What's the difference?

[Rammy Blue]

You set up 4-4-2 again.

You go out to win.

Please tell me why football doesn't work like that.

Absofuckinglutely.

It will be of real interest to see which way we set up against the dippers as you can pretty much guarantee it will indicate which we are setting up at Wembley.

I really hope that it is "same again lads", I really do.

 

[ST Coleridge]

You set up 4-4-2 again.

You go out to win.

Please tell me why football doesn't work like that.

There are some odd dynamics around this forum today, really odd, a strange form of desperation with an undercurrent of nastiness. I think I can guess why too.

Then Mansour should just pick the team then, and save himself a few million quid per annum.

As to the undercurrent of nastiness today - yes, I agree. It was strangely missing for a few days, since our resounding 5-0 win, but it appears to have returned. Where's your mate Billy, though? ;)

 

[Damocles]

So if you wouldn't play Boyata at right back, and would want Zabaleta to play on the left flank in front of Kolarov.. who plays right back?

Or are you suggesting three at the back?

No, I mentioned that we could put Zab there if we were going extra cautious as he's a better fit to defend against Kuyt. If this did happen, I'd expect Milner to fill in at right back. He's got the athleticism and vision to keep up with Saurez and I trust him more at RB than Boyata.

I love Boyata and think that he's one hell of a defender, but I don't like him at RB as he gets pulled around like a puppet; that is, he gets sucked in too easily which leaves gaps behind him. He's an awesome centre back, and I wouldn't mind seeing a back four of:

Zab---Kompany---Boyata---Lescott

I'm just trying to avoid Kuyt vs Kolarov, which is a mismatch and a battle that I struggle to see us winning. I'm not sure Kolarov is disciplined enough to keep hold of a man like Kuyt for the game. Lescott and Zab would do fine.

Finally, that ABSOLUTE LAST THING that I want to see is a Suarez vs Boyata battle<br /><br />-- Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:57 pm --<br /><br />

You set up 4-4-2 again.

You go out to win.

Please tell me why football doesn't work like that.

Because Liverpool have a far greater technical ability than Sunderland, thus whilst you can wing it a bit against Sunderland, Liverpool will punish you.

I still think that everybody has gotten carried away with the Sunderland game, and the performance wasn't particularly special; was more them been shite than us been fantastic, they made us look good by standing still whilst we passed the ball around

 

[taconinja]

I still think that everybody has gotten carried away with the Sunderland game, and the performance wasn't particularly special; was more them been shite than us been fantastic, they made us look good by standing still whilst we passed the ball around

I agree somewhat, but the psychological impact for our players to go out and be that effective shouldn't be discounted.

 

[blueinsa]

You go out to win.

Nothing else is ever acceptable.

Mancini has set his own benchmark again with the Sunderland performance and a resort to the slow, laborious, cagey and frankly fearful and shit football of late again this season will prove many of us where 100% correct about him.

Same again please Bobby.

 

[taconinja]

You go out to win.

Nothing else is ever acceptable.

Mancini has set his own benchmark again with the Sunderland performance and a resort to the slow, laborious, cagey and frankly fearful and shit football of late again this season will prove many of us where 100% correct about him.

Same again please Bobby.

Honestly? I wouldn't disagree in the slightest... except we're on the road in the next game which makes a difference... but they have significant injuries... bleh.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

So if you wouldn't play Boyata at right back, and would want Zabaleta to play on the left flank in front of Kolarov.. who plays right back?

Or are you suggesting three at the back?

No, I mentioned that we could put Zab there if we were going extra cautious as he's a better fit to defend against Kuyt. If this did happen, I'd expect Milner to fill in at right back. He's got the athleticism and vision to keep up with Saurez and I trust him more at RB than Boyata.

I love Boyata and think that he's one hell of a defender, but I don't like him at RB as he gets pulled around like a puppet; that is, he gets sucked in too easily which leaves gaps behind him. He's an awesome centre back, and I wouldn't mind seeing a back four of:

Zab---Kompany---Boyata---Lescott

I'm just trying to avoid Kuyt vs Kolarov, which is a mismatch and a battle that I struggle to see us winning. I'm not sure Kolarov is disciplined enough to keep hold of a man like Kuyt for the game. Lescott and Zab would do fine.

Finally, that ABSOLUTE LAST THING that I want to see is a Suarez vs Boyata battle

-- Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:57 pm --

You set up 4-4-2 again.

You go out to win.

Please tell me why football doesn't work like that.

Because Liverpool have a far greater technical ability than Sunderland, thus whilst you can wing it a bit against Sunderland, Liverpool will punish you.

I still think that everybody has gotten carried away with the Sunderland game, and the performance wasn't particularly special; was more them been shite than us been fantastic, they made us look good by standing still whilst we passed the ball around

Whilst I agree to a degree about the left back being a weakness, the option of zabaleta there and boyata right back is fine by me. Centre halves as they were . Kolorov looked a touch sharper and won a couple of headers. I did learn something about his lack of pace recently which has given me a shred of hope with him . Definitely not lescott at left back.

And I think you overestimate Liverpool to be honest. We are better in every position than them with the exception of gerrard.

There's nothing to be scared of. We should go there to attack. Not hold on and nick a goal.

Oh and just to go the while hog and disagree with every point( you wouldn't expect any different ;-) I thought we were top class against Sunderland, best home performance of the season

 

[taconinja]

Whilst I agree to a degree about the left back being a weakness, the option of zabaleta there and boyata right back is fine by me. Centre halves as they were . Kolorov looked a touch sharper and won a couple of headers. I did learn something about his lack of pace recently which has given me a shred of hope with him . Definitely not lescott at left back.

And I think you overestimate Liverpool to be honest. We are better in every position than them with the exception of gerrard.

There's nothing to be scared of. We should go there to attack. Not hold on and nick a goal.

Oh and just to go the while hog and disagree with every point( you wouldn't expect any different ;-) I thought we were top class against Sunderland, best home performance of the season

Mind if I ask about the Kolarov part bolded? If you can't answer, I understand.

And I agree that the last match was our best match of the season. I was floored by the understanding between Johnson and Yaya.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

It was ya yas best performance in a city shirt

 

[Soulboy]

Dead right, and a discussion I tried to open in the other thread. We went out to beat Sunderland, let's go out to beat Liverpool and United. This obsession with dominating the midfield and closing out the space Dammers refers to has meant we have lost pratcially every "Big" game we've played for the last 18 months.

Liverpool would be a good place to continue with "New City". We've got nothing to fear from them, they're not that good. We need a win, a draw would be a disappointment. Let's go and do it.

And let's go and do it to United as well. If you get on top of their midfield, they use their width to get behind you. If you play holding midfielders and they sit too deep, that allows a space to play in and to get the ball wide. We are flawed at full back if anywhere, particularly left back. Let's get out there and take the game to them.

I bet he won't. I bet we'll have Ya ya Toure plodding around the attacking midfield area losing our momentum again, and our two holding players sitting in front of the back four.

But I retain hope after the weekend...

Is that you Redknapp? ;-)

Seriously, we cannot go to Liverpool and play the same as we did against Sunderland, football just doesn't work like that. We can go there and give it a go but whilst they are weak in defence, they are dangerous upfront.

Also your comment about the big games in the last 10 months is wrong.

Chelsea: P3, W2, D0, L0
United: P5, W1, D1, L3
Arsenal: P3, W0, D2, L1
Spurs: P2, W0, D1, L1
Liverpool: P2, W1, D1, L0

4 wins, 5 draws, 5 defeats

Hardly

This obsession with dominating the midfield and closing out the space Dammers refers to has meant we have lost pratcially every "Big" game we've played for the last 18 months.

Maths not your strong point?

;-))

It's 6 losses and 5 draws... just 4 wins in the 15 games.

You really think that's good?