How is "check the stats" giving me 'objective evidence'? It's telling me to look for objective evidence, something which I've said I don't need to look at. What's it going to tell me anyway? That he played more successful passes than Gerrard or Alonso? More accuracy? But are those numbers going to tell me what the passes were like? IE- the qualitative aspects of his game? Didn't think so. You can look at the stats comparing our midfielders all you want- but I bet you'll see a big difference between goals, assists and maybe even tackling accuracy.
Like I've said, I've liked him as a player from the very, very first game- read my post earlier in the thread. But it's clear he'll never be given the chance to get to a Vieira level with Liverpool- sure he may have tried to improve his attacking game this season, but he's hardly at the level of Gerrard when breaking from midfield is he? I'd actually go further and say Mascherano seems to cause a lot more problems when he bursts forward which I've seen him doing quite a bit of lately...
It's definitely the right decision at this time. Sure he may well turn into the best midfielder in the world when at Juve, but it wouldn't matter- because at this moment chances are, that Mascherano and Lucas will provide more for our team than Momo. Ideally you'd have them all, but with Gerrard and Alonso there, one has to go, and another would have to be content with not featuring in the side as much as they'd like to.
Your last two paragraphs I can agree with and I have made clear, that it was better for him to improve. Unfortunately, the first paragraph again asks me to take your word for it, ie. your word counts because you watch games on TV and live which of course implies that I could not possibly do so or that your opinion is worth more than objective facts. As for not needing to look at objective facts, I suppose that the world is still flat and that Earth is the centre of the universe in your opinion?
The reality is that his passing accuracy was fine, and unlike it has been portrayed in this thread. He rarely played the destroyer role this season. He was asked to operate further up the pitch and attempt to join and setup attacks. He had one poor game and has had the idiots on his back ever since, in a vein not dissimilar to what has happened to Dirk Kuyt since the Blackburn game.
Whether his ability in this role at the moment is up to scratch is one thing but to use the language you used to describe him is quite another. FWIW, I believe he is not as good a box to box player as Gerrard or Lucas Leiva at the moment, but he will be a world class player in that position if he is given a chance to develop in it. This is something we cannot afford him. He is as good a player in the destroyer role as Mascherano, but lacks the discipline of Mascherano to sit in front of the defence and play simple passes, rather Sissoko likes to roam, thus making him suitable as a box to box player.
