Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2015/16

[I_maysveryown]

Fair to say Pellegrini is a bit conservative. however this was a game that he needed to give a couple minutes to the south american contingent with the chelsea game just this Sunday as they are down on match fitness.

 

[stony]

Stick to making washing machines you tosser.

Hahaha.

 

[goatboy]

why bother risking it first game of the season away from home when you can lay a marker down like we did. was spot on giving sergio some time to sharpen up too. gonna be a long season and i think the kids will get their opportunities this year.

 

[jimharri]

Who's this "Pellergrini" bloke?

 

[jay_mcfc]

Last night was magnificent. Sterner tests to come but the balance of the side looked dreamy. No gung ho bollocks hanging the defence out to dry just pure controlled possession with a solid attacking intent. If we can keep that kind of balance to the side we will win the league.

 

[cibaman]

Last night was magnificent. Sterner tests to come but the balance of the side looked dreamy. No gung ho bollocks hanging the defence out to dry just pure controlled possession with a solid attacking intent. If we can keep that kind of balance to the side we will win the league.

Yep, the balance and shape of the team looked so much better

 

[jollylescott]

Kudos to Manuel as he has shown a preparedness to change the shape of the team. Last night the team looked mobile, fluid, and pacy. I like the combination of Sterling and Kolarov on the left. Sterling created space for Kolarov with his movement, and also protected Kolarov in defence.

Much of last season on this forum was spent arguing about the shape of the team. I would hazard a guess that these arguments will be far less frequent this season. I also enjoyed Pellers showing some passion on the sideline, and orchestrating the players. For large parts of last season the perception was that he was sitting in his track suit as an interested spectator rather than a passionate manager.

My feeling is that he has listened, and responded. I have very high hopes this season, and growing confidence that both players and manager have taken in the lessons of last season, and that we will see a revitalised Manager and squad from now on.

 

[jay_mcfc]

Zabba and Kolarov are our best two full backs but I wonder if he'll play one or the other most games instead of both at the same time. We looked good and solid last night but we still have individual defensive players that are capable of making a mistake or giving away free-kicks in dangerous areas. Having one defensive minded full back on one side and one attacking full back on the other should at least nullify the gravity of the mistakes caused by the individual errors.

 

[BillyShears]

Kudos to Manuel as he has shown a preparedness to change the shape of the team. Last night the team looked mobile, fluid, and pacy. I like the combination of Sterling and Kolarov on the left. Sterling created space for Kolarov with his movement, and also protected Kolarov in defence.

Much of last season on this forum was spent arguing about the shape of the team. I would hazard a guess that these arguments will be far less frequent this season. I also enjoyed Pellers showing some passion on the sideline, and orchestrating the players. For large parts of last season the perception was that he was sitting in his track suit as an interested spectator rather than a passionate manager.

My feeling is that he has listened, and responded. I have very high hopes this season, and growing confidence that both players and manager have taken in the lessons of last season, and that we will see a revitalised Manager and squad from now on.

Good post. Revitalised is a fantastic characterisation. It's obviously very early days but there was something a bit special about that performance.

Personally whatever the formation (433 or 4231) we look a much more dangerous side for it just as we did in the last 6 games of last season.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Formation was 2-1-3-4 with the ball and 4-2-3-1 without the ball. I don't think that will change with Kun coming back and de Bruyne (should we sign him) as they will be like-for-like with Bony and Navas.

So I think that's what we'll see.

Hopefully they'll gain some further fitness before Sunday as the game seemed like it was at ¾ pace but saying that of the four games (8 teams) I watched this weekend only West Ham looked anything like match fit, so it's not like it's our sole problem. Pre-season is such a joke and having the season finish one week late last season and start one week early this season has taken two weeks off the off- and pre-season so why teams have been slow paced this weekend is obvious.

Pellegrini seemed a bit chirpier than I've seen him before pre- and post-game, maybe he's starting to feel like he's building his own squad in the way he wants now rather than have a previous managers squad. And maybe he knows more about further incoming signings than we do!