Have we found the balance?

[ws01]

So last season, we were too defensive. Too dull. Very good defensively, but couldn't score enough goals.

For the majority of this season, we've been on the other end of the scale. Highly attacking. Flair. Plenty of goals, but suspect defensively and prone to stupid errors.

Have we now finally found the balance between attack and defense?. We've had 5 clean sheet in a row in the Prem. Conceded 2 goals in the last 7 games, whilst scoring 16 in the process.

In these last 7 games (apart from maybe Tottenham), I feel that we've purposely tried to reign the attacking component in a bit and work on solidifying the defence. The flair of the early season isn't quite there but neither are the defensive lapses.

Thoughts? Have we done anything majorly different to achieve this?

 

[Didsbury Dave]

So last season, we were too defensive. Too dull. Very good defensively, but couldn't score enough goals.

For the majority of this season, we've been on the other end of the scale. Highly attacking. Flair. Plenty of goals, but suspect defensively and prone to stupid errors.

Have we now finally found the balance between attack and defense?. We've had 5 clean sheet in a row in the Prem. Conceded 2 goals in the last 7 games, whilst scoring 16 in the process.

In these last 7 games (apart from maybe Tottenham), I feel that we've purposely tried to reign the attacking component in a bit and work on solidifying the defence. The flair of the early season isn't quite there but neither are the defensive lapses.

Thoughts? Have we done anything majorly different to achieve this?

I take your point, but the biggest factor in this has probably been player availability. We have been down to one fit striker for pretty much all of that period.

Gives the manager interesting selection dilemmas with SErgio and Jovetic coming back, Dzeko in form, Negredo getting fitter and Silva sunning the game from behind the striker.

 

[teddykgb]

I don't think much has changed. We were super exposed on the counter last night, but the relegation fodder we were playing didn't happen to take advantage. Earlier in the season, our opponents were crazy good at turning our few mistakes into goals. In a lot of ways, I think we're just seeing a reversion to the mean of luck.

Jelavic had a few headers, Fulham were dire, last night they had some chances. I think we were much better than the scorelines reflected early in the season, we were just incredbily unlucky. We're probably not as good as the scorelines indicate now, either.

 

[1998 blue]

The high line is finaly starting to work :)

 

[hateutd]

only if we will win the big silver trophy.....

 

[Deleted member 58678]

I have been entertained but left a little disappointed with our tactics in many games this season. 6-3 is enjoyable when you're there but it's not what i want to be honest.

In recent weeks this style of play, hard as nails defensively and ruthless in attack is exactly what i want.

I'm unsure of whether this is because it's been forced upon him or whether he's worked it out for himself but i'm really pleased.<br /><br />-- Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:14 pm --<br /><br />

The high line is finaly starting to work :)

The thing is, all of our best performances have been when we've sat a little deeper than the norm and scored some counter attack goals - United home and away, Spurs at home, Bayern away...

 

[1998 blue]

I have been entertained but left a little disappointed with our tactics in many games this season. 6-3 is enjoyable when you're there but it's not what i want to be honest.

In recent weeks this style of play, hard as nails defensively and ruthless in attack is exactly what i want.

I'm unsure of whether this is because it's been forced upon him or whether he's worked it out for himself but i'm really pleased.

-- Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:14 pm --

The high line is finaly starting to work :)

The thing is, all of our best performances have been when we've sat a little deeper than the norm and scored some counter attack goals - United home and away, Spurs at home, Bayern away...

This is true. We were still edge of thr box in those games. I just think we were less disjointed and covered each other better then what we did at the start of the season

 

[moomba]

Loving the way we're playing atm. Controlling games, and thats what my nerves need at this stage of the season.

Football porn mixed with defensive solidity.

Not sure whether the form of the maligned Demichelis and Garcia has improved our style of play, or our style of play has improved their form.

 

[Chris in London]

Beating them is, always has been and always will be a thing of the utmost joy.

But at the risk of being a miserable **** we need to remember that however satisfying it is to shit all over them, they are when all is said and done an upper mid table side, reliant on a top 4 club to win the FA cup to get them into the Europa league. They are exactly where they deserve to be on footballing merit, ahead of Newcastle and stoke but behind Spurs and Everton.

Let's not get carried away. What we did to them was no more and no less than the dippers did. If Chelsea had played them at the swamp at this point of the season they probably would have done the same. It doesn't mean we are the finished article.

 

[adrianr]

The defence was always going to get better the more time we spent getting used to it. It will get even better still when we can put a partner next to Kompany and keep him there for the majority of the season. As our possession creeps up and the system becomes even more drilled our ability to control different types of games will increase and thus conceded goals will become less frequent.

I'm starting to get the feeling that whoever wins the league this year will go on to do it again next season too. If it's us I don't think we'll make the same mistake of confidence = resting on our laurels, nor take chances with transfers (which being champions again will only help for that).