Manuel Pellegrini

[chris85mcfc]

^^Bookmark the article above for mid-November when Chelski have hit their yearly flat spot and we've clicked into gear.

Quite how a team which played with 11 men behind the ball for nearly two hours worth of football in Manchester, and didn't manage to take maximum points from either, look ruthless and formidable is beyond me.

Really the Chelsea love in is driving me insane. Had that been City playing United yesterday the score 60 minutes into the match would've been 4 - 0 minimum to us. Such was the paucity of United's defensive control over the game. Instead, Mourinho sticks Obi Mikel on with half an hour to go after scoring from a set piece, cedes control, and loses two points in the process. Hell if United had scored a little earlier they would probably have won it, such was Chelsea's lack of control in those closing 15 minutes.

And yet Mourinho is a genius and I'm having to read ill informed hatchet jobs about Pellegrini is too stubborn and doesn't know what he's doing.

Genius ;) 1-0 up against 10 men? Park the bus, invite them on, drop two points. 1-0 up against a mid table side with no defence? Park the bus.....

Interesting in his pre match conference where he said 'Manchester United are still Manchester United'

Almost like he was saying they are still to be respected, I think if he went there yesterday with a lack of respect for United, they would have twatted them

 

[BillyShears]

^^Bookmark the article above for mid-November when Chelski have hit their yearly flat spot and we've clicked into gear.

Quite how a team which played with 11 men behind the ball for nearly two hours worth of football in Manchester, and didn't manage to take maximum points from either, look ruthless and formidable is beyond me.

Really the Chelsea love in is driving me insane. Had that been City playing United yesterday the score 60 minutes into the match would've been 4 - 0 minimum to us. Such was the paucity of United's defensive control over the game. Instead, Mourinho sticks Obi Mikel on with half an hour to go after scoring from a set piece, cedes control, and loses two points in the process. Hell if United had scored a little earlier they would probably have won it, such was Chelsea's lack of control in those closing 15 minutes.

And yet Mourinho is a genius and I'm having to read ill informed hatchet jobs about Pellegrini is too stubborn and doesn't know what he's doing.

Genius ;) 1-0 up against 10 men? Park the bus, invite them on, drop two points. 1-0 up against a mid table side with no defence? Park the bus.....

Bingo.

Another thing which struck me watching Moo's negative anti football masterclass. People say that being 'pragmatic' gives you more control over matches. I don't see how sitting back and inviting wave after wave of attack gives you control over a match, and it certainly requires far more luck than utilising your best attacking players to ensure you continue to score goals as the game progresses.

I heard something not sure if bitter rat boy Neville said it or someone else "Mourinho doesn't see the point in scoring a second goal because he's won the game once so he doesn't need to try and win it again." What kind of head up your arse backwards logic is that? And what kind of a cult of personality exists around Mourinho that comments like this are not laughed out of town for the nonsense they are.

 

[cleavers]

I heard something not sure if bitter rat boy Neville said it or someone else "Mourinho doesn't see the point in scoring a second goal because he's won the game once so he doesn't need to try and win it again." What kind of head up your arse backwards logic is that? And what kind of a cult of personality exists around Mourinho that comments like this are not laughed out of town for the nonsense they are.

I didn't see the last 15 minutes yesterday, nor hear the comments, but I doubt very much that Mourinho "sat back" or didn't want a second goal.

He just thought united weren't capable (they hadn't looked it for the 70 minutes I had watched), and that they were utterly vulnerable to a counter attack (as they'd looked all afternoon), and he'd gambled Chelsea would get another.

Whatever anyone says about Mourhino, and I can't stand him, or his style of football, he's not an idiot, and he rarely gambles.

Come May he'll be looking at 2 away draws in Manchester as good points, and lets not kid ourselves they are very good points, especially if you win every game at home, and the vast majority away against the lesser lights.

Back to our situation....

Some are saying united did us a favour yesterday, I don't agree, they just emphasised that we blew a golden opportunity on Saturday to make up points on the leaders, against a team we normally beat easily, and this, added to the Stoke result, shows that we aren't settled, and that as a team, something is missing (like it was for much of 2012/13).

This next week is going to be a crucial one in the context of our whole season for me, 3 home games in 7 days, that all need to be won, no matter what combination of 4's 3's 2's and 1's, or personnel MP puts out. Losing the first one wouldn't be a disaster, but its a trophy we hold that would be gone, losing the second one, and we're likely to be 9 points behind the leaders (a draw and its likely to be 8), lose (or draw) the third one and we are all but of the CL.

3 games that must be won, simple as that for me, we had a similar week last season, and we triumphed, MP needs to show it can be done again, because his ultimate future may rely on it.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

^^Bookmark the article above for mid-November when Chelski have hit their yearly flat spot and we've clicked into gear.

Quite how a team which played with 11 men behind the ball for nearly two hours worth of football in Manchester, and didn't manage to take maximum points from either, look ruthless and formidable is beyond me.

Really the Chelsea love in is driving me insane. Had that been City playing United yesterday the score 60 minutes into the match would've been 4 - 0 minimum to us. Such was the paucity of United's defensive control over the game. Instead, Mourinho sticks Obi Mikel on with half an hour to go after scoring from a set piece, cedes control, and loses two points in the process. Hell if United had scored a little earlier they would probably have won it, such was Chelsea's lack of control in those closing 15 minutes.

And yet Mourinho is a genius and I'm having to read ill informed hatchet jobs about Pellegrini is too stubborn and doesn't know what he's doing.

I don't agree that questioning MP's tactical choices represents an "ill-informed hatchet job" but I do agree that if we're less than the sum of our parts at the moment, then so are Chelsea.

 

[BillyShears]

I didn't see the last 15 minutes yesterday, nor hear the comments, but I doubt very much that Mourinho "sat back" or didn't want a second goal.

He just thought united weren't capable (they hadn't looked it for the 70 minutes I had watched), and that they were utterly vulnerable to a counter attack (as they'd looked all afternoon), and he'd gambled Chelsea would get another.

Whatever anyone says about Mourhino, and I can't stand him, or his style of football, he's not an idiot, and he rarely gambles.

Come May he'll be looking at 2 away draws in Manchester as good points, and lets not kid ourselves they are very good points, especially if you win every game at home, and the vast majority away against the lesser lights.

Back to our situation....

Some are saying united did us a favour yesterday, I don't agree, they just emphasised that we blew a golden opportunity on Saturday to make up points on the leaders, against a team we normally beat easily, and this, added to the Stoke result, shows that we aren't settled, and that as a team, something is missing (like it was for much of 2012/13).

This next week is going to be a crucial one in the context of our whole season for me, 3 home games in 7 days, that all need to be won, no matter what combination of 4's 3's 2's and 1's, or personnel MP puts out. Losing the first one wouldn't be a disaster, but its a trophy we hold that would be gone, losing the second one, and we're likely to be 9 points behind the leaders (a draw and its likely to be 8), lose (or draw) the third one and we are all but of the CL.

3 games that must be won, simple as that for me, we had a similar week last season, and we triumphed, MP needs to show it can be done again, because his ultimate future may rely on it.

I actually think United caused Chelsea enough problems in the first hour of the match that I do think Mourinho took an enormous gamble in trying to see the game out and it blew up in his face. Yes two points from two difficult away trips can on paper be seen as good results, but within the context of the way both games played out they were poor. Against City Chelsea simply weren't good enough. They scored, we had 10 men, and still he took the 'safe' option. Against United it was even more mind boggling. He must've known after their goal United would get desperate and throw even more bodies forward. All he had to do was keep his attacking players in place and carry on and it would've been an easy 3 points. Instead he invited them on and dropped two more points. Either way, there was no tactical ingenuity which i saw in either result or performance.

On our situation, I said when I started the West Ham pre game thread that because of the result in Moscow that if we didn't take maximum points at West Ham the knives would be out and the pressure would be on for Pellegrini, which it is now. Yes it's a big week and I agree it doesn't matter what the formation or line up is, we need a big week and 3 wins. Interesting that you reference the 12/13 season. For me there are some parallels, up to and including the fact that I think the derby will be pivotal in the title race. That season it was that derby defeat which foreshadowed subsequent poor poor performances in games against 'lesser' opposition which cost us the title. IIRC going into the derby the we were only five/six points off United. This season we go into the derby with our mentality and credentials being questioned, however it's only October and not early December.

What does all that mean? Means I don't think it's going to be like 12/13 because I believe that we'll beat United and that we'll win the title. But it also means comparisons to 12/13 are a bit premature.

 

[BillyShears]

^^Bookmark the article above for mid-November when Chelski have hit their yearly flat spot and we've clicked into gear.

Quite how a team which played with 11 men behind the ball for nearly two hours worth of football in Manchester, and didn't manage to take maximum points from either, look ruthless and formidable is beyond me.

Really the Chelsea love in is driving me insane. Had that been City playing United yesterday the score 60 minutes into the match would've been 4 - 0 minimum to us. Such was the paucity of United's defensive control over the game. Instead, Mourinho sticks Obi Mikel on with half an hour to go after scoring from a set piece, cedes control, and loses two points in the process. Hell if United had scored a little earlier they would probably have won it, such was Chelsea's lack of control in those closing 15 minutes.

And yet Mourinho is a genius and I'm having to read ill informed hatchet jobs about Pellegrini is too stubborn and doesn't know what he's doing.

I don't agree that questioning MP's tactical choices represents an "ill-informed hatchet job" but I do agree that if we're less than the sum of our parts at the moment, then so are Chelsea.

It's an ill informed hatchet job because a week ago we went into a home game and played 4231. A month ago against Bayern we did the same in an away game. So to suggest that Pellegrini is tactically rigid and won't "tweak" his system is patently wrong. He has done as he did last season (somebody posted the other day we actually played a third of our matches last season with one striker).

The Times piece though goes further in it's hatchet jobbing. The writer says weren't the sum of our parts last season. Yet we broke the PL record for goals scored and were for the majority of it seen as an unbelievable team. Seems a bit contradictory don't you think. I mean is it really believable that we should've been even better whilst this same benchmark isn't levelled at Chelsea, Arsenal, United, etc.

Another thing in that piece. It begins by blaming Pellegrini's tactics for our supposed shortcomings, but then later says our best players are under performing. So which one is it? Is it the manager's tactics or is it the players? Again not to try and overstate the case but if our manager's tactics are wrong and our players are under performing how does that fit with the recent appraisal the Times gave to Louis Van Gaal's first few months in charge which I believe was a B+ and a resounding "he's getting way more right than wrong, they'll comfortably finish in the top 4 and could mount a title challenge".

Sorry man, but for me it's an ill informed hatchet job even if he has managed to catch the zeitgeist with regards Pellegrini's supposed shortcomings.

 

[supercity88]

I heard something not sure if bitter rat boy Neville said it or someone else "Mourinho doesn't see the point in scoring a second goal because he's won the game once so he doesn't need to try and win it again." What kind of head up your arse backwards logic is that? And what kind of a cult of personality exists around Mourinho that comments like this are not laughed out of town for the nonsense they are.

I didn't see the last 15 minutes yesterday, nor hear the comments, but I doubt very much that Mourinho "sat back" or didn't want a second goal.

He just thought united weren't capable (they hadn't looked it for the 70 minutes I had watched), and that they were utterly vulnerable to a counter attack (as they'd looked all afternoon), and he'd gambled Chelsea would get another.

Whatever anyone says about Mourhino, and I can't stand him, or his style of football, he's not an idiot, and he rarely gambles.

Come May he'll be looking at 2 away draws in Manchester as good points, and lets not kid ourselves they are very good points, especially if you win every game at home, and the vast majority away against the lesser lights.

Back to our situation....

Some are saying united did us a favour yesterday, I don't agree, they just emphasised that we blew a golden opportunity on Saturday to make up points on the leaders, against a team we normally beat easily, and this, added to the Stoke result, shows that we aren't settled, and that as a team, something is missing (like it was for much of 2012/13).

This next week is going to be a crucial one in the context of our whole season for me, 3 home games in 7 days, that all need to be won, no matter what combination of 4's 3's 2's and 1's, or personnel MP puts out. Losing the first one wouldn't be a disaster, but its a trophy we hold that would be gone, losing the second one, and we're likely to be 9 points behind the leaders (a draw and its likely to be 8), lose (or draw) the third one and we are all but of the CL.

3 games that must be won, simple as that for me, we had a similar week last season, and we triumphed, MP needs to show it can be done again, because his ultimate future may rely on it.

Completely disagree. 1-0 up against ten men and they draw. 1-0 up with injury time left against a team that has lost to Swansea, Leicester, and MK Dons amongst others in recent times and draw. Two poor results considering the context of the games. A point at our place is great unless you look at the context of the game.

They played with the same mentality last season but didn't back it up with results against the lesser teams. Against what could be commonly called the top 7 (city, chelsea, arsenal, spuds, everton, liverpool, rags) Chelsea took 27pts out of a possible 36, losing only to Everton at Goodison and beating all at home. In comparison we managed 25pts from 36 despite losing to Chelsea twice, and at Anfield. We didn't sit back and settle, we were rewarded for positive football. Indeed, we were unlucky at Anfield, the game could have gone either way at 2-2. We were architects of our own downfall at the bridge with the game almost over, and were battering them at home until they got a foothold in the game.

Mourinho hasn't seemed to grasp the fact that the league is tougher and more competitive. It was easy for him first time around. He spent vast sums of money and his team performed as required but it is different now. You have to be positive and try to win games. 3pts instead of 1pt makes a huge difference and I think our positive approach will win through again when it matters.
And they played with that mentality last season and didn't get the wins in the away games against lesser teams. This season that may differ but you still wouldn't say they are very good points. Against us you would take a point all day if we are at home, but against the rags you need to win based on their level this season and last.

Despite losing to Chelsea twice last season and Liverpool at Anfield

 

[Fame Monster]

Manuel is a dead-man walking.

4-4-2 was one of the reasons why Mancini was sacked/City underperformed, and will be the reason for Manuel's departure.

 

[cleavers]

What does all that mean? Means I don't think it's going to be like 12/13 because I believe that we'll beat United and that we'll win the title. But it also means comparisons to 12/13 are a bit premature.

I wasn't comparing the two far from it, just the fact that we have something missing in the team right now, and we need to find it, and fix it, and I don't think its formations, or Yaya, its just under performing players generally.

This week coming can make or break things, it could become a repeat of 2012/13, or it could become a repeat of 2013/14.

I know its early days, but big weeks are just that, and this one could well be pivotal.



Worth noting that we'd lost 4 games this time last year in all competitions in 13 games (Cardiff, Villa, Bayern, and Chelsea), and we played Newcastle away in the COC 5th round, winning 2-0. We then drubbed Norwich 7-0, and beat CSKA 5-2, yet after a good week, we conspired another bad result away at Sunderland, (QPR away is the equivalent this time round) before going on a run of 17 wins and 2 draws from 19 games, scoring 69 goals.

We'll have played 1 more game, and lost 1 less game by the end of October, so not far off the same, and having had a more difficult fixture list this year imho, so I'm certainly not panicking yet, though I somehow can't see us matching that run of form that followed the away defeat at Sunderland last year, though it would be very nice obviously.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Manuel is a dead-man walking.

4-4-2 was one of the reasons why Mancini was sacked/City underperformed, and will be the reason for Manuel's departure.

4-4-2 was the formation that won us the league and cup last season you wally