Lawro excels in stupidity

[Ted Hughes]

I don't think we have been playing an orthadox 4-3-3. It's a very fluid formation that defends like a 4-5-1 or even 4-6 but then attacks like a 4-3-3 or even 4-2-4. The playrs picked will make a huge difference because Balotelli on the left would make for a completely different type of team & the same if/when Silva plays. Jo played last night in the kind of position I think we'll see Balotelli play quite a bit. Also Kolarov & Boateng will be a huge threat attacking. Should be fun.

[brite blu sky]

i think the purchase of both Kolarov and Boateng indicates that Bob is going to look to both the fullbacks playing a role in midfield. Even so far without them this has been evident with Micah, Lescott and Zabba and Cunningham all asked to push up and hold a position higher than the CB's. Teams like Everton will be the acid test for what Mancini has both learnt and has in plan. In my view if the fullbacks can play high up they can mop up loose balls coming out of midfield challenges. The effect also compresses the midfield from our side and if our players are good enough in the center allows for us to have players in the opposition hole area so causing no end of trouble to deal with.

[Im_Spartacus]

It is a stupid thing to say that the key thing would be to score first etc etc but I for one will be very interested to see how the team plays after we do concede the first goal in a game. It might all depend on how early it is but so far we have seen a very patient approach playing a controlled game probing for an approach. A team that score first and then packs the defence will be a very interesting test of that patience and our ability to adapt tactics or maybe just the intesnity of the way we play.

Now its turned into a bit of a tactics talk I am still concerned with the current formation against certain teams and I hope Mancini will be brave enough to change the 4-3-3 if required. The sure-fire way to beat our current 4-3-3 is to press hard up the pitch and make the centrebacks kick it long.

Everton will be the perfect test of this as its exactly what they do. They'll push hard on our defenders and compact the midfield with both their midfielders and a high sitting defence thus forcing Toure or Kompany to hit the ball long to a 5ft 6in Tevez - he's never gonna get it. Playing Johnson and Milner as the two supporting attackers also means we lack the pace to chase long punts allowing the defence to push up without fearing a counter of Bellamy-esq speed.

Against teams that deploy this tactic we will need to play with faster wingers and open up the game by having a target man to aim for. This would force the defenders to sit back and give the midfield more space in which our centre-backs can pass to leaving the likes of Cahill et al chasing shadows.

We have the team and personnel to employ both formations so I look forward to seeing it if the current one gets found out.

Not to mention being able to mark Cahill at corners. It seems no tactic City have ever employed has sussed that over the past 5 years.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I think the system we are playing is fairly fluid which is a good thing but with teams like Everton who press high it does cause problems.Spurs changed in last years last game at COMS and we had no answer.This is a new season though with more and better players and I have no doubt that we can and will change things as and when needed.
Most interesting for me will be when we play a more obvious 2 up top and " go for it".

[Ted Hughes]

I think the system we are playing is fairly fluid which is a good thing but with teams like Everton who press high it does cause problems.Spurs changed in last years last game at COMS and we had no answer.This is a new season though with more and better players and I have no doubt that we can and will change things as and when needed.
Most interesting for me will be when we play a more obvious 2 up top and " go for it".

I think we'll sneak it rather than being obvious about it, like last night; Jo had been playing on the left but suddenly he started to appear in the middle like a second striker & all of a sudden all his movement was in the centre, then a short while later was back on the left again etc. I imagine that could happen with Baotelli in some games.

[Moonchesteri]

To be fair to Lawro - 1 all with them opening the scoring and us having a slow start is exactly what I'm afraid will happen tomorrow...