[Danny]

I feel like asking that question is almost a cliche now. Every year we wait for Pato to emerge from the shadows and realise that potential, and every year he lets us down - either via injuries or poor form.

Now while he's not an old man at 22, he's not the 18 year old we signed either - it is time this lad finally began to show his class regularly because we sure as heck don't appear to be signing a marquee striker to replace Ibrahimovic.

Is this guy going to be a perennial underachiever for us, or are there folks who believe he will finally become what his destiny suggests?

Admittedly there's the Babs baggage as well, which probably means we're 'stuck with him' anyway, but there's no denying on his day he is a scintillating striker. It's just a pity he's as fragile as glass in both form and body.

[Danny]

He's not a treq, I agree, but he surely is an AM? What else is he? You guys aren't going to call him a CM or a striker are you?

[han2503]

He's not a treq, I agree, but he surely is an AM? What else is he? You guys aren't going to call him a CM or a striker are you?

An AM and a trequartista are the same to me. You cannot play behind the strikers if you do not have the qualities of a trequartista, which first and foremost are creativity, vision, touch and great passing technique. Boateng has none of those qualities.

As x-off appropriately called him, he's a box-to-box guy. He's got the energy, pace, shot, eye for goal that would make him a perfect box-to-box solution for us. Instead we use Nocerino to fill that role

[CHU-LIP]

As x-off appropriately called him, he's a box-to-box guy. He's got the energy, pace, shot, eye for goal that would make him a perfect box-to-box solution for us. Instead we use Nocerino to fill that role

Nocerino is a better box-to-box midfielder than Boateng. Everything you say, Nocerino got that as well.

Boateng is an attacking midfielder or even forward to me, not a box-to-box midfielder. He is hopeless when playing too deep. Nocerino at times as well, but Boateng even worse. They lose possession way too easily, and are very bad in conquering the ball (tackling included). Nocerino against Real Madrid, after his beautiful assist, when in midfield position he was a disaster. He couldn't even receive the ball properly. What's that for a first touch? Boateng when he was deep also looked bad. It seems like their heads are on tilt when they play deep.

Boateng has been always at his best when being a part as the most three advanced players (the forwards, as one of the forwards thus). Am I the only one who sees him fail when playing (deeper) in midfield (than AM)?