Manuel Pellegrini (cont)

[Marvin]

I don't think the players have the belief in Pellegrini or his tactics in the really big games. It's difficult to remain positive and 100% committed to something you don't believe can work.

One example...
Three seasons on the trot Nasri has played wide against a Bayern Munich or Barcelona and been forced to do so much running it's impossible to then expect him to play football. He's had 3 players to defend against in those games, trying to get back and help the fullback out against Robben/Pedro etc. while covering an overlapping Alvez and also a being expected to tuck in and make an extra man in central midfield against Iniesta or someone equally as good when the ball is on the opposite side of the pitch.

I don't even want to know what the fuck the central midfielders are thinking knowing they have to chase 3 top class players and cover the fullbacks, try and protect the central backs and actually play football as well... Good luck..

That's a tactical mistake, 3 seasons in a row by two different managers and you winder why the players are a bit disheartened. Before anyone brings money into it, it's irrelevant. If anyone sees their boss making the same mistakes so many times it's going to affect their commitment as well.

Did Pellegrini have the option of dropping Yaya Toure, Zabaleta or Kompany?

We just don't know enough

It may have escaped your notice but Zabaleta and Kompany have lost their places and Zabaleta in particular is no longer a regular in the team.

Pellegrini has responded. I'm not sure he could really have done so much sooner. If we had taken Kompany and Yaya out of the team earlier, would we have been better? We needed those players to get better.

Pellegrini is carrying the can for others failings. Maybe we should describe that not as failings but human frailties. There is more going on in the world than MCFC

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Perhaps Milner's reluctance since January, when City certainly thought a compromise would be reached, can be attributed to any uncertainty surrounding Manuel's tenure?

After all, Milner told us it was about more playing time (have never believed that) and Pellegrini has been the man to give him that and more, even playing him in central midfield against Barcelona.

If we are to take Milner at his word, and plenty have, then if he senses the manager might not be around next season, then he would be right to hedge his bets right until the end of the season?

 

[blueparrot]

Perhaps Milner's reluctance since January, when City certainly thought a compromise would be reached, can be attributed to any uncertainty surrounding Manuel's tenure?

After all, Milner told us it was about more playing time (have never believed that) and Pellegrini has been the man to give him that and more, even playing him in central midfield against Barcelona.

If we are to take Milner at his word, and plenty have, then if he senses the manager might not be around next season, then he would be right to hedge his bets right until the end of the season?

I don't think it's that , I just think he hears the same transfer rumours we do and realises if we get the type of players linked then he won't be in the team either as a wide player, and certainly not in a central position next season. So it's really your fault :)

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Perhaps Milner's reluctance since January, when City certainly thought a compromise would be reached, can be attributed to any uncertainty surrounding Manuel's tenure?

After all, Milner told us it was about more playing time (have never believed that) and Pellegrini has been the man to give him that and more, even playing him in central midfield against Barcelona.

If we are to take Milner at his word, and plenty have, then if he senses the manager might not be around next season, then he would be right to hedge his bets right until the end of the season?

I don't think it's that , I just think he hears the same transfer rumours we do and realises if we get the type of players linked then he won't be in the team either as a wide player, and certainly not in a central position next season. So it's really your fault :)

They always shoot the messenger!

He could always have signed up last summer when he had the chance, especially so, having seen us send a real message of intent by signing Fernando and Zuchilini.

 

[blueparrot]

Perhaps Milner's reluctance since January, when City certainly thought a compromise would be reached, can be attributed to any uncertainty surrounding Manuel's tenure?

After all, Milner told us it was about more playing time (have never believed that) and Pellegrini has been the man to give him that and more, even playing him in central midfield against Barcelona.

If we are to take Milner at his word, and plenty have, then if he senses the manager might not be around next season, then he would be right to hedge his bets right until the end of the season?

I don't think it's that , I just think he hears the same transfer rumours we do and realises if we get the type of players linked then he won't be in the team either as a wide player, and certainly not in a central position next season. So it's really your fault :)

They always shoot the messenger!

He could always have signed up last summer when he had the chance, especially so, having seen us send a real message of intent by signing Fernando and Zuchilini.

True

 

[hgblue]

Pellegrini won two trophies in his first season playing 442, so you can perhaps possibly make a case that he has firm evidence of its success.

He continually stresses the word trust in his player.

Whilst him picking 442 isn't down the players, those same players can't suddenly throw their hands up in the air and state it's a flawed system, when Pellegrini can just point them in the direction of the medals in their back pocket.

My assessment is Pellegrini trusts a little too much and it is some of the players, whether down to fitness, age or being disgruntled, who have downgraded the effectiveness of a 442.

For me, systems are just another convenient caveat when things don't work out the way you want them to in competitive sport.

It will always be about desire, intensity and application. 442 against Leicester, 442 against United, the only difference can be all of those attributes.

45,000 against Stoke, 45,000 against United, what is the vast difference between the two atmospheres?

It simply comes down to it mattering all the more and people being up for it.

Quite obviously, you also need to recognise the shortcomings of your personnel, and apply them accordingly.

My view is the manager has been hanging on, pretty much like our supporters, that things would eventually turn for the better, based on what has gone before.

This is the precise reason why Simeone would be perfect for us, the work rate he demands from his players is the biggest and most important thing we lack. He plays in the same way all of the big teams do he presses and wins back possession quickly and attacks at pace and his players buy into his way because of his passion and probably a little out of fear which is good, a boss should be a boss not a push over.

Simeone plays Mourinho style defensive lines and concentrates on defence first. If you want to see Silva, Nasri etc running themselves into the ground tirelessly and defending for most of the game then fine... he isn't a manager I want to see at the club and he will not allow our best players to play their natural games. He's done well with Atletico but he won't help the progress of our younger players, he won't embrace the tactics we've taught through the whole club. Ancelotti or Guardiola are the only two who might. Possibly Klopp as well. Perhaps Simeone would change style at a different club but let's let him go elsewhere first to find out.

So lets say you're wrong and he turns Arsenal into a major European force, and a deadly domestic rival?

 

[BillyShears]

This is the precise reason why Simeone would be perfect for us, the work rate he demands from his players is the biggest and most important thing we lack. He plays in the same way all of the big teams do he presses and wins back possession quickly and attacks at pace and his players buy into his way because of his passion and probably a little out of fear which is good, a boss should be a boss not a push over.

Simeone plays Mourinho style defensive lines and concentrates on defence first. If you want to see Silva, Nasri etc running themselves into the ground tirelessly and defending for most of the game then fine... he isn't a manager I want to see at the club and he will not allow our best players to play their natural games. He's done well with Atletico but he won't help the progress of our younger players, he won't embrace the tactics we've taught through the whole club. Ancelotti or Guardiola are the only two who might. Possibly Klopp as well. Perhaps Simeone would change style at a different club but let's let him go elsewhere first to find out.

So lets say you're wrong and he turns Arsenal into a major European force, and a deadly domestic rival?

We can't have every good manager out there.

Btw huge game for Simeone this weekend. They're out of the title race and Valencia are a point behind them. Who do they play this weekend. Valencia.

Lose and they're not in a CL spot anymore. Be quite a fall from champions to the Europa league.

 

[hgblue]

Simeone plays Mourinho style defensive lines and concentrates on defence first. If you want to see Silva, Nasri etc running themselves into the ground tirelessly and defending for most of the game then fine... he isn't a manager I want to see at the club and he will not allow our best players to play their natural games. He's done well with Atletico but he won't help the progress of our younger players, he won't embrace the tactics we've taught through the whole club. Ancelotti or Guardiola are the only two who might. Possibly Klopp as well. Perhaps Simeone would change style at a different club but let's let him go elsewhere first to find out.

So lets say you're wrong and he turns Arsenal into a major European force, and a deadly domestic rival?

We can't have every good manager out there.

Btw huge game for Simeone this weekend. They're out of the title race and Valencia are a point behind them. Who do they play this weekend. Valencia.

Lose and they're not in a CL spot anymore. Be quite a fall from champions to the Europa league.

Hmmm. Nearly as bad as Klopp then isn't he? ;)

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Simeone plays Mourinho style defensive lines and concentrates on defence first. If you want to see Silva, Nasri etc running themselves into the ground tirelessly and defending for most of the game then fine... he isn't a manager I want to see at the club and he will not allow our best players to play their natural games. He's done well with Atletico but he won't help the progress of our younger players, he won't embrace the tactics we've taught through the whole club. Ancelotti or Guardiola are the only two who might. Possibly Klopp as well. Perhaps Simeone would change style at a different club but let's let him go elsewhere first to find out.

So lets say you're wrong and he turns Arsenal into a major European force, and a deadly domestic rival?

We can't have every good manager out there.

Btw huge game for Simeone this weekend. They're out of the title race and Valencia are a point behind them. Who do they play this weekend. Valencia.

Lose and they're not in a CL spot anymore. Be quite a fall from champions to the Europa league.

I'm not championing the cause of Simeone, I don't watch enough Spanish football to have an opinion. They do seem to sell all their best players though so even just getting them in the top 4 seems a pretty good job to me and not sure how bad fifth would be, not great but not as bad as it sounds for a selling club? Getting them to the title and the CL final was a minor miracle. It must be almost impossible to carry on having that success though when you sell your best players, as Klopp is finding out at Dortmund.

 

[BillyShears]

So lets say you're wrong and he turns Arsenal into a major European force, and a deadly domestic rival?

We can't have every good manager out there.

Btw huge game for Simeone this weekend. They're out of the title race and Valencia are a point behind them. Who do they play this weekend. Valencia.

Lose and they're not in a CL spot anymore. Be quite a fall from champions to the Europa league.

Hmmm. Nearly as bad as Klopp then isn't he? ;)

So Klopp going to Arsenal isn't gonna get you scaredy scared. That's good to know mate. ;)