Discuss Pellegrini (Pt 4)

[adrianr]

Regarding last night ... I thought Pellegrini got his team selection wrong. Playing Aguero was pointless and we should've started the game with the team that started the 2nd half.

On the plus side he identified the problems in the first half and the changes made all the difference as we had much better control of the game after the break and finished the game much stronger than we began it.

I really think he should by now know that Garcia in a two man midfield with anyone else is going to get overrun by any side with legs.

Edited.

 

[moomba]

Not sure legs are needed to be honest. Stumps and a strong will should be good enough.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Regarding last night ... I thought Pellegrini got his team selection wrong. Playing Aguero was pointless and we should've started the game with the team that started the 2nd half.

On the plus side he identified the problems in the first half and the changes made all the difference as we had much better control of the game after the break and finished the game much stronger than we began it.

I really think he should by now know that Garcia in a two man midfield with anyone else is going to get overrun by any side with a bit of pace and a bit of guile.

That's what we were saying before the game: He should have gone 4231 and rested both Sergio and Negredo .He obviously wanted to stay with the 442, and in that case had no choice but to play either Aguero or Negredo. The gameplan was surely to swap him and Negedo at half time. As it panned out the midfield was awfully imbalanced and the game was bypassing Garcia, and that left Fernandinho in a bit of limbo and isolated. Predictable, as you say Billy.

TO be fair he put it right at half time and his changes worked well.

What was really odd, is that just before Ya Ya came on he had Zab fully changed and ready to go on. I have no idea what that proposed change was all about. Presumably a straight swap for Micah, but not sure it would have added much, as Navas was already causing havoc.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Last night was a very strange affair. Already in the last 16, at home to a "lower league" team after some epic thumpings dished out at home and playing a fair sprinkling of "squad" players with an "impress or else" kind of expectation. Plzen played well, and showed the kind of form that almost embarrassed CSKA and pushed Bayern fairly close. In the end we showed that we could attack better than they, or we, could defend. This appears to be the calculation on which our approach is based, and we are very open indeed. Against Plzen we were good enough to win that way: at home we have been good enough all season, with the exception of Bayern. Last night again we attacked and were open to the counter. Countless times we saw our two CBs backing off advancing Plzen forwards who could run with the ball because there was no screen in midfield. A major cause of this last night was Garcia, who ambled into view as a shot was blocked, Hart made a save - or fished the ball out of the net. This is not because Garcia is lazy or lacks motivation, but he simply isn't quick enough or good enough for City. I don't see what he adds to the team. During the second half of the first half he had no impact on the game at all, with the result that Nasri and Sergio, both of whom had been excellent, could not be brought into the game. Fernandinho could not do two men's work, hard as he tried. I fear the consequences of playing 4 in midfield at bayern, but much more so if Garcia is one of the four.

There were other problems at the back. Plzen's second equalizer was pretty grim stuff, but our "hands off" approach had begun about 40 yards out, and our full backs were embarrassed on a couple of occasions, but the problem tha bedevilled us all night and has done all season was the lack of cover afforded to the two CBs. We are attacking as a team: we are not defending as one.

 

[Anonymous]

That's what we were saying before the game: He should have gone 4231 and rested both Sergio and Negredo .He obviously wanted to stay with the 442, and in that case had no choice but to play either Aguero or Negredo. The gameplan was surely to swap him and Negedo at half time. As it panned out the midfield was awfully imbalanced and the game was bypassing Garcia, and that left Fernandinho in a bit of limbo and isolated. Predictable, as you say Billy.

TO be fair he put it right at half time and his changes worked well.

What was really odd, is that just before Ya Ya came on he had Zab fully changed and ready to go on. I have no idea what that proposed change was all about. Presumably a straight swap for Micah, but not sure it would have added much, as Navas was already causing havoc.

Could've been to do with Micah's bloody mouth. Maybe they were concerned about stemming the bleeding and felt they might have to change him.

There was something telling in Pellegrini post match interview. He said he wasn't happy with the performance and then said something like "champions league, carling cup, premier league, they are all the same and we must perform in them all". I think that was a coded message to the sulkers who felt they didn't have to perform because we'd already qualified.

I feel this is a very big season for the players who's contracts are coming up to expiry. There's no doubt we will need them all at various points and they will have to step in and perform. Someone like Dzeko who's on ridiculous money should be ashamed of his performance last night. It was a fucking disgrace and he deserves a bollocking for it. No matter what happens in the summer all these guys can end the season with multiple medals if they contribute to the best of their abilities.

 

[Anonymous]

Last night was a very strange affair. Already in the last 16, at home to a "lower league" team after some epic thumpings dished out at home and playing a fair sprinkling of "squad" players with an "impress or else" kind of expectation. Plzen played well, and showed the kind of form that almost embarrassed CSKA and pushed Bayern fairly close. In the end we showed that we could attack better than they, or we, could defend. This appears to be the calculation on which our approach is based, and we are very open indeed. Against Plzen we were good enough to win that way: at home we have been good enough all season, with the exception of Bayern. Last night again we attacked and were open to the counter. Countless times we saw our two CBs backing off advancing Plzen forwards who could run with the ball because there was no screen in midfield. A major cause of this last night was Garcia, who ambled into view as a shot was blocked, Hart made a save - or fished the ball out of the net. This is not because Garcia is lazy or lacks motivation, but he simply isn't quick enough or good enough for City. I don't see what he adds to the team. During the second half of the first half he had no impact on the game at all, with the result that Nasri and Sergio, both of whom had been excellent, could not be brought into the game. Fernandinho could not do two men's work, hard as he tried. I fear the consequences of playing 4 in midfield at bayern, but much more so if Garcia is one of the four.

There were other problems at the back. Plzen's second equalizer was pretty grim stuff, but our "hands off" approach had begun about 40 yards out, and our full backs were embarrassed on a couple of occasions, but the problem tha bedevilled us all night and has done all season was the lack of cover afforded to the two CBs. We are attacking as a team: we are not defending as one.

As I said - we were far less open 2nd half and far more comfortable. Also, the openness isn't going to go away. We are an attacking side who will throw men forward (note after we took the lead last night that we still pushed forward and scored a 4th even though the pragmatic option would've been to immediately defend deep and shut up shop).

It also cannot be underestimated just how disruptive it is have a revolving back 5 (including the keeper). Especially when the squad players are of a lower level than the first choice ones.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

I certainly hope our defending is a lot better at the weekend because Swansea albeit aren't at the same level as last season they are a good good footballing team who will create chances.

 

[bobmcfc]

First half was awful but the second half was much more entertaining and the play was neater and more direct.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Whereas Mancini knew the likes of Richards, Lescott, Hart, Milner, Kolarov and Garcia were and are nowhere near good enough, Pellegrini is actually letting them all sign their own death warrants.

Both managers know a player when they see one.

The difference is Mancini only knew one way to skin a cat.

Pellegrini will surely have made his mind up by now.

 

[Anonymous]

Pellegrini will surely have made his mind up by now.

I think the big question will be whether they'll go for open heart surgery next summer and replace the lot, or whether it'll be a more gradual process where we'll lose two or three next summer and the rest will leave on a free the following.

Not wanting to read too much into what Pellegrini says to the press, but when asked about signings in January, he said something like "first we play the games in November and December then we see what we need in January". I had previously thought he'd ruled out signings in Jan but clearly not.

I'd love to see a big move in Jan ... something to really give us momentum going into the rest of the season.