Pellegrini - The English Managers Syndrome

[OB1]

I've often disagreed with him this season at times but he knows his onions.

His summary of yesterdays performance is absolutely spot on for me.

I usually end up agreeing with EB more than I disagree; unless it is about music ;-)

 

[Marvin]

Bayern plays with 2 wingers, Lewy and Müller. Müller is more a second striker than he is a midfielder. The difference might be not playing with 4 attackers but playing with 4 attackers that do their extra defensive shift - be it with pressing or tracking back.

City's forwards: yesterday I'd guess you'd call them: Silva, de Bruyne, Navas (Sterling sub) and Aguero are to my mind very physical and industrious players. I don't want to compare them to Bayern one by one who are an elite team. We don't need to, we've seen it work here in City. The problem is that we are playing midfielders to support them who are physically wrecked and shouldn't be playing at this level.

Imagine Demichelis behind Yaya Toure. Absolutely absurd but yes we risked it, and the coach was very very lucky. Amazing that he tried to pull this off at one of the biggest clubs in Europe. He should be drummed out of the job for that. He does it repeatedly.

 

[abu13]

Yaya should now be used as an impact player from the bench, not the player he used to be but with 30 minutes to go he would offer us something going forward but also his ability to hold play up would help if we needed to control possesion.

 

[schfc6]

Taken us backwards, simple as that.

How is topping the group in the CL, challenging for four trophies, likely to win the league in two of his three years a step back from distant second and finishing bottom of the CL group?

 

[SWP's back]

How is topping the group in the CL, challenging for four trophies, likely to win the league in two of his three years a step back from distant second and finishing bottom of the CL group?

Likely to win the league this year?

Are you kidding? Likely?

 

[daztrueblue91]

Another way to look at things is are we playing as a team equal to the sum of its parts?

Even the most ardent Pellegrini supports will accept that the answer is a resounding no.

We look more like a team of individuals than a team or a unit.

With that in mind, how many of a players would you put in the PL team of the season so far?

The only one who gets close IMO would be Hart.

That IMO epitomises just how far we are underperforming.

 

[Rammy Blue]

A bit of a tangent, but one thing that mightily irritates me is our obvious lack of physical fitness. Considering they supposedly slacken off on conditioning when playing 2 games a week, in an attempt to ward off soft tissue injuries, which hasn't worked anyway, we just don't have the work rate and sharpness required at this level.

 

[blueinsa]

A bit of a tangent, but one thing that mightily irritates me is our obvious lack of physical fitness. Considering they supposedly slacken off on conditioning when playing 2 games a week, in an attempt to ward off soft tissue injuries, which hasn't worked anyway, we just don't have the work rate and sharpness required at this level.

Agree.

Im no expert but surely, the opposite is required in training and peak physical condition is the best to be in to prevent any injury?

At times our players are ran past by athletes whilst we look like we have divers boots on.

Fernando yesterday after he came on was out paced by Song who had a full 80 mins under his belt and it was embarrassing.

Yaya is another who has the pace of a snail unless of course he is running at goal when he suddenly finds the turbo button ;-)

 

[Rammy Blue]

Agree.

Im no expert but surely, the opposite is required in training and peak physical condition is the best to be in to prevent any injury?

At times our players are ran past by athletes whilst we look like we have divers boots on.

Fernando yesterday after he came on was out paced by Song who had a full 80 mins under his belt and it was embarrassing.

Yaya is another who has the pace of a snail unless of course he is running at goal when he suddenly finds the turbo button ;-)

I also think that Dave and KDB should both be sharper.

 

[blueinsa]

I also think that Dave and KDB should both be sharper.

Agree completely.