Manchester City's plan for global domination.

[Neville Kneville]

Good long read.

Although the experience in Melbourne has been more frustration than joy. Early days but we seem to be going backwards in regards to style. Our new coach basically has been playing 6 defenders week in week out. The attacking but porous style under JVS has been replaced with dour hard to watch defence first mentality under Joyce.

It will be difficult for City to 'inflict' a playing style onto the other clubs, as it's unfair on the supporters of those clubs to be told their team has to play a particular way, win or lose, even if the players can't really do it.

But if it can be shown, over time, that some kind of culture of pass & move, attacking football that their players are comfortable with, is the best way to go rather than the alternative, then they know it's not just an outside force, ruining their chances. If the guy wins stuff playing 6 at the back, then it's difficult to do anything from outside. If he doesn't, though...

 

[heartman]

It will be difficult for City to 'inflict' a playing style onto the other clubs, as it's unfair on the supporters of those clubs to be told their team has to play a particular way, win or lose, even if the players can't really do it.

But if it can be shown, over time, that some kind of culture of pass & move, attacking football that their players are comfortable with, is the best way to go rather than the alternative, then they know it's not just an outside force, ruining their chances. If the guy wins stuff playing 6 at the back, then it's difficult to do anything from outside. If he doesn't, though...

It isn't that he plays 6 at the back, he plays 2 centre backs in the midfield and leaves the recognized midfielders on the bench or out of the squad entirely.

Having said all that our youth teams and ladies team play a very attacking open style and have been winning titles. This season we are going 3 in a row with the ladies and have turned the W League upside. It's just our mens is a basketcase.