Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2014/15 (continued)

[OB1]

With regards to the discussions about conceeding daft goals and two goal leads, we are always going to get that with YA Ya Toure as one of the defensive midfielders. It was happening during the halcyon days of Pellegrini's reign in the middle of last season when we were winning 4-2 and 5-2 every week.

Sunday was that problem all over. Ya Ya scored two goals and won us the game, but every time he went forward he left huge holes in the midfield which Swansea tried to exploit. I've been saying it for two years now: Ya Ya gives you plenty, but he loses you plenty. I'm not absolving Pellegrini from blame for this issue: he should have dropped him for some games, or changed his position a long time before he did.

If we can get shut in the summer and replace with Pogba I expect this problem to be significantly reduced.

While that may be true, Yaya can't be blamed for both of our centre-backs failing to deal with a simple ball over the top for Gomis's goal, or for Kompany completely losing Gomis for the header that Hart did extremely well to save. As much as there are systemic problems that leave huge holes in front of our defence on an alarming number of occasions, our defenders have also been guilty of not dealing with what should be fairly routine situations.

Regardless of manager or system, CB's not dealing with a bread and butter ball over the top is surely a personal mistake and nothing to do with whatever system is being employed.

Its been the story of our season and unfortunately, a number of players have been off the boil for various reasons.

Zabba alluded to it in a recent interview.

TBH, the biggest culprit for me on the second Swansea goal was Silva, who put no pressure on their fill back and allowed him all the time in the world to play a ball in for Gomis.

 

[OB1]

So the clueless clown and his disastrous season have us finishing as runners-up.

Let's hope he goes one better next season.

 

[NMB]

In all seriousness, congratulations Manuel. 2 top 2 finishes in 2 seasons at the club in a league with which you were unfamiliar, spending restrictions and a very difficult early fixture list this year which allowed rivals to make a better start. You deserve a lot more credit than you are given from all quarters.

 

[allblues09]

In all seriousness, congratulations Manuel. 2 top 2 finishes in 2 seasons at the club in a league with which you were unfamiliar, spending restrictions and a very difficult early fixture list this year which allowed rivals to make a better start. You deserve a lot more credit than you are given from all quarters.

Cheers to that. I have not read this thread, just because I can imagine the content. But I think the way he dealt with a team that had not only spending but also squad size restrictions in a post World Cup year was a good job.

 

[Larry Stranger]

While that may be true, Yaya can't be blamed for both of our centre-backs failing to deal with a simple ball over the top for Gomis's goal, or for Kompany completely losing Gomis for the header that Hart did extremely well to save. As much as there are systemic problems that leave huge holes in front of our defence on an alarming number of occasions, our defenders have also been guilty of not dealing with what should be fairly routine situations.

Regardless of manager or system, CB's not dealing with a bread and butter ball over the top is surely a personal mistake and nothing to do with whatever system is being employed.

Its been the story of our season and unfortunately, a number of players have been off the boil for various reasons.

Zabba alluded to it in a recent interview.

TBH, the biggest culprit for me on the second Swansea goal was Silva, who put no pressure on their fill back and allowed him all the time in the world to play a ball in for Gomis.

Nah it doesn't matter. Long balls can be played all the time. Mangala was brought in just for those situations. He's big and strong and should be able to handle it. He loses his man all the time on set pieces too.

 

[BobKowalski]

In all seriousness, congratulations Manuel. 2 top 2 finishes in 2 seasons at the club in a league with which you were unfamiliar, spending restrictions and a very difficult early fixture list this year which allowed rivals to make a better start. You deserve a lot more credit than you are given from all quarters.

Ah the Moyes defence. An interesting gambit but a bit like our actual defence it is occasionally prone to ridicule.

 

[bernabias home shirt]

So the clueless clown and his disastrous season have us finishing as runners-up.

Let's hope he goes one better next season.

Title challenge being over in Feb is fuck all to brag abt
Seems like our little winning streak at the end has made all things good again...

 

[Damocles]

In all seriousness, congratulations Manuel. 2 top 2 finishes in 2 seasons at the club in a league with which you were unfamiliar, spending restrictions and a very difficult early fixture list this year which allowed rivals to make a better start. You deserve a lot more credit than you are given from all quarters.

Ah the Moyes defence. An interesting gambit but a bit like our actual defence it is occasionally prone to ridicule.

We have conceded the same amount of goals as we did last season with 2 less clean sheets.

However we have scored 20 goals less.

But criticising our attack instead of defence would require independent thinking rather than a parroting of some pundit or blogger so I can see why it's beyond some posters.

 

[blueincy]

Manuel taking the piss out of TT Speaking at City in the Community event at the club’s Football Academy.
With his had results been different throughout the course of the season the league table would have been different speach..


When you start a season with matches and you are a manager of that club…and you play at home.

I am also a human being.

I have the experience with other clubs, when you have that result it is normal. We always try to score more goals and play in the same way.

Thanks to that we could continue – not only me, my staff but especially the players because it is not so easy when you are playing in a great club that you have matches and points and a new manager, who demands we always play in the same way.

I repeat, I am also a human being.

It’s very difficult and with all the injuries of the first part of the season and then we continue with a spirit in the team to play always in the same way and that’s the credit of this team, the spirit.

We had to believe the players but also the staff that we could end second.

Count the numbers of points we could have won. But when you see that we have points and Chelsea have points and we could have been champions. We are very close!

I have a dream.

I repeat, again, I am also a human being.

Lol..

 

[BillyShears]

So the clueless clown and his disastrous season have us finishing as runners-up.

Let's hope he goes one better next season.

The Anyone But Pellegrini brigade are in for a long 12 months.

Personally I think the guy deserves huge amounts of credit for the way he has performed and his team have performed over the last two seasons. Yes the second half of this campaign has been disappointing, but ultimately finishing 2nd place is anything but a disaster. Especially when you consider just what a low ebb we were all at after the derby.

There's a lot to be said for managers like MP. Yes they can come across as 'soft' at times, but by keeping a certain amount of calm during a crisis and not reacting publicly, you retain the respect of the players, which in turn allows you to turn around poor form. For many we were going to struggle to finish in the top 4 just a short while ago, and yet 2nd is wrapped up with a game to spare. Pellegrini and his team made a mess post January, but also cleaned it up before the season ended.