Form/ Plan 'B'...

[Cityfan]

There seem to me to be two points in the original post.
One is an eternal problem and a legitimate concern and the other is complete nonsense.
The genuine concern is the same for all clubs, with multiple commitments. How do you keep players fresh whilst maintaining quality through a long season allowing your best players enough rest whilst keeping your reserves up to scratch with match play.
It is a delicate balancing act that everyone will get wrong occasionally, we probably over rotated last season, particularly at the back I hope we don't make the opposite mistake this season.
All I can say is that there is plenty of experience in the coaching team to trust their judgement.
The bit about no plan B is complete nonsense.
This season we have seen 3,4&5 at the back, we have seen full backs push up and play back and inside. We have played with wide forwards and two centre forwards, we have seen Debruyne's position change within games.
We have pressed hard and sat back.
Not every plan B,c,d or e is guaranteed of success but Pep appears meticulous in his planning both for a basic plan and with alternatives and for different players , see his alternative uses of Mendy, Danilo and Delph at left back with our different ways of playing.

 

[Bigga]

Pep's football tenets are:
1) Maintain possession of the ball - the opposition cannot score if we have the ball;
2) Upon turn over, press immediately. The man(men) nearest the ball should move towards the ball; other players must move to cut off passing. If after a few seconds we do not regain possession, return to a less aggressive defensive posture;
3) Pass quickly and with purpose - move the ball upfield and once there, pass to move the opposition out-of-position leading to scoring chances. Possession alone is worthless on offense.

So, to the extent that there's a "Plan B," it will comport with the above tenets. You'll perhaps see some formation changes and/or player substitutions to better fulfill the tenets.

This is not to say that we won't use the occasional long ball to mix things up. And if one or more of our attacking players keeps beating his marker for pace, you'll see more long balls.

What you won't see is us bringing in some tall player and then hoofing the ball forward to him all the time - this just gives away possession too often for Pep's tastes.
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With regard to rotation - I agree. We're over reliant on certain players, primarily in defense.

And, some of our squad are in their first year under Pep. Crisp passing, intelligent movement and effective pressing - in the way that Pep wants - takes time to learn. We'll be much better next season.

Out of all the sensible responses, this ticks my concerns and thoughts more.

Primarily, in my opinion, it's the midfield that will suffer more without more rotation.

Perhaps the answer maybe allowing Bernie, Ilkay and Yaya to run that engine every few games?

That would give David, Kev and Fern a break every so often enabling the the other engine team time to set/ get team rhythm.

 

[kaz7]

#reallyworried
#bottom3islooming

 

[gocity]

Out of all the sensible responses, this ticks my concerns and thoughts more.

Primarily, in my opinion, it's the midfield that will suffer more without more rotation.

Perhaps the answer maybe allowing Bernie, Ilkay and Yaya to run that engine every few games?

That would give David, Kev and Fern a break every so often enabling the the other engine team time to set/ get team rhythm.

Yaya is far too slow both with movement and passing (see Wolves game)

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Why would anyone worry about a plan B, when we've won 8, drawn 1 out of 9 games and scored 32 goals in the process???

He means not selecting the same 10 or 11 players every league game, but rotating more often in league games to ensure we can sustain our performances for longer. I don't think he means a plan B in terms of a change of style.

 

[inchy14]

Bernard O'Silva isn't up to the pace if the Prem yet and may possibly be better in the number 10 role (rather than being out on the right wing) with Jesus going up front or out wide.
We need Brahim back from Injury and Fodeninho back from the U17 world cup to give us better alternative options.

Is he eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland?

 

[Bigga]

Yaya is far too slow both with movement and passing (see Wolves game)

Fern's not the quickest either, but both Kev coming back (if he's close) and/ or a defender tends to bail him out. The same who be true for Yaya, therefore the threat minimises. But, for this to work, he MUST get rhythm time to reduce mistakes.

He means not selecting the same 10 or 11 players every league game, but rotating more often in league games to ensure we can sustain our performances for longer. I don't think he means a plan B in terms of a change of style.

Correct.

 

[CityInWashingtonState]

Out of all the sensible responses, this ticks my concerns and thoughts more.

Primarily, in my opinion, it's the midfield that will suffer more without more rotation.

Perhaps the answer maybe allowing Bernie, Ilkay and Yaya to run that engine every few games?

That would give David, Kev and Fern a break every so often enabling the the other engine team time to set/ get team rhythm.

Our midfield is very deep.

But we are 1 defensive injury away from some sort of experimental side on D, and meanwhile, Fernandinho plays nearly every game (as our holding mid, perhaps you include him in your midfield rotation worries).

At attacking midfield, I'm not worried at all with respect to injury - KDB, B. Silva, D. Silva, Gundogan, Fodan, can all play there, Yaya as well, albeit not against good teams or when the game hangs in the balance.
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We may however be discussing two issues here - depth, versus rotation.

I completely agree that I would like to see more rotation.

That said, our rotation on defense is very constrained by talent IMO - whereas in midfield, bar our pivot, it's more down to choice, with numerous high quality backups available.
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My biggest worry is Fernandinho - pivot, needing the most energy and intensity of any position especially given our high press, movement system - and he's way up in minutes - 3rd or so in terms of overall playtime in P/L plus C/L with little time off.

But really, any injury to Walker, Delph, Stones, Otters or Fernandinho (and arguably Ederson, although Bravo seems to have returned to form) is worrisome. And there's little rotation in these positions with lack of quality backups playing a much larger factor than at attacking mid.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

It might just be me, but I feel that I've noticed a general taping off of intelligent movement in our team since the Napoli game. We look a little jaded.

I thought it was my imagination, but even the result against Burnley added to my fears. Uneven play and tired thinking.

I think my worry is there's not enough rotation(who'd a thunk it!) to keep fringe players up to the standard of current main team players. Bernardo is off the rhythm of the first team. He's like James Brown on a Charlie Parker/ Miles Davis set.

So, he kind of works and kind of doesn't in the natural flow of the team. He's still trying to find his part. Yaya, too, is struggling for rhythm in the same way.

So, with this in mind, I worry about when David S and KDB have off games and how Yaya and/ or Bernie is going to affect the team.

I may be being paranoid, but I can't see a Plan 'B' and it bothers me...

Only need a Plan B if the points dry up, or the goals!

 

[CityInWashingtonState]

#reallyworried
#bottom3islooming

#40Near
#AlmostSafe :-)