Pellegrini Satisfometer

[Hutch's Shoulder]

Pellegrini said at the start of the season that it would take till Xmas for the squad to learn his style; in the meantime he will have been assessing the squad's strengths and may make some adjustments in the window; also after Xmas we will have a good view of our prospects domestically, so I will delay my vote till then.

Sorry Manuel, you will just have to wait mate.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I'd say we've not played as good'a football at home but we cannot just rely on home form, although KK produced some very entertaining games.

I suppose what I was leading onto was where people would be happy that we'd finish and who could realistically finish above us. If we played our like we've done with the same intensity away from home then you'd have to suggest that nobody could hold us. If we carry on, or even improve 50% on our away form, then we could be also rans and as this is the Pellers thread, what happens to Pellers?

If he can't sort the away form out over the course of a season, with the team he's got (considering home form), who says we can trust him next?

I always believe that "bedding in" is a term used by pundits to protect their mates from criticism early in their tenure. Pellers would be a perfect case in point. Off to a flyer at Madrid, same here, same at Malaga.....he has simple tactics the squad can pick up immediately.

We are incredible at home, great football, loads of goals, don't concede - he is clearly bedded in, and the players know his tactics. Yet away from home, whilst individual mistakes have been a major cause of defeats, those individual mistakes continue over a season and you have to ask how these individual mistakes only happen away from home, and it comes down to the question of how he prepares those players, the team selection of the players making the mistakes, or how a mistake wouldn't be perhaps so critical if we were a couple of goals to the good at the time it was made.

If he doesn't suss the problem by the end of the season, for me, he never will - and that goes for any manager who can't overcome a specific difficulty in any walk of life. They are paid to manage the problem, not deflect blame.

Fortunately, he isn't deflecting blame, he seems to have pretty broad shoulders, and I'm happily confident it will work out soon enough. If it doesn't.......the owner doesn't need me to remind him it's a results business.

I like that post and agree. I would add that the time to suss the problem is perhaps a lot shorter than a whole season. I'd allow for things like a bad spate of injuries or suspensions but he ought not to need the whole season to get to grips with what is going on. On that basis I am thinking that the next few weeks will be the make or break as to if he is going to get it or not. We may need a crisis (like so many managers seem to need to wake up) but maybe not. My take is that the so called individual mistakes are caused by players being put under situations they shouldn't be or are not prepped for. When you get a pattern like we have seen, there is usually an underlying cause.
He will either see that or it is a blind spot, we will find out I think sooner rather than later.

Not sure why but I'm thinking he is going to sort it in the next two games.

Unless there is a total disaster or a breakdown of players/staff morale, ala Bob, I recon it's safe to assume the Count will get another crack at it next season, whether we win it or not. If he puts up an acceptable fight & plays great football, they will assume he will be better in his 2nd season. That would be a reasonable assumption to make, based on the way football usually works.

I'm in the 'happy to see this kind of football' camp & would be happy with that, but I still think we'll win it anyhow, but not without setbacks.

The Count, imo, is the first of a breed of managers who will all try to do more or less the same thing. He is one of several people laying the foundations for a club ethos, not just managing the team. We are trying to be a club which plays football the way people love football to be played. Some may try slightly different tactics & formations but all will have to win in style, as a priority.


That isn't new actually. It's our 'istree'. We were famous for cavallier football. It's in our blood.

Swansea are set up in a similar way as a club, Ted. And it certainly works for them, both in terms of success (relatively, of course) and how they play the game.

[brite blu sky]

I'd say we've not played as good'a football at home but we cannot just rely on home form, although KK produced some very entertaining games.

I suppose what I was leading onto was where people would be happy that we'd finish and who could realistically finish above us. If we played our like we've done with the same intensity away from home then you'd have to suggest that nobody could hold us. If we carry on, or even improve 50% on our away form, then we could be also rans and as this is the Pellers thread, what happens to Pellers?

If he can't sort the away form out over the course of a season, with the team he's got (considering home form), who says we can trust him next?

I always believe that "bedding in" is a term used by pundits to protect their mates from criticism early in their tenure. Pellers would be a perfect case in point. Off to a flyer at Madrid, same here, same at Malaga.....he has simple tactics the squad can pick up immediately.

We are incredible at home, great football, loads of goals, don't concede - he is clearly bedded in, and the players know his tactics. Yet away from home, whilst individual mistakes have been a major cause of defeats, those individual mistakes continue over a season and you have to ask how these individual mistakes only happen away from home, and it comes down to the question of how he prepares those players, the team selection of the players making the mistakes, or how a mistake wouldn't be perhaps so critical if we were a couple of goals to the good at the time it was made.

If he doesn't suss the problem by the end of the season, for me, he never will - and that goes for any manager who can't overcome a specific difficulty in any walk of life. They are paid to manage the problem, not deflect blame.

Fortunately, he isn't deflecting blame, he seems to have pretty broad shoulders, and I'm happily confident it will work out soon enough. If it doesn't.......the owner doesn't need me to remind him it's a results business.

I like that post and agree. I would add that the time to suss the problem is perhaps a lot shorter than a whole season. I'd allow for things like a bad spate of injuries or suspensions but he ought not to need the whole season to get to grips with what is going on. On that basis I am thinking that the next few weeks will be the make or break as to if he is going to get it or not. We may need a crisis (like so many managers seem to need to wake up) but maybe not. My take is that the so called individual mistakes are caused by players being put under situations they shouldn't be or are not prepped for. When you get a pattern like we have seen, there is usually an underlying cause.
He will either see that or it is a blind spot, we will find out I think sooner rather than later.

Not sure why but I'm thinking he is going to sort it in the next two games.

Unless there is a total disaster or a breakdown of players/staff morale, ala Bob, I recon it's safe to assume the Count will get another crack at it next season, whether we win it or not. If he puts up an acceptable fight & plays great football, they will assume he will be better in his 2nd season. That would be a reasonable assumption to make, based on the way football usually works.

I'm in the 'happy to see this kind of football' camp & would be happy with that, but I still think we'll win it anyhow, but not without setbacks.

The Count, imo, is the first of a breed of managers who will all try to do more or less the same thing. He is one of several people laying the foundations for a club ethos, not just managing the team. We are trying to be a club which plays football the way people love football to be played. Some may try slightly different tactics & formations but all will have to win in style, as a priority.


That isn't new actually. It's our 'istree'. We were famous for cavallier football. It's in our blood.

Can't disagree with any of that, and I am firmly in the football is to be enjoyed gang. I really liked the Pilzen side's attitude managing to get 5+ players in or around the box right to the end of the games.
Indeed I am over the moon with the playing ethos, style, man management, spirit in attack, goals et etc.

The reasons for my dissatisfaction are well documented in this thread and it stems from my take that Pelligrini brought problems onto himself and the players, that he simply didn't have to. I was initially not impressed by that in a big way at the start of the season, and I am not impressed by the inability to respond and sort it out. Lets see what happens tonight and v the saints.

It isn't that I was even expecting too much from him, just not to do too much at once particularly changing the zonal system, players, DM and changing the CBs everygame and not being aware that teams at home will resort to route one chancers when all else fails.

if he hadn't been so ambitious or niave and arrogant, this squad would be being seen as very close indeed to the standard being set by Bayern.

I'm disappointed with the idea it was totally unnecessary. When he sorts it I wont be disappointed anymore. simple.

[Ted Hughes]

It's also worth considering that we have lost Barry & Tevez, two mainstays of our team from recent years, & have rarely had chance to play our strongest team, including Silva & Kompany, with the new players.

With all the new changes in style, it really is a huge amount of stuff to bed in.

I don't expect us to get it this season. I expect us to get our shit together much more once the first team gets a run of games together though & I'm hopeful that will be enough to win us the title.

I doubt it will be smooth though.

[brite blu sky]

Dont want to even start on the Barry loan. Ludicrous.

I beg to differ on the rough ride though... I've got a sneaky that when they sort getting the defence covered and it clicks, it will be as smooth as can be and they will get a real mojo on for the rest of the season from the point that happens.

also got a feeling it is going to be the next two games, tonight and v Southampton that it starts to click or the foundation is set. Could be a crisis though that does it tbh.

[dazby]

I've just upgraded to very satisfied. Scoring goals, scoring goals, scoring goals, scoring goals.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Convincing win at Southampton would have me upgrading to satisfied.

[sheblue]

Mmmmm wasn't really satisfied with the un-necessary weakening of the team away from home with time left.... But he is getting there.

[ross.mcfc]

Convincing win at Southampton would have me upgrading to satisfied.

It is a real test. One of the very few teams I reckon can stop us playing. I hate it when good sides are on a bad run going into a game with us. Plus, they will remember how we allowed them to murder us last season.

Normally, I would consider a point away against a good side a decent result but all of our rivals have pretty straight forward fixtures. Throwing away silly points at Villa and Cardiff (we deserved to lose at Sunderland) means this is unfortunetly a must win game.

[Ted Hughes]

Convincing win at Southampton would have me upgrading to satisfied.

It is a real test. One of the very few teams I reckon can stop us playing. I hate it when good sides are on a bad run going into a game with us. Plus, they will remember how we allowed them to murder us last season.

Normally, I would consider a point away against a good side a decent result but all of our rivals have pretty straight forward fixtures. Throwing away silly points at Villa and Cardiff (we deserved to lose at Sunderland) means this is unfortunetly a must win game.

Are there any Southampton strikers experiencing an 8 game goal drought ?

We all know how that traditionally ends..

[bigblue]

This next week is huge.

Dec 7 Southampton away
Dec 10 Bayern away
Dec 14 Arse home

As said by ross, Southampton will be a big test to see if we can win away vs quality opposition. Lose or draw; confidence in Peller's ability to win the league will significantly drop and the media will go into a frenzy about how we're fucked.

With Bayern - some may call it a friendly, but I'd disagree. We need to show up. Our club's ambition is to be the best team in the world. Confidence in our program and direction (for current and perspective players) will be measured in our results vs the best. To be the best you need to beat the best.

If we get steamrolled again (either in score or possession), it will be hard to have the players believe that City can actually challenge for the CL in the next few seasons. We can't look like headless chickens running around to yakety sax music at the top level again. But get a win or put in a great performance; players' confidence will go through the roof. It would establish City as a genuine top 5 team worldwide (at least until our next high-profile fuck up). And we have the chance to make a big statement by winning the group. Then again we are away @ Pep's Bayern, so it's tough to expect much.

Arse is self explanatory. The current in-form team. We have the chance to break their run. Lose and we will make them genuine title contenders. But put 4 or 5 past them like scum or spuds and we can shatter their self-belief in winning the league.

Basically:

Southampton - must win
Bayern - win would be great, but draw more realistic. Loss not too bad as long as we don't get embarrassed again.
Arse - win, but would accept a draw if we play better than arse and are able to beat Bayern mid-week.

Win all three and everyone better be over-the-top satisfied with Pellegrini.

[Blue2]

Cant see myself even getting up to satisfied until the away form improves and becomes consistent. No point in sweeping all before us at home and losing to Cardiff, Sunderland etc away.

Looks like I wont be moving category for some considerable time.

Fuckin garbage and totally unacceptable. We were lucky to get a draw.

[Alex Sapphire]

still not satsified

[Twobob]

Just downgraded to 'neither satisfied/overly dissatisfied' - we almost threw it away against the baggies and he doesn't seem seem to be doing anything to resolve things away from home or defensively overall, which is starting to become inexcusable and the great score lines at home have been masking it so it would seem.

Maybe knee jerk I dunno, if we'd have been on top or even equal to a so called weakened Saints team it wouldn't have been so bad but we were outplayed today and its becoming a pattern - first 20 mins good then die off.

[Ted Hughes]

Just downgraded to 'neither satisfied/overly dissatisfied' - we almost threw it away against the baggies and he doesn't seem seem to be doing anything to resolve things away from home or defensively overall, which is starting to become inexcusable and the great score lines at home have been masking it so it would seem.

Maybe knee jerk I dunno, if we'd have been on top or even equal to a so called weakened Saints team it wouldn't have been so bad but we were outplayed today and its becoming a pattern - first 20 mins good then die off.

' Becoming a pattern' ?

It's not a new thing.

We have been mostly underperforming away from home for years whatever the result. We just had spells at the start & end of the title winning season where we were good.

Today was actually better than last season. not saying much, but it was.

[Twobob]

' Becoming a pattern' ? It's not a new thing. We have been mostly underperforming away from home for years whatever the result. We just had spells at the start & end of the title winning season where we were good. Today was actually better than last season. not saying much, but it was.

Patern I've seen is how we come out strong for the first 20 mins, gain an advantage and the we're unable to cope when the home side get to grips with us.

Today we got a point, so yes you're right. We're shit hot when we have the ball and attacking but we're not getting the ball as the game goes on.

Every blind man and his dog can see that MD is not better in defence as Lescott and that Garcia is not string enough to solidify the midfield when we get over ran.

Just exasperated today mate, as i said before the lessons we hoped had been learned from the 2nd half of the baggies game seen to have been ignored.

[Ted Hughes]

' Becoming a pattern' ? It's not a new thing. We have been mostly underperforming away from home for years whatever the result. We just had spells at the start & end of the title winning season where we were good. Today was actually better than last season. not saying much, but it was.

Patern I've seen is how we come out strong for the first 20 mins, gain an advantage and the we're unable to cope when the home side get to grips with us.

Today we got a point, so yes you're right. We're shit hot when we have the ball and attacking but we're not getting the ball as the game goes on.

Every blind man and his dog can see that MD is not better in defence as Lescott and that Garcia is not string enough to solidify the midfield when we get over ran.

Just exasperated today mate, as i said before the lessons we hoped had been learned from the 2nd half of the baggies game seen to have been ignored.

We are still one or two players short of where we would like to be imo.

[Beefymcfc]

Just downgraded to 'neither satisfied/overly dissatisfied' - we almost threw it away against the baggies and he doesn't seem seem to be doing anything to resolve things away from home or defensively overall, which is starting to become inexcusable and the great score lines at home have been masking it so it would seem.

Maybe knee jerk I dunno, if we'd have been on top or even equal to a so called weakened Saints team it wouldn't have been so bad but we were outplayed today and its becoming a pattern - first 20 mins good then die off.

' Becoming a pattern' ?

It's not a new thing.

We have been mostly underperforming away from home for years whatever the result. We just had spells at the start & end of the title winning season where we were good.

Today was actually better than last season. not saying much, but it was.

Are you talking performance or points wise?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Just downgraded to 'neither satisfied/overly dissatisfied' - we almost threw it away against the baggies and he doesn't seem seem to be doing anything to resolve things away from home or defensively overall, which is starting to become inexcusable and the great score lines at home have been masking it so it would seem.

Maybe knee jerk I dunno, if we'd have been on top or even equal to a so called weakened Saints team it wouldn't have been so bad but we were outplayed today and its becoming a pattern - first 20 mins good then die off.

' Becoming a pattern' ?

It's not a new thing.

We have been mostly underperforming away from home for years whatever the result. We just had spells at the start & end of the title winning season where we were good.

Today was actually better than last season. not saying much, but it was.

Away from home neither I would say. We are amazing at home but pointswise we always were.
Are you talking performance or points wise?

[Original Dub]

How many players are we away from winning every game?