Whilst that it is true, there is also no doubt that our best form this last season came when playing 1 up front. Whether it is because teams have sussed out our 4-4-2 or players such as Toure no longer have the stamina to play in a central 2, playing 2 strikers lost its effectiveness.
4-4-2 can still be effective of course but I think we would need to make more changes to our personnel than if we went 4-5-1 or 4-3-3.
Whilst that it is true, there is also no doubt that our best form this last season came when playing 1 up front. Whether it is because teams have sussed out our 4-4-2 or players such as Toure no longer have the stamina to play in a central 2, playing 2 strikers lost its effectiveness.
4-4-2 can still be effective of course but I think we would need to make more changes to our personnel than if we went 4-5-1 or 4-3-3.
Good point about Nasri and Silva not being best suited to the 4-4-2. We need players who can cover more ground, faster and regardless of the formation. Hence the pursuit of Pogba to give a more balance midfield.
Hmmm. I'm not sure you can say they weren't suited to 442 when they both have won titles playing in it. More that it had limitations which were exposed in Europe for example where neither player worked hard enough.
And for the umpteenth time, with squad we curently have, we play better with one striker which has been borne out by our results. Its very simple really, but you dogmatically refuse to look at this season's facts and instead choose to start dragging up Inter's current manager who has nothing to do with City. What are you going to drag up next, Kevin Keegan's managerial record and formations, John Bond's, Joe Mercer's?Again for the umpteenth time. Two managers on the bounce won titles playing PRIMARILY 442. If this bothers you or makes you angry I can't help you.
As for searching your posts. Haha. We all know what you are pal.
It's not simply a problem of the team shape: as pointed out, our three best ball players are to a man not consistently dilligent in their defensive duties. Consequently, the manager has had the constant diliema of playing his best players and taking the risk that their lapses won't cost the team too often. Even with a 4-2-3-1, if the front for are Kun and the aforementioned trio, you still have a lot more risk involved than going with a less creative line-up.
Another constant issue in this debate, is that some people just do not seem to get that we effectivley played 4-4-2 on a number of occasions where one of the "2" was Merlin.
It's so blindingly obvious that I'm amazed people are still defending it.Its not just Yaya that's the problem with the 442. Its also Silva and Nasri (when he played). The three of them left vast open spaces for teams to counter attack. At its best it was a magifcent attacking system because it was so fluid. But that fluidity eventually became its downfall.
Some people are too determinist in their readings of this season and the effect the team shape has had as opposed to looking at work rate especially defensively of our front four/five.
I think we all agree that MP was forced to change things, but in my honest opinion this had more to do with the perception that his job was under threat. Perhaps Kompany's injury played a part in this too, but I don't think that was the main reason because when Yaya was fit enough, he was straight back in whilst Kompany remained on the bench. Just like the end of last season, when Pellegrini needed results he turned to a 5-man midfield which won a title and cemented 2nd place 12 months later. Again like you I agree that it's baffling why Pellegrini didn't change things before Chelsea were out of site especially considering the run of results we had in December when injuries forced change.i find it amazing that with the players we have, that we can't play successfully in numerous formations. Trouble is, playing one formation is, that over time opposition team figure us out. That's why we struggled with teams that 'parked the bus' this season because there was no plan B or C. Maybe why Pellegrini has got so much criticism this season, because he either refused to adapt or appeared that he didn't know what to do.
Found it interesting that when Kompany was out injured in the end of the season, the manager had to change the mentality of the setup and strategy to protect the back line a bit more, which in turn, solidified the whole team. We played better and more balanced. It was a shame that it took key players to be out injured before he changed things and didn't change it on his own volition when it was needed when we had a chance to win things.