Top to bottom!

So it's bottom of the league and we set up in the same formation as the Derby and pretty much Sevilla, give or take Navas, and once again I am unfortunately proved right! In that all the pundits after Sevilla were raving about City turning a corner with: Pellegrini's new formation (which it wasn't I reiterate it was the flat Derby team!), Pellegrini's tactical abilities (of which he has none!!), and I warned it was a false dawn!

The reason for the correct warning is we have some players who raise their game for the world stage, everything pretty much just went our way against Sevilla and finally and most importantly Pellegrini is dog shit! For I don't believe he has that dressing room in his pocket and why would he for you just wouldn't respect his decisions or tactics! So let's not focus on the dull game itself at Villa park against a load of bottom of the league has beens, misfits and nobody's who rode their luck for 90 minutes, rather pull apart the decisions that made it happen!

So Pellegrini goes home from Sevilla inflated by the swooning press, who seem to have no memory, and sits in bed patting himself on the back in his Spider-Man pyjamas. Then he comes up with the tactical brainwave of barely change it, genius!!! Even when we are now playing bottom of the league who just dug in, we stuck with two defensive centre mids?? Even when one knows Yaya lifted his game for the world stage and isn't great at two games in the week at the best of times?? As is also the case with Bony (and low and behold Bony get's injured!).

The team was there for all to see to be picked! For the defence due to injuries picks itself at the moment, with Clichy still probably not match fit, Zaba still out and the centre backs a given at the moment. Then you look to the midfield and it should have been Fernadinho, de Bruyne, with Yaya pushed forward, brought off for Fernando as soon as he stops running and if silva had been fit rested completely. Leaving the wingers as is with Sterling and Navas for it's starting to really work. Finally rest Bony for you can see he gets really tired playing too regularly and start Iheanacho.

If these tactics had been employed we simply would have won! With more penetration, more energy, just more! But no that wasn't to be Manuel probably more concerned with watching an episode of coronation street with his hot chocolate chose to pretty much do nothing, and top of the league couldn't beat bottom of the league! Thank you Manuel I really appreciate your input! Finally adding insult to proceedings Manuel's tactics were the deciding factor in the publisher of this blog not getting his 7 game accumulator bet, sorry Adam I apologies on Manuel's behalf!

Anyway it's the international break so here's hoping Manuel has a personality transplant before the Liverpool game!

Colin Bell Stand, Third Tier