Spot the Difference v Wolves

[Ted Hughes]

Anytime Mancini has played a 2nd striker it has been behine Tevez with the play maker behind.

Our teams strength has been our solid defense and hardworking midfield, I can seem him sacrificing one player for Dzeko, but he's rarely played Balo and Tevez, let alone playing them both with the new striker. He is not going to give up his hard working midfield for 4 attack players in my opinion. Balo will be benched and rotated.

Tbf he's rarely had the chance as Balotelli is always either suspended or injured. I can see Bob sometimes playing Balotelli & Tevez in a 3 behind Dzeko but I'd be surprised if Silva plays much in that line up. He'll go for Yaya or Milner if those 3 were playing together I would think. When Silva plays he'll usually leave out one of the strikers I recon.

[13021J]

It's been indicated in reports this morning that he has been feeling unwell, so he's not 100% sure to start on Saturday.

[brite blu sky]

Assuming all are fit, I would like to see this.... If Balotelli isnt fit, then stick silva out on the left, push Yaya up into the middle and stick barry alongside nige!

-----------------Hart-------------------

Zabba-----Kolo-----Vinny-----Kolarov

---------De Jong-----Yaya-------------

Tevez----------Silva----------Balotelli

----------------Dzeko------------------

I think that this is close - the only difference I think you might see (and I know this will be unpopular) is Boateng at RB.

His performances must be the major disappointment to Mancini this season. that said it was clear that he bought Kolorov and Boateng to be the attacking FBs that can put in good crosses - something Micah cannot do and not a big strength of Zabba (who has been a star) - I would not be surprised to see Mancini persist with Boateng now that Edin is here - for the change to work well there needs to be the option of balls into the box that he can then eaither lay off or try to score from

Not saying this is what I would do - but what I think Mancini might

I must be high? What impression has Mancini given that makes people he'll play a front 4 with Tevez wide right?

Fair question, and as one of the people suggesting that he may do.. when it suits, i will try to give the reasoning. First though i would like to point out that this is not over optimistic dreaming... i dont think we will see the best of Dzeko or the team till next season, maybe a little bit towards the end of this.

So 4 up front is based on what Mancini has done previously with Inter (if you have read any of mancio4's posts where he actually talks about football, he is also saying this). The buys that Mancini has made are the evidence for me that what he is trying to do is create an english Barca. In simple terms when the two FBs can push right up and support the attack and at the same time the DM.. forming a line of 3 across the park. The FBs are crucial as they compress the space available into the oppos half and allow all the players in front of the back 5 to ponce about at will stretching and testing and tying in knots the oppos defence.
That basically allows for a lot of attacking players, they need superb tech skills and the continuous work to be in a support position to receive the ball. Versatile players are best for this, so in many ways it is why Adebayor is not in the plans, Tevez, Silva, Yaya, Balotelli are all well capable of this, the english players are not bad for english players and imo getting better.. Barry, AJ and Milner.

That is what i see and that is what i think a lot of work is being done to achieve. When i say an english barca it is because many Prem teams will not sacrifice the space and will battle harder to break up the play into a bit of a free for all and will also go for hoofing it, so in the Prem a different approach is needed and a bit of caution, but we have seen already at home that teams see what City are already capable of and sink right back to defend their own area. It is against that kind of oppo that we may see the 4 'strikers' on the pitch together.
Finally i could be well wrong in all this obviously, but there is one more point that suggests that City are not just trying to create a decent Prem side, the ambition is to dominate in all comps including the CL, that means we have to develop something truly special, i think that is why Mancini was brought in because he has a vision of that and i also think he is the kind of person who starts as he means to go on, so he is therefore constructing the building blocks that we will continue to use.
A team that can play english football in a barca type way would be something to rekon with.

[Ted Hughes]

The Inter team that people talk about on here & the one I saw whenever I watched them on TV seem to differ quite a lot.

[pepsi_dave]

Assuming all are fit, I would like to see this.... If Balotelli isnt fit, then stick silva out on the left, push Yaya up into the middle and stick barry alongside nige!

-----------------Hart-------------------

Zabba-----Kolo-----Vinny-----Kolarov

---------De Jong-----Yaya-------------

Tevez----------Silva----------Balotelli

----------------Dzeko------------------

I think that this is close - the only difference I think you might see (and I know this will be unpopular) is Boateng at RB.

His performances must be the major disappointment to Mancini this season. that said it was clear that he bought Kolorov and Boateng to be the attacking FBs that can put in good crosses - something Micah cannot do and not a big strength of Zabba (who has been a star) - I would not be surprised to see Mancini persist with Boateng now that Edin is here - for the change to work well there needs to be the option of balls into the box that he can then eaither lay off or try to score from

Not saying this is what I would do - but what I think Mancini might

I must be high? What impression has Mancini given that makes people he'll play a front 4 with Tevez wide right?

Nothing, the key part of my post is what I have underlined for you. I dont thing it really matters what position they are shown in, we all know that they will drift and swap positions throughout the course of a match anyway. And, you will have noticed that generally, that is how we have lined up against a lot of teams this season! Particularly when we are in posession of the ball with the full backs pushing up and the wide players pushing up alongside the striker.

[brite blu sky]

Anytime Mancini has played a 2nd striker it has been behine Tevez with the play maker behind.

Our teams strength has been our solid defense and hardworking midfield, I can seem him sacrificing one player for Dzeko, but he's rarely played Balo and Tevez, let alone playing them both with the new striker. He is not going to give up his hard working midfield for 4 attack players in my opinion. Balo will be benched and rotated.

Tbf he's rarely had the chance as Balotelli is always either suspended or injured. I can see Bob sometimes playing Balotelli & Tevez in a 3 behind Dzeko but I'd be surprised if Silva plays much in that line up. He'll go for Yaya or Milner if those 3 were playing together I would think. When Silva plays he'll usually leave out one of the strikers I recon.

From the horses mouth apparently

"I think we can play all five together because they are all capable of changing their positions," said a manager who has been criticised at times for his perceived negative tactics, most recently the goalless draw at Arsenal last week. "I'm not saying we will always play with five attackers, but sometimes. Edin can make a difference in the big games; against Arsenal it would probably have been a different game had he been playing."

[Ted Hughes]

Anytime Mancini has played a 2nd striker it has been behine Tevez with the play maker behind.

Our teams strength has been our solid defense and hardworking midfield, I can seem him sacrificing one player for Dzeko, but he's rarely played Balo and Tevez, let alone playing them both with the new striker. He is not going to give up his hard working midfield for 4 attack players in my opinion. Balo will be benched and rotated.

Tbf he's rarely had the chance as Balotelli is always either suspended or injured. I can see Bob sometimes playing Balotelli & Tevez in a 3 behind Dzeko but I'd be surprised if Silva plays much in that line up. He'll go for Yaya or Milner if those 3 were playing together I would think. When Silva plays he'll usually leave out one of the strikers I recon.

From the horses mouth apparently

"I think we can play all five together because they are all capable of changing their positions," said a manager who has been criticised at times for his perceived negative tactics, most recently the goalless draw at Arsenal last week. "I'm not saying we will always play with five attackers, but sometimes. Edin can make a difference in the big games; against Arsenal it would probably have been a different game had he been playing."

The key word Bob used is the same word I used; sometimes.

[mcfc1632]

Agreed Ted - but I had been thinking that Wolves at home would have been one of those times

But anyway the latest news on Mario puts this to bed and needs a rethink on this thread

[brite blu sky]

Anytime Mancini has played a 2nd striker it has been behine Tevez with the play maker behind.

Our teams strength has been our solid defense and hardworking midfield, I can seem him sacrificing one player for Dzeko, but he's rarely played Balo and Tevez, let alone playing them both with the new striker. He is not going to give up his hard working midfield for 4 attack players in my opinion. Balo will be benched and rotated.

Tbf he's rarely had the chance as Balotelli is always either suspended or injured. I can see Bob sometimes playing Balotelli & Tevez in a 3 behind Dzeko but I'd be surprised if Silva plays much in that line up. He'll go for Yaya or Milner if those 3 were playing together I would think. When Silva plays he'll usually leave out one of the strikers I recon.

From the horses mouth apparently

"I think we can play all five together because they are all capable of changing their positions," said a manager who has been criticised at times for his perceived negative tactics, most recently the goalless draw at Arsenal last week. "I'm not saying we will always play with five attackers, but sometimes. Edin can make a difference in the big games; against Arsenal it would probably have been a different game had he been playing."

The key word Bob used is the same word I used; sometimes.

I used the word occasionally.. and when circumstances allow.
Whatever.

Also thought there was a small chance of him trying a few of them together v Wolves, but tbh i wasn't expecting it.

[brite blu sky]

Dzeko, Tevez and Silva on from the start.. try and get the early goals and then look to replace Edin & David as they run out of steam ?

[Slim]

Is Leicester on Wednesday or Tuesday?

I think as soon as we can sit David down we should.

[brite blu sky]

pretty sure it's Tuesday.. so yes we should look to rest Silva asap and Dzeko when he starts to fade.