hi faul,
hardly ever watch real, so i didn't know.
but i'd also kick him out for using that tactic with real's team. it's an underdog's game plan.
it was perfect for a less able team playing a better one and doing something unexpected. he revealed a vulnerability in the attack, attack, attack model pellegrini employs: he showed that city struggle when playing a team that absorbs pressure and waits to counter.
it won't always work and if aguero and fernandinho weren't injured, i am pretty sure it wouldn't have worked in that game.
but when you manage a team with many of the world's best attackers like real, it's too negative a strategy.
real should also play like manchester city. except when playing a team like chelsea that thrives off another team's adventure. these kinds of attacking teams just need to learn how to play against teams like the ones mourinho sets up.
the current chelsea is the perfect place for mourinho. he's an insurgent rather than a stable monarch type. he is most excited when there's someone above him to tear down.
i'm kinda curious to see how mourinho does against a better funded wenger over the next few years. arsenal's players are about the same quality as chelsea's. both teams are going to add firepower in the summer. so the key variable will be strategic.
re confidence: if i was running city, i'd realise just how important fenandinho is in the transition phases.
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