Discuss Pellegrini (Pt 4)

[TGR]

You make some good points, however is defensive record at Villareal got gradually worse in his 5 seasons at the club-he averages at least 1 goal against in his career at Villareal, at Malaga markedly worse.

The way he sets up his teams we will concede goals so its his tactics rather than the personnel that will see us concede whoever he brings in. Keeping cleans sheets in this league is paramount to mounting a serious title challenge, a lot of managers who come into this league underestimate the quality of competition, la Liga apart from the top two isnt on the same level as the PL.

The side that keeps the most clean sheets is often the side that wins the premiership or finishes a close second.

4 clean sheets from eleven games ( 3 at home against Newcastle , Norwich and Hull ) won't cut it for a title if the trend continues.

We don't have our first choice centre backs playing at this present time and have used 7 different combinations.......

And therein lies the problem.

 

[Ray78]

The side that keeps the most clean sheets is often the side that wins the premiership or finishes a close second.

4 clean sheets from eleven games ( 3 at home against Newcastle , Norwich and Hull ) won't cut it for a title if the trend continues.

We don't have our first choice centre backs playing at this present time and have used 7 different combinations.......

And therein lies the problem.

True but we don't have our first choice playing so Pellegrini doesn't have that luxury Roberto Mancini had. Nasty and Komps were Roberto Mancini's preferred choice and didn't really trust Lescott. Both have been injured this season along with Pellegrini's choice Demichelis.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

We don't have our first choice centre backs playing at this present time and have used 7 different combinations.......

And therein lies the problem.

True but we don't have our first choice playing so Pellegrini doesn't have that luxury Roberto Mancini had. Nasty and Komps were Roberto Mancini's preferred choice and didn't really trust Lescott. Both have been injured this season along with Pellegrini's choice Demichelis.

If I can butt into the excellent discussion of the last couple of pages, there is a lot I can agree with but the input of players, Demichelis apart, were of an attacking assortment and this shows in our Goals For column. The defence, though, is basically the same as was available to Mancini who managed to get it largely organised with or without Vinny. Whether this is a coaching problem or a personnel problem which arises from us being heavily reliant on our skipper, I don't know, but this is an area of the pitch that should have been addressed in the summer. Whatever, the back four are playing as if the players have never met before. If we can stay within a handful of points of whoever is leading the table by January, giving us the chance to sort it out, we will have every chance of the title, but with a stinker of an upcoming fixture list, it is difficult to see us being in the mix by then. Hopefully though, my 'Typical City' doubts will be held at bay.

 

[simon23]

I worry about mp's comments about individual errors being the problem....there have been cases where individuals have cost us BUT watching the overall performance of the team.defensively we are not playing well...gaps all over the place in front if the centre halves esp, teams having more time un our defensive half with the ball and also having more opportunities to attack us. Our ball retention.in.midfield and final third is nt as good and we are not controlling games to the same extent ...teams look.more confident in attacking us.....just my.opinion from watching he games whether we have won or lost

 

[BosnianDragon]

I worry about mp's comments about individual errors being the problem....there have been cases where individuals have cost us BUT watching the overall performance of the team.defensively we are not playing well...gaps all over the place in front if the centre halves esp, teams having more time un our defensive half with the ball and also having more opportunities to attack us. Our ball retention.in.midfield and final third is nt as good and we are not controlling games to the same extent ...teams look.more confident in attacking us.....just my.opinion from watching he games whether we have won or lost

MPs comments about individual errors are cheap excuse (there is some truth in it). However, there is more about the way we have our defense postioned when the ball is in our possetion and when is not. Also, not enough pressing on oposition, last line of the defense sometimes standing to high and close to the middle line which gives oposition too much space for contra-attack and not enough time for us to organize defense. Tactics where we are holding ball in lthe last defense line for too long forsing high risk passes, obvious lack of confidence in complete defense line (should be re-build by management), midfield players (especaily Yaya) not closing down gaps in defense etc...etc....Excelent/proved players do not make mistakes that easy...lot of other things leds to situation where some of the best defense players in the world are to make mistake.

 

[Palerider]

I worry about mp's comments about individual errors being the problem....there have been cases where individuals have cost us BUT watching the overall performance of the team.defensively we are not playing well...gaps all over the place in front if the centre halves esp, teams having more time un our defensive half with the ball and also having more opportunities to attack us. Our ball retention.in.midfield and final third is nt as good and we are not controlling games to the same extent ...teams look.more confident in attacking us.....just my.opinion from watching he games whether we have won or lost

Certainly agree with the "individual errors" comment. Virtually every goal can be put down to "individual errors" if you are so inclined. The hard bit is finding and playing those players that make the least errors. They say it only takes a second to score a goal (or concede). If that's so, then we have only had 12 bad seconds in the League but then again Palace, in 20th place have only had 21. The difference between success and failure is minimal. The much maligned Titus Bramble was a great player if you took his individual errors away. Time will tell whether MP's belief that the problem is individual rather than collective proves correct. Dropping Joe Hart proved Pelle is prepared to change things and perhaps he's a lot more crafty than he has let on. Let's hope so.

 

[NQCitizen]

How many individuals have to make the same sort of error before it becomes an error in the system?

Strikers missing the target is an error but you expect that to happen and obviously play to accommodate that, in defending surely the same principle should apply.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Tactical or individual errors? Pellegrini promised a greater emphasis on attack and he's delivered. We score more goals and we win more handsomely when we win. But we have been losing more often. We're better in attack: we're worse in defence. The reason to me is obvious, and it's tactical. Pellegrini plays two up front and he has taken away a defensive midfielder to allow Fernandinho and Toure to go forward at the same time. There is space in front of our back 4 when Fernandinho and Ya Ya are both forward and the high punt comes out of our opponent's defence! And the back 4 push up to keep a high line - so there's sometimes space behind them as well! This happens at the Etihad as well, but so far only Everton have taken full advantage of it: away it's cost us the match at Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland. And of course when we get in such difficulties the emphasis on attack means there is no cover at all. Now, this is the way the manager wants us to play, and, at the moment, it's costing us a great deal - the best squad in the PL is in 8th place! It may come right in time for a truly memorable season, but at the moment Pellers has to take his share (the lion's) of the responsibility.

 

[Ray78]

Tactical or individual errors? Pellegrini promised a greater emphasis on attack and he's delivered. We score more goals and we win more handsomely when we win. But we have been losing more often. We're better in attack: we're worse in defence. The reason to me is obvious, and it's tactical. Pellegrini plays two up front and he has taken away a defensive midfielder to allow Fernandinho and Toure to go forward at the same time. There is space in front of our back 4 when Fernandinho and Ya Ya are both forward and the high punt comes out of our opponent's defence! And the back 4 push up to keep a high line - so there's sometimes space behind them as well! This happens at the Etihad as well, but so far only Everton have taken full advantage of it: away it's cost us the match at Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland. And of course when we get in such difficulties the emphasis on attack means there is no cover at all. Now, this is the way the manager wants us to play, and, at the moment, it's costing us a great deal - the best squad in the PL is in 8th place! It may come right in time for a truly memorable season, but at the moment Pellers has to take his share (the lion's) of the responsibility.

He has only been in charge for 11 Premier League and if for any reason we are making the same mistakes next season with Pellegrini's first choice defence then fair enough he should be questioned.

 

[NQCitizen]

Tactical or individual errors? Pellegrini promised a greater emphasis on attack and he's delivered. We score more goals and we win more handsomely when we win. But we have been losing more often. We're better in attack: we're worse in defence. The reason to me is obvious, and it's tactical. Pellegrini plays two up front and he has taken away a defensive midfielder to allow Fernandinho and Toure to go forward at the same time. There is space in front of our back 4 when Fernandinho and Ya Ya are both forward and the high punt comes out of our opponent's defence! And the back 4 push up to keep a high line - so there's sometimes space behind them as well! This happens at the Etihad as well, but so far only Everton have taken full advantage of it: away it's cost us the match at Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland. And of course when we get in such difficulties the emphasis on attack means there is no cover at all. Now, this is the way the manager wants us to play, and, at the moment, it's costing us a great deal - the best squad in the PL is in 8th place! It may come right in time for a truly memorable season, but at the moment Pellers has to take his share (the lion's) of the responsibility.

He has only been in charge for 11 Premier League and if for any reason we are making the same mistakes next season then fair enough he should be questioned.

Out of interest how low would we have to fall before he was deserving of questioning?