A new way of playing....

[lonestay]

I think Pep has played a blinder and conned the rest of the Prem.
If you go have a wander around other teams forums, they are talking about the withdrawn striker , the false9, smaller mobile strikers who are under 5"8 and can pop up anywhere at anytime !
Yes Pep did play the false9 but It was something that was forced on us with the players we had, or didn't have after Kun left . Pep had the ability and skill to make it work and even then there were moments where it didn't seem the way to go, not sure other managers will be so successful with the style of play Pep has conned them into thinking is the way forward! As soon as we could we go and buy a 6"4 forward, while other teams buy our smaller forwards hoping they can reproduce the false9 way of playing, completely failing to understand that without Pep doing his Basil Fawlty impressions on the sideline and forcing the system to work, the players themselves won't be able to replicate it on their own.

 

[SamTheGuru]

I think Pep has played a blinder and conned the rest of the Prem.
If you go have a wander around other teams forums, they are talking about the withdrawn striker , the false9, smaller mobile strikers who are under 5"8 and can pop up anywhere at anytime !
Yes Pep did play the false9 but It was something that was forced on us with the players we had, or didn't have after Kun left . Pep had the ability and skill to make it work and even then there were moments where it didn't seem the way to go, not sure other managers will be so successful with the style of play Pep has conned them into thinking is the way forward! As soon as we could we go and buy a 6"4 forward, while other teams buy our smaller forwards hoping they can reproduce the false9 way of playing, completely failing to understand that without Pep doing his Basil Fawlty impressions on the sideline and forcing the system to work, the players themselves won't be able to replicate it on their own.

I completely agree with you. [Sarcasm] However, you do know that any manager can execute what Pep does when you can buy the correct players. [/sarcasm]

 

[urban genie]

Peps got options now again

His trusted 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3, and his bayern tactics of 3-3-3-1 or 4-2-3-1

 

[stonerblue]

I think Pep has played a blinder and conned the rest of the Prem.
If you go have a wander around other teams forums, they are talking about the withdrawn striker , the false9, smaller mobile strikers who are under 5"8 and can pop up anywhere at anytime !
Yes Pep did play the false9 but It was something that was forced on us with the players we had, or didn't have after Kun left . Pep had the ability and skill to make it work and even then there were moments where it didn't seem the way to go, not sure other managers will be so successful with the style of play Pep has conned them into thinking is the way forward! As soon as we could we go and buy a 6"4 forward, while other teams buy our smaller forwards hoping they can reproduce the false9 way of playing, completely failing to understand that without Pep doing his Basil Fawlty impressions on the sideline and forcing the system to work, the players themselves won't be able to replicate it on their own.

''Pep doing his Basil Fawlty impressions on the sideline.'' Classic.

 

[berryblue]

I am quite nervous about this whole concept. My mental health has just started to become stable over the last few years due to the consistent stile of play. And now we are going to top, turn and tail it.

If things don't change they stay as they are. Ask any United fan!!!

 

[sheepskin_tearaway]

Worried about the stile of play? I think you'll get over it.

I dunno. It’s quite a big step up.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

I wouldn't be too surprised to see plenty of times next season when we play without a striker, similar to this season and times when we play two of them.

First of all, I think the biggest reason why Haaland, Alvarez and Phillips have been brought in is to give us more options. If you're playing City next week, how to train this week? Last season teams knew we wouldn't have a striker so they could practice all week on that. Sure we won most games, but we had a few games where a combination of knowing our system, bus parking and determination meant we had to work harder than usual (eg West Ham, Villa).

However, now we may play with no strikers, with Haaland or Haaland and Alvarez. Or Haaland and Foden etc. It's absolutely impossible to predict isn't it? We may also play Rodri, Phillips or Rodri and Phillips and both of these players have different skillsets.

Once Cucurealla signs, our squad will be the best we've probably had and very balanced. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pep unleashing new formations that completely throw teams.

I do think that now we have a striker who is powerful and can finish, that's going to change a lot of the CL games where we've been so close. I also think Phillips and Rodri in games like Real away will give a lot more protection to our defence, something that Fernandinho couldn't really do as his legs aged.

Overall, we've signed two of the finest talents from Europe and South America, signed one of England's best midfielders and they will be coached by the greatest manager of all time. I'm fully confident this season will be a joy to watch.

 

[TFC]

If the new style consists of not fucking conceding every first shot the opposition takes, I'm all for it.

 

[stonerblue]

I wouldn't be too surprised to see plenty of times next season when we play without a striker, similar to this season and times when we play two of them.

First of all, I think the biggest reason why Haaland, Alvarez and Phillips have been brought in is to give us more options. If you're playing City next week, how to train this week? Last season teams knew we wouldn't have a striker so they could practice all week on that. Sure we won most games, but we had a few games where a combination of knowing our system, bus parking and determination meant we had to work harder than usual (eg West Ham, Villa).

However, now we may play with no strikers, with Haaland or Haaland and Alvarez. Or Haaland and Foden etc. It's absolutely impossible to predict isn't it? We may also play Rodri, Phillips or Rodri and Phillips and both of these players have different skillsets.

Once Cucurealla signs, our squad will be the best we've probably had and very balanced. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pep unleashing new formations that completely throw teams.

I do think that now we have a striker who is powerful and can finish, that's going to change a lot of the CL games where we've been so close. I also think Phillips and Rodri in games like Real away will give a lot more protection to our defence, something that Fernandinho couldn't really do as his legs aged.

Overall, we've signed two of the finest talents from Europe and South America, signed one of England's best midfielders and they will be coached by the greatest manager of all time. I'm fully confident this season will be a joy to watch.

Post of the closed season so far.

 

[rabby]

A false 9 becoming a 9 isn't a big deal. The only difference is that there will be somebody to get on the end of all of the crosses. When Haaland sits they'll revert to the same style that outscores everybody in Europe.

Another factor along with your point will hopefully be a end to the amount of times last season where we had the chance to break quickly only for Foden,Bernardo or de bruyne to have to wait for options as no clear forward pass was on.