Adapting to playing at home

[Crossie]

I fully expect to watch Villa put 10 men behind the ball and leave Agbonglahor upfront on his own.

Im getting abit bored of watching teams play against us with the same tactics. We need to quickly learn how to approach these games.

The question is, how?

In previous seasons, most teams came here and fancied there chances, they knew it was worth having a go at us, this suited us nicely because we have usually had rapid counter attacking abilities, but a difference approach is needed now. United can do it, Chelsea can do it, Arsenal play the sort of football that, at times, you just cant defend against.

What do we need to do to get our home form sorted and be able to break down these bitchy little trier teams?!!?

[Beefymcfc]

Just to add to your thread mate, City have played 9 games at home and gained 15 points whilst in the 10 away, we've taken 20 points.

Go figure.

[john68]

Totally agree Crossie mate.. easier said than done though.
Mancini has already said that it's our home form that will define our season and he is right. We cannot afford to have many games like Everton where we batter against locked doors for so long without breaking through.

Look forward to Douglas reporting on how Mancini responds on the training pitch with various strategies.

[Im_Spartacus]

Totally agree Crossie mate.. easier said than done though.
Mancini has already said that it's our home form that will define our season and he is right. We cannot afford to have many games like Everton where we batter against locked doors for so long without breaking through.

Look forward to Douglas reporting on how Mancini responds on the training pitch with various strategies.

Surely this isnt something that has just crossed Mancini's mind. Remember we had the farce of RSC coming on a few weeks ago in place of Milner, then we carried on playing through the middle and on the deck because we had just taken the main threat down the wing off.

We have very little way of varying our play with the players we put out on the pitch unfortunately, and I don't see that being addressed unless he brings in a big bastard like Dzeko/Carroll and starts to work out that there are times when we need our wingers to play like wingers and cross the fucking thing once in a while.

I'm certainly not advocating we let Lescott just aimlessly hoof the ball up the pitch as is his wont, but at home there is a case for being able to switch to a more direct system, but only once we have the personell to do it.

[marvin]

Don't concede stupid goals, and take some of the chances

Everton parked the bus yet we had enough chances to win comfortably

[Ted Hughes]

I don't think Villa have got a bus to park.

[CITYSTEVEDON]

easy, play aj and silva on wings, two forwards tevez and mario/ade 1 holding midfielder and go to town on them. oh and stop putting all players in our area when the other team have a corner/freekick, how can we counter when all players are in area. we really need to get this sorted

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

[quote="CITYSTEVEDON"]easy, play aj and silva on wings, two forwards tevez and mario/ade 1 holding midfielder and go to town on them. oh and stop putting all players in our area when the other team have a corner/freekick, how can we counter when all players are in area. we really need to get this sorted[/quote

I'm with this. Attack with more intent and variety. Grow some balls Bobby, we can thrash these teams.

[everyonehatesus]

Villa are going to get smashed all over the pitch tomorrow, I can feel a big win coming. Im up for this game so fingers crossed im right.

[mcfc1632]

after so many years of being a CITY fan and the frustrations of how we caqn play so well at bhome and then be total shit away from home - I cannot get my head around there being a thread like this - we have truly moved into a different world

[Twobob]

Don't concede stupid goals, and take some of the chances

Everton parked the bus yet we had enough chances to win comfortably

Yes, however for the 1st 20 mins or so Everton came at us and caught us unaware, differant to most teams that have visited us this season. Once they got the goals they defended doggedly - now maybe other teams with not as well, structured defensive units (such as Villa) may try the same aproach. We have to learn from last Monday and anticipate that.

One thing i feel we need to avoid is restricting Silva to a wide role - we wont get the best from him as they will mark him out of the game too easily if hes shackled i much prefare to see a player like him being able to roam behined the front 2/3 with scope to get forward too. With Yaya being given a more attacking role have we restricted Silva a bit and cut away that freedom?

[ashton287]

Not worried about villa parking the bus because there shit, blackpool will put ten men behind the ball but more in a newcastle kind of way asin when they get the ball they will attack us with a full team and leave gaps for us to take advantage of. After that though most other teams will do it.

We dont need new tactics we are good enough to overcome teams that do this we just need another stiker that can give the defenders more to think about than just marking tevez.

[Grob]

If the passing is crisp, the players are only taking 1 or 2 touches and we're making runs, we'll create enough chances to win the game. And any game against inferior opposition, like Villa. In the games we have failed to win at home this season, sans arsenel, the passing tempo has been too slow and predictable and the players have taken too many touches before releasing the ball. This happens alot if we dont score an early goal

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Totally agree Crossie mate.. easier said than done though.
Mancini has already said that it's our home form that will define our season and he is right. We cannot afford to have many games like Everton where we batter against locked doors for so long without breaking through.

Look forward to Douglas reporting on how Mancini responds on the training pitch with various strategies.

No chance of course before the Villa match as there isnt a free day to train with the main players.The obvious answer though is to take one of the early chances we get. The other part being to be tight at the back and not give something silly away( Bburn and Everton )

The answer might well be to get hold of the game first ( midfield) and then get the full backs forward into good positions and score from one of there cross balls. Kolarov will deliver for sure soon.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Don't think Villa will park the bus tomorrow. There season has been shit so far and they need to start picking up points, but this could help us to win the game. Once they start attacking us every chance they loose the ball we will kill them on the brake and i fully expect us to win this.

[bluej]

If the passing is crisp, the players are only taking 1 or 2 touches and we're making runs, we'll create enough chances to win the game. And any game against inferior opposition, like Villa. In the games we have failed to win at home this season, sans arsenel, the passing tempo has been too slow and predictable and the players have taken too many touches before releasing the ball. This happens alot if we dont score an early goal

Couldn't agree more with this.