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Tactics (part two. Ish).

Page 1 of 2

posted on 2/11/16

Can you please provide analysis like this to motd?

It's much more insightful than "Otamendi shouldn't have gone flying into that tackle there...." or "Otamendi just got nutmegged there.." or even the usual "Otamendi is on the floor after missing his challenge leaving the opposing player free to saunter towards goal. Again"

5

posted on 2/11/16

Cheers Manc

I thought otamendi and stones were both mainly excellent last night. Zabaleta was the real surprise though, it was like he had gone back five years!

posted on 2/11/16

Otamendi reverted to type last night. I was so frustrated.
I feel that he needs to anticipate and read the game a little better. It's his mobility that lets him off the hook every now and again; mostly necessitating in a last gasp lunge to ensure a chance of ball recovery.

posted on 2/11/16

There was one when Neymar had the ball that was really poor. As soon as we pushed up and he was getting ahead of play, it suited him a lot more. He doesn't suit a deep defensive line.

posted on 2/11/16

Meltonblue, thank you for your analysis as it is spot on.

comment by bomdia (U13941)

posted on 2/11/16

I will be interested as to whether City settle on 3 or 4 at the back or whether it will be a horses for courses approach. I suspect against teams where perhaps Pep foresees less attacking threat he will go for 3 and 4 when he sees greater threat or where fullbacks are needed to deal with attacking wingers. Will City be buying some specialist wingbacks in the future?

posted on 2/11/16

Thank you Mane.

Bomdia,

I doubt specialist wingbacks as such, I certainly expect full backs to be the main position to be strengthened next though. That and cover for Fernandinho.

comment by bomdia (U13941)

posted on 2/11/16

Little Fern has become a very important pivot in the team and his experience is really valuable in European ties. I thought Fernando did ok last night, I wasn't hopeful when he came on but was pleasantly surprised. Still have Delph as well who can do the DM role but I agree that some fullbacks are needed, even though Zab seemed to turn the clocks back last night. Big ask to expect him to do that week in week out though. What do people think of the 3/4 at the back?

comment by MBL. (U6305)

posted on 3/11/16

Excellent analysis Melton why can't you post that to the media and show them that it is possible to analyse a game off football properly and not have 15 paragraphs of a players personal life followed by a score.

posted on 3/11/16

On the way to the game I listened to 5 live. Ally McCoist and Alan Green said that we weren't very good at defending and Barca had great attackers, so Barca would def win. They repeated this for an hour. Punditry isn't up to much these days.

I think Guradriola's style is fluid and will evolve as our squad evolves. It will be interesting to see how we play on Saturday. I think Boro will be hard to break down.

comment by MBL. (U6305)

posted on 3/11/16

I did have to laugh at whoever it was a few weeks ago said pep was a one trick pony and always played the same formation.

It might have been a gooner, weren't you involved in that conversation melts?

posted on 3/11/16

Prem is full of one trick pony managers. And some - mentioning no names - who seem to have regressed to be no trick ponies.

posted on 3/11/16

Nice article Melts.

As others have alluded, we could also really do with a shake-up of what a pundit does. With very few exceptions, pundits appear to be chosen simply because they're reasonably loquacious, are well known and have won lots of trophies. Therefore, the dominant axis is ex-Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal players. Having more of these types on a panel doesn't enhance viewing - it detracts from it as often they just repeat each others' comments.

The fundamental problem with this approach from the TV companies is that ex-star players do not automatically have any real insight into tactics/coaching so all they're able to talk about is the bleedin' obvious which just comes across for what it is - inane drivel.

Also, they have to cover every team and, if I'm being generous, they can't possibly know a great deal about every team. However, being less generous, a 'professional pundit' ought to be doing their homework and be well-versed in modern coaches' tactics. They should also be eloquent enough to be able to relay that to the viewer.

There's no reason why the TV companies can't find ex-players with these skills/knowledge/commitment and have them on the punditry teams or failing that, knowledgeable fans specialist in one or more clubs.
They have Webb interpreting referees decisions, why not have similarly knowledgeable individuals interpreting coaching/tactical decisions.

posted on 3/11/16

Cheers guys.

Part of the issue with to punditry is lack of time. I was listening to Danny Murphy (who I think has a lot of potential as a pundit) saying how much he prefers the radio as it gives time to explain the concepts that, on to, has to be almost a throwaway line.

Sky are too interested in selling the product that it's about particular moments (which is why refereeing decisions get so overly, and poorly, analysed).

There is a place in to for a different show to what there have now, and one that doesn't have such an ex-player lean to it. Any concept is easier to explain when video can be used to back up the point (and what I would have done with this if I had more than half an hour to write it!)

posted on 3/11/16

Predictive text at work there! Every time I say to should say tv!

posted on 3/11/16

On watching the recording of match you can see the clear isolation of Busquets - it's one up for hoofball!
Though last week was difficult to stomach, and I have great sympathy with those who claimed disrespect over a derby, it seems to me that Pep's targets are PL and CL only. From the pragmatic business sense of growing the club it's difficult to disagree with it - the globalisation of football as a sport will inevitably will cause those community interests to become secondary.
However, if you are going to make amends for a defeat by Utd, what better way than, with the whole of Europe watching, stuffing the 'best team in the world with the most fans in the world', convincingly in your home town.
Also, couldn't see how Aguero could be improved. I can now. He became a playmaker. Stunning performance. Also, also, seeing Zabba rallying the crowd was so.......

comment by MBL. (U6305)

posted on 3/11/16

Zaba is a true blue his biggest performance for a while.

After all he is the fooking man.

God I hope we win something which will probably be his last season and get to sing a full stadium version of that song again.

Lift the roof off for him.

posted on 3/11/16

comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 3 hours, 31 minutes ago
Cheers guys.

Part of the issue with to punditry is lack of time. I was listening to Danny Murphy (who I think has a lot of potential as a pundit) saying how much he prefers the radio as it gives time to explain the concepts that, on to, has to be almost a throwaway line.

Sky are too interested in selling the product that it's about particular moments (which is why refereeing decisions get so overly, and poorly, analysed).

There is a place in to for a different show to what there have now, and one that doesn't have such an ex-player lean to it. Any concept is easier to explain when video can be used to back up the point (and what I would have done with this if I had more than half an hour to write it!)
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Agreed,

it's not as though there's no space in the roster for a proper footy analysis programme. It'd be a clear differentiator for Sky/BT/ITV/BBC (whoever took it up).

posted on 3/11/16

comment by LQ (U6305)
posted 3 hours, 18 minutes ago
Zaba is a true blue his biggest performance for a while.

After all he is the fooking man.

God I hope we win something which will probably be his last season and get to sing a full stadium version of that song again.

Lift the roof off for him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Love him to bits!

Hope he stays on after he finishes playing. He's been here 8 years and appears settled with his family but I wouldn't blame him if he goes off to Spain (his wife's country) or elsewhere when he's finished playing.
Hope he doesn't because he could be inspirational in the youth or backroom staff setup.

comment by MBL. (U6305)

posted on 3/11/16

I think he will always have some roll at the club he's part of us now an honoury manc.

posted on 3/11/16

comment by LQ (U6305)
posted 16 minutes ago
I think he will always have some roll at the club he's part of us now an honoury manc.
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I know Pep's gotten rid of Pelligrini's pizzas, but surely he's not so boring as to bring in rolls as the replacement?

comment by MBL. (U6305)

posted on 3/11/16

Can't beat a crusty roll

posted on 3/11/16

comment by LQ (U6305)
posted 22 minutes ago
Can't beat a crusty roll
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...as an oldster, I have dim memories of having a soft, smooth and succulent fresh roll pretty much every day. Now I'm lucky to have a crusty roll once a month.

posted on 3/11/16

On the subject of punditry:-

"City fans boo the Champions League anthem because they associate it with Manchester United"

Conor McNamara - BBC Radio 5Live.

comment by bomdia (U13941)

posted on 3/11/16

comment by Boris 'Inky' Gibson (U5901)
posted 9 minutes ago
On the subject of punditry:-

"City fans boo the Champions League anthem because they associate it with Manchester United"

Conor McNamara - BBC Radio 5Live.
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Nothing like a well researched comment I always say.

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