Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2015/16

[OB1]

Luck, it has to be.... (:

Joking aside, MP is doing himself no favours with the yaya situation.. He's a stubborn old mule. You could see after 5 minutes last night that if silva was in the hole, we'd of scored 2/3. It's great having roaming players in sterling, KDB etc but you will never see the best of Kun in that set up, not without a link up man on his shoulder or just behind.... Frightening that MP's missing this!!!

TBF, he may have wanted Silva in the hole earlier last night but wanted to protect him and not risk potential short-term gain for longer term pain.

The Yaya situation is an interesting one; even I think he may need to use Yaya less but I have yet to be convinced that the team will function more effectively without him, given the make-up of the squad, it may require the kind of change that is best addressed in pre-season. However, you have to play several games without him starting to know; I suppose Norwich was a good start but I didn't see the whole of that game so I can only suppose.

 

[cookster]

Manchester United won the league in their treble season with just 79 points. In GPC's last season 89 points. Which team were better?

If we win the league, who cares. I agree, we have been way off or above par. But points don't always measure the team.

Current projection 72 points, f@cking awful.

 

[OB1]

Because overall we're a very good team. We have some of the best attacking players in Europe at our disposal so the tools are all there for us to top all the stats charts. My problem is I don't feel we do enough, or at least we haven't been for the last couple of months with the team we have.
If you've been impressed with what you've seen for large parts of the season then fair enough. I've left too many games feeling underwhelmed.

I've not been impressed and I think we are under-performing but I think there are a host of reasons for that and I am not convinced that it's the manager's fault to the extent that some on here do. I also said on another thread yesterday that I would like to see us move the ball more quickly at times but I also think that when the opponent has all their men behind the ball, speed of movement only becomes significant in the final third / final phase of a move.

I also think the bigger problem that how we move the ball is simply getting more shots on target: I've lost track of the number of times that I have said out loud "you've got to hit the ####### target from there" or similar.

 

[Phil1]

I've not been impressed and I think we are under-performing but I think there are a host of reasons for that and I am not convinced that it's the manager's fault to the extent that some on here do. I also said on another thread yesterday that I would like to see us move the ball more quickly at times but I also think that when the opponent has all their men behind the ball, speed of movement only becomes significant in the final third / final phase of a move.

I also think the bigger problem that how we move the ball is simply getting more shots on target: I've lost track of the number of times that I have said out loud "you've got to hit the ####### target from there" or similar.

I agree with that and I've tried not to go on any particular rants at Pellegrini because I appreciate there are some reasons beyond his control as to why we've been under performing. it's been a collective malaise from both the players and manager this last few months, made worse by none of the other clubs putting points on the board and generally looking haphazard.
It's just frustration, mainly because of how good we can be.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Rather negative spin IMO. We did do enough to win by creating several good chances that were not taken. But I suppose in your mind those decent chances either didn't exist or were in spite of the gaffer.

Was the penalty claim unrealistic also?

The penalty claim doesn't excuse the previous poor 90 minutes. I remember 1 good chance in the first half (yaya header) and then 2-3 half decent chances in the second half that the keeper saved comfortably. We had 5 shots on target all game at home to a midtable side. For me, that's not enough.

 

[mosssideblue]

The penalty claim doesn't excuse the previous poor 90 minutes. I remember 1 good chance in the first half (yaya header) and then 2-3 half decent chances in the second half that the keeper saved comfortably. We had 5 shots on target all game at home to a midtable side. For me, that's not enough.

I agree we are capable of more, but my comment was to your assertion claiming we didn't do enough to win, which IMO, we did and should of. From where I was sat, I thing saying the keeper saved comfortably is rather generous.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

What annoys me is the lack of variety in our play. We had around three or maybe four free kicks in similar positions last night and in all of them De Bruyne took them with a man stood in front of him and all of them were shit. It's like we practice one way of taking a free kick. Where is the creative thinking there? Every corner is virtually the same.

He has showed signs of tactical ability this season. The home game v Watford when his changes had a direct influence. Watford away where he gambled and it paid off.

Even last night he did some good things. The first half was not good. We kept giving it away or even passing it out of touch. Everton were getting the ball and having a shot within 6/7 passes. He addressed this at half time and they came out fired up. He didn't make his customary 60 min sub which was a good decision as we were playing well at that point. By 75 mins we were starting to run out of steam and he should have maybe made a change at that point.

He wasn't to blame last night for the result, the ref was but he has not covered himself in glory in recent months. Whichever way you look at it 25 points in 16 games is not good enough.

 

[mosssideblue]

What annoys me is the lack of variety in our play. We had around three or maybe four free kicks in similar positions last night and in all of them De Bruyne took them with a man stood in front of him and all of them were shit. It's like we practice one way of taking a free kick. Where is the creative thinking there? Every corner is virtually the same.

He has showed signs of tactical ability this season. The home game v Watford when his changes had a direct influence. Watford away where he gambled and it paid off.

Even last night he did some good things. The first half was not good. We kept giving it away or even passing it out of touch. Everton were getting the ball and having a shot within 6/7 passes. He addressed this at half time and they came out fired up. He didn't make his customary 60 min sub which was a good decision as we were playing well at that point. By 75 mins we were starting to run out of steam and he should have maybe made a change at that point.

He wasn't to blame last night for the result, the ref was but he has not covered himself in glory in recent months. Whichever way you look at it 25 points in 16 games is not good enough.

Agree with the highlighted. Just don't get why we keep doing this.

 

[flb]

Pretty sure we're towards the top of goals from set peices excluding pens. We have scored plenty from corners.

Our defence is only bettered by Spurs and United.

So I'll agree we're playing below our abilities, but considering we're sterile going forwards, woeful at the back. unfit and crap at corners we've;
Conceded 3 least
Scored the most.
Off the top of my head we've scored at least 10 goals this season from set peices not including pens and direct free kicks
Fitness, how many late goals have we scored??

Fans can have opinions, Pellegrini does plenty wrong, as do other top managers. Arsenal have Barcelona because they decided to play a novelty keeper against Olympiacos. Wenger is a 20 year veteran. Pep will make big mistakes too.

20 of those league goals against fucking cannon fodder , Newcastle,Bournemouth,Southampton & Sunderland

When we play a team with half a fucking clue how to defend we have more than often hit a brick wall.

He's had the benefit of spending £130m only for us to score far less goals, what the fuck does he do on the training pitch?

 

[Blue Hefner]

20 of those league goals against fucking cannon fodder , Newcastle,Bournemouth,Southampton & Sunderland

When we play a team with half a fucking clue how to defend we have more than often hit a brick wall.

He's had the benefit of spending £130m only for us to score far less goals, what the fuck does he do on the training pitch?

'What is he doing on the training ground' - I often ask myself if he is ever on it never mind actually doing anything

He's not a good manager, he's a handle turner, a safe pair of hands. Well, I say 'safe', as in wont rock the boat but our players certainly aren't in safe hands he's taking the entire team backwards