Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2015/16

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Sorry Mr Ed, no such thing as "deserve" in football...you either score your attempts or you don't, you either defend your goal,or you don't...that's about it really fella.

To be honest I can't disagree with you. The second half against West Ham we created enough chances to beat them by a similar margin as we beat the Mags yesterday. We didn't take them so we lost the game. No one in the ground yesterday at half time could have predicted what was going to happen in the first 25 minutes of that second half. Truly scintilating football the like of which I can't remember, the nearest was a home European game against Standard Liege in 76 or 77 when I think we were drawing 1-1 and in the last 20 minutes Barnes ripped them to shreds and we won the game 4-1.

I have a feeling with the attacking options we have a few more teams are going to be blown away, especially when we play Silva in the number 10 role.

Thick head today after a long night drinking with fellow blues. Roll on Bournemouth.

 

[Shaelumstash]

He didn't play him out right or left? He was in the middle but de bruyne and silva especially swap between each other which is devastating for tbe other team

We're you at the game mate? Not a dig, but sometimes you can't tell from watching on the TV. Silva was playing on the right and KDB was playing in the middle from the start. I know this for sure because I was screaming at Pellegrini to switch them from about 5 minutes in. He switched them around on about 25 minutes and the improvement in our performance was absolutely immeasurable.

De Bruyne is an excellent player, but he's not a playmaker like Silva is. Merlin makes the whole team tick, sets the tempo. He's been the best player in the league by far this season when playing in the middle, and it was absolutely baffling that Pellegrini moved him out of position to accommodate anyone.

In Pellegrini's defence, he realised his mistake and changed it, I just hope he doesn't make the same mistake again.

 

[vincent]

We're you at the game mate? Not a dig, but sometimes you can't tell from watching on the TV. Silva was playing on the right and KDB was playing in the middle from the start. I know this for sure because I was screaming at Pellegrini to switch them from about 5 minutes in. He switched them around on about 25 minutes and the improvement in our performance was absolutely immeasurable.

De Bruyne is an excellent player, but he's not a playmaker like Silva is. Merlin makes the whole team tick, sets the tempo. He's been the best player in the league by far this season when playing in the middle, and it was absolutely baffling that Pellegrini moved him out of position to accommodate anyone.

In Pellegrini's defence, he realised his mistake and changed it, I just hope he doesn't make the same mistake again.

Yep that's exactly how I saw it...

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

Pep staying at Bayern and Klopp to Liverpool would be a nightmare for us next season.

For me, Pellegrini still doesn't cut it and we need a top class manager.

Think we made a mistake not sacking Pellers in the summer.

If Klopp goes to Liverpool (which looks likely), I think that's the Pep pipe dream down the pan.

 

[Phil1]

Pep staying at Bayern and Klopp to Liverpool would be a nightmare for us next season.

For me, Pellegrini still doesn't cut it and we need a top class manager.

Think we made a mistake not sacking Pellers in the summer.

If Klopp goes to Liverpool (which looks likely), I think that's the Pep pipe dream down the pan.

Nightmare? How the fuck do you reach that conclusion?
Pep staying at Bayern will have no impact whatsoever on us, not the teensiest, tiniest bit.
Klopp going to Liverpool will give them a real opportunity to get a top 4 place, at best. Again, having no impact on us at all.
We made the right decision keeping Pellegrini and the league table is a testament to that. Had we avoided serious injury to our two most important players we'd be out of sight by now.
You're just playing up to your forum persona now, surely?

 

[mosssideblue]

Nightmare? How the fuck do you reach that conclusion?
Pep staying at Bayern will have no impact whatsoever on us, not the teensiest, tiniest bit.
Klopp going to Liverpool will give them a real opportunity to get a top 4 place, at best. Again, having no impact on us at all.
We made the right decision keeping Pellegrini and the league table is a testament to that. Had we avoided serious injury to our two most important players we'd be out of sight by now.
You're just playing up to your forum persona now, surely?

Indeed he is

 

[blue city199]

Pep staying at Bayern and Klopp to Liverpool would be a nightmare for us next season.

For me, Pellegrini still doesn't cut it and we need a top class manager.

Think we made a mistake not sacking Pellers in the summer.

If Klopp goes to Liverpool (which looks likely), I think that's the Pep pipe dream down the pan.

Klopp going to liverpool does not mean pep won't come to city
Pep coming to city is still on but unluckily for klopp bayern don't want him. (does not suit their style of play)



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...gen-Klopp-to-embrace-Liverpool-challenge.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...gen-Klopp-to-embrace-Liverpool-challenge.html

Bayern determined to persuade Guardiola to extend his contract, the German champions are now prepared to wait until the new year before making a firm decision on their coaching position.

Guardiola has maintained a neutral stance on his future, only insisting that he will honour his contract with the German champions.
With Bayern aware of Manchester City’s determination to recruit Guardiola as manager at the Etihad - and Guardiola’s close relationship with City director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano - Rummenigge and the Bayern hierarchy are planning talks with Guardiola later this month in an effort to negotiate a contract extension.
But with Bayern also wary of losing Guardiola without a top-class replacement lined up, the club has identified January as the deadline for an agreement.

 

[supercity88]

We're you at the game mate? Not a dig, but sometimes you can't tell from watching on the TV. Silva was playing on the right and KDB was playing in the middle from the start. I know this for sure because I was screaming at Pellegrini to switch them from about 5 minutes in. He switched them around on about 25 minutes and the improvement in our performance was absolutely immeasurable.

De Bruyne is an excellent player, but he's not a playmaker like Silva is. Merlin makes the whole team tick, sets the tempo. He's been the best player in the league by far this season when playing in the middle, and it was absolutely baffling that Pellegrini moved him out of position to accommodate anyone.

In Pellegrini's defence, he realised his mistake and changed it, I just hope he doesn't make the same mistake again.

I totally agree. Silva is a much better player in the central role than out wide. De Bruyne is a very good no.10 option but if it's a choice between them then there is only one winner. De Bruyne's pace means he can be very effective in the wider role as he's able to take on the opposing full back, or cut inside. It's been brilliant to see De Bruyne, Silva and Aguero gel so quickly. That reverse pass across goal to Aguero is something only Silva would do, to have two players capable of that play is incredible. Navas and Sterling probably take a touch there and allow the defence time to set.

If I was an opposing manager I really wouldn't know how to contain our attack. There's pace, trickery and so much movement. Do you double up on Silva? Do you try and get tight to De Bruyne and Sterling/Navas? How do you stop Aguero? There are only so many answers. We saw against Barca last season that our gameplan was to force Messi away from goal so he couldn't be as influential. Despite that, he tore us apart from deeper on the pitch time and time again and the movement of Rakitic, Suarez and Neymar was brilliant. They could also supplement attacks with Iniesta and their full backs because they were only really concerned by Aguero and Silva and by controlling possession felt they could isolate them.

We've now bolstered that attack with Sterling and De Bruyne. Would Barca be so keen to use their full backs so frequently in attack? By having such a fierce attack it helps our defence when we play the big teams because it forces them to recognise they can't commit too many players forward.

We still need to find more balance in midfield and improve defensively but it was a fantastic 25 minutes of football.

 

[cleavers]

He's not going to change and all the hand wringing and whinging from those that seem to think they know better that our manager won't make a jot of difference; unless it helps people to get it off their chest. Frankly, I'm bored with hearing it. It's time to buckle up and enjoy the ride. The last two games have been among the most entertaining that I've watched for some time.

Totally agree, we play very entertaining, attacking football, its great, there's no need to change it, even if it does trip us up occasionally.

 

[Shaelumstash]

I totally agree. Silva is a much better player in the central role than out wide. De Bruyne is a very good no.10 option but if it's a choice between them then there is only one winner. De Bruyne's pace means he can be very effective in the wider role as he's able to take on the opposing full back, or cut inside. It's been brilliant to see De Bruyne, Silva and Aguero gel so quickly. That reverse pass across goal to Aguero is something only Silva would do, to have two players capable of that play is incredible. Navas and Sterling probably take a touch there and allow the defence time to set.

If I was an opposing manager I really wouldn't know how to contain our attack. There's pace, trickery and so much movement. Do you double up on Silva? Do you try and get tight to De Bruyne and Sterling/Navas? How do you stop Aguero? There are only so many answers. We saw against Barca last season that our gameplan was to force Messi away from goal so he couldn't be as influential. Despite that, he tore us apart from deeper on the pitch time and time again and the movement of Rakitic, Suarez and Neymar was brilliant. They could also supplement attacks with Iniesta and their full backs because they were only really concerned by Aguero and Silva and by controlling possession felt they could isolate them.

We've now bolstered that attack with Sterling and De Bruyne. Would Barca be so keen to use their full backs so frequently in attack? By having such a fierce attack it helps our defence when we play the big teams because it forces them to recognise they can't commit too many players forward.

We still need to find more balance in midfield and improve defensively but it was a fantastic 25 minutes of football.

Great post mate. When we played 442 it was ok for Silva to be a wide player because he could drift inside and find space where he is so dangerous. Playing a 4231 however, he HAS to play in the middle for me. When he started on the right on Saturday, there was no space for him to drift in to - De Bruyne was already there.

I love De Bruyne as a player, but I think he is too direct to play at 10 for us. We need someone there who dictates play, an "out ball" that our defenders and midfielders can always look for which allows them to push out. Someone they can rely on to keep possession and bring others in to play. KDB's first thought is not to link up play, it's to head towards goal. We've needed a bit more of that mentality, but he's more suited to playing wide for us.

Playing Silva centrally also frees him up from having as much defensive responsibilities. In the first 25 minutes on Saturday he was often on the edge of our box, holding his man up, trying to win it back. He was doing his best, but I don't want him there, I want him further up the pitch doing what he does best!

I actually think the Newcastle goal was Silva's fault, he didn't track Winjagen's run. But I don't really blame Silva, he's a playmaking genius, I don't want him tracking runs in our box. I want him in essentially a free role, dictating the game from further up the pitch.