Our inability to set up properly for big games

[kaz7]

He's not going soon whatsoever.

Next season is a whole seven months away, it doesn't exist yet. And between now and then we are in the FL Cup final, the FA Cup, the CL Ro16 against one of the worst teams left in the competition, and a title race to go for. This season. Not next. THIS!

But this manager of ours is showing himself up that he doesn't work hard enough on the defensive side or the preparation of the team depending on what opposition we're playing. And THIS season, if that carries on, we'll win nothing despite us having the best team in the league and the only other really decent team in this league being in the bottom half.

The league title is there for the taking for whoever really wants it. It's there for whichever manager works hard enough at his job and this manager we've got doesn't do that so THIS season we might well end up winning absolutely nothing yet again making it that we've won just two trophies in four seasons (nowt like Soriano's "five trophies and five years" demand!).

This season is very real. My £800 SeasonCard, my £40odd quid CL ticket, my £140 ticket+travel to Wembley is all very real right now and I'll be fucked if I'm just going to sit back, pay all that and think "oh well, in seven months someone else will be in charge". Fuck that shit!

This season's manger need to fucking improve and sharpish or maybe it would be good if he could be gone soon, very soon, as in NOW!

I appreciate all that but we have been sounding off on here for the last season and a half about him not changing,it makes no difference as he will NOT,all we are doing is getting wound up that's what i mean about not sweating it as i can't change him we just have to suck it up and look foward to pep

 

[Phil1]

as i have said he never has, but if things aren't working you have to look at reasons why, it wasn't working saturday so you have to look for why it wasn't,
and leicester breaking 5 on 5(might be over egging it, but the sentiment is right) was a big one
why would you absolve silva from doing it? marhez/okazaki got back why shouldn't yaya and silva do it( i love both players by the way)

It's something that has to be drilled into players who are natuarally forward thinking. I'm not absolving them, just a case of not thinking its a job they're being pressured to do by the manager. If Pep want Silva to harry and press I've no doubts he's competent enough to do it,

 

[SV Squares]

There is this thing called momentum that plays a massive part in how things are won and lost be it individual games or an entire league. It is that important that betting companies have come up with algorithms to calculate it as they see it as integral to being able to predict outcomes. So whilst I've really enjoyed reading Dax777 analysis, to suggest that the way in which a game is being played out is irrelevant as long as no goals were conceded is utter tosh. Football isn't that black and white, it's more e=mc2.

 

[BlueAnorak]

give over mate the back 4 was shaky all game, scrambled defending and some good stops by joe, they had a solid two banks of 4 we did not,
and some of the ambling back when they were attacking was nothing short of a disgrace.
you have to respect your opponent, we patently didn't and paid the price

My reply in a nutshell.

 

[BlueAnorak]

I'm not sure there is any point trying to explain to you why people are complaining about the high line against Vardy as you will just continue to argue that black is white but I will try. Firstly just because they didn't score directly from Vardy being played in behind the high line doesn't mean that it didn't impact on the game. That seems to be your basic premise and I just don't accept it. All sorts of things can affect the outcome of a match and the way it pans out not just the actual goals. I think it is entirely arguable that the fact that they were carving out one on ones at will by playing Vardy in behind the high line will have given them incredible confidence throughout the match and at the same time made us incredibly nervous. I know you will dispute this and that is fine but they looked absolutely fearless throughout the match and we looked like we had the weight of the world on our shoulders. There will have been various reasons for that but I am certain that Leicester will have had a massive lift right from the start when they realised that Pellegrini was doing exactly as expected and playing into their hands tactically and I am sure our players won't have felt full of the joys of spring walking out knowing that same thing. Secondly, it is well worth being concerned about (and it is that concern that leads to the whining) some of the stuff going on at the back even if by absolute good fortune it doesn't result in a goal. Presumably you will have thought we defended well against Sunderland, after all we kept a clean sheet. You probably thought people were right whining bastards for raising concerns about players not being marked 6 yards out from goal. Well 2 minutes in on Saturday and we did pay for it. The next time we deploy a high line against a lightening fast striker we might well not get bailed out time and again by Joe but it won't stop him doing it because he presumably has the same attitude to you when we get away with stuff. As for explaining why deploying slow defenders in a high line against a very quick striker is questionable so you can put it under your unique "light of analysis", well I don't think that's necessary tbh because anyone with a brain in their head can see why it was a high risk strategy at best. And while we are it, you didn't tell me anything that explained why a high line is a "necessity." You tried to explain why Pellegrini chooses to employ a high line but that in no way means it is a necessity. It isn't a necessity at all, that is absolute bollocks.

Spot on. Nothing more to be said.
If defenders have time to compose themselves they make less mistakes.

 

[BobKowalski]

Always mere speculation and will never be played out in practice but the inference is if MH of LVG had our squad to manage would they do a better job than MP is doing.

It's only theatre but for what my opinion is worth they probably would.

MP goes with my best wishes but he should have gone at least 12 months ago Pep or no Pep.

Past his use by date as a manager of a club harbouring lofty ambitions ( although you wouldn't think it given the way are operating on the pitch these days ) and incapable of getting the players to jel and play as a team.

Massive underachiever with this squad.

I'm not Pellers biggest fan but no way on God's Earth would Hughes be doing a better job. My issue with Pellers is a) I have never been that convinced at what he is trying to do in the way we play and b) more importantly I have never been sure he has convinced the players about what he is trying to do in the way we play. My issue with Hughes is that he is incompetent at a higher level. Give the guy money to spend and aim high and he starts underachieving. Everyone has a level and Hughes level is way below what he thinks it is.

The difference between us and Leicester is that they are 100% committed to the way they play and have absolute clarity in their heads about their job on the pitch. We seem to think about what our job is whereas Leicester just do it and by the time we have figured it out we are 2 goals down. Pellers has difficulty instilling the necessary belief or 'trust' in his system of play to make it work consistently. And right now it's killing us.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

2 banks of 4 requires more than 4 defenders. You should ask what some of our mids were doing. I'd tell you, but those are not the players we wanna moan about. :)

We'd rather concentrate on Yaya, Kola and Dimechelis.

No, I don't think Kolarov was fit, simple as that. He didn't look it from the warm ups I was watching and the 90 minutes he played didn't change my mind.

2 banks of 4 requires more than 4 defenders. You should ask what some of our mids were doing. I'd tell you, but those are not the players we wanna moan about. :)

We'd rather concentrate on Yaya, Kola and Dimechelis.

So let me get this straight. So all the Clichy should have started over Kolarov moaning, was all about giving us more offense?

dont talk crap, most have already told you countless times, it was about getting more pace into the back line against possibly fastest and most mobile attack this season

 

[shallyman]

Leicester have proved all through the season that they are up for it more than their opposition. And by that I mean that they are first to every ball, they cover more ground, committed to every tackle, and back each other up. They've played mostly an unchanged 11, so now they have that team spirit and momentum that is almost unstoppable. Most of the top 10 sides in this league will attack when they are the home side. And if they didn't the fans would be in uproar. Leicester know this, so they sit back, absorb pressure a BANG hit you on the break. I reckon the way to beat them is to play them at their own game. Shut up shop and don't let em run in behind you, or play balls over the top to Vardy, then force them into making mistakes, as the likes of Huth and Simpson try to pass themselves out of trouble. City would comfortably beat them in a tight passing duel. But as we have seen all season, nobody plays to Leicesters weaknesses.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

The difference between us and Leicester is that they are 100% committed to the way they play and have absolute clarity in their heads about their job on the pitch. We seem to think about what our job is whereas Leicester just do it and by the time we have figured it out we are 2 goals down. Pellers has difficulty instilling the necessary belief or 'trust' in his system of play to make it work consistently. And right now it's killing us.

Great point that. It was stunning the difference in that respect. Leicester players just knew what to do immediately when the ball came to them, sometimes it didn't work, often it did but everything they tried to do was done immediately without even thinking. Our players always seemed to need an extra touch when we had promising situations which often resulted in the situation being snuffed out. To me it looked like they had no fear whatsoever whereas we had plenty of fear and I'm guessing that is all about confidence levels. Now I know why Leicester are playing with supreme confidence but why do we look so devoid of it? I know we have injuries but we had just won away from home, had just gone through to a Wembley final, pissed on Villa, a win would have taken us top and we have the manager everyone wants coming in the summer and the feel good factor that should surround that. You wouldn't have thought any of that to watch us play. Does it all come down to a lack of confidence in "the system."

 

[OB1]

We've never played in a way that's required Silva to bust a gut to get back - why should we? Why ruin one of the best playmakers on the planet by having him sprinting up and down the pitch for 90 minutes?
That's not to say he shouldn't be making it harder for the opposition but this view of Silvas lack of defensive work has only risen to the surface in the last few months, a time where he's patently not fully fit.

Er no, Silva's defensive work has been a long standing matter but he just doesn't get stick for it. When we got done by Ajax, didn't de Boer make a comment about knowing that Nasri and Silva would switch off from their defensive duties at some point and that could be exploited?

Last season, the City player that made the biggest contribution in respect of goal scoring moves was Yaya, who was second in the EPL in that regard, but he gets huge stick for being lazy, worthless lump etc.

And, just for the record, cos I know how it might look, I do not favour Yaya over Dave or Dave over Sergio or vice-versa. I favour objectivity; hence my liking for facts and my enjoyment of Dax's attempt to bring that to the debate - not that I have time to read the whole thread.

Every player has to do their bit.