Playing out from the back.....

...which is what Pep seems to want to do with City.

Now, I'm all in favour of what Pep wants to do - and I'll go with whatever he decides - however, I want to ask what everyone thinks about playing this style in the PL? Buying another keeper just to support this philosophy?

It's simple. 2 points only in your reply. 

1. Do you think it will work or not? YES/NO

2. Why it will or not?

Post it as a 1. 2. to make it easier to read, rather than a long winded explanation.

I'll KO.

1. NO

2. I really don't think PL teams will allow City defenders and keeper/s the amount of time to play out from the back and will force us to play a different way. They'll quickly play a formation to stop it, if it's successful.

However, it may mean a slight adjustment to Pep'S tactics to counter that - especially when Gundogan comes back, as does Sane....almost a 'lull them into playing 3 attackers to be able to play around them'....but we'll need to move that ball quickly to our attacking/ball-playing MF's.

As for playing out of the back - slow, cautious ball retention build-up? I really don't think it will work in the PL with the players we have in our squad - and that's not to say Pep can't quickly change it and be successful...but PL teams get 10 behind the ball very, very quickly unlike Germany and Spain.

Just my opinion as I had this debate live on BMR TV FB podcast 10 mins ago.

I think teams may try and press us very hard indeed. But the upside is that they won't get behind the ball so quickly and we can, effectively, play some sort of counter attack if they have 3-5 players trying to win the ball back from us.

As teams adapt, I hope we will as well. Maybe if this tactic works, and opposing managers can see it working, then teams later down the line may not try and press us too hard and will just get behind the ball.

I hope that we adapt as teams adapt to us.

At Barca and Bayern, I guess they had that aura. Teams were afraid of them and they were successful.

Do you think teams in the PL will press harder and further up the pitch than those in Spain or Germany? Will they run faster and further than those teams? They'll have better players for sure, but they won't be putting more effort in than those teams.

Will it work? I bloody hope so!

Topdawg wrote:I think teams may try and press us very hard indeed. But the upside is that they won't get behind the ball so quickly and we can, effectively, play some sort of counter attack if they have 3-5 players trying to win the ball back from us.

As teams adapt, I hope we will as well. Maybe if this tactic works, and opposing managers can see it working, then teams later down the line may not try and press us too hard and will just get behind the ball.

I hope that we adapt as teams adapt to us.

At Barca and Bayern, I guess they had that aura. Teams were afraid of them and they were successful.

Do you think teams in the PL will press harder and further up the pitch than those in Spain or Germany? Will they run faster and further than those teams? They'll have better players for sure, but they won't be putting more effort in than those teams.

Will it work? I bloody hope so!

THE RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not read your reply .

1 No
2 Given the right personnel like Stones then I could see it being a big success,but it would really depend on who is brought in to complement Stones.
Clichy Zabaleta and Sagna certainly aren't capable of effectively playing that way because they just aren't good enough on the ball and neither is Kompany either as practically all his injuries are caused by over stretching because he's lost control of the ball
So unless we really recruit a decent keeper,fullbacks and at least another centre back then it will fail

Paulpowersleftfoot wrote:1 No
2 Given the right personnel like Stones then I could see it being a big success,but it would really depend on who is brought in to complement Stones.
Clichy Zabaleta and Sagna certainly aren't capable of effectively playing that way because they just aren't good enough on the ball and neither is Kompany either as practically all his injuries are caused by over stretching because he's lost control of the ball
So unless we really recruit a decent keeper,fullbacks and at least another centre back then it will fail

I'm with you on this Rich. I just think the PL is completely different to any other league.

Teams who will now press? Pretty much all of them midweek in training when they come up against us.

I agree, I don't think Clichy or Sagna are a Lahm or Kimmich....great on the ball. Gundogan will definitely help, and dare I say, if he plays that way - TLMLF will, if he can get back to full match fitness and effort....but that's another problem that may be solved playing him as a ball playing CB.

It was great to see something unique in the PL with Clichy and Sagna tucked into MF ahead of Stones and Fernandhino....but the PL teams will soon figure that out and play a 4-5-1.

I've watched the game twice now from the weekend....and IF, I was as astute as many of the PL managers - I'd just tell my striker/s....to just stand against their final CB's, don't bother chasing them when they have the ball out wide, leave them to it, then get everyone behind the ball in our own half and make them work around us if they can. As soon as they lose the ball, we'll have acres of room with a long pass forward into the channel or behind them to attack....it may only need to work once out of ten times...but it'll get us chances and no doubt a goal. I looked at the game and just thought...."if I was a striker and didn't need to follow the person with the ball, just stand in line with them....they'll either leave me or send a player to mark me, which will leave space for another forward out wide - hence ruining their ball possession out wide etc, as they'd have to mark both of us. Leave us....at your peril.

I just don't think it'll work in the PL.

I'm confident though, that Pep will see this quickly, especially after Sat, and come up with a new plan when our big guns are fit.

1. No
2. It won't work because almost every team in the PL is willing and able to park the bus and wait to hit us on the break. We will be found wanting front to back.

1. Yes

2. Well if you all think he'll make Sterling into a world beater, then he's just as much chance of making this work with the likes of Sagna, Clichy, Mangala n Co

shakencity wrote:1. Yes

2. Well if you all think he'll make Sterling into a world beater, then he's just as much chance of making this work with the likes of Sagna, Clichy, Mangala n Co

bang on!

your facetiousness aside....

1. yes, eventually.
2. it will take longer than his initial 3 yr contract to get it right, but the kids have already been playing it out from the back for a couple of years apparently so the signs are there that it will be embedded within all levels of the club. Pep is so stubborn that he'll keep at his ideas, even if they are that successful. The club have invested so much in him (and waiting for him) that they'll give him a long time to get it right.

Next summer, I expect several more important incoming and outgoings. Pep will be buying time with Zabba, Sagna, Clichy and Kolarov. He can't move too many players on at once and they have many years experience of the club.