Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2015/16

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Thanks to Pellegrini we’ve lost all our nitty gritty battlers, and replaced them with lightweight midfielders who don’t want to know when things are going wrong.

However, the really frightening thing about today was that Stoke didn’t actually kick us. They just knew that our midfield wouldn’t track back to help the full backs

Silva, Sterling and DeBruyne at the Britannia when Stoke are contesting every challenge?
Overran from virtually the first minute, and if Pellegrini can't see it, then he has to go.

 

[geoff clipp]

not only that, but also have to pay him off because of that... true masterstroke..

I think there's a lot more nuance to these situations than fans are aware of.

The prevailing opinion on here when the extension was signed, was that it was a good way of quelling speculation on his future whilst we waited for guardiola to see out his contract. If that's the case, then not much has changed. It'd be surprising if there wasn't some kind of break clause in place.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Doesn't give a fair reflection given Leslie drew 8 games back to back.

The original clueless one.

In fairness mate, you can't really compare the quality of the squads. Lesley had RSC, Jo and Ben Haim at the time.

 

[kaz7]

In his post match, he blames injuries...This team even with injuries was better than stokes...Ok if you know that you have limited squad due to injuries,then change fucking playing style...its better to earn 1 point than loose 3

this,adapt the plan until we get our best team back,not rocket fucking science

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

It is true that the team picked itself today because of injuries and suspensions and we did end up with ten men, but that is no excuse for the horror show we had to endure again. When Pellers first arrived I had grave concerns because we couldn't defend a corner and we were far too open in away games. The problem seemed to have been solved by December and we had a great season. I fear that Pellers was saved by some stellar performances from great players because the problems seem to have returned with a vengeance and got a hundred times worse. We saw against Liverpool that we kept so many players up that we never have enough players back. We don't even expect Sterling, de Bruyne or Silva to try to get back. Fernando hardly ever appears expected to be a defensive midfielder at all and the CBs are frequently on the edge of, or just outside, the opposition box. Our defence is an unseemly and panic stricken attempt by half the team at most to scramble back to the edge of its own area - where it stops and "holds the line"unless a simple ball forward takes them all out. Today some Stoke lads went on "wonderful forty yard runs" - without any attempt at a tackle on them. There is no attempt at any real transition from our team. Today Stoke defended their box and time after time we sent passes astray and they were able to pour through City's depleted rearguard.

This is not down to injuries. Pellers tells us that this squad was assembled to enable us to cope with injuries and the players certainly cost enough. Player for player this City team is better than Liverpool and Stoke by a comfortable margin. We liked to think Klopp is a "tactical genius", but we'd certainly never say that about Mark Hughes! And yet Pellers simply sat there, apparently unable to understand why his selection was being torn to pieces by the 9th best team in the PL. Two weeks ago it was torn to bits by the 8th best team in the Pl. It' fine to repeat the mantra that we do what we do - but when what you do is to play the same way and get the same thrashing, isn't it time to do something different? It's no longer Bayern and Barca who are "finding us out", it' far humbler teams than that.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

We're the kings of pissing money away

Hardly.

 

[Jim Tolmie's Underpants]

 

[Don Karleone]

Get fucking rid!

 

[mosssideblue]

Have you seen Barca bench recently? You need to follow European football a bit closer.

And how will that convince me that we have strength in depth?

 

[blue_sonic176]

Total lack of application. This is down to the manager. Whatever the fucking formation, everyone has defensive duties. Won't be sacked until the summer as the only manager available is Ancelotti and we have a fetish for Pep.
Nobody wanted to defend. Sterling was OK in the second half, Delph and Navas showed some hustle. Worst I've seen Merlin play...nobody else is even worth mentioning.

 

[IWasHere]

We're going off topic mate, different eyes etc. Even with the 6th best squad in Europe, it's still the best in the Prem on that we can agree.

I know lol. Just a shame we don't have 'that' manager yet

 

[Daz_Blue]

Who would do the job until end of season....Viera could of but he has gone.......

 

[PragueBlue]

You could certainly accuse of the first two, especially in some of the recent league performances. However, I cannot see the relevance of the third point.

You don't see the relevance of tactics? Hi Manuel!

 

[fatbloke]

It's the manner of the defeats that hurt, the complete lack of fight and passion and that stems from Pellegrini refusal to pick the team based on merit. He favours certain big names and it ruins the competitive spirit of the squad players knowing that as soon as the big names are back they'll be straight back in no matter how little effort they show. I understand you can't pick the same players every week because of injuries, suspensions and fatigue but we all know as soon as Yaya is fit he'll be straight back in instead of Delph and Inhenacho must be tearing his fucking hair out seeing that fat, lazy, useless prick up front picked in front of him every time Aguero is missing.

We need to go back to basics when things aren't going our way and that means tightening up at the back, working hard and recovering possession as quickly as possible. Luck and opportunities will present themselves when you work hard enough to earn them, we don't. We roll over and die.

 

[HolisticJim]

The director of my company does my head in changing things a lot. Structures mostly.

I challenged him on it the other day and his response was,

'Jim, doing the same thing and expecting something different to happen is stupid. If things aren't working or we need a new game plan I will change it'

We work in finance so not football related but the messages is the same regardless.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Brilliant!

 

[flb]

In his post match, he blames injuries...This team even with injuries was better than stokes...Ok if you know that you have limited squad due to injuries,then change fucking playing style...its better to earn 1 point than loose 3

Exactly mate, he isn't mithered, he openly states in a few articles that the performance and style of play is the most important thing , winning is secondary to him,it's all about him and nothing else,this is virtually his team with his signings- utter shambles.

 

[nellyonthewing]

I do think Pellegrini could inside the space of a month make Messi look average .

 

[rushts]

I can't be on here all night. Can somebody ring me when he gets sacked. Thanks.

 

[zandvoort blue]

You could certainly accuse of the first two, especially in some of the recent league performances. However, I cannot see the relevance of the third point.

With the wind behind us in the first half how many shots did we have. No we persist in passing it sideways to the left, and then back to the right. Mamanananaman said it during the Juve away game, this team are losing 1-0 and they slow down the play and play possession football as if they are winning. The style of play is far too slow and predictable.
Today we should have packed out the midfield and aimed for a clean sheet. As someone has already said a point won is better than no points at all.