?

They won us MUCH MUCH MUCH more games then they lost us. Before Barca game Higauin had 6 games in a row where he scored, and only last week he won us Napoli game. With virtually ONLY shot he had. Dybala spent first 2 months of the season being our personal superhero, missed pks, and seems down currently, but he is still our most important player.


Neither is comparable to Mandzukic, who currently isnt doing enough, his workrate/defending isnt as before, and with Costa here it shows us even more how limited we are in the wing creating/taking players on on that left flank with Mandzu there, so what extra advantage does Mandzu have left there? be a presence in the box and finish off chances, but guess what? Mandzu missed 3-4 chances last night. Us going without scoring and getting 3 pts is on him because he got virtually all the decisive chances in this game besides a Khedira chance.



So YES, Mandzu has no bussiness being compared to Higauin.


And if his impact remains like this, he should not start over Costa. Especially in 4-3-3 that requires strictly attacking qualities from the LW, and not like in 4-2-3-1 which requires Mandzu's style more due to helping out midfield more with defensive work. But 3 CMs do not need that extra aid.

 

[Hust]

This is pretty ridiculous considering Higuain won us a big game last week

He's a terrible left winger who provides nothing other than his workrate and his occasional aerial threat where he botches up the chances most of the time

Yes absolutely. Mandzukic has no business being compared to Higuaín

- - - Updated - - -



But he dint score. That's the whole point.

Higuain scored the winner in a big game last week, saved our asses against Sporting where we looked flat as hell, brace against Milan etc yet he is getting bashed week in week out. Now tell me what logic is that?

Irony is , Mandzukic is glorified not for his attacking skills or his goalscoring instincts but for his workrate.

There's no way he should even be considered ahead of Higuain at CF except for dead rubber games.

As for the wing position, Costa is in very good form. Criminal to bench him for an inferior LW in Mandzukic.

So ideally, his place should be on the bench.

Mario should be a backup to Higuain. Simple as that

 

[Osman]

This is pretty ridiculous considering Higuain won us a big game last week

He's a terrible left winger who provides nothing other than his workrate and his occasional aerial threat where he botches up the chances most of the time

Yes absolutely. Mandzukic has no business being compared to Higuaín

- - - Updated - - -



But he dint score. That's the whole point.

Higuain scored the winner in a big game last week, saved our asses against Sporting where we looked flat as hell, brace against Milan etc yet he is getting bashed week in week out. Now tell me what logic is that?

Irony is , Mandzukic is glorified not for his attacking skills or his goalscoring instincts but for his workrate.

There's no way he should even be considered ahead of Higuain at CF except for dead rubber games.

As for the wing position, Costa is in very good form. Criminal to bench him for an inferior LW in Mandzukic.

So ideally, his place should be on the bench.

Well said.

 

[Hust]

And again, people can’t berate Mario for missing chances when he has saved us before. Same for all our strikers. All 3 of our strikers have bailed us out before but have also gone MIA for extended periods

- - - Updated - - -

I maintain that we aren’t using Higuain and Dybala well. What should be one of the strongest duo in Europe (easily in Italy) but both have gone long periods of poor form. I’m certainly not one to bash either of the two without at least first acknowledging that the tactics don’t seem to allow them to utilize their strengths.

 

[Xperd]

I agree with one thing. Higuain is not very good at holding up the ball. But I hope we eventually find a way to integrate all our attacking personnel properly. And that includes tweaking our tactics.
Yes Higuaín-Dybala is not working out as well as expected but it's still better than having Mandzukic as a CF who is a poor finisher.

 

[Hust]

I agree with one thing. Higuain is not very good at holding up the ball. But I hope we eventually find a way to integrate all our attacking personnel properly. And that includes tweaking our tactics.
Yes Higuaín-Dybala is not working out as well as expected but it's still better than having Mandzukic as a CF who is a poor finisher.

Mario isn’t a winger which I why I keep saying backup for Higuain. We run that guy into the ground

 

[Boksic]

They won us MUCH MUCH MUCH more games then they lost us. Before Barca game Higauin had 6 games in a row where he scored, and only last week he won us Napoli game. With virtually ONLY shot he had. Dybala spent first 2 months of the season being our personal superhero, missed pks, and seems down currently, but he is still our most important player.


Neither is comparable to Mandzukic, who currently isnt doing enough, his workrate/defending isnt as before, and with Costa here it shows us even more how limited we are in the wing creating/taking players on on that left flank with Mandzu there, so what extra advantage does Mandzu have left there? be a presence in the box and finish off chances, but guess what? Mandzu missed 3-4 chances last night. Us going without scoring and getting 3 pts is on him because he got virtually all the decisive chances in this game besides a Khedira chance.



So YES, Mandzu has no bussiness being compared to Higauin.


And if his impact remains like this, he should not start over Costa. Especially in 4-3-3 that requires strictly attacking qualities from the LW, and not like in 4-2-3-1 which requires Mandzu's style more due to helping out midfield more with defensive work. But 3 CMs do not need that extra aid.

This is pretty ridiculous considering Higuain won us a big game last week

He's a terrible left winger who provides nothing other than his workrate and his occasional aerial threat where he botches up the chances most of the time

Yes absolutely. Mandzukic has no business being compared to Higuaín

- - - Updated - - -



But he dint score. That's the whole point.

Higuain scored the winner in a big game last week, saved our asses against Sporting where we looked flat as hell, brace against Milan etc yet he is getting bashed week in week out. Now tell me what logic is that?

Irony is , Mandzukic is glorified not for his attacking skills or his goalscoring instincts but for his workrate.

There's no way he should even be considered ahead of Higuain at CF except for dead rubber games.

As for the wing position, Costa is in very good form. Criminal to bench him for an inferior LW in Mandzukic.

So ideally, his place should be on the bench.

I think our best tactic going forward is 4-3-2-1 with Costa and Dybala as the two. I like Mandzukic but he just isn't suited to a role outside of 4-2-3-1 where his lack of creativity is compensated by the extra attacker and his workrate which is needed to combat us only having 2 mids. He just doesn't add enough creativity to rely on him being one of only 3 attackers with defensive minded mids in the 4-3-3.

If we play him upfront, Higuain is a far better striker and has the goalscoring instinct that Mandzukic seems to have lost. I don't see how anyone can argue that.

Some people say our tactics don't suit Higuain and Dybala. But we can't go through a season playing crosses to a far post Mandzukic and need to be more unpredictable. Higuain, Dybala, Costa/Cuadrado/Bernadeschi adds unpredictability and the ability to add creativity in wide and central areas. Some of the link up against Napoli was very encouraging.

If it's 4-2-3-1, then great play Mandzukic on the left or use him as a backup for Higuain. But I'm not convinced we get the best out him in other formations.

 

[Hust]

@Boksic

If you aren’t convinced we get the best of Mario in either formation then what is your solution for Mario?

 

[Boksic]

I agree with one thing. Higuain is not very good at holding up the ball. But I hope we eventually find a way to integrate all our attacking personnel properly. And that includes tweaking our tactics.
Yes Higuaín-Dybala is not working out as well as expected but it's still better than having Mandzukic as a CF who is a poor finisher.

I think that is a bit harsh, often he is so isolated that he is up against 2 defenders and trying to bring the ball down under heavy pressure with nobody to lay it off to. Some of his link-up play has been excellent e.g. AC Milan game. He had games when he was badly out of form early in the season and his hold up wasn't as good but generally I would say he is good, especially if we can get support near him.

 

[Hust]

I think that is a bit harsh, often he is so isolated that he is up against 2 defenders and trying to bring the ball down under heavy pressure with nobody to lay it off to. Some of his link-up play has been excellent e.g. AC Milan game. He had games when he was badly out of form early in the season and his hold up wasn't as good but generally I would say he is good, especially if we can get support near him.

He is isolated which is exactly why we need to find a way to get Dybala closer to him

 

[Boksic]

@Boksic

If you aren’t convinced we get the best of Mario in either formation then what is your solution for Mario?

Depends on Allegri's plan.

If he wants to go for 4-2-3-1, I would say he should generally be a starter or rotated with Costa/Berna/Cuadrado depending on form.

If he wants to go for 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1, I would say he should mainly be a backup for Higuain or occasionally rotated in the attacking mid roles against smaller teams. Alex Sandro on his side on a 4-3-3 would be better as he adds more creativity and can compensate for Mandzukic not adding as much.

I like Mandzukic but I would like to see us try the 4-3-2-1 a bit more and just don't see him fitting in that.

- - - Updated - - -

He is isolated which is exactly why we need to find a way to get Dybala closer to him

 

[Hust]

Depends on Allegri's plan.

If he wants to go for 4-2-3-1, I would say he should generally be a starter or rotated with Costa/Berna/Cuadrado depending on form.

If he wants to go for 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1, I would say he should mainly be a backup for Higuain or occasionally rotated in the attacking mid roles against smaller teams. Alex Sandro on his side on a 4-3-3 would be better as he adds more creativity and can compensate for Mandzukic not adding as much.

I like Mandzukic but I would like to see us try the 4-3-2-1 a bit more and just don't see him fitting in that.

- - - Updated - - -