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In the end of the season I said that I thought we were lacking a top quality centerback, playmaker and centerforward. I thought leftback would've been nice bonus. What we got was junior rightback, leftback, defensive midfielder and a left winger. And we are still after midfield utility man.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not disappointed as such but I'm slightly curious what the plan is. Are we aiming for some complex formations where players constantly switch places? Because all the players signed seem very versatile. I'm also wondering how the central area of attacking third will work out. That has been our weakness eversince Ireland lost form and we haven't really done anything to strengthen that area. What is the plan with central defence? Toure for me isn't good enough for top four so that leaves us with Kompany and Lescott as only good enough central defenders. That area for me is way too weak and could be our downfall. I still hope we are going for Luiz who seems like capable enough.

Tevez not a world class forward??

I thought what we lacked was that bit of know how, and i also felt some of the tactics were curious/strange to be polite. In terms of players, we lacked a Toure type the most. Now we have one, im expecting improvements.

Need a new manager and start again

i thought we lacked the same players too and that despite signing some good players they were prob in positions we didnt need to strngthen. Im actually concerned too if we do play this formation that involves alot of switching, i like players to play in there strongest positions and from the bits of the sporting match i didnt see that(ireland on the right, johnson in the centre) and so on.

Its going to be a very intresting start to the season, mancini needs a decent start(in my opinion 5 points is min target) if he doesnt the knives could be sharpened.

The "playmaker" is the one I think is missing. The versatility of the the players he`s bought would go some way to having 2 players for every position. i also think we`re missing "the fox in the box".

You're probably right Simon, but then in today's high powered game, I'm not sure you can fit all these types on the field. Pretty certain the classic 'foxes' Gary Linneker and Gerd Muller wouldn't get hired these days (unfortunately)!

john@staustell wrote:You're probably right Simon, but then in today's high powered game, I'm not sure you can fit all these types on the field. Pretty certain the classic 'foxes' Gary Linneker and Gerd Muller wouldn't get hired these days (unfortunately)!

As regards playmaker is that something Silva could do with AJ on left Milner on right?...just a thought. TBH thank fuck it`s Mancios job and not mine.

simon12 wrote:

john@staustell wrote:You're probably right Simon, but then in today's high powered game, I'm not sure you can fit all these types on the field. Pretty certain the classic 'foxes' Gary Linneker and Gerd Muller wouldn't get hired these days (unfortunately)!

As regards playmaker is that something Silva could do with AJ on left Milner on right?...just a thought. TBH thank fuck it`s Mancios job and not mine.

Pretty sure that's why Silva was hired. AJ is a bit of a mystery tbh, sometimes brilliant, others not. Mancini will use him carefully and there will be times he has to hooked off, others he will come on and change the game. Others he will run the game! Like you say, rather Bobby than us!

we needed a commanding central midfielder - step forward toure. He'll be box to box, not defensive.

Bit of class - silva. Look who set up most of d. villa's goal.

Leftback - done

Extra striker - get the impression were working on one.

Calm down dear, it's only a transfer window and there's still more than a month left

Grob wrote:Tevez not a world class forward??

I thought what we lacked was that bit of know how, and i also felt some of the tactics were curious/strange to be polite. In terms of players, we lacked a Toure type the most. Now we have one, im expecting improvements.

???
What's Tevez got to do with this? I was talking about out and out centerforward.

Personally I thought we needed Yaya type as replacement for De Jong to offer us something once the ball is won. It's playmaker who dominates central area on attacking third that we were really lacking imo. Signing Toure didn't change that at all.

Dev: you would like Pearce back wouldn't you?

Whoever told me to calm down, I'm perfectly calm. I'm only wondering about the signings and what the plan will be. I saw weaknessess in completely different areas. Then again, Mancini is manager with winning pedigree and I'm not. I'm still going to wonder though until the season kicks off and I'll see what the plan really was.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:

Grob wrote:Tevez not a world class forward??

I thought what we lacked was that bit of know how, and i also felt some of the tactics were curious/strange to be polite. In terms of players, we lacked a Toure type the most. Now we have one, im expecting improvements.

???
What's Tevez got to do with this? I was talking about out and out centerforward.

Personally I thought we needed Yaya type as replacement for De Jong to offer us something once the ball is won. It's playmaker who dominates central area on attacking third that we were really lacking imo. Signing Toure didn't change that at all.

Dev: you would like Pearce back wouldn't you?

Whoever told me to calm down, I'm perfectly calm. I'm only wondering about the signings and what the plan will be. I saw weaknessess in completely different areas. Then again, Mancini is manager with winning pedigree and I'm not. I'm still going to wonder though until the season kicks off and I'll see what the plan really was.

Explain why we need to replace De Jong?

TheGOAT wrote:

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:

Grob wrote:Tevez not a world class forward??

I thought what we lacked was that bit of know how, and i also felt some of the tactics were curious/strange to be polite. In terms of players, we lacked a Toure type the most. Now we have one, im expecting improvements.

???
What's Tevez got to do with this? I was talking about out and out centerforward.

Personally I thought we needed Yaya type as replacement for De Jong to offer us something once the ball is won. It's playmaker who dominates central area on attacking third that we were really lacking imo. Signing Toure didn't change that at all.

Dev: you would like Pearce back wouldn't you?

Whoever told me to calm down, I'm perfectly calm. I'm only wondering about the signings and what the plan will be. I saw weaknessess in completely different areas. Then again, Mancini is manager with winning pedigree and I'm not. I'm still going to wonder though until the season kicks off and I'll see what the plan really was.

Explain why we need to replace De Jong?

he wins the ball but can't do anything with it. At best of times he slows the possible counter attack down and nothing comes of it. At worst he gives the ball immediately away.

Winning the ball is little comfort if you can't turn the posession into anything useful.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:In the end of the season I said that I thought we were lacking a top quality centerback, playmaker and centerforward. I thought leftback would've been nice bonus. What we got was junior rightback, leftback, defensive midfielder and a left winger. And we are still after midfield utility man.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not disappointed as such but I'm slightly curious what the plan is. Are we aiming for some complex formations where players constantly switch places? Because all the players signed seem very versatile. I'm also wondering how the central area of attacking third will work out. That has been our weakness eversince Ireland lost form and we haven't really done anything to strengthen that area. What is the plan with central defence? Toure for me isn't good enough for top four so that leaves us with Kompany and Lescott as only good enough central defenders. That area for me is way too weak and could be our downfall. I still hope we are going for Luiz who seems like capable enough.

agree with most of this. And like everyone else am trying to work out what the plan is.
Two really important points imo.
1. Players playing in their best positions is a good way to have a static formation and not have the oppo trying to work out wtf is going on. Old fashioned and not the way forward and it is tie to accept that im afraid.
2. So that pushes toward players who are versatile but still very good.

One suggestion i have read is that instead of going for a Forward Mid playmaker, you have a range of players who can interplay that role.. fluidly. That then puts emphasis on a playmaker or distributor behind them and in front of the defence. Toure.Y springs to mind here. A key tactic then is to have both full backs as threats, which pushes back the oppo by fear alone and creates that little bit more space for say Yaya to hold the ball and look for key passes in the movement in front of him.

This approach imo is similar to what Barca do and would for instance turn teams like Everton into jelly.

A playmaker, a center back and a centre forward? A playmaker for sure seemed missing but I oike the idea put forward that it's not all about one figurehead through which everything goes but more of a team thing where the creativity lies in all sorts of players.Control of the midfield is very important though and that's why the likes of Nigel can still do a good job in some games but I am all for the player who can control and play. Like Barry but more mobile.
At center back I actually think we are not too bad. There is a lot of different opinion about Lescott but I think he is quality or at least was just as he got injured. All the other we have for that position are good but the question is whether they are quite good enough.Kompany at his best is excellent but has those moments.Toure has great experience and reads a good game but maybe just not quite good enough when it comes to the very best. Ned and Richards are excellent to have in the squad and can be superb at times but will they hang around to be squad players.Will Boateng be the man for Mancini in at center back or even Yaya? Looks to me like we won't be adding another centre back .

Centre forward. Ade at his best is true quality but will we see his best often enough and when he isn't there who fills in.I can't say about Balotelli and from what I hear I hope we don't get him but I do think we will get another top striker to add the the squad and lose a few along the way.

Most of all to me what we were lacking last year was a mixture of an understanding of how Mancini wants to play plus the ability to play it.I felt we were seriously found out when we played the better teams where it seemed we lacked ambition and craft.With the new players brought in plus the extra time to work and train them this surely must be a lot better.

You have to get rid of that old fashioned thinking in boxes thing. Playmaker, left winger, yadda yadda.

Look at this and tell me Silva can't be the central creative threat to feed the frontline:

[youtube]dpj7Nuvs490[/youtube]

And what's complex about players switching positions? IIMO a strict formation is only needed in defence, when going forward the less restriction the better, assuming the players are intelligent enough. People whinging about left wingers played on the right or such get on my tits.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:

TheGOAT wrote:

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:

Grob wrote:Tevez not a world class forward??

I thought what we lacked was that bit of know how, and i also felt some of the tactics were curious/strange to be polite. In terms of players, we lacked a Toure type the most. Now we have one, im expecting improvements.

???
What's Tevez got to do with this? I was talking about out and out centerforward.

Personally I thought we needed Yaya type as replacement for De Jong to offer us something once the ball is won. It's playmaker who dominates central area on attacking third that we were really lacking imo. Signing Toure didn't change that at all.

Dev: you would like Pearce back wouldn't you?

Whoever told me to calm down, I'm perfectly calm. I'm only wondering about the signings and what the plan will be. I saw weaknessess in completely different areas. Then again, Mancini is manager with winning pedigree and I'm not. I'm still going to wonder though until the season kicks off and I'll see what the plan really was.

Explain why we need to replace De Jong?

he wins the ball but can't do anything with it. At best of times he slows the possible counter attack down and nothing comes of it. At worst he gives the ball immediately away.

Winning the ball is little comfort if you can't turn the posession into anything useful.

The world cup showed that De Jong is very very capable on the ball. Hopefully Mancio will give him the freedom to be more expressive in his passing and deliver to our marauding forwards and midfielders.

i didn't really see it that way, Dazby. Yes, he played a bit more forward passes than he does for us, but of the tow holding midfielders in the Dutch team, van Bommel was by far the more creative one.

fangsanalsatan wrote:You have to get rid of that old fashioned thinking in boxes thing. Playmaker, left winger, yadda yadda.

Look at this and tell me Silva can't be the central creative threat to feed the frontline:


And what's complex about players switching positions? IIMO a strict formation is only needed in defence, when going forward the less restriction the better, assuming the players are intelligent enough. People whinging about left wingers played on the right or such get on my tits.

i would suggest that Silva would also be potentially a great partnership for Ireland to show his ability once more. I would think that the two of them could rip teams apart and i hope they get the chance to try and do that.

brite blu sky wrote:

fangsanalsatan wrote:You have to get rid of that old fashioned thinking in boxes thing. Playmaker, left winger, yadda yadda.

Look at this and tell me Silva can't be the central creative threat to feed the frontline:


And what's complex about players switching positions? IIMO a strict formation is only needed in defence, when going forward the less restriction the better, assuming the players are intelligent enough. People whinging about left wingers played on the right or such get on my tits.

i would suggest that Silva would also be potentially a great partnership for Ireland to show his ability once more. I would think that the two of them could rip teams apart and i hope they get the chance to try and do that.

Agreed. Ireland always played best when on the field with Robinho imo, and Silva is better. If Ireland and Silva form a partnership, other teams will be shitting themselves when they have to play us.

mr_nool wrote:i didn't really see it that way, Dazby. Yes, he played a bit more forward passes than he does for us, but of the tow holding midfielders in the Dutch team, van Bommel was by far the more creative one.

I didn't really see anything to indicate he has not been used properly by us. He made some backward passes constantly as he does with us.