Maybe but nothing short of winning the cup compensates for finishing 5th.
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Southampton post match thread
- Thread starter taleofbluehalves
- Start date
Maybe but nothing short of winning the cup compensates for finishing 5th.
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
Look, my opinion on Pellegrini is very close to yours, but I reckon that yesterday he decided to take a gamble on losing a game in order to maximise our chances of winning a much more important game. United drawing means the loss hasn't hurt us too much and I've watched other managers like Ferguson do exactly the same thing over the years and get hailed as geniuses. As fans, we tend to focus on the little picture, a shit performance and poor result, whereas the professionals at the club are focused on the big picture. If we get past Madrid and you're buying your ticket for the Champs League final, say it again the Champs League final, will you still be thinking back to Southampton away and fuming about the team selection? I think not. Most of those railing against the manager will be celebrating beating Madrid and hardly any will be re-visiting this thread and accepting that resting players had contributed to the result.
But why can't we rest players & try to play in a way which perhaps protects our weaknesses & nicks a goal ?
Why do we have to set up like Brazil 1970 but with Kolarov Delph & Bony ? Why not set up like Arsenal under George Graham instead or even Leicester under Ranieri & win 1-0 ?
stonerblue
Well-Known Member
mosssideblue
Well-Known Member
At the expense of risking CL qualification, which would be essential for player recruitment, further progress in Europe, as well as growth of revenue and fanbase? Is it really prudent of the club to put their sole focus in the CL, where our chance of winning is rather slim, even if we can get to the final? If we had won yesterday, we would only need 2 points in the next 2 matches for qualification. Now winning against Arsenal (which is not a guarantee) becomes much more important.
On paper yesterday's team should be able to win or draw. Midfield seemed rather solid with Delph and Dinho despite the formation. It didn't work in reality. Some shifted their focus to Wednesday, some were in a rather poor form, and some looked like they didn't want to be on the pitch. Those who are unmotivated, e.g. Kolarov (utterly unprofessional performance), must take the major blame, but Pellers was at fault too. I think he knew that there was a decent chance we would lose with yesterday's personnel. It is obvious why the two full backs were second-choice. And Delph, in his desperation to impress and earn a place on Wednesday, forgot he should not try fancy stuff if he couldn't manage the basics. Sterling was either short of confidence or fitness, or both. He obviously knew that, or else he wouldn't play Kelechi last Tuesday in place of those two. And he did admit he was taking a risk in the post-match conference.
So I think that although Pellegrini wanted to win the game, he would't mind if we lost either. He took the gamble and pinned his hopes in winning against Arsenal, though I don't know where his confidence came from.
I understand the need to rest some players, e.g. Kun, but the full-backs? Would the result have been different if we had played Clichy instead of Kolarov, who was at fault for what, two or three of the goals? The possibilities continue to haunt me and I had to vent my frustratoin a bit. So much for happy revision in knowing that we would be able to finish top 3.
I would share your sentiments, but we have reached the second leg of the SF without an away goal hampering us. Maybe, had we been 2 or 3 nil down after the first leg, the club may have thought differently.
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
I said a while back that the kid would have his day this season, exploding into the wider publics consciousness with a match winning performance that can't be ignored. Maybe Wednesday could be that day.
It would be fantastic but I'd be worried about the midfield if we pick that lineup Wed tbh.
But he has shown that the more minutes he gets, the better he gets, & it doesn't mean he has to start every game, just get on the pitch more. Next season should be interesting.
Unfortunately though we may well lose in Madrid - which is no great shame given their results at home - and finish in a place where we have to play the extra qualifier next season. I for one would not be hailing Pellegrini a genius - I would have had more respect if he'd have played just a couple of youth players yesterday. What he did at Chelsea where he literally hung them out to dry, as the three so called experienced players were the ones who let us down, was appalling management and a decision that says "F*** it I'm off at the end of the season, so I don't really care about the future of youth at City."Look, my opinion on Pellegrini is very close to yours, but I reckon that yesterday he decided to take a gamble on losing a game in order to maximise our chances of winning a much more important game. United drawing means the loss hasn't hurt us too much and I've watched other managers like Ferguson do exactly the same thing over the years and get hailed as geniuses. As fans, we tend to focus on the little picture, a shit performance and poor result, whereas the professionals at the club are focused on the big picture. If we get past Madrid and you're buying your ticket for the Champs League final, say it again the Champs League final, will you still be thinking back to Southampton away and fuming about the team selection? I think not. Most of those railing against the manager will be celebrating beating Madrid and hardly any will be re-visiting this thread and accepting that resting players had contributed to the result.
This I do agree with, but to be honest, I can't even be arsed banging on about Pellegrini's shortcomings any more. He's gone at the end of the season anyway, so whether I would be more pragmatic in games like yesterday seems a bit of a pointless debate now.But why can't we rest players & try to play in a way which perhaps protects our weaknesses & nicks a goal ?
Why do we have to set up like Brazil 1970 but with Kolarov Delph & Bony ? Why not set up like Arsenal under George Graham instead or even Leicester under Ranieri & win 1-0 ?
abu13
Well-Known Member
After sleeping on it and having time to reflect on yesterdays performance I have come to the conclusion that it was still fucking shite.
Gray
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Lets say we do make it past Madrid, that will mean the Arsenal and Swansea games will go the same way as the Southampton one and therefore no top four place.
So to qualify for the CL next season we will have to win the bloody thing, could happen but I for one am not optimistic.
We would have a fighting chance against Bayern as defensively they are weak but Athletico would be frankly worrying as they work their bloody socks off something we are incapable of.
So to qualify for the CL next season we will have to win the bloody thing, could happen but I for one am not optimistic.
We would have a fighting chance against Bayern as defensively they are weak but Athletico would be frankly worrying as they work their bloody socks off something we are incapable of.
stonerblue
Well-Known Member
It would be fantastic but I'd be worried about the midfield if we pick that lineup Wed tbh.
But he has shown that the more minutes he gets, the better he gets, & it doesn't mean he has to start every game, just get on the pitch more. Next season should be interesting.
final 20 minutes, comes on and bangs 2 in to earn us a draw...