Excellent post.So some worrying trends yesterday?
• Unwillingness to drop/rest Aguero. He only travelled back 1 day before the match did he not? Look at Barca for example, away to Atletico they rest Messi.. They trusted the team to perform without him then brought him on if needed to have an impact. Aguero for me shouldn't have started, we know he's injury prone when he plays too often (although this time it was just a poor challenge), we need to have faith in our other guys to do a job, which they did do.
• 4-4-2 away from home against a pacey team even being considered. I dislike 442 anyway because of the players we have, it just doesn't suit our squad, nothing to do with the formation itself - but to switch back to it against a team like Palace away seems madness (I see a lot of people agree too), I just don't see the logic in it, yes we had injuries but nothing that forced us into a 442. At home against a weak team I could at least see the logic, or when we're pushing for a late goal then sure, but I just don't see the benefit in a match like this of starting how we did. Stick to whats been working.
Aguero going off was almost lucky for us, assuming/hoping it was just an impact pain & is better today then he is rested, Bony got game time, Iheanacho got the winner & it forced us into our 4231 formation which we dominated from.
Don't get me wrong, I think Peller's is doing great & loved his Pardew scuffle, just a few old faults from past seasons seemed to rear their head yesterday that I thought we had left behind.
Excellent post.
When I saw the team sheet and formation, it pissed me and a lot of other people right off and put a dampener on the match. We've had a fantastic start to the season and it seemed the lessons of last season had been learned, but after we switched to 442 to unlock Watford at home, I just had a nagging feeling that Pellers would again opt for 442 against Palace which unbelievably he did.
The decision to revert back to 442 illustrates why there continues to be question marks over his tactical nous and this will always characterise his tenure with us. Aguero going off was a bitter pill to swallow, but like you say it was the catalyst for us to go back to 4231 which has served us so well this season. The next move that completed our transformation was moving Nasri to his best and most effective position as a No 10 behind a lone striker and hence, we dominated the rest of the match. Nasri is completely wasted out wide and what a back up to have as competition and back up for Silva.
Excellent post.
When I saw the team sheet and formation, it pissed me and a lot of other people right off and put a dampener on the match. We've had a fantastic start to the season and it seemed the lessons of last season had been learned, but after we switched to 442 to unlock Watford at home, I just had a nagging feeling that Pellers would again opt for 442 against Palace which unbelievably he did.
The decision to revert back to 442 illustrates why there continues to be question marks over his tactical nous and this will always characterise his tenure with us. Aguero going off was a bitter pill to swallow, but like you say it was the catalyst for us to go back to 4231 which has served us so well this season. The next move that completed our transformation was moving Nasri to his best and most effective position as a No 10 behind a lone striker and hence, we dominated the rest of the match. Nasri is completely wasted out wide and what a back up to have as competition and back up for Silva.
Out of 10 halves of football played this season, we've played all but 1 1/2 using 4231, I'd suggest that adequately explains why we've won 5 and conceded none.I don't know the answer but you seem to have decided this was old habits returning rather that for any other tactical reason. 5 wins and none conceded tells me Pellers knows exactly what he's doing.
Out of 10 halves of football played this season, we've played all but 1 1/2 using 4231, I'd suggest that adequately explains why we've won 5 and conceded none.
Everything about Manuel seems different this season - more passion, more fight, more control. Just seems a very focused camp.You've no idea how happy this post makes me. :)
I'm sure no one is doubting that Pellegrini knows what he's doing, he's managed for X many years at the top level & is a proven top class manager. And made a fantastic start to the season. The only small faults with him are his readiness to risk Aguero & resort back to 442 when we have some injuries; I'm not claiming to be an expert these are just my opinions.I don't know the answer but you seem to have decided this was old habits returning rather that for any other tactical reason. 5 wins and none conceded tells me Pellers knows exactly what he's doing.
I'm sure no one is doubting that Pellegrini knows what he's doing, he's managed for X many years at the top level & is a proven top class manager. And made a fantastic start to the season. The only small faults with him are his readiness to risk Aguero & resort back to 442 when we have some injuries; I'm not claiming to be an expert these are just my opinions.
down.
However I find it hard to see why some people aren't against 442, 6 losses in 8 matches turned into 11 matches won in a row once we changed to 4231. It's not that 442 is a bad formation, it's that our players don't fit that system - which makes it a bad formation for us. My only thoughts for why Pellers decided to go this way would have to be he didn't want to throw KDB immediately into the action, which meant to play 4231 would likely involve a youth player starting - if the 442 is used fleetingly & sensibly then I personally don't have an issue, there's just the worry we end up going back to it in moments of rotation/change too often & our performance levels drop.