Manchester City - Carling Cup Build Up

[danperkins]

Shelvey or Adam for me, aren't the answer beside Gerrard

The lack of a real DM is so ridiculously glaring last night.

[Muddled]

Shelvey or Adam for me, aren't the answer beside Gerrard

The lack of a real DM is so ridiculously glaring last night.

I think Spearing, Adam, Gerrard could work.

Adam, Gerrard or Shelvey, Gerrard is too transparent.

Spearing, Shelvey, Gerrard is too much of a muchness.

[Craig_H]

I just think it's replicating as apposed to innovating.

If anything, Adam at least provides a little balance due to his left peg and range of passing. For me, it's Shelvey or Gerrard as they make the same runs. I know Gerrard has been playing deep, but he's still going forward when the opportunity arises - unfortunately it's usually the same time as Adam, which has made us exposed - with Spearing, they should have more protection, making the need for Shelvey obsolete.

In my opinion of course.

Considering the opposition penalty box usually looks like an empty room when we attack, i'm quite happy if Gerrard AND Shelvey are getting themselves into the box and in dangerous positions. We'd suddenly have an almighty THREE players in the opposition's penalty area. Three. Crazy times.

[Shaggy]

Considering the opposition penalty box usually looks like an empty room when we attack, i'm quite happy if Gerrard AND Shelvey are getting themselves into the box and in dangerous positions. We'd suddenly have an almighty THREE players in the opposition's penalty area. Three. Crazy times.

It's incredible isn't it - the problem is so glaring, and has been for some time, yet it is ongoing. ****ing infuriating to watch. Then you see teams like City & United who flood the box and score loads of goals. Hardly rocket science is it.

[BootRoom]

I hope Spearing is back, we need someone sitting in front of the back four, as that's the space City will look to exploit. If he isn't back then maybe Carragher will play the DM role? (Although I have a feeling this may not be a popular suggestion)

You should take a careful look at the Villa away and City first leg games to see how bad a suggestion that is.

[Chris]

I hope Spearing is back, we need someone sitting in front of the back four, as that's the space City will look to exploit. If he isn't back then maybe Carragher will play the DM role? (Although I have a feeling this may not be a popular suggestion)

Not a bad call that, big game nous and experience too, even though he cant pass at least he'd be a body there. We need Gerrard further up and Henderson or Adam marking Silva would be a nightmare. Not exactly an ideal situation though! Hope Spearing is fit but from what snoop said a while back he wont be.

[Craig_H]

It's incredible isn't it - the problem is so glaring, and has been for some time, yet it is ongoing. ****ing infuriating to watch. Then you see teams like City & United who flood the box and score loads of goals. Hardly rocket science is it.

It's the elephant in the room yet Kenny apparently either cant see it, or sees it and doesnt seek to change it. I dont imagine the players refuse to get into the box of their own accord, but i also cant fathom the idea that Kenny is telling them NOT to get into the box. Cant understand it.

[Fredo]

I think it's down to our deficiencies in midfield Craig.

[Craig_H]

Can you elaborate on that?

[Fredo]

Well the only players who could flood the pelanty area are the ones down the middle bar our two strikers. Plus one of our wide players when the other is supplying. So it means that there's always 3 players, at least there and if we don't have more players in there it indicates that our midfield is inefficient. I think you'll find that the stats back that up. I am not including set pieces in it.

Dunno if it's down by design to compensate for our weakness in the defensive midfield area or down to the sheer incompetence of our midfield players.

[Craig_H]

If you're saying that we dont push men up into the box because we're worried about being caught out and leaving space (due to our midfield and DM especially being weak), then i'm inclined to ask why **** clubs, when playing against other **** clubs, manage to get men into the box?

We might not think much of our CM at the moment, but it's still better than more than half the league. Yet dross sides can get men into the box but we cant.

Doesnt make any sense.

[Fredo]

If you're saying that we dont push men up into the box because we're worried about being caught out and leaving space (due to our midfield and DM especially being weak), then i'm inclined to ask why **** clubs, when playing against other **** clubs, manage to get men into the box?

We might not think much of our CM at the moment, but it's still better than more than half the league. Yet dross sides can get men into the box but we cant.

Doesnt make any sense.

It's always easier to pile men into the box if you're playing a game which relies on set pieces. We don't. It's more about precision and about the right pass. If you flood men into the box and play on the percentages by hoping for a cross to find one of our own, then it's down to a bit more luck.

Our chances created ratio since Suarez has been out has drastically gone down. We don't create much anymore which to me indicates that he was our sole source of creativity which is very very worrying.

[Craig_H]

It's always easier to pile men into the box if you're playing a game which relies on set pieces. We don't. It's more about precision and about the right pass. If you flood men into the box and play on the percentages by hoping for a cross to find one of our own, then it's down to a bit more luck.

Our chances created ratio since Suarez has been out has drastically gone down. We don't create much anymore which to me indicates that he was our sole source of creativity which is very very worrying.

We dont play percentages at all and it ****s us quite considerably.

You can talk about playing to luck but it's just common sense, one man in the box with 5 defenders around him, is extremely unlikely to get a goalscoring chance. We've scored 25 goals in 22 league games, it's not bad luck or coincidence, we're just **** at attacking and we minimise our own chance of scoring goals.

[Fredo]

We dont play percentages at all and it ****s us quite considerably.

You can talk about playing to luck but it's just common sense, one man in the box with 5 defenders around him, is extremely unlikely to get a goalscoring chance. We've scored 25 goals in 22 league games, it's not bad luck or coincidence, we're just **** at attacking and we minimise our own chance of scoring goals.

We lack the quality of players to play the game the way Kenny wants it. Not sure why we don't alter our game though, maybe it's due to the fact that Kenny is stubborn. Rafa's game was based more on percentages, remember he was always talking about winning the second balls?

[Craig_H]

I think we over complicate it maybe. You dont need that much quality to get men in the box and into dangerous areas. The whole ****ing league manage it, yet we cant.

If we dont have the players to play the way Kenny wants, he can only blame himself. We were playing pass and move perfectly from last Feb to May and it yielded results. Kenny then brought in his own signings - and they are the ones who cant play pass and move.