Manuel Pellegrini

[Bokonon]

We need to be playing 5 in the midfield vs. every big team in europe. Once again, we were outnumbered, not outclassed. I sympathize with Pellegrini though because our personnel is built for a 442.

As shitty as it sounds, I believe Aguero is a big part of the problem. He's not any good alone in a 451 and we don't have the right options to switch into a 433, which would offer similar stability and covering in the midfield (to the 451). IMO, Dzeko and Jovetic can both operate as the lone forward - big targets able to collect and hold up play, allowing midfielders the time they need to make their runs and properly get into the attack... But why would you ever leave a healthy Aguero on the bench...

Lacking the real attack-minded wingers like a reus, hazard, and sanchez, a 433, which I believe Aguero would flourish in, also seems unrealistic. So it's either play a 442, play aguero in a system he's not overly effective in, or leave our best player on the bench... So much for that perfect balance.

I don't fancy our chances of perfecting the 442 vs the likes of Bayern, Barca, Real, etc. So maybe it's time to cash in on either dzeko or aguero and tinker our system a little bit. I'm really just tired of seeing us underachieve.

 

[Marvin]

When I posted last week that I didn't think he had the ability to take us that final step, I thought I'd get slaughtered but to my surprise I didn't. I think we can all see it clearly now. That was naive, inept, brainless, whatever, tonight.

We shouldn't have been starting Navas at all for that game but, having done so, he should have been running at Maicon and not Cole. Everyone round me was saying it yet he stayed on the right where Ashley Cole had him for breakfast. Kolarov should definitely have started to give us the extra width that Clichy doesn't, even when he has a good game. We just play at half speed with no sense of urgency or desire.

You think a guy who took two infinitely shitter teams than ours further in the CL than Mancini ever got us, the reigning P L trophy holding manager can't take us to the next level?

Haha. Ok.

If those teams were infinitely shitter thsn us then why aren't we doing better in the CL against decent opposition? The truth is (and you know this) that managers have their level. And for some, that means getting an outwardly average team at a club with little money to perform miracles. But for some reason they can't do it at a bigger team with theoretically better players.

We did OK last season - no more than OK

This season we got beat 1-0 at Bayern - big deal, and drew tonight in a game we ended up well on top in the end. It was a better performance than the ones we put in against Dortmund and Napoli in previous seasons when we drew games, but arguably against weaker opposition.

I saw players giving away possession cheaply and not playing their normal game. Too easy to blame the manager for every shortcoming of the team, and I think we should see how the rest of the Champions League campaign works out. I like the fact that we attack teams. I don't see any problem in being on the front foot all of the time. It was what the players did on the ball that was poor tonight, not the tactics

 

[Mattyc55]

You think a guy who took two infinitely shitter teams than ours further in the CL than Mancini ever got us, the reigning P L trophy holding manager can't take us to the next level?

Haha. Ok.

If those teams were infinitely shitter thsn us then why aren't we doing better in the CL against decent opposition? The truth is (and you know this) that managers have their level. And for some, that means getting an outwardly average team at a club with little money to perform miracles. But for some reason they can't do it at a bigger team with theoretically better players.

And therein lies our problem in Europe.. were too naive. Mourinho did a Mourinho tonight, won ugly. Ferguson used to do it all the time both home and away, you have to set your teams up to be solid and get the job done. Playing on the front foot all the time against the top European sides is suicidal. Pellegrini is far too stubborn and his tactics were shown up again on the big stage.
We did OK last season - no more than OK

This season we got beat 1-0 at Bayern - big deal, and drew tonight in a game we ended up well on top in the end. It was a better performance than the ones we put in against Dortmund and Napoli in previous seasons when we drew games, but arguably against weaker opposition.

I saw players giving away possession cheaply and not playing their normal game. Too easy to blame the manager for every shortcoming of the team, and I think we should see how the rest of the Champions League campaign works out. I like the fact that we attack teams. I don't see any problem in being on the front foot all of the time. It was what the players did on the ball that was poor tonight, not the tactics

 

[City Glory While Others Fade]

I really do hope this doesn't end up leading to Europa league football on Thursdays. Pellers said we needed 12 points, we have 1 point and 4 games left so we have to win them all. We have more chance of winning the premier league than qualifying from the Champs league group......Europa league will kill any title challenge and mess up qualification next year. Apologies if it sounds defeatist but if I was Pellers I'd let the players know we're throwing in the towl as far as this years champs league, it may get the reaction from the players that's required to go and qualify. No Europa league tho!!!

 

[Ric]

I like Pellegrini a lot, but he clearly got it wrong tonight. His refusal to change the way we set up at home, regardless of the opposition, cost us again in Europe. We keep getting overrun in midfield, and he's seemingly not learning from his mistakes. Tonight's result and performance came as no surprise to most. He needs to show greater flexibility.

 

[Puppet Master Silva]

Are people really calling for a change of manager? This place is ridiculous at times.

No. Don't think one person has said that have they?

Try reading the thread.

 

[TheMagician]

I like Pellegrini a lot, but he clearly got it wrong tonight. His refusal to change the way we set up at home, regardless of the opposition, cost us again in Europe. We keep getting overrun in midfield, and he's seemingly not learning from his mistakes. Tonight's result and performance came as no surprise to most. He needs to show greater flexibility.

You have to be intelligent and astute in Europe but we ignore this and go in as if we are playing a normal league game.

The gameplan/tactics seems to be to pick the best players and think that their quality alone will win us the game. That works in the league but it is easily outfoxed by Europe's best sides.

Also, out set pieces are absolutely diabolical!

 

[ManCitizens.]

Dear Manuel, next time we play Roma can you play our best Left back and former Lazio player Alex Kolarov, thanks. Imagine playing a Spanish team and not playing Silva, Aguero or Toure.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

I like Pellegrini a lot, but he clearly got it wrong tonight. His refusal to change the way we set up at home, regardless of the opposition, cost us again in Europe. We keep getting overrun in midfield, and he's seemingly not learning from his mistakes. Tonight's result and performance came as no surprise to most. He needs to show greater flexibility.

perusing the responses on this forum confirms that virtually every poster knows we cant play 4-4-2 in europe , I cannot understand how such an experienced manager can , on occasions , get it so wrong.

 

[cibaman]

We need to be playing 5 in the midfield vs. every big team in europe. Once again, we were outnumbered, not outclassed. I sympathize with Pellegrini though because our personnel is built for a 442.

As shitty as it sounds, I believe Aguero is a big part of the problem. He's not any good alone in a 451 and we don't have the right options to switch into a 433, which would offer similar stability and covering in the midfield (to the 451). IMO, Dzeko and Jovetic can both operate as the lone forward - big targets able to collect and hold up play, allowing midfielders the time they need to make their runs and properly get into the attack... But why would you ever leave a healthy Aguero on the bench...

Lacking the real attack-minded wingers like a reus, hazard, and sanchez, a 433, which I believe Aguero would flourish in, also seems unrealistic. So it's either play a 442, play aguero in a system he's not overly effective in, or leave our best player on the bench... So much for that perfect balance.

I don't fancy our chances of perfecting the 442 vs the likes of Bayern, Barca, Real, etc. So maybe it's time to cash in on either dzeko or aguero and tinker our system a little bit. I'm really just tired of seeing us underachieve.

I think that's our main problem. If you play with a single striker at home you need to have the players to switch to 4-3-3. Otherwise the single striker just becomes too isolated, as when we played Barca.