Is Mancini adapting his Inter tactics? [Tactics talk]

[Shaelumstash]

At last. Football!

Agree with the OP, spot on about what Mancini had to do last season with what Hughes left him, and what he's obviously aiming at this... We were crying out for more drive from midfield and Yaya and Milner will give us that in abundance. So will Michael Johnson if he ever gets back to full fitness..? We were also crying out for better full backs and look who turned up! -)

Bellers doesn't fit any more as player or personality. Ruthless? Yeah. But he's been getting 80,000 reasons per week to soften the blow.

Adam Johnson will fit into this system as an inside forward from either flank. He's quality so he'll adapt.

The person I see struggling is NDJ because of all the (defensive) midfielders he's the most one dimensional (IMHO). Although he did rattle a few in today during training. -)

But as has been said before, looking at our squad it easily now compares with anyone else's. In fact can anyone say where the weak link is...? Centre half? Even then I reckon we're pretty well off...

Chelsea: Terry, Alex, Ivanovic, Mancienne... + kids

Rags: Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Brown... + kids

Arsenal: Vermaelen, Djourou, Koscielny... + kids

City: Kompany, Kolo Toure, Lescott, Richards, Boateng... + Boyata

Have I missed anyone?


Add David Luiz to Chelsea and they're ok, but add him to us and I reckon it's bye bye Joleon and hello... No I just can't say it!

Oh roll on Saturday!

Completely agree with you about midfield drive, full backs and Bellamy, you're spot on. Centre halves I agree it looks like our weak link, but maybe they will play better as a unit with these decent full backs and a more solid midfield protecting them.

I actually think De Jong will fit in to this system perfectly. Playing with 3, usually one will sit deeper than the other 2 and mop things up (Makelele at Chelsea, Yaya / Busquets at Barca.) I agree, of course he is more limited than Yaya and Milner, but he will not be expected to get forward so I don't see it as a problem.

Regards AJ - he played a couple of games in the US centrally and didn't look comfortable at all. I hope he can improve there because I'd love him to do well for us. My instinct tells me he is far more comfortable playing wide though, and might struggle to be effective in this system.

 

[Balti]

Oh, and: I think this is the reason Ireland and Bellamy are forced out. Ireland's role as attacking midfielder will be taken up by Silva and Robinho, who are much, much better than him with this style of play, it's how they play in their national teams. When we change to 4-3-3 (against weaker teams or if we need to score a goal late) Ireland won't be able to play striker, but Silva and Robinho can do it.
Bellamy's role as winger doesn't exist in this formation. He may be a good:ish striker, but in the end our other alternatives are much better than him. Mancini realized this.

Spot on methinks. 4-3-1-2 but super fluid as these systems tend to be these days. 4-4-2 was often really a 4-3-3 in disguise anyway with Bellers (or SWP/AJ) but he (they) can't do the attacking midfielder bit like Robby or Silva. Stevie might but those wayward fancy flicks let him down badly last season.

Hopefully what we will see far far less of is an isolated striker without the midfield linkage that he would need to do his job properly, if that is we see a lone striker too often at all this season?

 

[Wheelsy]

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

Ideally though, players like Yaya and De Jong (maybe even Zabaleta in a defensive midfield role) will be the first to drop back should a fullback lose possession, and Toure and Lescott (both of whom are players that are able to play RB and LB) push out more to the wings.

Or have I got it wrong?

 

[Aussie!]

Dont think Zab will get much game time this Season.

 

[okstate99]

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

Ideally though, players like Yaya and De Jong (maybe even Zabaleta in a defensive midfield role) will be the first to drop back should a fullback lose possession, and Toure and Lescott (both of whom are players that are able to play RB and LB) push out more to the wings.

Or have I got it wrong?

I think Kolo will have a good year, he may not get as many starts as he wants, but with our DM. and our fullbacks he should have to cover less ground. He seemed to be trying to covering up someone elses mistake. He should be our 2nd CB on the line up sheet.

Lescott I am worried he is done, because of injuries , as a top level CB, he looks slow, and has been beaten to so many balls it isnt funny, in the preseason. Maybe he will play better as he gets farther into the season, but if Boateng at CB and Richards RB combo works as well as it did in the first half last Saturday. Then Lescott becomes the 4th CB. And even Boyata has looked better, but is inexperienced.

I hope im right about Kolo, and Im wrong about Lescott. But thats the way I think it will happen.

 

[redmizzle]

Great thread, very good read.

 

[MJ]

Great thread! For some time now it's been clear 4-3-3 is what we're going to be playing more often than not, and the analysis of Mancini's Inter shows the parallels.

One thing I completely disagree with though - Bellamy not only fits in this system, but I can't think of anyone I'd prefer to have on the left of a front 3. Loves to move around, pace to spare, shoots and passes from anywhere etc. With Bellamy leaving now though, given that I still think Silva is being brought in to play behind the striker when needed more than out wide, Robi all of a sudden is going to get the opportunity to play in that spot if he wants it.

This is what Mancini is likely trying to sell to Robi right now, and it's the reason Bellers is leaving!

 

[Nevizade]

Dont think Zab will get much game time this Season.

On the contrary mate! I think Zaba's versatility will ensure he gets plenty of games, either at right back or in a central midfield 3.

 

[Peter Grant]

excellent read, only cringed a few times at a couple of posts rather than every other one!

 

[woolleyback blue]

Excellent thread, it's a pity it can't be rolled out to a wider audience. It might stop some of the boo boys getting on players backs because they don't understand what Mancini is doing tactically.

I have a feeling that despite all he's said Robinho might just be persuaded to give it another go if he could play in a team with a formation that suits him.