Tactics for next year and the sacrifice of David Silva

[Bob Hope]

The one thing all the top teams have that we don't is pace.

 

[franksinatra]

One of the main reasons we have fallen behind in the race for the championship is our inability to score resulting in defeats to the like of Everton, Sunderland and draws at places like QPR, West Ham, and Chelsea.

Consistently these teams have defended deep, with the lack of width in the side resulting in continual failed attempts to play through the middle of these sides particularly away from home rather than the wide open spaces of Eastland’s.

By playing Silva and two strikers we seem straight jacketed in the way we play as he will never be the type of player to hog the touchline, continually moving inside resulting in even less spaces in central areas and even less width in the side.

Arsenal and Chelsea generally operate with one striker a player of David Silva's ilk in the space behind and the width operated by the Hazards and Walcott’s of this world. My concern is if we employed this formation Silva would not contribute the goals of a Mata or Cazorla and so the problem of failing to score would be exacerbated.

Therefore my question would be should we gamble in the transfer window on losing a fantastic player like David Silva next year, whose form has admittedly dipped over the past year and recoup a decent fee enabling us to buy one or two top class player and play two wingers to provide the width, operate one striker with David Silva in the space behind or purchase one winger and lose a Nasri or Milner?

The context of the thread is not to criticise David Silva but to debate the way we play as it seems consistently we struggle to score away from home and the tactics and personnel seem a large part of this.

The main reason is that Van Persie is lethal and has scored goals to secure three points in games that our strikers haven't. They also have the threat of Rooney, the pace of Nani, Young plus that little mexican and Wellbeck who are happy to sit and come in when required. They have more options going forward and that is what wins games and gets three points. We have the better defence as the the stats and clean sheets will prove.

Dzeko is not good enough, Aguero has had a stop / start season with injury and Tevez has only just got going two thirds into the season. Ballotelli never turned up all season and neither has Nasri. Our main player Yaya having two months away to play in a shite competition and our captain and leader being injured for long periods are the main reasons.

I would agree with most of that a lot of our players have not reproduced like last year but also as you point out they have the likes of Nani, Valencia, Young of offer width to the side. We do not have that. United always look a threat even when they lose they are bombarding the opposition with crosses. We are a different animal at the moment and part of that has to be due to the lack of width in the side. Even at Villa we looked toothless for long periods with the tactics not working.

 

[decmancity]

What I can't understand is that when we go flying out of the blocks we grab a goal and we coast it from there.

We seem to do it against some teams and not others, so it isn't because we can't it is the tactical judgement that is being made before the game by Mancini.

It works against every team as well. Started quick, cored and won? v Norwich, Arsenal and Newcastle. That is just off the top of my head.

 

[remember arthur mann]

WE need a supplement, or complement to David Silva. He's one of two who is charged or can deliver any creativity. Yaya is the other.

Manure don't have a midfield, they go route one and bombard the net. Like the old asthmatic over at the swamp said, ` it's all well and good playing pretty football but it's all about results'!<br /><br />-- Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:29 pm --<br /><br />

WE need a supplement, or complement to David Silva. He's one of two who is charged or can deliver any creativity. Yaya is the other.

Manure don't have a midfield, they go route one and bombard the net. Like the old asthmatic over at the swamp said, ` it's all well and good playing pretty football but it's all about results'!

 

[kismet]

A very good question from the OP. It's something that we have to seriously consider.

The problem is that we just cannot score enough goals for whatever reason.

I guess I would like to keep Silva but we need to make him more effective as this season the opposition seem to have nullified him.

 

[Sabster]

Might as well sack Mancini as well, get Joe Royle in and go back to being shite, there is a recurring theme with teams that play the 'winger' mentality.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG, Juventus, Napoli, Malaga, Athletico, Milan all manage without wingers.

Incorrect and totally missed the point, or more likely not even read the original post. The point with all those teams and with modern tactics in general, is that teams don't play 4-4-2 with wingers that often anymore, they play a 4-3-3/4-5-1 with fast technical players who can play wide or inside. There is more fluidity to the formation.

Chelsea - erm, what about Hazard/Oscar?
Real madrid - Erm, Ronaldo, Di Maria
Napoli - Insigne/Pandev
PSG - Lavezzi/Pastore

Seriously, you need to read before you post.

You are a complete idiot.

Ronaldo is not a winger

Patore and Oscar play identical roles to Silva

Hazard plays inside almost as much as the others

This obcession with PACE needs to stop...

 

[Dethred]

I'd consider Silva to be the best midfielder we've ever had.

This thread embodies "typical city". Let's definitely fuck off the best midfield player we've ever had.

I'd suggest laying off the acid.

 

[Sabster]

The one thing all the top teams have that we don't is pace.

The best team ever Barcelona have just as much pace as we do if not less...

This point is ridiculous......

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

No. The problem is we have 2 brilliant midfielders in Silva and Yaya and if 1 or more is missing we're fucked. No one else to step up to the plate.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

I'd consider Silva to be the best midfielder we've ever had.

This thread embodies "typical city". Let's definitely fuck off the best midfield player we've ever had.

I'd suggest laying off the acid.

its fucking stupid.