Swansea (H) Pre-Match Thread

[teddykgb]

Toure has been phenomenal and it is no coincidence that we have found an attacking coherence since he has come back. Yes, he's not very agile and people can run around him, but I'm quite surprised at some of what I've been reading on the last few pages. There have been many things wrong with Yaya recently and our reliance on him the past few seasons was a major part of our undoing but he's really performing in this role right now. Pretty much the last thing we need is a destroyer in his role, he's spreading the ball and providing an outlet. It's helping tremendously.

 

[The Black Shed]

Toure has been phenomenal and it is no coincidence that we have found an attacking coherence since he has come back. Yes, he's not very agile and people can run around him, but I'm quite surprised at some of what I've been reading on the last few pages. There have been many things wrong with Yaya recently and our reliance on him the past few seasons was a major part of our undoing but he's really performing in this role right now. Pretty much the last thing we need is a destroyer in his role, he's spreading the ball and providing an outlet. It's helping tremendously.

Good post Ted, Yaya is a massive influence both on the team and the way we play. They adore him and so do we.
He puts on weight and is too slow and sluggish, so is the team.
He is motivated enough to lose weight and improve and play well - so does the team.

 

[Chris in London]

That's what happened a lot at the start of the season, when we won 10 in a row. Our full backs tucked in and provided a screen. With the energy we have up front we can probably cover the flanks, Sterling and Sane have the pace to play a wing back style game.

In my Granddad's day, City, like all teams, played with 2 full backs, a centre half and two wing halves, two wingers, two inside forwards and a centre forward.

It looked something like this:


GK

FB FB

RH CH LH

IR IL

RW CF LW

At times on Wednesday night I thought the formation was something my granddad would recognise:


Willy

JS Ota

BS Yaya Kola

KDB Merlin

Raz Jesus Leroy

Back to the future? Or forward to the past?

 

[NorCalBlue]

Yep, we scored 4 or more goals 17 times in Pellegrinis first season, miles ahead of any Mancini side.

You could argue that was still Mancini's side... :-)

Hart
Zabaleta
Kompany
Lescott
Kolo
Barry
De Jong
Tevez

All disagree.

In a reply to a different poster, I did give some credit to Hughes for signing several of the players in Mancini's successful team. However, and I'm sure you know this and that your reply was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, a team is far more than just the players in it. I think it's fair to say that Mancini got more out of those players listed than Hughes did.

Of course, if you were seriously trying to undermine Mancini's achievements by showing that he only brought in half of his successful squad, then that would really undercut any credit Pellegrini gets for the 2014 title.

 

[Machiavelli]

In a reply to a different poster, I did give some credit to Hughes for signing several of the players in Mancini's successful team. However, and I'm sure you know this and that your reply was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, a team is far more than just the players in it. I think it's fair to say that Mancini got more out of those players listed than Hughes did.

Of course, if you were seriously trying to undermine Mancini's achievements by showing that he only brought in half of his successful squad, then that would really undercut any credit Pellegrini gets for the 2014 title.

I think the moral of the story is there are always a mix of the current manager's signings as well as a few of his predecessors signings. Maybe we should just call all the signings HRH's and have done with it! ;-)

 

[SebastianBlue]

You're both happy to be taking the blame if we drop points then? Sound work lads.

I had no idea obvious sarcasm came with such responsibility.

 

[aguero93:20]

In a reply to a different poster, I did give some credit to Hughes for signing several of the players in Mancini's successful team.

Hughes, Pearce and it's possible Sven had input on Vinny and Zaba.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Toure has been phenomenal and it is no coincidence that we have found an attacking coherence since he has come back. Yes, he's not very agile and people can run around him, but I'm quite surprised at some of what I've been reading on the last few pages. There have been many things wrong with Yaya recently and our reliance on him the past few seasons was a major part of our undoing but he's really performing in this role right now. Pretty much the last thing we need is a destroyer in his role, he's spreading the ball and providing an outlet. It's helping tremendously.

Agreed Teddy. Yaya has been excellent; I was concerned in Wednesday night given Yaya plus 5 attack minded players, but he coped admirably and West Ham never threatened before 3 0

 

[cleavers]

In my Granddad's day, City, like all teams, played with 2 full backs, a centre half and two wing halves, two wingers, two inside forwards and a centre forward.

It looked something like this:


GK

FB FB

RH CH LH

IR IL

RW CF LW

At times on Wednesday night I thought the formation was something my granddad would recognise:


Willy

JS Ota

BS Yaya Kola

KDB Merlin

Raz Jesus Leroy

Back to the future? Or forward to the past?

Its how it looked to me as well, but individually we were more mobile positionally, the front 3 moved into all positions, the midfield 2 swapped, Yaya dropped between the 2 CB.s, and the 2 FB's (your RH and LH) tucked in when he did that, it looked a solid formation, if this is how Pep is going to have us playing its going to be very exciting.

 

[Peggy's a blue]

I think we will win, but it will not be easy, this new manager has had a positive impact, they won at dippers, when was the last time we did that? So, we should not take them for granted.
However, if we can get to the level of performance against Hammers, we should win convincingly here's hoping for a good win :-)