mosssideblue said:
If your saying we have underachieved this season as a result of the new signings, then that is frankly, bollocks. The real poor performances have come from the players that Pellers inherited.
Not sure how people don't see it. We stood still transfer wise in 2012, we were awful the following season. Did the same in 2014. Again awful. I'm not saying I think Pellegrini is better or worse than those we're seeking to replace him with but...
If Pellegrini had the squad Ancelotti has and didn't win the league, didn't win a cup and went out to Juventus with frankly awful tactics, then I'm sure people would be screaming for him head.
If Pellegrini had taken Dortmund into mid table having had his tactics badly exposed would he still be the darling Klopp is? Klopp's signing have been nothing short of diabolical.
Finally, Guardiola, his tactics were and are badly exposed frequently. Last year, it was only by the studs on Neuer's boots that they topped the group from us. Pellegrini set his team up perfectly. Otherwise they'd have been playing Barcelona. Neuer's studs couldn't save Pep from a resounding thrashing off Real Madrid. Bayern's lack of pace and physicality to blame. The very same attributes that had them destroy the competition the season before. How did Pep remedy this gaping hole in the middle of the park, Xabi Alonso. The very essence of pace and power.
So people are determindd to see Pellegrini as one dimensional, stuborn and tactically inept. That's fine. But do you not think fans of Bayern, BVB or Madrid are screaming the same?
Pellegrini clearly has his faults, what managers don't? I however have never seen as tactically inept as Pep vs Barcelona this or Madrid last year.
Yes, we've under achieved, Pellgrini has cost us points, player lethargy has cost us points, a very bad injury record has cost us points and our awful an unbalanced squad had cost us points.
People point at 442 being an issue. We have thrown away just as many points playing 451/433.
Arsenal is a game many talk about. Their front 4/5 that day was far better than ours. Their team much better on paper. We were also play 451. Thanks to Txiki we simply haven't got the players to play in any other way. Which players do we have who will grind out a result under pressure? Demichellis, Kompany, Fernandinho perhaps. Zabaleta would do. We have a painfully one dimensional squad, that is not the managers fault.
We don't have the players to sit back and hit good teams on the break. We have too many defensive liabilities for that and no pace to speak of. Like Arsenal or Chelsea.
We don't have the players to push teams, close down with pace and aggression. Like Liverpool last year.
What we have is a very gifted passing side, best suited to playing the opposition third, picking away till we open doors. That is our stregnth. Therefore in my opinion without having a viable alternative due to gross squad restrictions/limitations we need to play that way.
Do people honestly believe that Pellegrini got Villareal or Malage as far as he did simply playing 442 gung ho?
Pellegrini has proved himself to be tactically astute with his previous clubs. He was employed due to his European success relatively speaking. He was a ridiculous off side goal from knocking out Klopps' best ever BVB out with basically a bunch of rejects. That season he sold over €45 million worth of talent and brought in a load of loan and free transfers. Spending nothing. Still reaching the CL quarters milli seconds and an awful decision from the semis.
He's not cool, he doesn't have funny sound bites, wear smart jumpers, but he's as good as those we're being linked with. Give any of the managers we're being linked with our squad, our injuries this season and second would be an achievement.
Let's not forget, he came to a new league, Jose came to an old league where he can do litterally no wrong yet Pellegrini wins it, wins a cup too.
Mourinho adds instant improvements to his squad. Fabregas, Costa and Europe's best or second best keeper. We add fucking Fernando, Sagna and Mangala. Lose Negredo our second top scorer. Our squad got much worse, Chelsea added a 30 goal striker, a World class proven Premier league midfielder with nearly 20 assists. They also added the league's best midfield general the window before. Our team is worse than when Pellegrini took over. Chelsea have added Matic, Fabregas, Courtois and Costa. All 4 start. All vastly improved them. We've added a bunch of dross. I like Fernandinho but Matic or Fabregas he is not. I like Bony but Costa he is not.
We need to sign players better than we have. That's how you improve.
