Discuss Pellegrini (Pt 4)

[JoeMercer'sWay]

The football is the best it has ever been.

This team can cut you to ribbons, pass you to death or simply bide its time.

It's been a few years in coming but the arrogance and desire required to dominate is coming on stream.

Most importantly of all, we are cultivating an identity.

Ball retention on Saturday is crucial, if we give it away like we did at times last night we'll get punished.

Southampton play possession football but if we break them down in our own half they're open to the counter, Villa showed that last night.

Interesting game with both teams wanting the ball for their style to make an impact on the game.

The resting of Negredo and substitution of Aguero tells me that it will be 4222 again, Dan.

Shootout at the OK Corrall. I wish Silva was available.

not convinced, I think it could be Chelsea with Negredo in for Silva from that lineup. I think if you look at Southampton and their possession and physical presence they'll rip us apart with 4-2-2-2 because there's not enough cover, I think he'll go to Garcia but leave us 2 strikers and Nasri with the pace that Fern or Yaya can break with and hopefully stuff them on the counter like Villa did.

It's a game to soak it up, show we can defend and play possum and kill on the counter. Southampton are good enough to pick us off if we go too open, it's one of those "be sensible" ones I think.

 

[OB1]

Some great stuff for the first 35 minutes last night, but as the game wore on we got sloppier and sloppier. Dzeko probably encapsulated this best. A couple of lovely early lay offs, a great reverse pass for the opening goal, and unlucky not to get on the end of a couple of fizzing crosses himself. However, by the time the hour was up he'd reverted to type, stumbling forward with the touch of a horse, before gradually coming to a standstill and then getting mugged, time after time. Navas also faded noticeably, Fernandinho wasn't as impressive as usual, and some of Di Michelis's defending and Zabaleta's passing out of defence was downright poor.
I'd certainly want to restore Lescott to the mix on Saturday with the Beast up top, and possibly Milner as a starter. Southampton's relentless high press will cause us far more problems than West Brom did last night that's for sure

Although I think Lescott was unfortunate to miss out last night, I agreed with the selection of Demichelis, who I thought had a good game up to the 94th minute. He did some great covering work last night, was frequently organising those around him and played some intelligent ball out of defence. I would be very surprised if he did not start at Southampton.

I agree with the rest of your comments. Milner for Navas might be sensible if we are going 4222, and I'm sure that we will,

It always takes time with a central partnership. I think that was the first time Kompany and Demichelis were on the pitch at the same time all season, wasn't it?

It was the first time they have played together but I happen to think they will be the first choice partnership for the remainder of the season; unless we buy in January.

 

[Barcon]

I would like to have a team full of English players and be sitting at a comfortable ninth place in the league.

When we set the record for most club players in an England team, it was a good thing. Nowdays it would be a sign of shitness.

Serious question who would you put as the best 11 English players currently to build our team with and what position on the table would it get us? Commentators surely like to point that our English contingent is on the bench but which English players could start in our team right now?

Joe Hart.

I think you missed my point.

 

[taconinja]

Although I think Lescott was unfortunate to miss out last night, I agreed with the selection of Demichelis, who I thought had a good game up to the 94th minute. He did some great covering work last night, was frequently organising those around him and played some intelligent ball out of defence. I would be very surprised if he did not start at Southampton.

I agree with the rest of your comments. Milner for Navas might be sensible if we are going 4222, and I'm sure that we will,

It always takes time with a central partnership. I think that was the first time Kompany and Demichelis were on the pitch at the same time all season, wasn't it?

It was the first time they have played together but I happen to think they will be the first choice partnership for the remainder of the season; unless we buy in January.

Agreed. In regards to January, I can't tell if the manager is serious or if he is trying to keep possible bidding wars from occurring.

 

[aguero93:20]

It always takes time with a central partnership. I think that was the first time Kompany and Demichelis were on the pitch at the same time all season, wasn't it?

It was the first time they have played together but I happen to think they will be the first choice partnership for the remainder of the season; unless we buy in January.

Agreed. In regards to January, I can't tell if the manager is serious or if he is trying to keep possible bidding wars from occurring.

all I heard was that he said no sales, Garcia ain't gonna start no bidding wars

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Ball retention on Saturday is crucial, if we give it away like we did at times last night we'll get punished.

Southampton play possession football but if we break them down in our own half they're open to the counter, Villa showed that last night.

Interesting game with both teams wanting the ball for their style to make an impact on the game.

The resting of Negredo and substitution of Aguero tells me that it will be 4222 again, Dan.

Shootout at the OK Corrall. I wish Silva was available.

not convinced, I think it could be Chelsea with Negredo in for Silva from that lineup. I think if you look at Southampton and their possession and physical presence they'll rip us apart with 4-2-2-2 because there's not enough cover, I think he'll go to Garcia but leave us 2 strikers and Nasri with the pace that Fern or Yaya can break with and hopefully stuff them on the counter like Villa did.

It's a game to soak it up, show we can defend and play possum and kill on the counter. Southampton are good enough to pick us off if we go too open, it's one of those "be sensible" ones I think.

The only way we could do what you've suggested would be to play Aguero in one of the wide midfield slots, if I remember correctly at Chelsea e played 4231 with Ageuro lone front man and Silva, Ya Ya and Nasri in the advanced midfield role.

I'm pretty convinced he won't do that, and he'll go 4222 again. In fact I reckon i could predict the team now. Same as last night but Clichy for Kolorov and Negredo for Dzeko.

Put Silva in for Navas and Nasty for Di Michelis and that has to be our strongest side for every game except the hardest ones. I don't think Pellegrini will see this as one of those.

He has of course the option to put an extra man in if it isn't working. It's a tough call, I'm not sure what I'd do. I think on balance the return of Vinny and the way we have been playing I'd also go 4222.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

The resting of Negredo and substitution of Aguero tells me that it will be 4222 again, Dan.

Shootout at the OK Corrall. I wish Silva was available.

not convinced, I think it could be Chelsea with Negredo in for Silva from that lineup. I think if you look at Southampton and their possession and physical presence they'll rip us apart with 4-2-2-2 because there's not enough cover, I think he'll go to Garcia but leave us 2 strikers and Nasri with the pace that Fern or Yaya can break with and hopefully stuff them on the counter like Villa did.

It's a game to soak it up, show we can defend and play possum and kill on the counter. Southampton are good enough to pick us off if we go too open, it's one of those "be sensible" ones I think.

The only way we could do what you've suggested would be to play Aguero in one of the wide midfield slots, if I remember correctly at Chelsea e played 4231 with Ageuro lone front man and Silva, Ya Ya and Nasri in the advanced midfield role.

I'm pretty convinced he won't do that, and he'll go 4222 again. In fact I reckon i could predict the team now. Same as last night but Clichy for Kolorov and Negredo for Dzeko.

Put Silva in for Navas and Nasty for Di Michelis and that has to be our strongest side for every game except the hardest ones. I don't think Pellegrini will see this as one of those.

He has of course the option to put an extra man in if it isn't working. It's a tough call, I'm not sure what I'd do. I think on balance the return of Vinny and the way we have been playing I'd also go 4222.

I don't see it as that necessary to be "wide", and I see a diamond with Nasri at the tip working well, suiting our players and keeping it tight when they have the ball, so they can't get through in central areas. In counter attacks at breakneck speed players are much more willing to make the run wide to keep the move going, so I don't see a problem with width unless you want to play a possession game, which I find would leave us too open as has been the case when we've tried it against anyone who's had a go.

 

[OB1]

I would like to have a team full of English players and be sitting at a comfortable ninth place in the league.

When we set the record for most club players in an England team, it was a good thing. Nowdays it would be a sign of shitness.

Serious question who would you put as the best 11 English players currently to build our team with and what position on the table would it get us? Commentators surely like to point that our English contingent is on the bench but which English players could start in our team right now?

Joe Hart.

I think you missed my point.

You mean the dig at the Rags?

 

[taconinja]

It was the first time they have played together but I happen to think they will be the first choice partnership for the remainder of the season; unless we buy in January.

Agreed. In regards to January, I can't tell if the manager is serious or if he is trying to keep possible bidding wars from occurring.

all I heard was that he said no sales, Garcia ain't gonna start no bidding wars

Incoming, fellow. Incoming.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

not convinced, I think it could be Chelsea with Negredo in for Silva from that lineup. I think if you look at Southampton and their possession and physical presence they'll rip us apart with 4-2-2-2 because there's not enough cover, I think he'll go to Garcia but leave us 2 strikers and Nasri with the pace that Fern or Yaya can break with and hopefully stuff them on the counter like Villa did.

It's a game to soak it up, show we can defend and play possum and kill on the counter. Southampton are good enough to pick us off if we go too open, it's one of those "be sensible" ones I think.

The only way we could do what you've suggested would be to play Aguero in one of the wide midfield slots, if I remember correctly at Chelsea e played 4231 with Ageuro lone front man and Silva, Ya Ya and Nasri in the advanced midfield role.

I'm pretty convinced he won't do that, and he'll go 4222 again. In fact I reckon i could predict the team now. Same as last night but Clichy for Kolorov and Negredo for Dzeko.

Put Silva in for Navas and Nasty for Di Michelis and that has to be our strongest side for every game except the hardest ones. I don't think Pellegrini will see this as one of those.

He has of course the option to put an extra man in if it isn't working. It's a tough call, I'm not sure what I'd do. I think on balance the return of Vinny and the way we have been playing I'd also go 4222.

I don't see it as that necessary to be "wide", and I see a diamond with Nasri at the tip working well, suiting our players and keeping it tight when they have the ball, so they can't get through in central areas. In counter attacks at breakneck speed players are much more willing to make the run wide to keep the move going, so I don't see a problem with width unless you want to play a possession game, which I find would leave us too open as has been the case when we've tried it against anyone who's had a go.

I cannot for a second believe he'll play a diamond midfield, although I understand your thinking. He's not played it once, even in pre-season. If he surprises me and abandons the 4222 he will surely do the same as at Chelsea, with a 4231. He could do that we Sergio wide left, Ya Ya in the hole and Nasri wide right I suppose. But it won't get the best from Sergio.