Silva injured now?

[toffee balls]

He plays with 2 up top

as mentioned by Aguero this morning and here :-
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qDfThaxmTU[/youtube]

 

[Anonymous]

Do you think he is (or was) possibly feeling the pressure of having two in-form strikers and arguably our most talented (and incidentally most marketable) player in Aguero to choose from, and didn’t want to leave two of them out? Dzeko had a great pre-season and given his “confidence issues” it would have been ill-advised not to have started him against Newcastle and Cardiff. It’s tough to leave Aguero out at any time if he’s fit as he’s a match winner and Negredo has performed well every time he’s come on. So he either played two up top or played Aguero wide, which he may think will reduce his influence. Personally I think he could do very well in a wide left forward position, provided it was a 4-3-3 and he was a forward, not a winger. He’s more likely to get involved in build up play being slightly deeper and can cut inside and shoot on his right foot; I think his long-range shooting is excellent and should be utilised better, and although you’d lose his pace in behind the centre backs, most teams play against us with no space behind the centre backs anyway.

Pellegrini has used 4222 a lot during his time in Europe so I don't necessarily think it was about being forced into choosing two forwards for anything other than footballing reasons. However my personal opinion going back to last season, is that our squad lends itself to playing a more progressive 433 as you've lined us up above. I take your point about Aguero playing from left but I've feeling that Pellegrini is going to stick to using him as a striker. For me right now the logical set up without two strikers is with Navas right, Jovetic left, and Silva/Nasri in the middle behind Kun. It removes the option to play more directly, but it gives us balance and a direct threat from both wings which we have lacked for a long time now.

For the moment I don't see Pellegrini changing from the 4222 simply because I think he'll want the players to learn their jobs in that system before he gives them another one to learn. Lots is being made about our inability to press high up the field because of Yaya and Fernandinho leaving the centre halves too exposed. For me it's a mistake to look at the team like this. I suppose it comes down to the innate fear that our success under Mancini was built from an incredibly parsimonious defence. I don't think that's what Pellegrini is aiming for. Rather dominating games from the front, allowing the opposition very little time on the ball thus restricting what they can do with it.

It will take a little time to bed in properly, but in the long run it'll be worth it.

 

[kenzie115]

Do you think he is (or was) possibly feeling the pressure of having two in-form strikers and arguably our most talented (and incidentally most marketable) player in Aguero to choose from, and didn’t want to leave two of them out? Dzeko had a great pre-season and given his “confidence issues” it would have been ill-advised not to have started him against Newcastle and Cardiff. It’s tough to leave Aguero out at any time if he’s fit as he’s a match winner and Negredo has performed well every time he’s come on. So he either played two up top or played Aguero wide, which he may think will reduce his influence. Personally I think he could do very well in a wide left forward position, provided it was a 4-3-3 and he was a forward, not a winger. He’s more likely to get involved in build up play being slightly deeper and can cut inside and shoot on his right foot; I think his long-range shooting is excellent and should be utilised better, and although you’d lose his pace in behind the centre backs, most teams play against us with no space behind the centre backs anyway.

Pellegrini has used 4222 a lot during his time in Europe so I don't necessarily think it was about being forced into choosing two forwards for anything other than footballing reasons. However my personal opinion going back to last season, is that our squad lends itself to playing a more progressive 433 as you've lined us up above. I take your point about Aguero playing from left but I've feeling that Pellegrini is going to stick to using him as a striker. For me right now the logical set up without two strikers is with Navas right, Jovetic left, and Silva/Nasri in the middle behind Kun. It removes the option to play more directly, but it gives us balance and a direct threat from both wings which we have lacked for a long time now.

For the moment I don't see Pellegrini changing from the 4222 simply because I think he'll want the players to learn their jobs in that system before he gives them another one to learn. Lots is being made about our inability to press high up the field because of Yaya and Fernandinho leaving the centre halves too exposed. For me it's a mistake to look at the team like this. I suppose it comes down to the innate fear that our success under Mancini was built from an incredibly parsimonious defence. I don't think that's what Pellegrini is aiming for. Rather dominating games from the front, allowing the opposition very little time on the ball thus restricting what they can do with it.

It will take a little time to bed in properly, but in the long run it'll be worth it.

So do you think he'll go for 4-2-2-2 all the time, regardless of opposition? It's just looking across Europe at the sides who were succesful last year and they all seem to play with one striker, at least in the big games, in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with the exception of United.

I thought we struggled to keep possession against Hull's three man midfield last week, particularly in the first half, so can't see us fairing any better against a top side's midfield if they also outnumber us.

 

[Anonymous]

So do you think he'll go for 4-2-2-2 all the time, regardless of opposition? It's just looking across Europe at the sides who were succesful last year and they all seem to play with one striker, at least in the big games, in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with the exception of United.

I thought we struggled to keep possession against Hull's three man midfield last week, particularly in the first half, so can't see us fairing any better against a top side's midfield if they also outnumber us.

I think he'll use it more in the league than in the CL - certainly against perceived lesser opposition. If I had to guess I think against the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool, he'll match them up in terms of going 4231/433.

In the CL I have a feeling we'll see predominantly a 433 system.

I actually don't think the shape of the team in that sense is as important as the team playing the way he wants. Bottom line with the quality of players at his disposal, whether it's 433 or 4222, if the players do their jobs, we will dominate games, score plenty, and be much more progressive and aggressive than we were last season.

Gotta say, the manner in which the Yaya/Fernandinho axis in centre mid is being underestimated by people really does surprise me. I said earlier, we will win the league because of that partnership and it's capacity to dominate teams and not give them a chance to play.

 

[hgblue]

I'll be very interested to see how Pellegrini sets up against Stoke. I've found him unconvincing so far, but I'm still open minded. Will he bring in Micah at right back for his physicality? What will his central defensive pairing be? Kolarov or Clichy at left back? Will he give Rodwell a chance in centre mid and drop a striker? If so, which striker? Will he sacrifice Navas and bring in Milner? Who comes in for Silva? Will he retain faith with his preferred system or prove to be a bit more flexible? Zonal or man marking at set pieces? All will become clear, but I have a feeling that the next two games will be pivotal in our season, so it's absolutely crucial that he makes the right calls.

 

[kenzie115]

So do you think he'll go for 4-2-2-2 all the time, regardless of opposition? It's just looking across Europe at the sides who were succesful last year and they all seem to play with one striker, at least in the big games, in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with the exception of United.

I thought we struggled to keep possession against Hull's three man midfield last week, particularly in the first half, so can't see us fairing any better against a top side's midfield if they also outnumber us.

I think he'll use it more in the league than in the CL - certainly against perceived lesser opposition. If I had to guess I think against the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool, he'll match them up in terms of going 4231/433.

In the CL I have a feeling we'll see predominantly a 433 system.

I actually don't think the shape of the team in that sense is as important as the team playing the way he wants. Bottom line with the quality of players at his disposal, whether it's 433 or 4222, if the players do their jobs, we will dominate games, score plenty, and be much more progressive and aggressive than we were last season.

Gotta say, the manner in which the Yaya/Fernandinho axis in centre mid is being underestimated by people really does surprise me. I said earlier, we will win the league because of that partnership and it's capacity to dominate teams and not give them a chance to play.

Interesting. Anything I say from here is just speculation but I'm a little worried at the moment about how they'll fare against a high-energy midfield three. Only time will tell.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting. Anything I say from here is just speculation but I'm a little worried at the moment about how they'll fare against a high-energy midfield three. Only time will tell.

It's hard for me to get worried so early in the season when so much of what's going on is transitional. You've got a new manager, key new players, a new way of playing. It lends itself to there being teething problems and it'd be daft to think we'd be the finished article after three games. We'll continue to learn about the team and the manager throughout the first half of the season.

 

[kenzie115]

Interesting. Anything I say from here is just speculation but I'm a little worried at the moment about how they'll fare against a high-energy midfield three. Only time will tell.

It's hard for me to get worried so early in the season when so much of what's going on is transitional. You've got a new manager, key new players, a new way of playing. It lends itself to there being teething problems and it'd be daft to think we'd be the finished article after three games. We'll continue to learn about the team and the manager throughout the first half of the season.

I said a little worried, it's not like it's stopping me sleeping or driving me to drink. I'm more than happy to let Pellegrini do what he thinks is best, he knows a hell of a lot more than me about the game, as do the guys that appointed him and I'll only be properly concerned if I still feel the same in Spring.

 

[NQCitizen]

if he's ready.....was a unused sub for Montenegro at the weekend and missed most of our pre-season. I can't really see him starting. But then I didn't think Aguero would start against Newcastle for much the same reasons, and he did

He's the player that may make us tick. Be interesting to see how Pellegrini will use him. There are several possibilities

I said in the Jovetic thread that if he comes into team, plays on the left and ends up scoring goals alongside Sergio and Dzeko/Negredo he will end up keeping Silva out of the team.

Silva is one of our best players as his build up play at times is sublime, but for me he doesn't score enough goals and his assists are not as regular as they were in the title winning season.

Jovetic is going to be perfect competition for Silva in my opinion.

Silva will play a different role when Jovetic is fit

Fernandinho Yaya
Silva Jovetic
Aguero Negredo

 

[Anonymous]

I said a little worried, it's not like it's stopping me sleeping or driving me to drink.

Which in years gone by with City was the rule rather than the exception :)

Going back to Silva ... I think one of the reasons Jovetic was brought in was to add depth to our creative options. Many see him as an out and out striker, but for me he's much closer to Silva/Nasri in terms of how he best operates, than Aguero/Dzeko. Yeah, in many ways he's the perfect Tevez/Balo replacement because whereas neither of them excelled playing from wide left, for Jovetic that's probably his best position, yet he can drift inside and play killer balls as well as run directly at the full back.

Injuries are something every squad deals with and for me the only player who I'd say losing to long term injury is really problematic, is Vinny. The rest of the squad has enough quality and depth for us to be able to take injuries in our stride and without it manifestly effecting performances or results.