Manuel Pellegrini (cont)

[OB1]

With Silva out I'd struggle to pick an XI playing 4231. Swap Jovetic out for Nasri for the game at QPR. Not many other choices we can make.

Back four
Fern, Fern
Nas, Yaya, Milner
Aguero

Its what I'd do right now, I might play Navas rather than Nasri atm, just because I don't think Nasri is anywhere near fit.

I'd start Nasri. I think Navas is at his best coming on later in games when teams are tiring...

 

[BillyShears]

Back four
Fern, Fern
Nas, Yaya, Milner
Aguero

Its what I'd do right now, I might play Navas rather than Nasri atm, just because I don't think Nasri is anywhere near fit.

I'd start Nasri. I think Navas is at his best coming on later in games when teams are tiring...

We've missed Nasri in recent matches IMO. Our ball retention has been awful and him and Yaya are the best in our squad at it along with Silva.

 

[cleavers]

I'd start Nasri. I think Navas is at his best coming on later in games when teams are tiring...

We've missed Nasri in recent matches IMO. Our ball retention has been awful and him and Yaya are the best in our squad at it along with Silva.

I agree I with both, but I was just thinking fitness wise, and I don't think Nasri looks fit.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Where are the goals coming from in this team at the moment? Aside from Aguero, our other two strikers are seriously out of form, Yaya isn't chipping in like he was last season and Silva, Nasri and Milner should all score more than they do. Set pieces have been especially poor this season too. It says a lot that Lampard was becoming a key player just for his ability to actually put the ball in the net.

When you're not scoring many, you need to not be conceding many. I agree with several others who are advocating a 'back to basics' policy in the short term; defend properly, keep our shape, pass the ball well and for the love of God don't keep giving incredibly cheap goals away. Because unlike last season, the strikers aren't going to bail us out right now.

I'd love to see a midfield 3 of Fernando Yaya and Lampard on Saturday with Milner and Nasri wide. Keep the ball, work hard off it. It is a tight little ground so width isn't as useful so keep Navas in reserve. Bench Jovetic till he realises that he can't keep giving the ball away cheaply.

Fernando in front of the defence should be a given. That's his position, play him there. With that said, I don't feel that a combination of Yaya and Lampard would give us enough energy. I'd probably prefer Yaya and Fernandinho playing, with Lampard off the bench if necessary. I can't fault the rest of your suggestions though, and certainly agree about Jovetic. I think there's a good player in there but he really needs to focus. It's tough because I think game time is the only way to get him up to speed, but right now we're in a spot where he's proving to be a liability to the team. Just one of many, many difficult decisions for the manager to make.

 

[BillyShears]

I'd start Nasri. I think Navas is at his best coming on later in games when teams are tiring...

We've missed Nasri in recent matches IMO. Our ball retention has been awful and him and Yaya are the best in our squad at it along with Silva.

I agree I with both, but I was just thinking fitness wise, and I don't think Nasri looks fit.

Getting to the stage where he may need the minutes more than the training if that makes sense.

 

[OB1]

With Silva out I'd struggle to pick an XI playing 4231. Swap Jovetic out for Nasri for the game at QPR. Not many other choices we can make.

Back four
Fern, Fern
Nas, Yaya, Milner
Aguero

Back to basics with a team we have never put out before?

Personally i dont see Yaya playing behind Sergio as solving any of our problems, he prefers to have the ball facing goal not with his back to it.

I actually think pushing Fernandinho on could be the better bet, allowing him to link up with Yaya in midfield and also having the legs to press from the front

See Prestwich Blue's post on back to basics.

I don't see Yaya as having to play with his back to goal that much in such a formation; especially as I would expect Nasri and Milner ot come inside a lot and use the full backs for width, with the Ferns sat deeper to ensure we always have numbers available to defend. However, I would give Dinho license to move vertically whilst Nando would stay close to the centre backs and keep his movements lateral.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Maybe for the remainder of the season Kidd will promoted or even Vieira,of this I dont know.

Maybe pigs will also fly.

I'll take your bet St Helens. Pellegrini will still be manager next season. Nailed on. Whatever you want the stakes to be, name them as I can't lose ;)

£10.. I dont like to bet big..To charity?

 

[uwe rosler 28]

I'd start Nasri. I think Navas is at his best coming on later in games when teams are tiring...

We've missed Nasri in recent matches IMO. Our ball retention has been awful and him and Yaya are the best in our squad at it along with Silva.

I agree I with both, but I was just thinking fitness wise, and I don't think Nasri looks fit.

For me nasri slows down the play way to often he's no wide player and needs to play inside jovetic has to play for me he's a trier no scared to try a trick not scared to take players on! Got to be 4_2_3_1 for me as well with jojo yaya and milner as the 3 with silva replacing jojo when he's back fernando and anyone 1 of 3 as the other in the 2 man mid from nasri, nando, lampard.

 

[BillyShears]

Maybe for the remainder of the season Kidd will promoted or even Vieira,of this I dont know.

Maybe pigs will also fly.

I'll take your bet St Helens. Pellegrini will still be manager next season. Nailed on. Whatever you want the stakes to be, name them as I can't lose ;)

£10.. I dont like to bet big..To charity?

Perfect. Lets keep it clean until then. I know you wouldn't wish a manager out without good reason and if you want pellegrini gone that's your business. But it's still very early in the season. Way too early to be talking about drafting in Kidd and Viera. We all get frustrated after a poor result, and I'm no Pellegrini apologist. I've got no emotional attachment to him whatsoever. He may well be a very nice guy but if he can't find a way around the problems he keeps coming up against he'll have to go. That's the standard we have to have. But IMO we're a long way from there yet.

First we see what this weekend throws up. Chelsea go to Anfield and we go to QPR. The manager's got some decisions to make with regards selection, and the players have got some balls to show.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Maybe pigs will also fly.

I'll take your bet St Helens. Pellegrini will still be manager next season. Nailed on. Whatever you want the stakes to be, name them as I can't lose ;)

£10.. I dont like to bet big..To charity?

Perfect. Lets keep it clean until then. I know you wouldn't wish a manager out without good reason and if you want pellegrini gone that's your business. But it's still very early in the season. Way too early to be talking about drafting in Kidd and Viera. We all get frustrated after a poor result, and I'm no Pellegrini apologist. I've got no emotional attachment to him whatsoever. He may well be a very nice guy but if he can't find a way around the problems he keeps coming up against he'll have to go. That's the standard we have to have. But IMO we're a long way from there yet.

First we see what this weekend throws up. Chelsea go to Anfield and we go to QPR. The manager's got some decisions to make with regards selection, and the players have got some balls to show.

For me he only has to improve our European form the prem is not bad at all unfortunately for him its Europe our owners want to conquer and if a big name manager with top European pedigree is available come the summer ie ancelotti or guardiola then pellers is a gonna no matter what he wins this season! All we can do is just give him our support till that decision is made!