He better not be picking daisy's out there, the last thing we need is a ball to be hit over his head and turned into a triple or an inside the park homerun.
One was took off him and given as a Mignolet own goal. Ulloa hit the post and it rebounded in off Mignolet
One was took off him and given as a Mignolet own goal. Ulloa hit the post and it rebounded in off Mignolet
This post strikes me as rather mad. Personally, I think we look poor playing 5-3-2 far more often than not, we lack width using it, run out of ideas in the final third as there's no one supporting attacks, it's impossible to put pressure on the ball else the shape just breaks apart and nevermind occupying Mahrez by him having to chase the full backs all game, their full backs are enough to cover one man running on a flank and opposition wingers generally have far more licence to attack against us. I'm not a fan of the system, I don't think we have the midfielders to make it work well.
Wow, this new layout may take some getting used to. Anyways, good luck today lads, I'm sure you'll receive another late Christmas present in the form of 3 points... We've been in this festive spirit about 2 months now, giving 3 points away left, right and centre, and I'm certain you'll be next on the list
No, we played 3-5-2 in our promotion season. We played 3-5-2 last season, we also played 3-5-2 on Boxing Day. I'd suggest your response is slightly mad. Or one made by someone with the equivalent memory of a goldfish.
We're going to have to be on our guard today. After Sunderland, we don't want any slip ups. This won't be a cake walk cos they're at the bottom of the league.
The promotion season was in a far weaker league, players like Quinn and Meyler were very effective and defences just couldn't cope with Elmo, Brady and Aluko when fit. It's very different at this level, those players are more ordinary and their individual talent doesn't stand out and win games on its own. Last season we were dreadful using it almost all the time, I remember people posting the stats of how many games we'd won/lost/drawn in the different formations we'd used, 5-3-2 was bottom of the pile where 4-4-2 was by far most succesful. The only good performance I can remember using 5 at the back last season was Liverpool at home. This season it was used for the excellent performances away at Villa, Burnley, Liverpool (where we got a good result but we were absolutely dire) and Man UTD, at home against WBA (I think), Southampton and Swansea. Our best performance (in my opinion) this season was at home against West Ham in a 4-4-2. The next top performance this season was at home against Spurs was in a 4-5-1, until we went down to 10 men. Last seasons best showing was at home against Fulham in a 4-5-1. So nevermind the equivalent memory of a goldfish. 5-3-2 is a decent formation when we're going to be up against it and need to keep it tight, but we can never control a game when using it, and we always look far more threatening using a more conventional 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. Today is a game we need to take by the scruff of the neck and not let them get momentum or get on top of us, it's also a game we need to win, I don't think keeping it tight and playing cautiously is the right way to approach it.
Spot on, but it would be nice if we picked up 3pts and put a performance in too, come Jan 2nd we could be well clear hopefully as Everton look to be going through a bad patch at the moment.
I have to agree West Spam was the best game and the best we played. We played the diamond in mid field Huddlestone at the base, Diame at the front, with Quinn and Livermore either side.
One thing that really struck me in the Sunderland game was the effort put in by players who were the target of passes. In previous games if a City player made poor pass the person due to receive it often seemed to shrug their shoulders and make little or no effort to gather the ball. Against Sunderland it was apparent that, if the pass was falling a bit short or slightly off target, the receiving player would bust a gut to re-position themselves and win the ball. As a result the pass completion rate was up above 80% and the increased possession was a huge improvement - City just looked so much more positive. Let's hope for more of the same today!
