Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2015/16

[Lancet Fluke]

I like Pellegrini, he is a good manager and a nice guy.

If you know who does not come, I hope he stays till the end of his contract.

I hope they extend his contract.

 

[eversince 76]

WELL SAID SIR. HA HA HA BRILLIANT.

Plus 1. Sick and tired of moaning for the sake of it. And may l add the 4-4-2 that caused all the misery last year, the aging squad, and never playing kids.

It further make my stomach itchy that people go on about Pep when we have a manager. And a decent one that we should treat with respect.

 

[stablemcfc]

This is getting confusing!

You initially said I mis read your post because you didn't suggest we should play KDB in an unbalanced side.

I never suggested you'd said we should play KDB in an unbalanced side.

Therefore, you misread my post.

Anyway, moving things along, we've arrived at something we actually disagree on. Playing KDB in big games.

I totally understand your view that we will have the ball less in big games, KDB is more effective on the counter than Silva, so KDB would be a better fit in big games.

However, I think it is now part of the footballing philosophy of the club that we always try to play attacking, possession football. We have done under Pellegrini, but that will be multiplied by a factor of 10 when Pep arrives. I have never once seen him set up a team to sit deep and play on the counter, quite the opposite.

So in my view, the big games are when the need to keep possession is even more acute. Therefore Silva is a must start in big games.

We agree on the attributes of both players, but it's a difference in philosophy of how we should approach playing big teams.

I won't bother explaining the first bit again.

But yes, I suppose it depends on how you look at it; I'm basing my point of view off of current form & current expectations. We are simply not playing well enough to go and dominate away to title rivals (or even teams like Everton) even if I'd love us to, that's where my opinions arise - Silva isn't performing to his usual imperiousness & the team as a whole are playing far below what we can do, hence for me this season big matches I'd have KdB in & would like to see us just be tight & try and counter, especially with MDM now expected to be starting matches given our injuries; high line & possession football is a bit of a disaster with him starting this season. Even with Silva in the team & attempting to keep possession it simply isn't working in the tough matches, we aren't able to dominate possession for starters & we aren't playing well; trying to play the same style against every team has been our undoing on many, many occasions & is one of Pellegrini's bigger weaknesses.

It would be great if we could keep possession & play lovely stuff against everyone like Barca, but we're not on or near that level, we need to pick & chose tactically who we use & what to do - this philosophy of Pellegrini's whilst admirable is not productive in our current state IMO. I have a similar opinion on Yaya as I do with Silva/KdB, fantastic player in a lot of scenarios (e.g. against teams where we're dominant), complete opposite in other scenarios (e.g. against teams where it's more 50:50), nothing wrong with dropping a star player to improve the team in different aspects.

If Pep arrives then yes, the hope is obviously we can attain some level of dominance in the league, if he can replicate anywhere near the standard of football of his last couple of clubs then we'll be in business & Silva will be a perfect player for him.

I don't for a minute think Pellegrini will change to what we're both suggesting sadly though (players in their natural position, be it Silva or KdB who plays), I see us stuttering through the season with AM's on the wing & a mixture of players at CAM, with the odd good performance but all a bit disjointed on the whole. That's without even going into our issues at CM & the defence.

 

[Shaelumstash]

I won't bother explaining the first bit again.

But yes, I suppose it depends on how you look at it; I'm basing my point of view off of current form & current expectations. We are simply not playing well enough to go and dominate away to title rivals (or even teams like Everton) even if I'd love us to, that's where my opinions arise - Silva isn't performing to his usual imperiousness & the team as a whole are playing far below what we can do, hence for me this season big matches I'd have KdB in & would like to see us just be tight & try and counter, especially with MDM now expected to be starting matches given our injuries; high line & possession football is a bit of a disaster with him starting this season. Even with Silva in the team & attempting to keep possession it simply isn't working in the tough matches, we aren't able to dominate possession for starters & we aren't playing well; trying to play the same style against every team has been our undoing on many, many occasions & is one of Pellegrini's bigger weaknesses.

It would be great if we could keep possession & play lovely stuff against everyone like Barca, but we're not on or near that level, we need to pick & chose tactically who we use & what to do - this philosophy of Pellegrini's whilst admirable is not productive in our current state IMO. I have a similar opinion on Yaya as I do with Silva/KdB, fantastic player in a lot of scenarios (e.g. against teams where we're dominant), complete opposite in other scenarios (e.g. against teams where it's more 50:50), nothing wrong with dropping a star player to improve the team in different aspects.

If Pep arrives then yes, the hope is obviously we can attain some level of dominance in the league, if he can replicate anywhere near the standard of football of his last couple of clubs then we'll be in business & Silva will be a perfect player for him.

I don't for a minute think Pellegrini will change to what we're both suggesting sadly though (players in their natural position, be it Silva or KdB who plays), I see us stuttering through the season with AM's on the wing & a mixture of players at CAM, with the odd good performance but all a bit disjointed on the whole. That's without even going into our issues at CM & the defence.

I actually agree we're too predictable under Pellegrini mate. I've made the same point many times on here. But it seems the Lady's not for turning, whether through his own stubborness, or whether he's being instructed to play like that from above.

Funnily enough, the game we were most devastating on the counter - Seville away, he didn't play De Bruyne or Silva! The pace of Navas and Sterling caused them all sorts of problems, and we looked so much more solid with 3 centre mids.

 

[stablemcfc]

I actually agree we're too predictable under Pellegrini mate. I've made the same point many times on here. But it seems the Lady's not for turning, whether through his own stubborness, or whether he's being instructed to play like that from above.

Funnily enough, the game we were most devastating on the counter - Seville away, he didn't play De Bruyne or Silva! The pace of Navas and Sterling caused them all sorts of problems, and we looked so much more solid with 3 centre mids.

Indeed, and what was the common theme of that match? We actually played a 4-3-3 with a natural DM (Fernando) at DM, 2 natural CM's (Yaya/Dinho) at CM, 2 wingers (Sterling/Navas) on the wings & a striker (Bony) at striker. Everyone was in their favoured positions & everyone performed, hardly seems rocket science to me - this relates back to our original point of Navas starting. Obviously there's a lot more to it than what I'm suggesting there, but it's a very basic thing that we seem to have success with yet don't seem to do very often.

The teams that are doing better than expected this season (Watford, Leicester, Palace, even Spurs) aren't doing anything ground breaking tactically, they're just playing their players in their best positions in pretty standard formations & doing the basics better than some of the "big" teams this season, at least IMO.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Indeed, and what was the common theme of that match? We actually played a 4-3-3 with a natural DM (Fernando) at DM, 2 natural CM's (Yaya/Dinho) at CM, 2 wingers (Sterling/Navas) on the wings & a striker (Bony) at striker. Everyone was in their favoured positions & everyone performed, hardly seems rocket science to me - this relates back to our original point of Navas starting. Obviously there's a lot more to it than what I'm suggesting there, but it's a very basic thing that we seem to have success with yet don't seem to do very often.

The teams that are doing better than expected this season (Watford, Leicester, Palace, even Spurs) aren't doing anything ground breaking tactically, they're just playing their players in their best positions in pretty standard formations & doing the basics better than some of the "big" teams this season, at least IMO.

Couldn't agree more. As I posted earlier, our executives seemingly want to follow the Barcelona footballing model, but the manager is following the Real Madrid model - squeeze your 11 biggest stars in to positions that don't suit them.

 

[cibaman]

Do we really know what De Bruyne's best position is? I don't understand why he's always been played wide, not given a few games in the middle.

 

[Dribble]

Couldn't agree more. As I posted earlier, our executives seemingly want to follow the Barcelona footballing model, but the manager is following the Real Madrid model - squeeze your 11 biggest stars in to positions that don't suit them.

Saved me posting exactly the same, square pegs in round holes and not the balls to play the best team instead of the best 11.

433 or more precisely 4123 has always been my preferred formation which unfortunately only leaves space for one out of Yaya, Silva, KDB or Nasri. None of these players has the energy or industry to be out wide or played with any of that group under Manuel. Maybe another manager can make the difference to how these players are deployed, but I've seen enough over the last 2 1/2 years to know that at the highest level we've nearly always made the inclusion of all of them cost us under Manuel's system whilst Bayern, Roma and Sevilla away has proved playing the best players for the positions available has always given us our best displays against tough opposition.

 

[City_Sean]

Do we really know what De Bruyne's best position is? I don't understand why he's always been played wide, not given a few games in the middle.

He's best in the number ten. And that's where he should be playing with Silva dropped to the bench.

 

[Plain Speaking]

Lots of posters going on about the Sevilla formation. It was indeed the last time we played well for 90 minutes. However two unusual factors:

Firstly, they needed to win and attacked us which left space behind. Most teams set out to defend, when they play us, there is not usually the opportunity to play in this style.

Secondly exceptional motivation, we were facing non-qualification from the group, it was a "do or die." I like MP but he doesn't seem the best man motivator. All too often he seems to sit, laid back on his padded chair, and it is up to the players to motivate themselves. A manager can make a big difference with motivation and it appears one of MP's weaknesses.