I think we've got the strongest squad in the league, but United, Chelsea and Arsenal have incredibly strong squads too. Ours is a bit imbalanced in places, and we've suffered badly with injuries.
To suggest we should be comfortably winning such a competitive league, and that many other managers could match Pellegrini's achievements, is unfair, naive and possibly disingenuous.
The same arguments were used against Mancini. I think some people underestimate just how difficult a job it is.
You could've probably said the same thing about David Moyes when he was at Everton though, and we saw how that worked out. Making the transition to a bigger club brings its own difficulties.
When in charge of that much talent I doubt you can go seriously wrong. But that doesn't mean Manuel doesn't do a good job. We're top of the league.
It is unprovable but what basis do you have to say others couldn't Match his achievements, it all comes down to what we believe is a successful season with the talent at his disposal, if you have the strongest squad in the league and one of the best in Europe you will be judged on this
That kind of arguing against yourself there, if he can't go seriously wrong how can you say he does a good job
Pardew is an absolute shitcock of a man, I suspect he would get laughed out of our dressing room by half the squad before he even got the chance to organise them. Personally as I have said too many times, I don't like the way pellegrini organises us defensively so in terms of pure tactics I have no inclination to defend him. But it's easy to forget that when he arrived he came to what looked to me like a fairly broken dressing room and brought back a level of calmness, stability and spirit that allowed us to rapidly get back to winning trophies and playing some exciting football along the way. I think that suggests he has the necessary gravitas to manage a top club, something I personally doubt the average mid table manager has. I'd probably like up see a change in the summer, would probably have liked to see it happen last summer but it has to be an upgrade.I accept getting Swansea to mid table is different than say getting city to the title, however if you look at the players at Pardews or monks disposal where should a decent manager get them in the league? That is how they are judged, just tell me watching city what signs are they that these two managers couldn't do the job as well as manuel, I hope you ain't going to mention tactics or organising a team in all aspects of the game
What does manuel bring to the table? Because I am struggling
It's a good point, managing the ego's at a big club is a very particular skill. But I also agree with Hilts, there's no way Pardew, Monk or Martinez are any worse tactically than Pellers. In fact, there's a good argument that all 3 are better in that respect.
As you say, it's ultimately unprovable. Equally you have no basis for saying others could match his achievements. It's all hypothetical. Regardless though, perhaps we should wait until the end of the season before casting judgement? We are currently top of the league, after all.