Is Mancini adapting his Inter tactics? [Tactics talk]

[the--dud]

Re: Is Mancini adopting his Inter tactics? [Tactics talk]

I don't think it has been covered, but I talked to a mate and he said:
"Well... you won't have any wingers! Seems stupid with no crosses since you have so many tall players"

Got me thinking. I think that's where the full backs come in. Basically, Maicon has been a huge star for Inter for some time now. So I think the full backs will be very very encouraged to go offensively, I think someone mentioned this in here previously.

I think one of the midfielders will then go down to cover him when he goes offense. I remember Zanetti doing that a lot in Inter. But what I don't understand is that if for example Yaya goes down there when Boateng goes up, wouldn't that be a waste of his talent? With him sitting back when Boateng goes offense.

Maybe De Jong will do it? But that will leave the middle vulnerable.

Basically: If you have a fantasy team, I'd put in Boateng and Kolarov in there!

I think you're all pretty much on the ball here, a very good thread.

...blah blah blah... ;)

Very nice! I'll read through your blog posts there.

Maybe this is too far, but you wrote that Mancini likes to have one speedy and one slower, smarter central defender. Cordoba is INCREDIBLY fast. Lescott and Kompany isn't that fast, neither is Kolo.

Mancini tried Richards in the middle against Valencia, maybe he wants Richards to take that role as a fast defender in the middle?

True, you wanted him to play, but we all agree theres players in the squad who are better suited for Mancinis primary formation, and therefore AJ may not play every game!

You said lets change to a 4-4-2 formation where AJ is perfectly suited and first choice, problem is 4-4-2 is a formation Mancini dont fancy very much, and i tend to agree with him there!
But im convinced AJ will play a major role in our team as everyone els this season.

Yep AJ impressed in his national team match this week. The English press and people will murder him if he benches one of England's biggest talents every week.

I guess Mancini will let him learn from Silva and Tevez, to be a AM. The alternative would be him playing striker when we do 4-3-3 against weaker teams, but he will need to train his composure then. He's good at screamers from far but I haven't seen him do many runs behind the defenders in the middle.

Mancini let Figo play as a striker so he may let Johnson do that too.

Presumably Milner has a decent cross on him as he was originally a wide midfielder?

But I agree, crosses will probably come from the attacking fullbacks.
Then again a narrow diamond formation would naturally play more through the centre. AND our height is more at the back - at the front there's Silva, Tevez and possibly Robinho at times.

About covering for fullbacks: I think the two central midfielders might cover at times. It wouldn't actually leave us short as Boateng is higher up and the midfielder is deep. Over all there will still be roughly the same amount of players in the same area?

About AJ: I don't personally think Mancio will play the 4-3-1-2 all the time. If you again look at what he played at Inter (and before that even) he very often played a 4-4-2 with advanced/attacking wingers (sometimes two defensive mids). To be honest I haven't followed Mancini closely enough to say WHY he played 4-4-2 in certain games. Perhaps you know Outrun?
My point about AJ is that AJ/SWP could get a fair bit of game time when we need width. We also know from last season that Mancini will not shy away from changing formation at any time in any game when he feels it's required.

If you sub AJ/SWP for De Jong/Barry/Milner/Y.Toure you can simply swap Silva to the left and end up with basically a 4-4-2 :)
Or you can actually swap one of the central mids for a left back - push Kolarov forward as he can play left mid and put Silva at right mid.

 

[stumpy_mcfc]

Great thread - started reading it when it first started thinking it was another "Mancini no clue" but quickly saw that it was educational. Was going to comment then but needed to take the young fella to his training.

I have one thought which I have not seen yet - Richards and Boateng may do a lot of switching during a game. Could this be so that they can conserve energy, take turns in bombing up on the attack and this could indeed help with the time Richards sometimes does not get back. Just a thought.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Re: Is Mancini adopting his Inter tactics? [Tactics talk]

To be honest I haven't followed Mancini closely enough to say WHY he played 4-4-2 in certain games.

The beauty of the 4-3-1-2 (or 4-3-2-1) is that you have the bodies in the middle of the pitch to outnumber teams and dominate possession. Against other teams that play with a 3 - such as Chelsea and United means you can match them and not get out numbered yourselves.

When playing away at teams that play a more direct long ball style that by-passes midfield (such as Stoke and Blackburn) it is a waste to play with 3 central midfielders. Against these teams away from home I definitely expect us to play a 4-4-2 and AJ and SWP will get games

 

[gman07]

Great thread - started reading it when it first started thinking it was another "Mancini no clue" but quickly saw that it was educational. Was going to comment then but needed to take the young fella to his training.

I have one thought which I have not seen yet - Richards and Boateng may do a lot of switching during a game. Could this be so that they can conserve energy, take turns in bombing up on the attack and this could indeed help with the time Richards sometimes does not get back. Just a thought.

not a bad thought that... might have some credit to it... :)

One thing is for sure we will see us play differently than we did last year... just saw the video on OS where RM is talking about the preseason and the prepare for the new season... in that video he says he wants us to play with the same mentality home and away... we must play to win every game... he wants us to start well in the new season!

and if im reading anything into that is that he will change tactic when ever its necessary to make us the winner... im sure we will not see as much defensive play from us this year as we did last year... and with our squad and the quality of it he has all the means to do whats necessary... the versatility is almost frightening... and the possibilities also... still he also said he wants everyone to be at the same level and that will take another 20 days for it to happen...

 

[Gorton Gruff]

Shaelumstash is spot on the narrow formation with 4-3-3 (4 - 1+2 - 1+2) can be used against the strongest teams, then the introduction of Johnson and SWP with 4 - 4 -2 against the teams we should be beating (turning last years draws into victories).

The key players will be DeJong and Silva.

DeJong is the least fexible of all our outfield players but he is one of the best at what he does (last year he was superb against teams like Arsenal and Chelsea, breaking up their attacking midfield play) in other games he will not be necessary and therefore will not play.

Silva is the goalscoring midfielder we have been waiting for. And he is a dream player to bring the best out of Tevez. Carlos is a unique player and not the easiest to fit into a formation. Mancini's skill at building a team has been in signing a clever player who can make the most of Tevez.

 

[theres only one carlito]

Best thread I've read for a while and the hypothesis of the OP is exactly the thoughts I have had since Mancini took over. However the one thing I can not fathom is who will he play in goal? Are there any comparisons with Inters' goal keeper under Mancini and our very own Hart/Given?

 

[MadchesterCity]

Excellent thread lads

 

[117 M34]

Great thread.
The only thing that bothers me about this formation/players is that if the full backs are bombing forward a lot, I don't htink our centre backs are good enough to cover for them.

Anyway, this thread has made me very optimistic about the season and i'm thinking 2nd is deffo on the cards now

 

[bumbleblue]

I have just read every word in this thread and its one of the best most informative i think i have ever read. I had been wondering why we seemed to have narrowed the pitch at coms for the valencia game. I had also thought the idea of letting ireland and bellers go etc was a bit strange..however i get it now ...in spades. Feel a lot more enthusiastic about saturday now. Also we must remember not to get on to the players if it takes a couple or more games for them to get used to each other and a different style etc. Thanks outrun and others for this great thread.

 

[the--dud]

Best thread I've read for a while and the hypothesis of the OP is exactly the thoughts I have had since Mancini took over. However the one thing I can not fathom is who will he play in goal? Are there any comparisons with Inters' goal keeper under Mancini and our very own Hart/Given?

I think in my opinion that'd be taking it a bit too far. No offense of course but it's not like Mancini is on some manically obsessive mission to exactly replicate the old Inter squad ;)
I think he'll pick whoever he's most impressed with and feels him and the team can depend on. Perhaps he'll leave it until last day of training before the spuds game, or perhaps he's decided 3 months ago... We just don't know do we?