Ok, so we’ve just had two emphatic victories against two of the best teams in the premier league. But reality aside, how do we think we should go in to the game against Man City?
If we keep it the same and play open, attacking football we could get picked off and humiliated. If we change it and go defensive with Choudhury and Ndidi in a 4-2-3-1 we’ll probably still lose and Rodgers is criticised for being negative.
I think I’ve got the answer. Let’s go 3-5-1-1 (or 3-6-1). Fuchs and Evans come in to a back 5 and Maddison tries to link up with Vardy supported by flying wing backs when we have the ball.
Fool proof.
Well, you may not agree but this is a really tricky one. If we were playing Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea where our natural game could still do damage I’d say don’t change a winning formula, but Liverpool and Man City are two totally different propositions. Both can be caused problems by attacking them but both can tear you apart when you leave space by doing so.
What are people’s views? Or do we just accept this is a free hot. Reintegrate Evans and play as we have been doing?
How to play Man City?
posted on 21/9/20
”Sure they've got the squad to cope with that better than anyone else“
I’m really not sure we have anymore tbh. I look at Liverpool, Chelsea and Uniteds squad and see a lot more depth in certain areas than ours. Less quality in parts too, but greater options for rotation, particularly in midfield and the striker positions.
posted on 21/9/20
I'd be surprised if either of us didn't make vast changes for the League Cup midweek.
posted on 21/9/20
Every prem team will be playing the reserves for the cup. Spurs have something like 6 games in 12 days with Europa. That is obscene!
Surprised people are up for the back 5. I know if I get Dunge on board it will definitely be a reasonable option!!!
posted on 21/9/20
Mersey - I'm not convinced we have the right personnel to play it right now. Maybe if we get another CB in or Ricardo was fit. I'm not convinced Fuchs is anywhere near fitness.
posted on 21/9/20
Plus, as a defensive option I'm generally more in favour of flooding the midfield rather than flooding the defence.
posted on 21/9/20
I reckon Man City will try to go with a similar tactic of trying to overload one of our full backs with De Bruyne attacking into the gap created by winger and full back tieing up our fullback and winger. Think only one guess who they’d try and target.
Assuming Ndidi steps up to midfield and Mendy drops then they need to decide who goes with him. I think Tielemans is going to need to be up for some tracking deep. Then we need to hit space behind their fullbacks, so need some pace adding on the right but think we’ll stay with Pérez for the defensive side. A big problem is going to be overcoming the press, we’ve looked much better playing through with Mendy in the holding role now he’s turning on the ball, he’s looking more comfortable than Ndidi with that part of the role. Means Tielemans is going to need to drop deeper and then play some more conservative play when deep in own half.
posted on 21/9/20
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 44 minutes ago
Plus, as a defensive option I'm generally more in favour of flooding the midfield rather than flooding the defence.
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But flooding the midfield with variants of Nididi + Mendy, Choudhury or A N Other has never been effective either.
Obviously if Fuchs isn’t fit it won’t work, but if he is I’d be more tempted by that to allow Justin and Castangne to push on rather than relying on Perez to unpick Man City’s defence!!!!
posted on 21/9/20
Actually, it has. At least, there were several games under Puel where we picked up surprise results against better teams by playing two defensive midfielders and clogging. It's in matches where we needed to get on the front foot where it doesn't work.
posted on 21/9/20
But we’re not managed by Puel now are we Dunge?....
.... and thank the lord for that mercy!
posted on 21/9/20
Try attacking them. If we try to defend we'll lose.