Manuel Pellegrini (cont)

[Matty]

For whatever reason, we have a number of fans who show up on this forum and show a lack of patience.

We also continually have people spouting off opinions that are simply not backed up by facts.

I have to say that I liked DD's post about decision making on page 184. Just because things do not work out does not necessarily mean the manager made a bad decision but it seems like some maroons think that; just as they seem to think that if City lose the opposing manager has tactically out thought the manager. Yeah, it really was Big Sam's brilliance that accounted for City having 66% of possession and almost twice as many goal attempts as West Ham.

Funny. You know we lost the game, right? And you know Alladyce said he prepared to expoloit our weaknesses in midfield and centre back? It doesn't matter how much possession we had, we lost the game.

I'm sure Alladyce sent his team out to exploit our perceived weaknesses last season too, when we beat them 4 times, scoring 14 goals and conceding just 1. You can't beat everyone all the time, eventually West Ham were going to beat us, prior to this season we'd beaten West Ham 8 times, and drawn twice, in the last 10 games. It was February 2009 when they last beat us, in the Sheikh's first season at City. In fact, prior to this season, West Ham had beaten City once in our last 18 meetings!

 

[OB1]

For whatever reason, we have a number of fans who show up on this forum and show a lack of patience.

We also continually have people spouting off opinions that are simply not backed up by facts.

I have to say that I liked DD's post about decision making on page 184. Just because things do not work out does not necessarily mean the manager made a bad decision but it seems like some maroons think that; just as they seem to think that if City lose the opposing manager has tactically out thought the manager. Yeah, it really was Big Sam's brilliance that accounted for City having 66% of possession and almost twice as many goal attempts as West Ham.

Whilst I agree with you, West Ham probably isn't the greatest example. We dominated the last 20 minutes and created the bulk of our chances in that period as the opposition tired and retreated, but up until then we were toothless and piss poor

It might not be the best example but we have not actually lost many league games in the last year.

We had 7 shots in the last 20 minutes and 14 before that and we did exert more pressure as the game went on but as has been the case with almost every league game that Pellegrini has lost, if his players had been reasonably clinical, they would not have lost.

 

[BillyShears]

For whatever reason, we have a number of fans who show up on this forum and show a lack of patience.

We also continually have people spouting off opinions that are simply not backed up by facts.

I have to say that I liked DD's post about decision making on page 184. Just because things do not work out does not necessarily mean the manager made a bad decision but it seems like some maroons think that; just as they seem to think that if City lose the opposing manager has tactically out thought the manager. Yeah, it really was Big Sam's brilliance that accounted for City having 66% of possession and almost twice as many goal attempts as West Ham.

Whilst I agree with you, West Ham probably isn't the greatest example. We dominated the last 20 minutes and created the bulk of our chances in that period as the opposition tired and retreated, but up until then we were toothless and piss poor

It might not be the best example but we have not actually lost many league games in the last year.

We had 7 shots in the last 20 minutes and 14 before that and we did exert more pressure as the game went on but as has been the case with almost every league game that Pellegrini has lost, if his players had been reasonably clinical, they would not have lost.

Either way, the idea that Allardyce concocted some cunning tactical master plan and exposed Pellegrini is just laughable. Sam's always been a wonderful self publicist but that's about it.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Whilst I agree with you, West Ham probably isn't the greatest example. We dominated the last 20 minutes and created the bulk of our chances in that period as the opposition tired and retreated, but up until then we were toothless and piss poor

It might not be the best example but we have not actually lost many league games in the last year.

We had 7 shots in the last 20 minutes and 14 before that and we did exert more pressure as the game went on but as has been the case with almost every league game that Pellegrini has lost, if his players had been reasonably clinical, they would not have lost.

Either way, the idea that Allardyce concocted some cunning tactical master plan and exposed Pellegrini is just laughable. Sam's always been a wonderful self publicist but that's about it.

I don't agree with those notions either. You can't come out with comments like that everytime a team with lesser quality comes out the victor

He took advantage of the fact we are fairly weak down our left hand side, its not a tactical masterclass by any stretch as its there for all to see, im sure other managers have tried it as well this season, Hull tried it as well and had some success, but we beat them

The frustrating thing about the West Ham game, was that we didn't really start playing until we went 2 down

 

[OB1]

For whatever reason, we have a number of fans who show up on this forum and show a lack of patience.

We also continually have people spouting off opinions that are simply not backed up by facts.

I have to say that I liked DD's post about decision making on page 184. Just because things do not work out does not necessarily mean the manager made a bad decision but it seems like some maroons think that; just as they seem to think that if City lose the opposing manager has tactically out thought the manager. Yeah, it really was Big Sam's brilliance that accounted for City having 66% of possession and almost twice as many goal attempts as West Ham.

Funny. You know we lost the game, right? And you know Alladyce said he prepared to expoloit our weaknesses in midfield and centre back? It doesn't matter how much possession we had, we lost the game.

Every opposing manager will try and exploit what they perceive as City's weaknesses; it doesn't take a genius to work out a game plan that might succeed against City if it is executed well and, very importantly, if City's usually superior players do not play well. If they succeed, as Hughes and Allardyce have done, it does not suddenly make them tactical maestros and Pellegrini some sort of buffoon who has been easily outsmarted.

I imagine Swansea will come to the Etihad tomorrow with a perfectly good game plan but if MCFC are at their best, it won't matter and MCFC will win. However, given their recent form, there is a good chance that our lot won't be at their best so Swansea might get lucky in that regard. Hopefully, Pellegrini will correctly identify the best XI players for the day and they will do what is asked of them reasonably effectively.

 

[Anonymous]

Whilst not a tactical masterclass from BFS, he - as you point out - exposed a weakness down our left. One our gaffer singularly failed to successfully address during the game and in subsequent matches.

Anyway, Manuel seems a little more bullish in his press comments today so hopefully he has cracked it. Looking forward to the game. Come on City! Get back on track boys.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

It's a noticable weakness in our side when we play the slow off the mark/immobile Yaya and Fernando in a midfield two, with Navas hugging the touchline on the right, there's just too much space in midfield and players are too easily ran past/one-twod around. Also when we have the ball in deep midfield there aren't enough men close enough in advance of Yaya (or whoever has the ball) for him to get some decent pacey passing going with. I also think that when Clichy plays he's not offered as much protection as Kolarov does when he plays and if Mangala plays next to Clichy as well there are open spaces and lack of understanding between players.

We've also lacked pace and intensity in our passing, and that has fed throughout the team into this lethargic look we've had about us.

They've been our biggest problems this season. Most of them are managerial faults, some with the players not doing the right things, some are just circumstances that happen in football.


There is this thing that's bugged me for a while with us too: i think we're uncomfortable when we have to go out from the outset and show how good we are as the favourites or as champions. Most of our best performances and wins in the new City have come as underdogs or when all has seemed lost. It was a problem Mancini couldn't solve and so far it appears that Pellegrini hasn't solved it neither. We have not improved in Europe neither, still the same naïve scared looking side we were four campaigns ago. Neither Mancini nor Pellegrini have instilled any kind of confidence in our side when we step out on the European stage. We do not look like the champions of England when we play in Europe. Alright we smashed through some poor sides in Villarreal Plzen and Moscow (although not this year!) but any game against our direct rivals for second place or the best team in the group, we've walked out and been poor and played well within ourselves or just simply had the wrong tactics, and in any games against these sides that have really meant something we haven't won a single one in four campaigns.

Pellegrini and Begiristain have had a little time to get together and see why this is over the last few weeks and hopefully come Wednesday, Bayern take the game like a joke and we can win and gain some confidence and we can actually go to Rome and do something in this competition that actually means something for the first time ever. If we don't i think we will have some serious questions about Pellegrini and he might not see out his full three years, maybe he will but he certainly won't be offered an extension...but if he and the team do well then he may well end up doing one or both.

I want him to do well (mostly because i don't see anyone better than him wanting to come to us). So hopefully we can get a good run together coming up to Christmas and we can really take off from there.

 

[kenzie115]

Pellegrini and Begiristain have had a little time to get together and see why this is over the last few weeks and hopefully come Wednesday, Bayern take the game like a joke and we can win and gain some confidence and we can actually go to Rome and do something in this competition that actually means something for the first time ever. If we don't i think we will have some serious questions about Pellegrini and he might not see out his full three years, maybe he will but he certainly won't be offered an extension...but if he and the team do well then he may well end up doing one or both.

If we don't qualify for the knockout stages this year, but reach the semi-finals next year (and Pep's still not available) do you not think he'll be offered an extension?

 

[cibaman]

Pellegrini and Begiristain have had a little time to get together and see why this is over the last few weeks and hopefully come Wednesday, Bayern take the game like a joke and we can win and gain some confidence and we can actually go to Rome and do something in this competition that actually means something for the first time ever. If we don't i think we will have some serious questions about Pellegrini and he might not see out his full three years, maybe he will but he certainly won't be offered an extension...but if he and the team do well then he may well end up doing one or both.

If we don't qualify for the knockout stages this year, but reach the semi-finals next year (and Pep's still not available) do you not think he'll be offered an extension?

His future will have been decided long before next season's CL semi finals arrive.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I have also long identified a weakness down our left hand side.

I shall sleep well tonight, knowing that whilst I don't earn £3m a year, I can measure my tactical nous alongside the giant which is Sam Allardici.