It really helps if you have a striker who can hit the back of the net. The number of assists that Ozil has this season is incredible when you look at how they have come about. Half of them are a sideways ball before someone like Sanchez takes two touches and buries it. Similar with Eriksen getting the ball to Kane. It still counts as an assist if last pass is a simple one. With Coutinho he has to be goal supplier goal scorer and match winner all rolled into one. Yet again a couple of iffy games and we have the doubters sticking the knife in on our top players because they don't do the job every single week.
It's true, they are able to get the ball in better areas with momentum in their attacks. if we look at the goals we've scored with benteke in the middle part of the season in the 4231, the small momentum we've been able to generate in our attacks, off the ball running etc, trying to get as close to the ST, and get the ball to him as much as possible, look how close firmino has been able to get to the forward, only a few metres away, when benteke has scored.
I know it is a little frustrating what do you want to do sell them? and never make the most of their ability to win the ball back, their long range shooting, their passing.
