Manuel Pellegrini

[blueinsa]

Seems a nice bloke and a good man manager, picking the right team for any given occasion is not a strong point though

Yawn!

Hate posts like this but it's more than apt on this occasion.

Fucking YAWN!

 

[Mike N]

Pellers had one of his best games in charge yesterday IMO. He was as responsible for the win as Yaya with his great goal.

 

[OB1]

Seems a nice bloke and a good man manager, picking the right team for any given occasion is not a strong point though

Especially away from home in the league where we have lost one of our last sixteen (is it?) league games.

 

[hilts]

Seems a nice bloke and a good man manager, picking the right team for any given occasion is not a strong point though

I know what you mean,the way he picked last seasons teams was a disgrace,if we had a better manager we would of won the league and a cup .

Having the best squad in the league kind of helps really, winning the league by such a large margin over a world class team like Liverpool was an achievement though and the cup was certainly against all the odds, just a shame in europe there are endless teams with better players than us, the guy can't work miracles

 

[bluechampion7891]

There is still room for variation on the way to (hopefully) winning the CL. At home to a weakened Roma a fairly standard 442 is not an outrageous call. Away to Bayern or a Real then one out and out striker with maybe Silva playing off the striker and a more robust midfield makes more sense.

But it may just be that we need to find a more containing set up or style that allows us to break quickly and, more importantly, when doing so we don't lose our shape and become vulnerable to their counter when ours breaks down. We perhaps need a more cerebral approach to the CL games irrespective of the opposition. An approach that becomes second nature in the CL games. Right now I don't think we have a 'European style or format' that works for us meaning we look clueless and lost more often than not. A domestic game and a European game (or philosophy) needs to be worked on rather than trying to play Roma as if they are Aston Villa (or whoever).

Very good post that mate. I think we need to develop a 'European style' that the players are comfortable with. 442 against this side, 442 with Silva playing up front against that side, 451 with Kolarov on the wing against the other side, isn't allowing the players to develop a rhythm and build up some momentum. For me, it should be a case of it's a European night so this is our European formation. Something along the lines of:

Zabaleta---------Kompany----------Mangala--------Kolarov

--------------Fernando-------------Fernandinho------------

-----Milner--------------Yaya/Nasri---------------Silva-------

------------------------Dzeko/Aguero------------------------

Honestly I am struggling to see why we wouldn't play that line up ALWAYS. It has everything we need to beat any opposition in front of us. Ridiculously solid pair in front of the back four, right and left backs who offer width and a genuine threat from either side. Pacey full backs with skill to burn (destined to become the best pairing in world football imho) . Creativity in abundance, drive and threat from midfield and potent strikers. What on earth more could you want?

If there is one weakness, it's defending on our left side. But with 2 holing mids, Fernandino can get over to cover and Mangala is ridiculous quick if/when Kolarov gets exposed.

And off the bench, we can bring on a 2nd striker as needed, add Navas against tired opposition legs,.

I think it has everything that side, and honestly I would try playing it all the time and see how we get on. Perhaps we won't be winning 7-0 with this line up, but we'd be winning.

going forward that should be the formation IMO I agree with all your reasons. Further have two holding mids not only covers our fullbacks marauding but also accounts for the fact that Silva and Nasri tend to drift inwards a lot and can take time tracking back and so they are more covered.

We could always shift to 442 if needed off the bench and they back to 451.

However, I feel that for this system long term we need 1 more CM (like schniederlin) for cover and a wide striker/inside forward like Reus (although I think Jovetic can do a great job too). If Yaya leaves then it makes sense to play SIlva in the hole and free him of defence.

Zabaleta/Sagna---------Kompany/Boyata----------Mangala/Demicheles--------Kolarov/Clichy

--------------------------------------Fernando-------------Fernandinho/Milner---------------------------

--------Silva/Navas----------------------Yaya/Lampard-----------------------------------Jovetic/Nasri

---------------------------------------------Dzeko/Aguero------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, missing 1 DM and we can improve on both Nasri and Jovetic.

 

[dobobobo]

And after seeing what the Curtain Twitcher has just done at Stamford Bridge, I smile knowing we have this charming man in charge of the City players:

 

[simon23]

Disappointed to see his comments in the MUEN regarding tactics and still sticking to his belief that playing with 2 forwards is the way to go (he believes).

It was clear yesterday we were a much better team when we had the 5 man midfield......we look more solid and a better attacking unit as well

Just seem like he doesnt want to change and will only change when forced to.

 

[supercity88]

I too think that moving forward, particularly in Europe our best formation will be a 4-2-3-1 with Hart, Zabba, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernando, Fernandinho and then Jovetic/Silva/Milner/Yaya/Nasri/Navas/Lampard behind Aguero/Dzeko. Would provide the dynamism required to press the opposition and also ensure we don't concede silly goals. We get the ball forward quickly from centre backs to forwards and have width with Zabba and Kolarov. I think it is the way to go but despite all this criticism of the 4-4-2 and how Pellegrini is unwilling to change things, we've won plenty playing it and we've seen the system change in games many many times. Part of our success in breaking teams down (under Mancini we would have drawn the game with Villa) is the versatility in our squad and the calmness of Pellegrini in making changes but not panicking and making them too early. He has faith that things will improve for the better, and it isn't often he has been wrong.

 

[lasereyes]

Disappointed to see his comments in the MUEN regarding tactics and still sticking to his belief that playing with 2 forwards is the way to go (he believes).

It was clear yesterday we were a much better team when we had the 5 man midfield......we look more solid and a better attacking unit as well

Just seem like he doesnt want to change and will only change when forced to.

I think this is a bit simplistic. The 5 man midfield is necessary against the best teams, particularly in Europe and away from home. Those are teams who will come out and attack us, giving us a chance to play "normal" football. But in games against lower ranked opposition or with less well organized defences (think upcoming derby), we have to play a 4-4-2.

We have also seen a 5 person midfield backfire against stronger teams. In the game away to Chelsea last year, Aguero was alone upfront and became totally isolated and we created very little of note. It took a wonder-strike to get our only goal, and the formation didn't stop us conceding late to a counterattack (ably assisted admittedly by the schoolboy errors of Hart/Nastasic).

 

[blue city199]

having read through past few pages i think we can all agree playing in a rigid 4-4-2 formation in europe is suicidal many have said we should play 4-2-3-1
formation which i think is pretty much the same . Lot of our players are not suited to where they play ex. playing samir nasri and silva in wide positions
makes us very narrow and weak defensively and we have all seen what happens when yaya plays in the central midfeild postion . Aguero also doest
play really well with dzeko

I think palying in a 4-3-3 formation with aguro playing as a false 9 is the way forward and will get the best all our players

-----------------Kompany/Boyata----------Mangala/Demicheles-------------------

Zabaleta/Sagna Kolarov/Clichy

---------------------------Fernando/milner-------------Yaya toure------------
---------------------------------- David silva/samir nasri-----------------------

------------------------------------------- sergio aguero------------------------------------
-- -- jovetic ------------------------------------------------------------- ----- dzeko-------


real madrid play in a similar formation where modric does what siva can do for us . This formation also gives yaya the attacking freedom he needs .
Sergio playing in false 9 position very similar to how messi played for barca gives him the space to run in front of him with pace .
Barcelona with theirry henry and samuel eto played in a very similar style . AS roma too played in a similar style where totti played in the false 9 position