Manuel Pellegrini (cont)

[john@staustell]

he won it last year down to scoring goals, this season we will lose our title through abysmal defending.

He won it last year down to scoring goals, with the second best defensive record in the league, he'll lose it this year by having a slightly worse defensive record, and a considerably worse scoring record.

The real reason we are struggling, especially over the last few weeks, is that we haven't a clue how to score goals, even when we make the chances we rarely score, and we're not making enough chances either. Its ironic, that we had "no strikers" for so long, and were winning, yet now we have 3 fit (apparently), and they can't buy a goal.

We cant draw teams out mate.

remnember when we used to score all those breakaway goals? Remember when Scum in their prime were 'under pressure' time and again then raced up the field to score again and again?

We make it easy for people to park a row of buses then. most imporatntly make some cock-up at the back.

The Hull goal gave them a will to win - if we didn't let them in it would be just another one or two goal victory.

 

[Bill]

he won it last year down to scoring goals, this season we will lose our title through abysmal defending.

He won it last year down to scoring goals, with the second best defensive record in the league, he'll lose it this year by having a slightly worse defensive record, and a considerably worse scoring record.

The real reason we are struggling, especially over the last few weeks, is that we haven't a clue how to score goals, even when we make the chances we rarely score, and we're not making enough chances either. Its ironic, that we had "no strikers" for so long, and were winning, yet now we have 3 fit (apparently), and they can't buy a goal.

bony and yaya will change all that. is it too late? possibly but first things first we ensure a top 4 finish, then second then take it from there.

i also think we'll progress in the CL once all our players are available. its a luxury we haven't yet had.

 

[blueinsa]

Yes teams park the proverbial buses but its our acceptance of that tactic, especially in the first 45 mins when we don't break a sweat and aimlessly at times just knock it around sideways that grates.

We cant blame the opposition whilst doing nothing to change our game to counter it.

That is one thing the gaffer and players are most definitely guilty of.

 

[BillyShears]

Except that he can't.

Again, you don't do the things Pellegrini has done if you can't set a team up to defend properly. You and one or two others mistake being a negative/pragmatic manager who plays safety first football whenever the opposition get a bit scary with being a good defensive coach. Allardicie or Pulis are the guys for you!

both fat sam and club shop tony would win the league with our squad. even moyes would.

As would Moyes, Martinez, Pochetino, Pardew, all the cows in all the other fields are so much prettier than ours.

 

[cleavers]

Yes teams park the proverbial buses but its our acceptance of that tactic, especially in the first 45 mins when we don't break a sweat and aimlessly at times just knock it around sideways that grates.

We cant blame the opposition whilst doing nothing to change our game to counter it.

That is one thing the gaffer and players are most definitely guilty of.

Its not unique to this manager, the previous one had the same trouble, there is a connection though, but many choose to ignore it.

 

[blueinsa]

Yes teams park the proverbial buses but its our acceptance of that tactic, especially in the first 45 mins when we don't break a sweat and aimlessly at times just knock it around sideways that grates.

We cant blame the opposition whilst doing nothing to change our game to counter it.

That is one thing the gaffer and players are most definitely guilty of.

Its not unique to this manager, the previous one had the same trouble, there is a connection though, but many choose to ignore it.

Which is?

Recruitment policy?

 

[Marvin]

We're fighting it difficult to score because we keep conceding the first goal, and that means the opposition has no incentive at all to come out and attack.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

he won it last year down to scoring goals, this season we will lose our title through abysmal defending.

He won it last year down to scoring goals, with the second best defensive record in the league, he'll lose it this year by having a slightly worse defensive record, and a considerably worse scoring record.

The real reason we are struggling, especially over the last few weeks, is that we haven't a clue how to score goals, even when we make the chances we rarely score, and we're not making enough chances either. Its ironic, that we had "no strikers" for so long, and were winning, yet now we have 3 fit (apparently), and they can't buy a goal.

The problem is if you have a well organised defence and don't give up chances almost every time the opposition attacks then when things dry up at the attacking end you can still nick games 1-0 which is exactly what we should have done against Hull. It doesn't matter who we are playing against these days, we rarely look like keeping a clean sheet and the opposition must always feel they have a sniff of a goal which has the effect of teams not feeling defeated even when we are a couple of goals up which doesn't help. We need to get back to basics tonight, pay much more attention to being organised (we clearly haven't done this so far this season, we've been all over the place) and then maybe we can grind out a win that will just about keep us in the title race. Then when Yaya and Bony are available we can put a decent run together.

 

[Marvin]

he won it last year down to scoring goals, this season we will lose our title through abysmal defending.

He won it last year down to scoring goals, with the second best defensive record in the league, he'll lose it this year by having a slightly worse defensive record, and a considerably worse scoring record.

The real reason we are struggling, especially over the last few weeks, is that we haven't a clue how to score goals, even when we make the chances we rarely score, and we're not making enough chances either. Its ironic, that we had "no strikers" for so long, and were winning, yet now we have 3 fit (apparently), and they can't buy a goal.

The problem is if you have a well organised defence and don't give up chances almost every time the opposition attacks then when things dry up at the attacking end you can still nick games 1-0 which is exactly what we should have done against Hull. It doesn't matter who we are playing against these days, we rarely look like keeping a clean sheet and the opposition must always feel they have a sniff of a goal which has the effect of teams not feeling defeated even when we are a couple of goals up which doesn't help. We need to get back to basics tonight, pay much more attention to being organised (we clearly haven't done this so far this season, we've been all over the place) and then maybe we can grind out a win that will just about keep us in the title race. Then when Yaya and Bony are available we can put a decent run together.

Agreed.

Another factor may also be that Bony's signing means Dzeko and Jovetic or one of them are on their way. We've signed the player, haven't been able to play him, but have just had the negative consequences of dong so so far i.e. two forwards who must think their days are up.

 

[flb]

Yes teams park the proverbial buses but its our acceptance of that tactic, especially in the first 45 mins when we don't break a sweat and aimlessly at times just knock it around sideways that grates.

We cant blame the opposition whilst doing nothing to change our game to counter it.

That is one thing the gaffer and players are most definitely guilty of.

Its not unique to this manager, the previous one had the same trouble, there is a connection though, but many choose to ignore it.

Which is?

Recruitment policy?

Now that is a different can of worms, lets have it right Txiki so far isnt doing brilliantly, regardless of FFP we have still bought some very questionable players who look out of there depth,and we have given fat new contracts to players who we should be drawing a line under.


We will find out in the summer as it will be a case of moving out hard to get rid of players and miss the boat on players in.