Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

[talkativesprout]

City are "baffled" at reports of a deal being close.

That isn't a denial

 

[markbmcfc]

Yes, he uses a pivote in 13/14, then changes almost completely to using 2 in 14/15 and 15/16.

When he uses 1 pivot he has the fullbacks come in narrow like you say, to keep dominance in midfield, except he can't do that in your fantasy formation because there are no full backs in it.

If you were actually making a formation based on Pep confidential, it would be something like this:

Sterling Aguero Aubameyang
Silva KDB
Gundogan
LB - CB - CB - RB


Or a 4231 with Fernandinho/Gundogan.

He would never play 3 at the back, with a 2 man midfield and 5 fucking forwards, it's the complete antithesis of everything Guardiola builds his football around.

A lot of people here are going to look like complete twats in September. He's going to play 433 or 4231, the same formations he's used in 90% of his games as a manager.

By the end of the season, or even 17/18, he will start making things more fluid and changing in-game as he sees fit, when the players have completely mastered his basic ideas (You've read pep confidential so you know this takes until January in his first Bayern season) but the idea he's going to play 3-2-5 from August is laughable.

Right you're either deliberately being a knob or didn't read what I posted. I acknowledged the full backs issue but I didn't include them because ours are shite and I can't see him playing Sagna/Clichy in those roles so I took a guess at the most suitable alternatives without us buying anyone, purely because Fernandinho and Sterling are probably most able to play wing back type roles. If you can advise better personnel for those roles then, that's fine.

However, nowhere in my 'fantasy formation' does it even remotely look anything like 3-2-5. There's 2 forwards and 5 midfielders in there, 3/4 if you count Sterling as a forward. He loves midfielders (direct quote from the book) and he will have as many ball playing midfielders in there as he can.

Regardless of any of the above, we will both be wrong anyway because he will do it his way with the personnel he has, so Pep Confidential will probably be irrelevant. Its reasonable to use it to try and guess, however.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I didn't read his book so I have no idea but if that is the formation I'd play Navas instead of Sterling. And I'd ask him to get the ball in early ... not have to cross from the byline because it only buys the opposition more time to organize themselves and requires 2 out wide - sometimes even 3. Just whip it in early and you only need 1 out there. The rest can be causing trouble in and around the box.

This imo was one of the biggest frustrations of Pellegrini's game plan. We had a Clichy, Sterling and Silva wasting time for a minute or so while the defenders all lined up and blocked any route to the attackers (who were who and far between).

If I see more of this from Pep I'll lose my will to live. (not really but I'm going for dramatics)

You still banging the navas over sterling drum I see...

Navas has fantastic workrate, however, he won't be here as funny enough he doesn't have the technical ability, this notion of an early ball works when you have runners and play a predominantly counter attacking system.... You will see more buses than the stagecoach depot next year, this plays perfectly into a 'technically' gifted team like he is assembling, having navas in that would reflect all his shortcomings... He canny beat a man captain...

Sterling, as many have stated will be a star in this team as he will be encouraged to get at the defender rather than 1/2 touch football..

 

[MCFC1993]

That isn't a denial

Funnily enough thats what I took from it. If its a player you don't want and think a journalist is on a wind up you come out and say theres no chance we'll be signing this player.

Whereas this sounds like 'shit...you found out, but we haven't quite struck up a deal or anything yet, lets just distance ourselves so we don't get ripped off/doesn't blow up in our faces.'

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

You still banging the navas over sterling drum I see...

Navas has fantastic workrate, however, he won't be here as funny enough he doesn't have the technical ability, this notion of an early ball works when you have runners and play a predominantly counter attacking system.... You will see more buses than the stagecoach depot next year, this plays perfectly into a 'technically' gifted team like he is assembling, having navas in that would reflect all his shortcomings... He canny beat a man captain...

Sterling, as many have stated will be a star in this team as he will be encouraged to get at the defender rather than 1/2 touch football..

Will be so happy to see the back of 1/2 touch football......thank you Pep!!!; )

 

[MillionDollarDream]

No, it's most likely from Aubemayang's camp. He's got nothing to lose here, he'll be angling at a new contract offer at Dortmund OR a big money move abroad. Right now City are a better proposition for him the Real for numerous reasons and I don't think Real will start a bidding war with a club who's owner has just invested hundreds of millions into their club in the form of sponsorship (hence why the Aguero to Madrid rumors stopped last summer).

Dortmund wouldn't leak this, they need fans onside and this won't help (After other players leaving recently).

Don't think he's angling for another contract when he just signed one just last season till 2021 and he doesn't have a release clause like a Laporte. Most likely he's seen our project vs the rebuild at Dortmund + the Pep factor and is angling for a move to us.

I also wouldn't read to munch into the romance about him wanting to play for Madrid bc of a family promise. Remember Dybala said he would swim to Barca to play for them and he plays as us on FIFA? He quickly only wanted to stay in Italy and signed for Juve and started stacking his house with Juve memorabilia.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Clcihy, sagna, dinho and silva perhaps?

Gundogan is the anchor, clichy will be replaced, kompany and silva will be used sparingly..... The team will all be about pace and attacking walls of defences.

 

[Jazzman]

You still banging the navas over sterling drum I see...

Navas has fantastic workrate, however, he won't be here as funny enough he doesn't have the technical ability, this notion of an early ball works when you have runners and play a predominantly counter attacking system.... You will see more buses than the stagecoach depot next year, this plays perfectly into a 'technically' gifted team like he is assembling, having navas in that would reflect all his shortcomings... He canny beat a man captain...

Sterling, as many have stated will be a star in this team as he will be encouraged to get at the defender rather than 1/2 touch football..

Do you think that Aubameyang's arrival means the end of Navas?

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I love that a pivot has now become a pivote.

Anyway, I can see Navas staying as a squad player and him, Sterling and Aubameyang would be the quickest front three I've ever seen. Not suggesting that as a first choice by any means.

 

[Sergio Picasso Aguero]

Christ almighty, I hope not... It's also nothing like how his teams set up and players are in the wrong position, some won't be starting....

Guess we'll have to wait and see. Would like 2 new full backs to replace Sagna and Clichy but we are rarely linked with any.