Ardwick Green Blue said:I'm not convinced by Pellegrini on what I have seen to date. The style of play he he has set down is adventurous but it seems to me very Keegan-esque as it boils down to 'we will score more than you'. We appear unable to shut down a game when in front and even the most modest of teams seem to be able to drive at the heart of our defence unhindered. Some may find this entertaining, edge of your seat fare but for me it does not seem to be a major trophy winning approach.
bluethunder said:i completely understand why pellegrini wants to stick to his preferred formation in every game. he wants the team to keep improving. obviously if you keep making changes, then you regress rather than make progress.
another myth is that playing an attacking formation makes you less "defensive" .. this is not always the case. it has been said that attacking is the best form of defence. and the more men you have upfront, the more pressure you can put on the opposition.
George Hannah said:Manuel is a wing and a prayer man
Good postExeter Blue I am here said:I've had my concerns this season, but equally I feel (the Bayern debacle aside) that we are definitely improving each week at the moment. We haven't played badly since Stoke 6 weeks ago and there's been some excellent stuff since. Pleasingly there's also been evidence of adjustment and pragmatism from the manager, particularly with regard his substitutions. The only fly in the ointment at the moment is at centre half, and part of that is simply the hand we've been dealt. Kompany's missed over half our games, and when he's out we're left with 4 of the slowest central defenders in the land, ill suited to the high defensive line that inevitably stems from the amount of attacking possession Silva, Ya Ya and Nas enable us to enjoy. We should have bought a top drawer, pacy, centre back in the summer. We didn't and we may live to regret it.
Tomorrow's another huge game, if only because our rivals just don't look like losing. Taking points off them to compensate for the cock ups against Cardiff, Villa and Stoke is imperative. The way we're playing we can certainly turn Chelsea over, but if we're to keep them out at the other end, then Pellegrini has got to cut out all thoughts of playing Garcia at centre half
Ardwick Green Blue said:I'm not convinced by Pellegrini on what I have seen to date. The style of play he he has set down is adventurous but it seems to me very Keegan-esque as it boils down to 'we will score more than you'. We appear unable to shut down a game when in front and even the most modest of teams seem to be able to drive at the heart of our defence unhindered. Some may find this entertaining, edge of your seat fare but for me it does not seem to be a major trophy winning approach.
BlueAnorak said:Ardwick Green Blue said:I'm not convinced by Pellegrini on what I have seen to date. The style of play he he has set down is adventurous but it seems to me very Keegan-esque as it boils down to 'we will score more than you'. We appear unable to shut down a game when in front and even the most modest of teams seem to be able to drive at the heart of our defence unhindered. Some may find this entertaining, edge of your seat fare but for me it does not seem to be a major trophy winning approach.
So far I have to agree. I just can't see him winning a trophy playing such open football. We stuffed United with great attacking but got stuffed by Byern who overloaded us in central midfield. I think the Chelski game will give a pointer to whether the season is more likely to travel in the Utd direction or the Byern one.
If I could see City comfortably close a game out when in the lead then I might be more optimistic.