Discuss Pellegrini...(cont)

[adrianr]

I wouldn't be upset to see him replaced in the starting 11 next year though.

For me this is a different conversation. I think the same way we have Silva/Navas on the right who have totally different skill sets, Nasri needs a player competing for his position who has different qualities. We lack the pace of Hazard, Sterling, Di Maria, Robben, etc. on the left hand side and have done for a very long time now.

I typed out almost that exact response earlier and deleted it for want of not getting involved in yet another Nasri debate, but since you bought it up... This is the question I always ask - Nasri is great, ok, but what would we look like with someone in his position that all top teams possess apart from us? Ribery/Robben, Hazard, Reus, Ronaldo/Bale, Sanchez/Neymar - IMO we'd be better. I don't think it's a coincidence everyone else has these sort of players.

Our side is fantastic when everything is going out way, but our '3 points when we don't deserve it' player is often only Yaya. Every good side has more than one get out of jail free card.

 

[chris85mcfc]

I wouldn't be upset to see him replaced in the starting 11 next year though.

For me this is a different conversation. I think the same way we have Silva/Navas on the right who have totally different skill sets, Nasri needs a player competing for his position who has different qualities. We lack the pace of Hazard, Sterling, Di Maria, Robben, etc. on the left hand side and have done for a very long time now.

I typed out almost that exact response earlier and deleted it for want of not getting involved in yet another Nasri debate, but since you bought it up... This is the question I always ask - Nasri is great, ok, but what would we look like with someone in his position that all top teams possess apart from us? Ribery/Robben, Hazard, Reus, Ronaldo/Bale, Sanchez/Neymar - IMO we'd be better. I don't think it's a coincidence everyone else has these sort of players.

Our side is fantastic when everything is going out way, but our '3 points when we don't deserve it' player is often only Yaya. Every good side has more than one get out of jail free card.

Said this exact same thing to my Dad last night. You'd like to think that Aguero should also fall into this category, as he has the ability to grab a goal out of nothing, not having a go at the lad but sometimes I feel like he has the ability to really pull us out of the sh*t more often than he does, QPR aside of course :)

 

[oddfellows]

He must not play Nasri, unless as a substitute to chase the game. Nasri does not have the stones for this Everton match and again did his trying to hide the best he could act at Palace.

Silva in for Nasri.

Fernandinho back in for Garcia, everything else will hopefully slot into place.

Notwithstanding the fact that he was the only player on the park other than Yaya who could've played the pass to Yaya for his goal, I think it's totally wide of the mark to suggest he went hiding at Palace. I'll repeat it until i'm Blue in the face ... Nasri's not a winger no matter how many times he's shoehorned into that position because he's the best option for that position. At Arsenal he was behind Cesc, and at City he's behind Yaya for his best position. But his quality is such that Wenger, Mancini, and Pellegrini have been happy to play him in a position which doesn't see the best of him because even not at his best he's good enough within the context of our style of play.

That btw isn't a denial of Nasri's mental fragility at times, or of his perceived weaknesses as a player. Like most players he has weaknesses, and like a lot of "flair" players those weaknesses become more pronounced when he's having a bad day because he doesn't "put a shift in" in the manner in which a workhorse like Milner will.

As for Everton. There's literally ZERO chance Pellegrini will drop him. Whether that's right or wrong the result will bare out.

Let's hope he doesn't line up in a wall defending a free kick then

 

[supercity88]

This is where Pellegrini makes his money. It is yet another opportunity to take the initiative and yet another tough game in a long and unpredictable season. We have had situations like this before and taken them, only to slip up in other games but we have shown great determination to keep on fighting for the league and we have won a lot of difficult games this season, our away form improving as the season has gone on. I am torn as to whether we want Everton to have something to play for or not - do we want them to have to play under pressure? Or do we want them to have nothing to play for - each has pros and cons. This is more difficult than the Newcastle game of 2012 because of our track record at Goodison. We may or may not have Silva but either way this is one of the best opportunities we have to play Everton. They have a more progressive and purist manager in terms of their style, that suits us more than the Moyes direct and physical style - he also riled the fans to make the game more aggressive because of the Lescott situation - this will not be the same. They are without Distin, Jagielka, Mirallas and Barry... a core of players missing and it may be a case of us simply scoring more than them...

That being said, they've beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and the Rags there quite comfortably and we will have to make sure we are effective with possession. Martinez is happy to mix up formations depending on personnel - they may play with 5 at the back because of Alcaraz and Stones being quite new as a partnership. I think we will win simply because we are very good at attacking the channels and Yaya can burst through the middle again. The hole Barry leaves in their midfield is extremely beneficial - he has been their mr reliable and we may well reap the rewards from that loan deal.

 

[NQCitizen]

The issue for Nasri is that when Silva is out we expect him to take up some of the creative slack. He rarely does and continues in ball retention mode, which is great when we've got Silva to be more penetrative but he really needs to step up when he's meant to be the creative force. Silva doesn't have a problem doing this when deployed wide and cutting in and Nasri is good enough technically to do the same, he's just not got it upstairs imo.

To be fair mate, earlier in the season when Silva was out everyone was raving about how good Nasri had been in his absence. Seems to be a lot of revisionism going on (not you particularly) about just what kind of a season he has had. For me he has absolutely earned a new contract. He has played some of his best football since he joined the club this season. Again, yesterday without Silva it was Nasri's pass which Yaya ran onto to score. It was Nasri's little ball into Aguero that put him through earlier in the match too.

Think you're spot on there Billy. Amazing how the guy who has already scored a cup winning goal this season takes so much stick for the ball bouncing wierdly off him in a wall that came about from 3 separate mistakes by other players.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Well done to Pellegrini yesterday.Amazing day all in all and all we can ask for is a chance and that we have.
I wonder what team he is going to play on Saturday. As a previous poster said this is where he can prove to the doubters of his ability to do it when it really really matters.
I really fucking want to be eating so much humble pie in 2 weeks time.
Anyway,top team performance yesterday and the manager takes great credit for that aswell.

 

[coleridge]

Well said, Billy,

I am getting sick of the Nasri knockers. Same goes for Dzeko. It's not opinion but merely unqualified abuse.

And I agree with OB1. Pellers can do what he can in training and pick the best team and squad that he can BUT, in the end, it's the belief and desire of the players that counts now. They have the ability to win the title. It's up to them now and all we can do is support them from both near and afar.

I sensed that they did believe it yesterday.

Been listening to Lescott on BeIN. He talked about the experience of winning it and the calmness of the squad. He said he's off in the summer and wants to leave with an FA Cup, League Cup and two League title medals. Sounds like belief to me.

 

[johnson28392]

Well said, Billy,

I am getting sick of the Nasri knockers. Same goes for Dzeko. It's not opinion but merely unqualified abuse.

And I agree with OB1. Pellers can do what he can in training and pick the best team and squad that he can BUT, in the end, it's the belief and desire of the players that counts now. They have the ability to win the title. It's up to them now and all we can do is support them from both near and afar.

I sensed that they did believe it yesterday.

Been listening to Lescott on BeIN. He talked about the experience of winning it and the calmness of the squad. He said he's off in the summer and wants to leave with an FA Cup, League Cup and two League title medals. Sounds like belief to me.

It's Pellegrini's job to get the best out of the players. We know what these players are capable of , we know their potential, if they don't perform in these last three games, Pellegrini will have to take the blame.

 

[coleridge]

Well said, Billy,

I am getting sick of the Nasri knockers. Same goes for Dzeko. It's not opinion but merely unqualified abuse.

And I agree with OB1. Pellers can do what he can in training and pick the best team and squad that he can BUT, in the end, it's the belief and desire of the players that counts now. They have the ability to win the title. It's up to them now and all we can do is support them from both near and afar.

I sensed that they did believe it yesterday.

Been listening to Lescott on BeIN. He talked about the experience of winning it and the calmness of the squad. He said he's off in the summer and wants to leave with an FA Cup, League Cup and two League title medals. Sounds like belief to me.

It's Pellegrini's job to get the best out of the players. We know what these players are capable of , we know their potential, if they don't perform in these last three games, Pellegrini will have to take the blame.

Many of the players have been here before and so they have to take responsibility, Pellers can play his part but, with three games to play in a week or so, it surely has to be down to the team. That's all I'm saying. Over a season, yes, Pellers has to take his fair share of the blame/credit, but this is now down to the boots on the pitch. If MP needs to be motivating players now, then they should reconsider their careers. This could be a crowning moment for many of them. Their time is now.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Spot on with the tactics yesterday.
Lets hope Pellers is equally as circumspect at Everton.

As to the future we need equally good alternates to our spine players so they are fresh at the end of winter so we stop doing the "Intermittent stalling plane" thing between the end of January and Easter. This is the FOURTH year on the bounce it has happened. Specifically world (or near world) class alternatives the following players:
[1] Kompany
[2] YaYa
[3] Silva
[4] Aguero