Balance

[xavi6]

Or lack there of.

I can forgive bad performances because it happens but shooting yourself in the foot before you even start is unforgiveable.

We're playing some sort of horrific 4-4-2 hybrid where three of the midfield four are central players leaving an over reliance on the right hand side for any sort of creativity.

I thought we would get a good partnership going down the left with Bridge and AJ but it looks increasingly unlikely with Jinky being forced to play on his wrong side.

Surely a midfield four has to have two out and out wingers and two central midfielders, whatever the combination may be.

[aaron bond]

Both tonight and against Hull, we started with only 1 winger and looked unbalanced, but when Mancini brought SWP in both games, the side had a better shape and we had 2 outlets for our defenders and centre midfielders to look to.

I really hope he plays 2 wingers against Liverpool. It puts so much more pressure on the opposition when we do this.

[gillie]

Both tonight and against Hull, we started with only 1 winger and looked unbalanced, but when Mancini brought SWP in both games, the side had a better shape and we had 2 outlets for our defenders and centre midfielders to look to.

I really hope he plays 2 wingers against Liverpool. It puts so much more pressure on the opposition when we do this.

Because its natural playing someone on their weaker side is not i cant being doing with this modern mumbo jumbo of playing a left footer on the right so he can cut in on his stronger side.

[Moonchesteri]

Or lack there of.

I can forgive bad performances because it happens but shooting yourself in the foot before you even start is unforgiveable.

We're playing some sort of horrific 4-4-2 hybrid where three of the midfield four are central players leaving an over reliance on the right hand side for any sort of creativity.

Surely a midfield four has to have two out and out wingers and two central midfielders, whatever the combination may be.

This confuses me a lot too. I would understand it actually if it was 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1 where in the first option there would be Ireland or anyone else playing in the hole or in a free role and we tried to play through the middle. or in the lattter option if those '2' were wingers/wing forwards. Which in both cases would give us a certain shape.
But this midfield of four with one winger amazes me. Isn't it fairly predictable where we're trying to attack from? And also it gives their other full back a free channel to go forward.
Like I said, I'm confused.

[john68]

I agree Xavi mate. I have seen it several tiimes previously and always thought it a but of a wierd strategy. I can only assume that Mancini identified a weakness in the Stoke set up and sought to expose it.
I think it is possible that not only are we confused but also the players. Good players seemingly unable to play well under those instructions.
Hopefully tiime will see an improvement.