United (A) - Sat 14th Jan, 12:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[Withnail]

Crunch time, time to play our strongest 11, no square pegs please Pep. The Rags are in decent form, but if (big if) we play like we did in the 1st half against them at our place we will win.

 

[wolviedinho]

All depends if the players are still on a mental sabbatical or not. Tactics and formations won’t mean shite as most of them have gone mentally and this is why we look like shit.

The players that have checked out have served us well and deserve time to sort it out. I go back to what pep was saying weeks ago. Play only those players who are chomping at the bit and in the right headspace.

I expect Jack and Mahrez to start. Gundo, Kev and Rodri in midfielder Stones, Rico at the back.

Those players who are suffering need to be left at home. How long this rut continues will be up to them.

 

[supercity88]

Ridiculous tactics could mean anything under Pep. He's been doing it quite a bit this season, so perhaps we'll see something "ridiculous" like Stones and Laporte at CB with Walker at RB and Ake LB. Maybe we'll see Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne in the middle of the park and something crazy like Grealish, Foden and Haaland up top!

 

[John Wayne]

Ridiculous tactics could mean anything under Pep. He's been doing it quite a bit this season, so perhaps we'll see something "ridiculous" like Stones and Laporte at CB with Walker at RB and Ake LB. Maybe we'll see Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne in the middle of the park and something crazy like Grealish, Foden and Haaland up top!

Nah, it'll never catch on ;)

 

[wolviedinho]

Ridiculous tactics could mean anything under Pep. He's been doing it quite a bit this season, so perhaps we'll see something "ridiculous" like Stones and Laporte at CB with Walker at RB and Ake LB. Maybe we'll see Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne in the middle of the park and something crazy like Grealish, Foden and Haaland up top!

It’s not Pep. He has been over tweaking to try and get results when half of his squad have downed tools. No matter how we set up. Most can’t seem to pass the ball, no one is pressing like before and they are not doing the hard yards to succeed. They sooner we accept the players have mentally checked out the better as all this focus on tactics and instructions or whether we are better with Haaland or not is redundant.

 

[SWP's back]

The second one was Cancelo's.

Yeah I’ve been told a few times by now. Apologies.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Ridiculous tactics could mean anything under Pep. He's been doing it quite a bit this season, so perhaps we'll see something "ridiculous" like Stones and Laporte at CB with Walker at RB and Ake LB. Maybe we'll see Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne in the middle of the park and something crazy like Grealish, Foden and Haaland up top!

Bonkers!

 

[theres only one carlito]

Could he actually go five at the back?

Is this the surprise?

Counter them, like umpteen teams do to us?












OF COURSE NOT!

INVERTED FULLBACKS UNITE!

 

[chickaroon]

Ake probably will start. I really rate him as a CB and I'm pleased for him that he's now getting more game time at City. But LB is in my opinion, still our biggest problem area.

Whilst Ake provides more defensive stability in that position than his teammates are offering currently, going forward is where the problems occur.

Given Ake isn't a naturally attack-minded left back it means that Grealish or Foden are the sole attacking threat from that side. We dominate possession in nearly every game and we've become extremely predictable on this side. It's easy for a team to organise themselves when they know our full back will give the ball to the wide players every time. Ake also doesn't have the same passing range as other fullbacks and is less likely to switch play, which makes the overloads we play for, less effective.

Unfortunately Cancelo's form has fallen off a cliff and Pep doesn't seem to trust him at Left Back for the time being. It's understandable, but it limits us going forward and given how devastating we were from that side last season, its frustrating to see what's happening currently as its not bringing the best out of anyone. I've no idea what the answer is, but hopefully Pep can get the balance right soon and get us back to our lethal best.

Can Lewis play LB?

 

[Cricket Blue]

Ridiculous tactics could mean anything under Pep. He's been doing it quite a bit this season, so perhaps we'll see something "ridiculous" like Stones and Laporte at CB with Walker at RB and Ake LB. Maybe we'll see Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne in the middle of the park and something crazy like Grealish, Foden and Haaland up top!

Ederson up front!