Manuel Pellegrini

[eversince 76]

To me we totally controlled the match, but we didn't kill it off by scoring a second. I fully understood when Pellegrini brought on Dzeko (known as a supersub) and Nasri (more creativity with the space enhanching) . He went for the throat. Unfortunately Rooney's run that led to Di Maria bringing a crucial save out of Joe Hart, our defending midfielders and the back line held back way too much. And we suddenly couldn't get hold of the ball. As if nerves crept in. We lost control and it was Pellegrini again who noticed it, brought on Fernandinho to balance and defend the 1-0.

I'd say, well done Pellegrini. And I'm sure if we would have had at least one penalty or scored a 2nd out of a lot of chances, the subs might havebeen different in personal and meaning. But you can't blame Pellegrini and his subs for us to hang on n a way we still created two great chances during that period).

Overall we were much better than them. Even as the sending-off didn't do us any favours.

 

[BillyShears]

They were terrible substitutions to be fair. Why take Milner off??

Who would you have taken off then?

Made sense to use all the sub as it was an intense game. I'd have gone like for like. Maybe the coach thought Milner had run his legs off. I don't know, but I doubt it had anything to do with the shift in the balance of play. It's a mindset, nothing to do with the ability of the 11

The general consensus amongst those who see the subs as being poor seems to be that Jovetic should've gone and we should've brought on Fernandinho or Nasri.

I think a lot of people were looking for City to "kill" the game even though United had 10 men, and a week previously Chelsea had tried to "kill" the game too early and ended up inviting so much pressure they got a man sent off and conceded a goal.

 

[hgblue]

They were terrible substitutions to be fair. Why take Milner off??

Who would you have taken off then?

Made sense to use all the sub as it was an intense game. I'd have gone like for like. Maybe the coach thought Milner had run his legs off. I don't know, but I doubt it had anything to do with the shift in the balance of play. It's a mindset, nothing to do with the ability of the 11

The general consensus amongst those who see the subs as being poor seems to be that Jovetic should've gone and we should've brought on Fernandinho or Nasri.

I think a lot of people were looking for City to "kill" the game even though United had 10 men, and a week previously Chelsea had tried to "kill" the game too early and ended up inviting so much pressure they got a man sent off and conceded a goal.

You're dead right Fernandinho for Jovetic, and push Yaya further forward. Not a negative substitution imo.

 

[supercity88]

Don't really buy the protecting Milner argument. Fittest player in the squad and 20 minutes isnt going to make much of a difference. I'm not even sure he'll start against Moscow.

But he could have picked up a knock or something we don't know about so I'm not going to get too bothered about that. Nasri the wrong replacement though IMO.

I think it's a difference in mindset between the manager and most of us fans. Particularly the more cynical ones. Milner works tirelessly, he is physically fitter than most yes, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get nackered from running all game. We will see him against Moscow in my opinion, I think Pellegrini has recognised just how crucial he is to our performances at the moment and I truly believe it was a choice to save his legs and also give Nasri some game time in order to get up to match fitness. We look at it as replacing a tireless worker with someone who can go missing in games (though I would say that criticism is a bit generic and Nasri has improved a lot under Pellegrini). Pellegrini sees it as replacing Milner with someone who can keep the ball, create chances and who will run all day (because that has been his instruction). Pellegrini has so much faith in his system and the messages he gives his players that I fully believe he felt we would score another and see the game off if we kept some attacking players on the pitch. Often you can sit back and that can be your own downfall.

Fortunately this argument over whether the subs were right or wrong is largely irrelevant thanks to the win. It would have been a real talking point had we failed to win.

 

[BillyShears]

You're dead right Fernandinho for Jovetic, and push Yaya further forward. Not a negative substitution imo.

No I guess if you push Yaya further forward it's less negative. But it's still not a substitution I would expect from a team playing at home against 10 men.

I do think also that Nasri needed minutes especially with Silva's injury. It's a factor that we can just never really know the details of. Just how fit/unfit players are and how many minutes they require, or how many minutes they can play before they need a rest. Pellegrini is very respectful of his medical team in terms of letting them guide him with regards player fitness. It's certainly worked wonders with Kun.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Nasri should have come into the Jovetic pocket, rather than Milner leaving the field.

They were shocking subs in every sense of the word.

Van Persie, Di Maria, a succession of late corners, all a result of taking Milner off and exposing the left hand flank.

If anything, Milner is at his most dangerous in the closing minutes. Lost count the amount of times he has provided a late cross for a goal or got one himself.

Dzeko, although you can be wise after the event and suggest his role was to defend corners, provided zero..

If Dzeko's introduction was to defend set pieces, then you have to ask why Pellegrini felt so panic-stricken to address an issue which did not even exist at that present time, a ten-man United team still penned in on the edge of their 18-yard box.

 

[kippaxblue76]

Nasri should have come into the Jovetic pocket, rather than Milner leaving the field.

They were shocking subs in every sense of the word.

Van Persie, Di Maria, a succession of late corners, all a result of taking Milner off and exposing the left hand flank.

If anything, Milner is at his most dangerous in the closing minutes. Lost count the amount of times he has provided a late cross for a goal or got one himself.

Dzeko, although you can be wise after the event and suggest his role was to defend corners, provided zero..

If Dzeko's introduction was to defend set pieces, then you have to ask why Pellegrini felt so panic-stricken to address an issue which did not even exist at that present time, a ten-man United team still penned in on the edge of their 18-yard box.

This is exactly how I saw it, then maybe a straight swap Dzeko for Aguero just to kill time at the death. The game changed as soon as Milner went off.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Nasri should have come into the Jovetic pocket, rather than Milner leaving the field.
They were shocking subs in every sense of the word.

Van Persie, Di Maria, a succession of late corners, all a result of taking Milner off and exposing the left hand flank.

If anything, Milner is at his most dangerous in the closing minutes. Lost count the amount of times he has provided a late cross for a goal or got one himself.

Dzeko, although you can be wise after the event and suggest his role was to defend corners, provided zero..

If Dzeko's introduction was to defend set pieces, then you have to ask why Pellegrini felt so panic-stricken to address an issue which did not even exist at that present time, a ten-man United team still penned in on the edge of their 18-yard box.

Exactly my thoughts, and what I said as I saw Nasri getting stripped

Then IF he wanted to bring Milner off (to save his legs as some have tried to portray) then bring Fernandinho on and push Nasri onto the left

Those subs would not have made us more negative, we would have kept the ball a lot better therefore creating more openings

People hanging onto the fact that we didn't concede as a 'job well done', those substitutions could have cost us

 

[BillyShears]

Just out of curiosity - does anyone remember any time in our recent history where a substitution was as contentious as the ones on derby day?

I really can't. Especially not after we'd won a match. Amazes me in a way people are still quite so bothered by it so many days later.

 

[BillyShears]

Nasri should have come into the Jovetic pocket, rather than Milner leaving the field.

They were shocking subs in every sense of the word.

Van Persie, Di Maria, a succession of late corners, all a result of taking Milner off and exposing the left hand flank.

If anything, Milner is at his most dangerous in the closing minutes. Lost count the amount of times he has provided a late cross for a goal or got one himself.

Dzeko, although you can be wise after the event and suggest his role was to defend corners, provided zero..

If Dzeko's introduction was to defend set pieces, then you have to ask why Pellegrini felt so panic-stricken to address an issue which did not even exist at that present time, a ten-man United team still penned in on the edge of their 18-yard box.

Obvious wum'ing there my friend. :)