Next game: The Arsenal

[Yffi_88]

When city beat Barcelona 2-1 (10 years ago today) did we all start thinking we'd win the league? Same thing applies here only in the other direction. It's a friendly. It's the time to make mistakes.

[Beefymcfc]

When city beat Barcelona 2-1 (10 years ago today) did we all start thinking we'd win the league? Same thing applies here only in the other direction. It's a friendly. It's the time to make mistakes.

Seem to have forgotten one goal. Clichy let Walcott go for the first, Vince could've done better for the second, what happened with the 3rd?

[Tokyo Blue]

When city beat Barcelona 2-1 (10 years ago today) did we all start thinking we'd win the league? Same thing applies here only in the other direction. It's a friendly. It's the time to make mistakes.

A pint for this gentleman, please landlord.

[Risby]

I know it was a friendly and the result stands for nothing, but I think Pellegrini thought that team would win easily.

I think it is a wake up call for both players and manager, especially with the comments about having the best squad in the PL (which is true), but every team will be gunning for us.

They all need to get up to speed and quickly. And he needs to sort out the defence as that has been our rock the last two seasons.

[Beefymcfc]

When city beat Barcelona 2-1 (10 years ago today) did we all start thinking we'd win the league? Same thing applies here only in the other direction. It's a friendly. It's the time to make mistakes.

A pint for this gentleman, please landlord.

I've been waiting an hour. Get to the back of the queue.

*pings the top off another Stella*

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

It's a FRIENDLY!!!

This Arsenal side are the exact same side that was together last year. They've not changed a thing and we know they can play football.

We outplayed them for many parts of the game but they bamboozled us on the break and the quick ball through. This is what these games are for, experimenting to see where we are. That first half team, with a bit of tinkering, will set us off for the season. The rest, once sorted, is just icing on the cake.

PS. I like Nasri.

Yep. When I saw that Arsenal starting line-up I thought Wenger is really 'up for it'.
Although to be fair Pellegrini's selection was - injuries aside - his first-choice lineup, also

I think he'll now be having second thoughts about Dzeko as automatic starter, though; but Negredo is definitely worth persisting with. And Milner, although he was largely ineffective today - is a better start-option than Navas, who's probably better when defences are tiring
(although he needs to cut out the play-acting)

I don't think that was Pellers first choice line-up in the 1st half mate, I thik he is playing his cards very close to his chest. He had Dzeko and Negredo up front, together, which I don't think is his plan. This game for us was still about conditioning and seeing the lay of the land with regard to who will bring what to the party.

It reminded me of a 'Don't give anything away' type of game as I don't feel that some who started in the first half, will necessarily be the players that Pellers would start against the real top teams. This was a decent gauge of the opposition, he's got a better idea of how they will play now. Did Wenger punch the air at one point?

Arsenal may have won the battle, as they say.

Well we don't know where Kun fits in his plans, but Dzeko had been doing well for him. And I think it's a safe bet that he prefers Nastasic to Lescott
But what do you think his starting lineup will be against the Barcodes, aside from the two injured players?

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

I know it was a friendly and the result stands for nothing, but I think Pellegrini thought that team would win easily.

I think it is a wake up call for both players and manager, especially with the comments about having the best squad in the PL (which is true), but every team will be gunning for us.

They all need to get up to speed and quickly. And he needs to sort out the defence as that has been our rock the last two seasons.

I've been saying for months that he needs to get 20 good games out of Ya Ya this season: because he ambled about way too much last season. He was at it again today, and that's the big asterisk against that performance. Ya Ya gets a turbo-charged kick up the arse, all bets are off.

[Beefymcfc]

Well we don't know where Kun fits in his plans, but Dzeko had been doing well for him. And I think it's a safe bet that he prefers Nastasic to Lescott

But what do you think his starting lineup will be against the Barcodes, aside from the two injured players?

I think it will be something like we started today but that's just for the start. The big difference from last season is the choice and how we intergrate them into the squad. I think Fernando has played crap so far but that isn't to say that he'll turn out to be class. He's just not used to the pace as yet. Navas will learn from experience and we all know that Sergio can do the business. As for Dzeko and Negredo, they may look the same type of player but in reality they are totally different. I wouldn't mind Negredo having a touch or two whereas I want Dzeko just to have the one as it hits the back of the net.

I'm not going to say it will go swimmingly but I do think we've now got a squad that can continue to challenge in years to come. Last season I'd given up by time the window had shut.

[JonnyAsh]

Didn't see the game, did we play with a very high defensive line again? If so, this seems to invite teams on to the ball over, and even the most average teams can smell a breakaway. They only need a speedster to have a run on goal. Surely we don't have to defend that high, and still be an attacking force.

[Ted Hughes]

Do we need to revert to a defensive screen, just one player?

We need to do something different.

Yaya & Fernandinho got absolutely loads of interceptions in midfield, but neither of them read situations at the back like Barry or Nige. They were stopping attacks in midfield & starting our attacks but they weren't looking for danger around our box from Arsenal.

AC Milan & Bayern were able to take a look & pick out passes, leading to goals, & Arsenal were able to do the same. We either have to put an extra man in there or organise the team differently.

[Ted Hughes]

He has been creating stuff when played centrally & getting chances himself. At least as much as Silva, & more than Jovetic.

How many times has he played centrally for us?
And against who?
Face it, most of the games he gets - whether starting or not - he'll be told to operate wide left
(even if he drifts inside a lot)

He has played parts of almost every game centrally, not drifting inside but actually moved there, & has been one of our best players during those periods, better than Jovetic in that position .

[Ted Hughes]

When city beat Barcelona 2-1 (10 years ago today) did we all start thinking we'd win the league? Same thing applies here only in the other direction. It's a friendly. It's the time to make mistakes.

Seem to have forgotten one goal. Clichy let Walcott go for the first, Vince could've done better for the second, what happened with the 3rd?

They whacked the ball long & Vinny did a fair impression of Tony Vaughan trying to defend it. Hart was slow & useless too.

[Beefymcfc]

Do we need to revert to a defensive screen, just one player?

We need to do something different.

Yaya & Fernandinho got absolutely loads of interceptions in midfield, but neither of them read situations at the back like Barry or Nige. They were stopping attacks in midfield & starting our attacks but they weren't looking for danger around our box from Arsenal.

AC Milan & Bayern were able to take a look & pick out passes, leading to goals, & Arsenal were able to do the same. We either have to put an extra man in there or organise the team differently.

So we need a tattooed bloke with a big butt?

It's down to organisation and forcing the issue to change to a different system - nobody likes change.

This is what I hate about a new manager, everything has to be changed overnight. Personally, I'd like to see us continue the systems in place and adopt the new approach going forward. Everybody said it was a shit move by Mancini last pre-season with his 3 at the back and the players seemed to agree. It's not rocket science, we are taught a way that works so we stick to it. Only by proving the new way will it be ably took on board.

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

Do we need to revert to a defensive screen, just one player?

Yaya & Fernandinho got absolutely loads of interceptions in midfield, but neither of them read situations at the back like Barry or Nige. They were stopping attacks in midfield & starting our attacks but they weren't looking for danger around our box from Arsenal.

Fair point. I didn't watch too much of the second half but Fernandinho seemed to be mopping up a lot in the first half, and roaming about to help out our defence. Plus he and Ya Ya looked far less 'in sync' than they had been in Hong Kong - on that dodgy pitch.

A lot of that performance is down to Arsenal wanting it more, and to us believing that because we had so much possession, early on, it was going to be a stroll-in-the-park

[Beefymcfc]

I'm waiting for NQDP to get home. I wonder what his views are?

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

He has been creating stuff when played centrally & getting chances himself. At least as much as Silva, & more than Jovetic.

How many times has he played centrally for us?
And against who?
Face it, most of the games he gets - whether starting or not - he'll be told to operate wide left
(even if he drifts inside a lot)

He has played parts of almost every game centrally, not drifting inside but actually moved there, & has been one of our best players during those periods, better than Jovetic in that position .

Jovetic has only been with us a week, ferChrissakes. We all want Nasri to succeed - Christ knows we've paid him, and Arsenal enough - but we haven't paid for him to moan and groan.

[Ted Hughes]

Do we need to revert to a defensive screen, just one player?

We need to do something different.

Yaya & Fernandinho got absolutely loads of interceptions in midfield, but neither of them read situations at the back like Barry or Nige. They were stopping attacks in midfield & starting our attacks but they weren't looking for danger around our box from Arsenal.

AC Milan & Bayern were able to take a look & pick out passes, leading to goals, & Arsenal were able to do the same. We either have to put an extra man in there or organise the team differently.

So we need a tattooed bloke with a big butt?

It's down to organisation and forcing the issue to change to a different system - nobody likes change.

This is what I hate about a new manager, everything has to be changed overnight. Personally, I'd like to see us continue the systems in place and adopt the new approach going forward. Everybody said it was a shit move by Mancini last pre-season with his 3 at the back and the players seemed to agree. It's not rocket science, we are taught a way that works so we stick to it. Only by proving the new way will it be ably took on board.

It may be that Rodwell or even Milner could cover that area & just sheer numbers would do the job; all they would have to do is close the ball down quicker so people had less time to play an easy pass or make a run, so 3 blokes rather than two may sort it perhaps.

We are in a similar situation defensively as last season imo, so it's a good example. The mistake Clichy made was basic stuff, proper Hansen/Neville tutting pundit material, & I recon that kind of thing is caused by people thinking too much about other stuff.

Last season we lost the basics due to not working enough on what we knew & fucking about with back 5, this season we are working on completely different stuff but again getting the basics wrong.

[Ted Hughes]

He has been creating stuff when played centrally & getting chances himself. At least as much as Silva, & more than Jovetic.

How many times has he played centrally for us?
And against who?
Face it, most of the games he gets - whether starting or not - he'll be told to operate wide left
(even if he drifts inside a lot)

He has played parts of almost every game centrally, not drifting inside but actually moved there, & has been one of our best players during those periods, better than Jovetic in that position .

Jovetic has only been with us a week, ferChrissakes. We all want Nasri to succeed - Christ knows we've paid him, and Arsenal enough - but we haven't paid for him to moan and groan.

Hasn't been moaning & groaning, just working his arse off on the pitch.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I wish we would use a 4-3-3 where Barry could sit in front of the defense with yaya and fernandihno in front with two wingers feeding the striker

This is the formation I was suggesting but I think it will be someone other than Barry if we ever use it. Had we used it today, at least two of the goals wouldn't have been scored.

We WERE playing 4-3-3 in the end. Started with 4-2-2-2 then switched to 4-2-3-1 and eventually 4-3-3.

[Bleed_Blue]

Anyone trusts the team and Pellegrini enough to believe we will not loose to Arsenal this season ?

I do, with a relatively easy fixtures in the begining we will definitely pick up