sh*t style of football

[Marvin]

Re: shit style of football

It's not the attacking aspects of our play that were a problem. Remember City at Spurs last season?

Our problem under Hughes (the man in charge when we went to Spurs) was our inability to defend as a team. Our problem under Mancini (the man in charge when Spurs came to us) was an inability to attack as a team.

Because Hughes assembled a midfield full of defensive midfielders - and we've signed fullbacks who can overlap and midfielders who are mobile. Mancini has recognised the weaknesses last season, and dealt with them

But we still have to gel them together

 

[robbieh]

Re: shit style of football

I agree Billy and while it might take a bit of time to gel if we don't do well with this squad then questions re Roberto will have to be asked.

We've not got long to wait now Robbie. Hell, Spurs will be a massive indication of our progress. We played them second to last game of last season and they comfortably beat us. Lets see just how much we've improved as an attacking side...

Over the years I actually think our problems have been woeful defending and I am not just talking under Mark Hughes. Apart from the Pearce years where we defended well to the detriment of anything else, most notably scoring, we have actually played reasonably entertaining football. However our defending has always been poor. The only decent central defensive partnership I can remember in the last 15 years has been Dunne and Distin. While the fullback positions have never been strong.

When you look at the sides that have dominated over the same period. Ashley Cole, Ferdinand, Evra, Adams, Keown, Terry, Carvalho, fuck even Neville, Carragher, Hypia, Vidic and so on.

In other words all good teams have the defence sorted first. Last year Mancini rightly in my opinion relised our defenders were not able to defend without two defensive midfielders protecting them.

Let's see what happens.

 

[gio's side step]

Re: shit style of football

We've not got long to wait now Robbie. Hell, Spurs will be a massive indication of our progress. We played them second to last game of last season and they comfortably beat us. Lets see just how much we've improved as an attacking side...

Over the years I actually think our problems have been woeful defending and I am not just talking under Mark Hughes. Apart from the Pearce years where we defended well to the detriment of anything else, most notably scoring, we have actually played reasonably entertaining football. However our defending has always been poor. The only decent central defensive partnership I can remember in the last 15 years has been Dunne and Distin. While the fullback positions have never been strong.

When you look at the sides that have dominated over the same period. Ashley Cole, Ferdinand, Evra, Adams, Keown, Terry, Carvalho, fuck even Neville, Carragher, Hypia, Vidic and so on.

In other words all good teams have the defence sorted first. Last year Mancini rightly in my opinion relised our defenders were not able to defend without two defensive midfielders protecting them.

Let's see what happens.

Completely agree with this. Tell me when we last had a good left back? Not for over 20 years. And the best centre half we had was a young Van Buyton. Defence usually wins the title.

 

[Hartford]

Re: shit style of football

The problem with last night is that Inter rested cesar lucio samuel sneijder
stanovic etto milito maicon and balotelli and still played us off the park....

 

[Blue Punter]

Re: shit style of football

It does seem that Mancini's style of play requires two very good fullbacks, something City have not had for decades. In fact they have often been the worst players in our teams.

So we were always going to struggle playing his way with a) poor fullbacks and b) immobile/unenergetic midfielders.

With Yaya now installed in midfield and possibly Milner that's b) sorted.

Hopefully Boateng and Kolarov will be improvements on Zabaleta/Richards and Bridge/Garrido. I suspect they will.

Totally agree. At Inter, he played Maicon & Zanetti, both progressive, quality players who are comfortable on the ball.

Bridge is too one footed and distribution is woeful. Not a great defender either.
Richards doesn't get forward enough, lacks concentration and positional sense is poor.

The signings of Boateng & Kolarov will improve this area greatly.
I really think Milner would be a key signing for us in Mancini's system. Someone with energy who can play anywhere across the midfield.

 

[Shooter 83]

Re: shit style of football

The problem with last night is that Inter rested cesar lucio samuel sneijder
stanovic etto milito maicon and balotelli and still played us off the park....

10 men

And no Boateng,Kolarov,Silva,Tevez,Bellamy,Robinho,Ireland,Swp,Lescott.

Whats your point?

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

Re: shit style of football

The problem with last night is that Inter rested cesar lucio samuel sneijder
stanovic etto milito maicon and balotelli and still played us off the park....

10 men

And no Boateng,Kolarov,Silva,Tevez,Bellamy,Robinho,Ireland,Swp,Lescott.

Whats your point?

SWP and Lescott both played... and do you honestly think Ireland would of made much difference with the form he has been in lately?



In fact, fucking Lescott scored the OG.

 

[Shooter 83]

Re: shit style of football

10 men

And no Boateng,Kolarov,Silva,Tevez,Bellamy,Robinho,Ireland,Swp,Lescott.

Whats your point?

SWP and Lescott both played... and do you honestly think Ireland would of made much difference with the form he has been in lately?



In fact, fucking Lescott scored the OG.

He's naming their sub's, so I thought i'd name our's.

Yeah I do, give the lad some game's in the hole and and he'll get his confidence back. No good giving him one game every now and then thier.

3dm just no link up at all.

 

[roylefamily]

Re: shit style of football

Generrally pre season friendlies mean nothing , they are used by the manager and his coaching staff to find out who's fit and in form , what partnerships may work well together and to find out if new signings are looking like they can contribute when the season starts .. and you always throw a few " weaker teams " in opposition to boost a bit of confidence ...... so overall it's not looing very good is it ?

 

[pee dubya]

Re: shit style of football

with all due respect mate this was our 5th preseason game and you would expect some improvement. We didn't a clue out there tonight and looked so disjointed. Can't wait for tevezto come back so we can see some urgency in our play.

Apologies, i really shouldn't log on drunk in the early hours.

Anyway, i still think that there is a whole load of negativity over nothing particularly important here. We've been playing with 3 fairly defensive midfielders, then 3 forward thinking players, the problem is that Tevez, Silva and hopefully Balotelli are the link players, they join the midfield and attack together. Without them the team seems pretty rigid and one dimensional.

I'm not bothered, different line-ups and formations have been tried out, fringe players are playing, the disjointed nature of our play will probably reflect the fact that there's been no real continuity in the team that has been playing.

Fitness and information gathering is what it's been about. As the first team players that have been missing come back in over the next few matches hopefully things will take shape a bit better. Not much point spending time gelling a team together that isn't going to play anyway.