What's this 4-2-2-2 Business then?

[Shaelumstash]

And for the sake of discussion: Which players in our current sqaud would you use in a 4-2-2-2?

---------------- GK ----------------
------- CBR ---------- CBL -------
FBR -------------------------- FBL
-------- CM --------- CM ---------
--- AMR ------------------ AML ---
---------- ST -------- ST ----------

Using only our current squad should point out our weaknesses, and areas we need to improve during the t-window.

That's basically the shape we've played for the last two years, with one of the strikers sometimes dropping short.

The France 98 team that won the World Cup if the best team I've seen playing the same shape (apart from City 5-1 at Spurs!)

 

[humantrain]

This system is also known as the Magic Rectangle. It's an incredibly difficult system to play but can be very entertaining to watch.

It looks like this:


------------------------------ Aguero - Tevez---------------------

-------------------------------Nasri - Silva----------------------

-------------------------------Rodwell - Toure--------------------

-----------------------Clichy Nastasic - Kompany Richards-------------



The Full backs move forward and provide the width. Attacking midfielders and strikers can also drift wide. The players are constantly moving around, so the formation actually changes many times during the game, sometimes turning into 4-2-diamond, 4-2-4, 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1. It's important that strikers are capable of operating like attacking midfielders. Dzeko would not fit into this system.

PS: It's exact same stuff we played under Mancini. :) But we of-course, we did not play it to perfection.

 

[BusterPhillips]

I think we will be weak in defence, if we are playing the ball out then both Komp and Nasty are comfortable doing this but Lescott and Micah (if playing centrally) are technically not good enough on the ball.

 

[humantrain]

I think we will be weak in defence, if we are playing the ball out then both Komp and Nasty are comfortable doing this but Lescott and Micah (if playing centrally) are technically not good enough on the ball.

the most difficult thing with this system is not the defending, but scoring goals. under this type of system players will be looking to score beatiful goals, there won't be no urgency, no rush, just passing around, slicing the opposition and scoring wonderful goals. no ugly direct quick long ball football.

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

... The concept of this for formation confuses me, I have never seen a team play this way before but I did listen to Pellegrini talk about it.

It looks like a narrow formation but I know Malaga play with at least one winger, so how does this get incorporated?

Also the two central midfielders - what's their remit? Are they box-to-box, deep laying play makers or defensive midfielders - or a combination?

With regards to the full backs, do they get exposed? Our full backs often got protection in the 4231 formation from the wing.

I guess what would be good is if there is someone out there who has watched Pellergrini's teams before and knows how they line up and what the strengths and weaknesses are!

You've watched manchester city player 4-2-2-2 / 4-2-3-1 for the last 2 seasons?

wow some people on here do amaze me.

So what formation have wee been playing then?

 

[humantrain]

... The concept of this for formation confuses me, I have never seen a team play this way before but I did listen to Pellegrini talk about it.

It looks like a narrow formation but I know Malaga play with at least one winger, so how does this get incorporated?

Also the two central midfielders - what's their remit? Are they box-to-box, deep laying play makers or defensive midfielders - or a combination?

With regards to the full backs, do they get exposed? Our full backs often got protection in the 4231 formation from the wing.

I guess what would be good is if there is someone out there who has watched Pellergrini's teams before and knows how they line up and what the strengths and weaknesses are!

You've watched manchester city player 4-2-2-2 / 4-2-3-1 for the last 2 seasons?

wow some people on here do amaze me.

So what formation have wee been playing then?

we have definitely been playing the 4-2-2-2/4-2-3-1/4-2-diamond.

many people don't know the formation utilized Man City because of the constant movement of players.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

We need more width not to play even narrower

Pace and I mean rapid speed is the key to this, our squad needs an overhaul Barry, and Garcia are just too slow, navas, bale, lennon, thats the type of speed required and we just don't have that at the moment. I'm sure Pelligrini will know how to rectify it I am just getting the embers smouldering again by what lies in store.

 

[humantrain]

We need more width not to play even narrower

Pace and I mean rapid speed is the key to this, our squad needs an overhaul Barry, and Garcia are just too slow, navas, bale, lennon, thats the type of speed required and we just don't have that at the moment. I'm sure Pelligrini will know how to rectify it I am just getting the embers smouldering again by what lies in store.

the owners want man city to play the type of football played by barcelona. attractive football not the ugly kind played by united. Chelsea used to play ugly football and have changed a bit.

obviously by playing direct football you increase your chances of winning the premierleague , but for the guys at the top it's not only about winning, it's also about playing the kind of football that people want to watch.

 

[NQCitizen]

You've watched manchester city player 4-2-2-2 / 4-2-3-1 for the last 2 seasons?

wow some people on here do amaze me.

So what formation have wee been playing then?

we have definitely been playing the 4-2-2-2/4-2-3-1/4-2-diamond.

many people don't know the formation utilized Man City because of the constant movement of players.

Fair to say most games its

Yaya Barry
Silva Nasri
Aguero Tevez

In a pretty standard 4-2-2-2

 

[humantrain]

So what formation have wee been playing then?

we have definitely been playing the 4-2-2-2/4-2-3-1/4-2-diamond.

many people don't know the formation utilized Man City because of the constant movement of players.

Fair to say most games its

Yaya Barry
Silva Nasri
Aguero Tevez

In a pretty standard 4-2-2-2

Yup.

As the game unfolds it can change into other formations.

Here you can see Tevez in the CAM position:

---------------------------------- Aguero ---------------------

--------------------------- Nasri - Tevez- Silva----------------------

-------------------------------Rodwell - Toure--------------------

-----------------------Clichy Nastasic - Kompany Richards-------------

Aguero and Tevez also tend to play as LAM/RAM:

---------------------------------- Dzeko ---------------------

-------------Aguero (or Tevez)- Nasri- Silva----------------------

-------------------------------Rodwell - Toure--------------------

-----------------------Clichy Nastasic - Kompany Richards-------------

4-2-diamond:

---------------------------------- Dzeko ---------------------

--------------------------- Aguero--------Nasri----------------------

------------------------------------Silva

-------------------------------Rodwell - Toure--------------------

-----------------------Clichy Nastasic - Kompany Richards-------------


But the playing style never changes. It's always playing through the middle and keeping the ball.