Stoke Vs City Post Match Discussion Thread

[lancs blue]

With Vinny and David back we will be a different team against the rags...

I'd be more relaxed about that if it wasn't that Silva is seemingly only 50-50 for the derby and Vinny has to get through 90 mins on Tuesday first!

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

I think all that can be said about today is that as we know away at Stoke for us is always tough. We have never beaten them away in the Premier League, and we probably never will. At least we have come through this game not playing well by any means with a point and a clean sheet.

I just hope Garcia and Kolerov don't play to many more games they were both absolute gash. But a good point at the end of the day, another game gone with Kompany injured boy we need Vinnie back asap. That point today may end up being significant come the end of the season.

 

[mancity1]

"I think we played well, we want to make more chances to score but they are tough opposition and if we played like we played today in the Cardiff game we would have won," he ( Pellegrini) declared."

Sorry, but after hearing that I just think we have an idiot in the hot seat.

Did he really say he thought we played well?

In terms of the defensive mistakes / shambolic defending from both set pieces and the gift that Hart and Co gave for Cardiff's first he is probably right but in reality it totally irrelevant and it was something he shouldn't have said.

 

[mike channon´s windmill]

I hope he's saying that to butter the media and doesn't actually believe that.

Yeah, heard that interview on the way home and it was a genuine WTF? moment, we've got problems if he really believes that.

Agree it was like the Cardiff post match interview! Might be we just use to Mancini telling us like it is no bullshit..

Keep the bollockings behind closed doors - surely we´ve learned that lesson - I just hope that´s his reasoning behind those comments

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

We saw many dismal, turgid away performances under Bob as well lets not forget.

But we also saw trophies,silverware something which right now albeit 4 games in seems a long long time ago.
Got home anout 40 mins ago and the only positive today was Garcia who I thought was ok.

Nasri,Milner,Kolarov just not players we need for where we want to be at.

 

[B\connellblue]

No way should Chelseas defeat deflect away from Citys performance today. The only thing that concerns me is how city play or don't play as the case maybe. 4 games in and already the all to familiar " I thought we played well" shit has started. Now if the count thought we played well today this is sure going to be one boring season.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Chelsea lost that game but apparently were all over them creating chances left right and centre...
Today we created absolutely nothing..Very very very concerning.

 

[simon23]

The thing I've noticed about top class managers is that when they join a new club, they don't go out all guns blazing from the start, they seem to spend the first few months working on the defensive side of the game and things like team shape. Then after a while, they let the players off the leash a bit and the team starts to play better and better football. My memory of Mark Hughes' early days was really exciting, attacking football, whereas I remember Mancini being a bit more cautious (maybe I'm misremembering though). The result was that Mark Hughes' defence was a shambles and never improved, whereas Mancini could start to play attractive football once everyone had been fully drilled in their basic defensive and positional responsibilities. I seem to remember Sven being the same, as well as Mourinho in his first stint as Chelsea manager. In other words, if we're still playing dull football in ten games time, then I'll start to worry.

while you are exactly right in what you say there is one slight issue with it....................

we already had the best defense in the league (2 yrs running) and we now look decidely shakey at the back (and this is only in part because of VK missing.......the rest is down to what is happening infront of the back 4 and that is where we are a bit of a shambles at the moment

To be fair, I think we looked pretty shakey at times last year too. In our title winning season, the defence was good, but last season, I'd argue we were the best in a league of shit defences. But obviously, it's about getting things right to play the possession football that he wants to play, so Mancini's defensive tactics might not be suited to that, even if they're perfectly good in the system he played.

i think you can mix the two systems together......mancinis rogansied defense with pellers pressing

gk and back four as normal

one or two holding players screening (that has to be either rodwell, ferd or both noone else is suited to it -except Barry!!!!

then 5 attack minded players who press.......silva can do it agero or negrado up top can yaya can to a limited extent but once someone goes past him he struggles to recover which is why you have the holding player sitting infront of the back 4 to stop holes appeaaring when that does happen...even navas can press...jovetic has shown he has a physical presence


so it would look something like this

-------------hart---------------

----RFB -------CH---------CH-----------LFB----------

-----holding player (Rodwell or ferd or both depending on the opposition)

4-5 attacking players depending on attacking players and options (however with our squad at present silva and yaya aer our best two so that only leaves two - three other players but it is these players that do the pressing ...whereas at present everyone is and its causing gaps infront of the back 4 and players like zabba, lescott to get caught out of position

 

[Marvin]

No way should Chelseas defeat deflect away from Citys performance today. The only thing that concerns me is how city play or don't play as the case maybe. 4 games in and already the all to familiar " I thought we played well" shit has started. Now if the count thought we played well today this is sure going to be one boring season.

We didn't play well - who's saying we did

My grumble with the critics is they entirely miss the context? i.e The entire first choice defence out at a tough away ground

Chelsea's loss is relevant as it shows that playing away with a weakness means you will more than likely get punished. Thanks to Joe we got out with a point

And where are the idiots who slammed Hart at Cardiff, when he had a good game today?

I'm not happy with what I have seen from Pellegrini, but I'll criticise him when I think he's responsible. Today I don't think you can look beyond the circumstances of playing without so many key players

 

[cibaman]

I think all that can be said about today is that as we know away at Stoke for us is always tough. We have never beaten them away in the Premier League, and we probably never will. At least we have come through this game not playing well by any means with a point and a clean sheet.

I just hope Garcia and Kolerov don't play to many more games they were both absolute gash. But a good point at the end of the day, another game gone with Kompany injured boy we need Vinnie back asap. That point today may end up being significant come the end of the season.

I thought Stoke were poor. Hughes has stopped them playing long ball stuff but they haven't got the quality to do much else. They were nothing like as intimidating today as in previous games. They''ll lose more home games than they win this season.

Fortunately neither of the other two pre season favourites are playing well. New managers and/or new players settling in?