Lancet Fluke
Well-Known Member
Fucking hell the grammar police have started correcting people's French now.
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Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini (2014/15)
- Thread starter Stephenhakin
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Two points that summarise our season were very clearly highlighted by last night’s game.
The first is that, regardless of formation, we have very few players who are capable of playing the way Pellegrini wants them to. I’d argue that only Aguero and Fernandinho fall into this category. The rest either lack quality, work-rate or both. The likes of Silva, Nasri, Yaya, Bony are clearly very good players, but they don’t have the energy, stamina or mentality required for the high press. The likes of Milner, Navas, Jovetic, Fernando, Clichy and Zab can’t be accused of a lack of effort, but their lack of quality often gets highlighted against better sides. We also have the likes of Dzeko, Kolarov and Sagna, to whom both criticisms can be levelled.
I’ve left out the keepers and centre backs because I think we’re looking at different skills, but the result is the same. We have Kompany and Mangala who are physically capable; strong and quick, of playing a high line, but lack the positional intelligence to do so. Then we have Demichelis who whilst intelligent enough, lacks the mobility to make up for any mistakes, which get clearly highlighted in a high line system. With Hart and Caballero, we have one great shot stopper and one good distributor, but we really need both attributes in one keeper.
The second point is that despite having spent nearly two years with these players, Pellegrini doesn’t seem willing to change our approach. Whether this stubbornness is his doing, or he’s been given instruction from above, I don’t know. However, trying to play this high press, high line, intense style of play isn’t working. It worked for the majority of last season because it was new and different, plus for the first half of the season, Negredo fit into the first category with Aguero and Fernandinho. We blew teams away with our goal-scoring, and so conceding 3 at home to Arsenal, or 2 to CSKA didn’t matter. However, this year, we’ve seen teams adapt to our style and frustrate us, our goal tally has plummeted but we’re still conceding goals. It may not be a long term solution but with our Champions League status at risk we need to become more solid, drop the defence deeper and compact the space between the lines and just get the results we need to get us across the line.
Going into next season, we’ll definitely need personnel changes, we need more quality “proper” wide players and we need another dynamic central midfielder. Some big names need to be moved on and we need younger, hungrier players to take their place. I can see us listening to offers for everyone but Aguero, Kompany and Hart. As far as the manager goes, I think he’ll be given next season because we want Pep the year after. However, I can’t see Pep coming, we’re not (and won’t be) ready for him and I think he’ll know that, I can’t see him wanting to risk his reputation for us. I’d like to see us go for someone else this summer because I don’t think we can make enough changes in one summer to have a squad capable of playing the Pellegrini way next season and I can’t see him becoming more pragmatic. I have no real preference, although Klopp’s enthusiasm would be like a breath of fresh air and something I think we as fans could really take to.
The first is that, regardless of formation, we have very few players who are capable of playing the way Pellegrini wants them to. I’d argue that only Aguero and Fernandinho fall into this category. The rest either lack quality, work-rate or both. The likes of Silva, Nasri, Yaya, Bony are clearly very good players, but they don’t have the energy, stamina or mentality required for the high press. The likes of Milner, Navas, Jovetic, Fernando, Clichy and Zab can’t be accused of a lack of effort, but their lack of quality often gets highlighted against better sides. We also have the likes of Dzeko, Kolarov and Sagna, to whom both criticisms can be levelled.
I’ve left out the keepers and centre backs because I think we’re looking at different skills, but the result is the same. We have Kompany and Mangala who are physically capable; strong and quick, of playing a high line, but lack the positional intelligence to do so. Then we have Demichelis who whilst intelligent enough, lacks the mobility to make up for any mistakes, which get clearly highlighted in a high line system. With Hart and Caballero, we have one great shot stopper and one good distributor, but we really need both attributes in one keeper.
The second point is that despite having spent nearly two years with these players, Pellegrini doesn’t seem willing to change our approach. Whether this stubbornness is his doing, or he’s been given instruction from above, I don’t know. However, trying to play this high press, high line, intense style of play isn’t working. It worked for the majority of last season because it was new and different, plus for the first half of the season, Negredo fit into the first category with Aguero and Fernandinho. We blew teams away with our goal-scoring, and so conceding 3 at home to Arsenal, or 2 to CSKA didn’t matter. However, this year, we’ve seen teams adapt to our style and frustrate us, our goal tally has plummeted but we’re still conceding goals. It may not be a long term solution but with our Champions League status at risk we need to become more solid, drop the defence deeper and compact the space between the lines and just get the results we need to get us across the line.
Going into next season, we’ll definitely need personnel changes, we need more quality “proper” wide players and we need another dynamic central midfielder. Some big names need to be moved on and we need younger, hungrier players to take their place. I can see us listening to offers for everyone but Aguero, Kompany and Hart. As far as the manager goes, I think he’ll be given next season because we want Pep the year after. However, I can’t see Pep coming, we’re not (and won’t be) ready for him and I think he’ll know that, I can’t see him wanting to risk his reputation for us. I’d like to see us go for someone else this summer because I don’t think we can make enough changes in one summer to have a squad capable of playing the Pellegrini way next season and I can’t see him becoming more pragmatic. I have no real preference, although Klopp’s enthusiasm would be like a breath of fresh air and something I think we as fans could really take to.
BillyShears
Well-Known Member
halfcenturyup said:TOUT DE SUITE
Mister Appointment said:crystal_mais said:sshhhh! might upset some -
PM ME TOUT SUITE PLEASE !
My wife approves of you correcting my French.
Danielmanc
Well-Known Member
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Maybe Joe saved his ass last night. Had it been 5-0 / 6-0 / 8-0 as it could well have been then he may have been on a plane to Chile this week
Lancet Fluke said:Fucking hell, the Grammar Police have started correcting people's French now.
Lovebitesandeveryfing
Well-Known Member
Damocles said:Lancet Fluke said:Fucking hell, the Grammar Police have started correcting people's French now.
By the way, in the Queen's Mancspeak that should be "f'kin'ell"
A
A
Airbags Optional
Guest
Not read through the thread but for me Pellers liked to play a high pressing game, you could see last night he was forever urging the defence to step up a few yards. Unfortunately I do not think we have the players to play the pressing game, Yaya, Dave, Nasri are all technically brilliant but are not the sort that can play the pressing game or are not willing to
Vinnie wants to press but big as a unit, more on a 1 on 1 press which when the rest of the back line are pressing does not work. Some many times this season he has dived in and left a huge gap behind.
Kun tries to press but with the midfield not backing him up you can see his head drops and he stops trying.
Pellers is not without blame here, he should change the style of play to suit the players but he seems too stubborn to do so. I can't see with the current players that a Simeone or Pep could change the mindset of the highlighted players, so if Pelllers does go in the summer, to play the way the top brass what us to, will require the loss of quite a few well loved / technically brilliant players. For me j would keep Dave and Kun and get rid of yaya and Nasri and possibly even Vinnie if we want to play the pressing game.
Puts Tim hat on and awaits to get shot down for having an opinion which seems to be the norm on the forum at the moment :)
Vinnie wants to press but big as a unit, more on a 1 on 1 press which when the rest of the back line are pressing does not work. Some many times this season he has dived in and left a huge gap behind.
Kun tries to press but with the midfield not backing him up you can see his head drops and he stops trying.
Pellers is not without blame here, he should change the style of play to suit the players but he seems too stubborn to do so. I can't see with the current players that a Simeone or Pep could change the mindset of the highlighted players, so if Pelllers does go in the summer, to play the way the top brass what us to, will require the loss of quite a few well loved / technically brilliant players. For me j would keep Dave and Kun and get rid of yaya and Nasri and possibly even Vinnie if we want to play the pressing game.
Puts Tim hat on and awaits to get shot down for having an opinion which seems to be the norm on the forum at the moment :)
Lancet Fluke
Well-Known Member
Damocles said:Lancet Fluke said:Fucking hell, the Grammar Police have started correcting people's French now.
I accept the comma but I'm not convinced by the need for the capital letters.
I agree with most of that although I think Kompany will be safe for at least one more season. We need a settled back four, or at least CB pairing, for at least the rest of the season now in the hope they can regain some form and confidence.Airbags Optional said:Not read through the thread but for me Pellers liked to play a high pressing game, you could see last night he was forever urging the defence to step up a few yards. Unfortunately I do not think we have the players to play the pressing game, Yaya, Dave, Nasri are all technically brilliant but are not the sort that can play the pressing game or are not willing to
Vinnie wants to press but big as a unit, more on a 1 on 1 press which when the rest of the back line are pressing does not work. Some many times this season he has dived in and left a huge gap behind.
Kun tries to press but with the midfield not backing him up you can see his head drops and he stops trying.
Pellers is not without blame here, he should change the style of play to suit the players but he seems too stubborn to do so. I can't see with the current players that a Simeone or Pep could change the mindset of the highlighted players, so if Pelllers does go in the summer, to play the way the top brass what us to, will require the loss of quite a few well loved / technically brilliant players. For me j would keep Dave and Kun and get rid of yaya and Nasri and possibly even Vinnie if we want to play the pressing game.
Puts Tim hat on and awaits to get shot down for having an opinion which seems to be the norm on the forum at the moment :)
Lancet Fluke
Well-Known Member
Airbags Optional said:Not read through the thread but for me Pellers liked to play a high pressing game, you could see last night he was forever urging the defence to step up a few yards. Unfortunately I do not think we have the players to play the pressing game, Yaya, Dave, Nasri are all technically brilliant but are not the sort that can play the pressing game or are not willing to
Vinnie wants to press but big as a unit, more on a 1 on 1 press which when the rest of the back line are pressing does not work. Some many times this season he has dived in and left a huge gap behind.
Kun tries to press but with the midfield not backing him up you can see his head drops and he stops trying.
Pellers is not without blame here, he should change the style of play to suit the players but he seems too stubborn to do so. I can't see with the current players that a Simeone or Pep could change the mindset of the highlighted players, so if Pelllers does go in the summer, to play the way the top brass what us to, will require the loss of quite a few well loved / technically brilliant players. For me j would keep Dave and Kun and get rid of yaya and Nasri and possibly even Vinnie if we want to play the pressing game.
Puts Tim hat on and awaits to get shot down for having an opinion which seems to be the norm on the forum at the moment :)
I could see why he would be urging the defence to step up a few yards, there wasn't anywhere near enough space in behind them for the Barca attackers to run into as it was.
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