2019/20 Carlo Ancelotti

[Lelouch]

Loss
Win
Draw
Draw

draw to Bournemouth?!

 

[jerseytoffee]

Yeh I think watching it and seeing how he used players to their strengths in that 4-3-1-2 / 4-3-2-1 makes me wonder why he persists with 4-4-2 after the restart. We haven't looked good using it once.

I'm pretty sure he mentioned at some point that now wasn't the time to work on new tactics and formations, but he has made us more solid at the back at least.

Hopefully next season we will see a change in formation, or we will get the correct players that suit the formation

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

By watching the games? Crazy I know, but you could try it. We defended well against Liverpool, partly because we sacrificed all attacking intent and got everybody behind the ball, but that's fine. Norwich we defended fine, although it really is important to note that they are a side who've only scored 23 goals all season, and 1 in their last 9. Leicester we didn't defend well. We got away with it to an extent, and there was some good muck and nettles individual defending, but we didn't defend well as a team. Spurs offered very little going forward. Again the defending was generally fine in itself. Last night the defending was poor. They caused us all sorts of problems. Evidently you think because they only scored once it was great. I'm not sure Ancelotti would agree with you.

I'm happy to disagree with you. I'm also happy to do it without being a narky blert,

 

[Nymzee]

I'm pretty sure he mentioned at some point that now wasn't the time to work on new tactics and formations, but he has made us more solid at the back at least.

Hopefully next season we will see a change in formation, or we will get the correct players that suit the formation

Oh I have no issue with 4-4-2 if we have the players to fit but we don't right now (IMO).

 

[Lanolin]

I'm happy to disagree with you. I'm also happy to do it without being a narky blert,

Looks like you failed at that mate. Better luck next time.

 

[Nymzee]

Looks like you failed at that mate. Better luck next time.

I'm meant to be the only arse on the forum but you've been getting worse over the last few months.

 

[Mrk]

This weird, non press thing he seems to employ really perplexes me. They go in ones or at best two's whilst the rest of the team stay static to their position, sitting deep mostly. It's completely ineffectual and makes it so easy to play out under zero pressure for the opposition.

You only have to look at Southampton yesterday to see how impactive a proper press is, it totally nullified us in the first half. Indeed, most teams we have played have pressed and harried our side far, far more impressively than we have under any manager we have had since bobby's first season. It's embarrassing how poor we are at closing down the space, it's almost just paid lip service...

Carlo ain't exempt from critic because of his history, football has changed massively since his really successful days, he needs to adapt too or it will be a similar story to his time at Napoli, for whom he was bagged off for being so negative and employing weird defensive shapes for a team who were perhaps the best attacking unit in that league, he stiffifled them.

I accept we don't have the players to challenge, neither do Southampton, but what Southampton and other have which we don't, is a style of play, a style of press, an organised unit, a high press, players working for each other. Now it took Ralf at saints quite a while to impose that,which is now reaping rewards for them, but we don't even seem to be working towards a shape or a style of play, it's just a random formation change here and there, with players filling a position but with now idea how to play together in that formation. Now that is a concern.

I agree, however, I think this has to do with our defence. To play an effective pressing game you need defenders (particularly centrebacks) who are comfortable playing a high line - we know that Keane is not effective in a high line, and Mina isn’t exactly quick.

 

[ToffeeTim]

draw to Bournemouth?!

Think they could still have a very slim chance of survival with a win, so they could be up for it and we won't be.

Have a feeling they will beat Leicester on Sunday to stay in with a shout.

 

[Lelouch]

Think they could still have a very slim chance of survival with a win, so they could be up for it and we won't be.

Have a feeling they will beat Leicester on Sunday to stay in with a shout.

ah yeah the potential relegation energy, good point.

 

[jerseytoffee]

Oh I have no issue with 4-4-2 if we have the players to fit but we don't right now (IMO).

Definitely agree and I don't think he will change it either.

The 4321 might suit some of our players, Gordon and Iwobi behind Richarlison or DCL, Iwobi especially looks better more central and further up. Can leave Gomes to play the Pirlo role. Would need to get the Ambrosini, Gattuso and Cafu players in though

 

[Lanolin]

I'm meant to be the only arse on the forum but you've been getting worse over the last few months.

Everyone's an arse on the forum. If you're an arse to posters that nobody likes it's funny, if you're an arse to anyone else people take their bat home. I'll just be an arse to anyone i'm not bothered.

 

[Nymzee]

Definitely agree and I don't think he will change it either.

The 4321 might suit some of our players, Gordon and Iwobi behind Richarlison or DCL, Iwobi especially looks better more central and further up. Can leave Gomes to play the Pirlo role. Would need to get the Ambrosini, Gattuso and Cafu players in though

Yeh there are options. Obviously Carlo knows more in his little toe than we do but still; you watch enough footie you pick up a few things and opinions.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Lol at the clowns turning on Anchelotti already. It was so predictable. There always has to be a scapegoat for these morons, they truly deserve everything we get from this club.

 

[Billy Dean]

Oh I have no issue with 4-4-2 if we have the players to fit but we don't right now (IMO).

There was an article a couple of months ago about Ancelotti's tactics in the Athletic. It was saying 442 is his preferred system, which he learned from Arrigo Sacchi in the late 80s. He used that system in his first 2 jobs and was forced to change when he got to Milan to fit all their big names in. Maybe he sees us as a chance to implement his long term vision of a Sacchi-style 442, and figures that our midfield is so gash it doesn't really matter what formation you put them in, so he might as well start priming the team to play in the system he wants to use long term.

 

[LocalNative]

With who exactly?

If none of the midfielders from the U23 side can step into the team then it represents an even bigger failure from this club. I'd just load the midfield with numbers as 2 of whoever we have isn't good enough.

Played much better with 3 at the back in second half.