Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2014/15 (continued)

[Exeter Blue I am here]

With respect OB1, and at the risk of being one of those people rolling out the 'Fuck stats I believe what I see with my own eyes', goals conceded are not the be all and end all of defensive capability. I remember seeing something at the beginning of last season whereby despite us conceding quite a few goals, we were conceding the fewest chances on goal in the entire league, just every shot seemed to go in the bloody net!

This season has felt like the opposite of that. We haven't conceded an abnormal amount of goals, but it's certainly felt like we've been conceding an abnormal amount of chances that would otherwise end up as goals. Maybe that's not the case, but clearly many blues feel like it.

I think (and hope) if Pellegrini is here next season we won't be seeing the same 4-4-2 rolled out every game. We'll be getting a lot more of Aguero up top on his own, or 3 up front. We'll also be seeing 4-4-2 but with 2 far more mobile midfielders, which will be drastically different to one with Yaya in it. Plus if our current trend is anything to go by we're due to win the league next season regardless ;)

We've conceded the least chances of any team in the league iirc.

It's quite well known in these here parts that one of my favourite stats is shots per game conceded. Sadly we are no longer the team conceding fewest shots: the Rags have that honour with 9.9 per game, the it's our opponents on Sunday, Southampton, with 10; followed by City on 10.1. Narrow enough to maybe change on Sunday.

Last season we did concede the fewest shots, at 9.4 per game. So although we are conceding more shots this season, it amounts to less than one per game. So, with respect to adrianr, his observation does not hold water.

If I didn't know different - thanks to you telling me ;-) - I'd probably have made the same observation as adrianr. I guess then it's just a perception that we concede more shots than other teams, perhaps created by the way we defend and by the number of those opposition chances that seem clear cut (like Nathan Dyer's on Sunday). Whatever, we may not yield many opportunities, but it's still a good job that Joe Hart is the best one on one shot stopper in the world, cos the number of times his Schmeichelesque starfish routine has come to the rescue seems on the high side in my mind

 

[hgblue]

I'm actually quite excited to see how Pellegrini sets up next season both tactically and in terms of the personnel he has at his disposal, which we'd assume will be improved on this season. I'm not afraid we're in some terminal decline with the manager where next season can't be a vast improvement on this one.

Well we and the opposition already know how he will set up 4-4-2 as he keeps on saying he won't change his philosophy or tactics. Unless he drastically improves our defending i hope the forwards are on fire because we will have to score three goals every game to get anything out of every match!

Have we not lined up with 5 in midfield for the last month or so?

You mean during this recent winning streak? And the time when he had no strikers available and we nearly broke the club record for unbroken wins? Funny coincidence that.

 

[OB1]

We've conceded the least chances of any team in the league iirc.

It's quite well known in these here parts that one of my favourite stats is shots per game conceded. Sadly we are no longer the team conceding fewest shots: the Rags have that honour with 9.9 per game, the it's our opponents on Sunday, Southampton, with 10; followed by City on 10.1. Narrow enough to maybe change on Sunday.

Last season we did concede the fewest shots, at 9.4 per game. So although we are conceding more shots this season, it amounts to less than one per game. So, with respect to adrianr, his observation does not hold water.

If I didn't know different - thanks to you telling me ;-) - I'd probably have made the same observation as adrianr. I guess then it's just a perception that we concede more shots than other teams, perhaps created by the way we defend and by the number of those opposition chances that seem clear cut (like Nathan Dyer's on Sunday). Whatever, we may not yield many opportunities, but it's still a good job that Joe Hart is the best one on one shot stopper in the world, cos the number of times his Schmeichelesque starfish routine has come to the rescue seems on the high side in my mind

That's the beauty of stats for me, they can help you distinguish perception from reality.

Look I'm a nervous passenger at the best of times in the pantechnicon that is now MCFC. I am "well known" at matches for regularly proclaiming that I won't be happy until we are three up and I've been saying that for years; even when sat there watching games that my head tells me we are not going to concede in.

I think City look far more vulnerable than they actually are defensively. Part of that could be the offside tap: you end up with teams appearing to come close when in fact the trap has worked a treat - effective but tough on the nerves. When it doesn't work, it is a recipe for a one-on-one. It's not just this that makes us look vulnerable. The space we leave in midfield has been done to death and two of my big gripes are cheap fouls that allow opponents to launch high balls in and the failure to prevent opponents crossing in open play.

City have lots of room for improvement but I just don't think we are as far off as many appear to. Also, we are trying to develop a way of playing that will leave us short of numbers at the back at times.

 

[Damocles]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

City have lots of room for improvement but I just don't think we are as far off as many appear to. Also, we are trying to develop a way of playing that will leave us short of numbers at the back at times.

I couldn't agree more. I'm absolutely and totally optimistic that a few clever sales and signings will transform us. Chelsea won the league easily, yet it was obvious in both games against them that we were the better team. So many reliable players have underperformed this year for whatever reason.

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

I'm not being funny, but for me he should be sacked on Monday regardless. The sudden change in tactics when we knew the title was gone just reeks of desperation and self-preservation.

I can't bear another dull season of shocking defending, shit set-pieces (both defending them and attacking ones), turgid post match interviews, boring press conferences, not giving youth a chance, not being tactically adept or malleable and hang-dog expression close-ups.

He needs to go!

 

[OB1]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

I agree with much that you say but I hope that is a wind-up. Not that I don't think he should give a youngster or two a taste of the first team. He also though needs to let one or two have their City Swansong and deliver another win against a team that will be up for it. Ending the season as the form team in the division is something positive to take into next season.

 

[George Hannah]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

I'm not being funny, but for me he should be sacked on Monday regardless. The sudden change in tactics when we knew the title was gone just reeks of desperation and self-preservation.

I can't bear another dull season of shocking defending, shit set-pieces (both defending them and attacking ones), turgid post match interviews, boring press conferences, not giving youth a chance, not being tactically adept or malleable and hang-dog expression close-ups.

He needs to go!

I agree but not for any of those reasons, it depends on who is available and there are just one or two who would serve us better but if they are Manuel should devote more time to his garden.

 

[Damocles]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

I agree with much that you say but I hope that is a wind-up. Not that I don't think he should give a youngster or two a taste of the first team. He also though needs to let one or two have their City Swansong and deliver another win against a team that will be up for it. Ending the season as the form team in the division is something positive to take into next season.

It's not a one off thing. He has consistently and constantly failed to give young lads any chances unless absolutely forced into it and even then only sparingly. The excuse is always that the game is too important to our season to do so.

No excuses for it this time. If he is as holistic and youth oriented as he and others have claimed then he can fit them in and allow them a taste of Premier League standard of football. Anything else represents a failure to do his job correctly as manager of Manchester City. Which means he should go.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Should be sacked on Monday if he plays a full team against Soton. Simple as that.

I agree with much that you say but I hope that is a wind-up. Not that I don't think he should give a youngster or two a taste of the first team. He also though needs to let one or two have their City Swansong and deliver another win against a team that will be up for it. Ending the season as the form team in the division is something positive to take into next season.

It's not a one off thing. He has consistently and constantly failed to give young lads any chances unless absolutely forced into it and even then only sparingly. The excuse is always that the game is too important to our season to do so.

No excuses for it this time. If he is as holistic and youth oriented as he and others have claimed then he can fit them in and allow them a taste of Premier League standard of football. Anything else represents a failure to do his job correctly as manager of Manchester City. Which means he should go.

If he doesn't feel they are good enough I'm not arsed if he doesn't pick them.

I want us to win the game and play well. I don't really want to see some skinny kid getting knocked off the ball and misplacing passes.