Dele and Lamela are both players that need to managed . Moura in fairness could fill aggrieved not starting the final but since then he hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities both Moura and Son are so inconsistent.We know how Moura and some other players must have felt when the team for the CL final was picked. Just wonder how Lamela felt on tuesday, Dele being picked ahead of him. I'm no great fan of Lamela but he's trying hard and playing well.
So yesterday I went back and looked through most of our Premier League fixtures from last season.
He used it first against Utd at OT, with Dier DM. Now we won the match 3-0, we were unusually clinical and that probably made Poch think this is the system to use but I remember that game and we were not 3 goals better.
He then reverted back to our usual shape but went back to the diamond against Liverpool at home in mid September, which we lost 2-1. He reverted to 4-2-3-1 for the following game away to Brighton, which we won.
He brought back the diamond at home to Chelsea in late November. To me this is the only game where it really worked and biggest reason was we caught Chelsea off guard and swarmed Jorginho. We won 3-1 but should have won by more. Interesting to note that Dier was DM in this diamond so we had a bit more security about us, our diamond was Dier, Sissoko, Eriksen, Alli behind Kane and Son.
He then kept the diamond for following match, away to Scum. We lost 4-2 and to be blunt we got battered and didn't deserve anything despite leading at one point.
Didn't use the diamond again until away to Everton with no DM. We win 6-2. We were extremely clinical going forward but those who remember this game will know we went behind early and always looked vulnerable defensively. Luckily for us Everton were worse.
The first time he used the diamond against 'lesser' opponents was Wolves at home. He decided to use the diamond again with no DM. We lose 3-2 and get battered second half.
Also played the diamond at home to Man Utd and at half time we are losing 1-0, having played very poorly. We switch to 4-2-3-1 and proceed to dominate the second half but we can't find a goal and De Gea is unbelievable.
We used the diamond at home to Leicester, where we somehow beat them 3-1 despite them being superior to us.
A couple of games later we use the diamond again, this time away to Saints. We lose 2-1.
Away to Pool we use 3 atb and change it up at halftime to the diamond but we still lose 2-1.
The next time we use the diamond is at home to West Ham and we lose 1-0.
We used the diamond at home to Villa this season. We were losing until we changed to 4-2-3-1 at half time which brought about our comeback.
There is a clear correlation when looking at our bad form over the past 10/11 months and its ever since we stopped consistently playing our balanced 4-2-3-1 and started playing this diamond (or 3 atb which no longer works for us either).
As far as I could see, the only clean sheet we have kept with the diamond was the very first time we used it, away at OT.
Agree and I think i read that Sissoko was "worse" for Poch in a CM2, so mayb that's why he's sticking with the diamond, to fit all Ndombele, Winks and Sissoko.The problem is that Sissoko has been a solider for him in the last 18 months. Managers are loathed to drop players who’ve been fighting for them.
The frustrating thing is that it's more the mark of a good manager or indeed anyone to manage the initial error and turn it around. After all, we know that he is thorough and doesn't just pick teams or tactics on a whim and sometimes it's a case of 'the best laid plans of mice and men' so it's how someone reacts to put things right is the hallmark of a great manager.I've often wondered that about his reluctance to make early subs being an admission of getting it wrong initially. If that is the case, it's more evidence that he is extremely stubborn which is really not a great trait when things are going wrong.
Yes, good point - he might be just set on trying to accommodate that trio because he sees a value in playing them all.Agree and I think i read that Sissoko was "worse" for Poch in a CM2, so mayb that's why he's sticking with the diamond, to fit all Ndombele, Winks and Sissoko.
I agree.Dele and Lamela are both players that need to managed . Moura in fairness could fill aggrieved not starting the final but since then he hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities both Moura and Son are so inconsistent.
Palace were woeful that day.
We also hit the back of the net with our first four efforts on goal.
Let's not forget that we could/should have been 2 up before Son's goal on Tuesday. Could have been a very different story.
As the normal whore is not doing his job here’s Ali Z from COYS earlier today ‘
Last night showed one thing , we still have loads of ability but we ARE not in it together.’
Klopp adapts, that's a difference.
Apparently Liverpool had major problems with possession from throw-ins. Klopp then went and got a coach to sort it out and now they are best in the league at retaining possession after throw-ins. It's a small detail, but it shows the mindset.
Did we use a different system when we played Palace? It's the only game that I can think of when we looked comfortable.
The system works fine if you quickly go 3 goals up before you run out of gas in the last hour.
We didn't use the diamond against Palace. We went back to more of a 4-2-3-1 except we had Son central and Eriksen lam.
This was the match, lined up in a 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 without the ball, reduced Man City to 2 shots on goal (1 was a penalty)
It's funny how no-one really speaks of this match because tactically we put in one of the best performances under Poch and made City look ordinary.
We should play like this against bigger sides.
But Guardiola was happy with a draw. He didn't pick a team that was going for a win IMO. Even the greats make mistakes.
Of course not.