Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2014/15 (continued)

[BobKowalski]

Which was completely meaningless apart form a financial point of view and we won 1-0.

It was meaningless yet hurrah we won 1-0 and come on you didn't find it hilarious when MDM came on in midfield? It's like playing Boyata. What's the point?

At least we did get some youngsters on in the end which rounded off an entertaining game very nicely.

 

[blueinsa]

It was meaningless yet hurrah we won 1-0 and come on you didn't find it hilarious when MDM came on in midfield? It's like playing Boyata. What's the point?

At least we did get some youngsters on in the end which rounded off an entertaining game very nicely.

Bob I wouldn't have given 2 shits had he played Joe Hart up front, honestly.

Pellegrini has made mistakes this season and rightly taken a bit of flak for them but much of what has been said about the man has been ridiculously over the top and to start having a go at him about a friendly on a post season tour is ridiculously over the top for me im afraid.

 

[BigOscar]

It was meaningless yet hurrah we won 1-0 and come on you didn't find it hilarious when MDM came on in midfield? It's like playing Boyata. What's the point?

At least we did get some youngsters on in the end which rounded off an entertaining game very nicely.

Two games in three days, he presumably picked everything based on getting through the two games without using players more than 90 minutes or so. The Argie boys presumably had instructions from their national coach as well. I very much doubt tactics had anything to do with selection

 

[mosssideblue]

What baffles me is if against the stronger teams we're a better outfit playing with just one striker, surely we should be even stronger with one striker against weaker opposition?

I just don't get why we have to accommodate MP's obsession with 442 any longer as its been proved twice this season already we're better without it. He's had enough time pleasuring himself this season with 442 which has probably cost us competing for the title, so surely its time for us to play our best formation, put square pegs in square holes and allow the players to become comfortable with the formation that suits us best.

The weaker opposition tends to sit and park the bus and would be happy with taking a point. The stronger sides either come to play, or can cause damage should they win the ball and we need to control midfield

 

[robbieh]

While it seems MP is here for the duration we are being linked in Spain at least with Unai Emery,the Sevilla manager. Don´t know if he has been discussed before but at only 43 he has two Europa League´s in the bag.

 

[blueinsa]

While it seems MP is here for the duration we are being linked in Spain at least with Unai Emery,the Sevilla manager. Don´t know if he has been discussed before but at only 43 he has two Europa League´s in the bag.

Also saw him being linked with the Madrid job this morning.

Impressive record so far without a doubt.

 

[robbieh]

Also saw him being linked with the Madrid job this morning.

Impressive record so far without a doubt.

Madrid are keen on a spanish coach so I would have thought he´d be a good fit unless they see Rafa as a one season appointment before Zidane. Unlikely Emery would want to go there under those circumstances. Benitez has already done that at Chelsea.

 

[cibaman]

It was meaningless yet hurrah we won 1-0 and come on you didn't find it hilarious when MDM came on in midfield? It's like playing Boyata. What's the point?

At least we did get some youngsters on in the end which rounded off an entertaining game very nicely.

Isn't there usually some sort of agreement when these games are arranged as to how strong the team will be? Playing MDM might have been necessary to fulfill some sort of quota of first team players.

 

[Dribble]

The weaker opposition tends to sit and park the bus and would be happy with taking a point. The stronger sides either come to play, or can cause damage should they win the ball and we need to control midfield

I don't see a whether a team parks the bus or not as having anything to do with us playing with one or two strikers. We look better & more comfortable with one & with creative players like Silva, Nasri, Yaya etc behind a main striker I don't think we'd be short of an attacking threat.

In the last 6 games of this season, we've gone with the lone striker & won all of them and if anything we've looked a more attractive proposition by far as the results & displays testify. Previously we've played with 2 strikers & were beaten by Burnley, West Ham & Stoke. Every team in the PL has the ability to beat any other, so I think it naive of us to view those sides as weaker & set ourselves up differently.

Based on this season, I'd have preferred us to have scored 10 less goals & conceded 10 less, because its those silly losses against the 'weaker' opposition who we have underestimated that has ultimately cost us a chance of competing for the title.

 

[ballinio]

We don't know yet if his contract is being extended, and if he goes into the final year of his contract, that suggests we're hopeful on Guardiola, but that maybe wishful thinking. Continuing the Bayern connection there is Guardiola's predecessor Heynckes who had a great final season.

'Final year' should be avoided where possible, but can be positive, particularly if it leads to someone like Pep.

Also we need to stop fluttering our eyelashes at Guardiola like some cheap whore.