IS Bobby Mancini THE MAN?

[Ted Hughes]

Everyone here is making valid points imo.. yet i remain unconvinced at the arguments. OD has a good point, but as i keep suggesting it is the better sides that are able to exploit our lack of connection between midfield and attack. When we play sides that are not quite as good they cant that as easily and we get the better of them. Ok so thats one point that i feel is still the case and is a genuine problem. However that alone doesn't explain how the team can get it together when we go 1-0 down for instance.. suddenly they find the urgency, push up and close the gap with the strikers and we look and are very dangerous. So maybe it is a bit of both.. midfield problem compounded by not going out there to win the game from the start.
Unlike Grob i dont think that Villa and Spurs are as good as the rags, and i think that will make a difference on the day.
But like OD and others it would be good to see this team really going for it.. it is after all when we appear at our best and there is always a good argument for playing to your strengths..

The rags, much as I hate to say it, have more bottle than Villa, Spurs & City put together. If they'd had City's current players in their team & we had theirs they would have battered us (& battered Arsenal). Their mentality, their belief, is their biggest asset & the biggest difference between them & us. It's the bridge we have to cross & a problem which money alone can't solve.

The manager that can bring that mentality to City will be the one that turns us into one of the world's best clubs rather than just one that can win the odd cup or title by spending money. It doesn't look like Mancini or Hughes have (had) the charisma to be that man but if Mancini can continue Hughes' excellent job of building the club into being genuine regular contenders, the right man may have an easier job taking us that extra step in the future.

Re the next games, Spurs & Villa tend to crack under pressure, as do we but we are at home in front of our crowd so that should make the difference.

[Original Dub]

I got shouted down for mentioning it the other day, but of all the top sides we've faced under Mancini in the league, only the second half v Chelsea did I ever see us GO FOR IT... and subsequently win.

It has to end NOW or we will not get fourth. Its that fucking simple and I'm not having anyone question my support again for pointing out what is now painfully obvious - the man has not done it against the top sides in the league. And I mean the top EIGHT teams.

Chelsea are the only ones we managed to even score against. Now can all you lads who have accused me of being anti-Mancini and all the other bollox honestly sit there and tell me that I have an agenda and that he is tactically spot on when facing decent opposition?

Otherwise explain what he's doing wrong, because I've not heard ONE CRITICISM from the likes of NQDP, Slim, Johnny Crossan, Bob Kowalski and many others since the guy took over and it fucking stinks much stronger than the shite I'm being accused of.

I have reservations about the guy against top sides and I said I was apprehensive about our run in. You lot have no reservations it would seem. My opinion is based on what I've seen.... could you please explain to me what your opinion is based on, because right now it seems that this board has done a full ironic u-turn and there is now in fact people who are Mancini lovers at all costs, no matter how we perform and no matter what he does.

I think you are spot on OD." You lot have no reservations it would seem." That's the weird bit to me.

ridiculous effort for pointless argument from both of you.

I've said all along that I think we have right man in charge and I'm personally going to be critical of him once he has had few months to adjust to Premier League and summer to get his own players and pre-season under. Latter will be more important than many people understand. We constantly run out of steam in the end and it seems there's something wrong with base fitness of some players.

A ridiculous effort for a pointless argument? What I said was "ridiculous" was it? And it was also "pointless"? If that's the case just close this thread down immediately or else state in the rules that you're only allowed say he is the man like some little fucking nodding dog in the back of car and praise him from the heavens.

Fuck that, I have valid reservations and I think how we approach any decent team is totally negative and barring 45 mins against Chelsea, completely ineffective. If you think that's "ridiculous" then be a man and explain why I'm so far wide of the mark?

Explain to me all the things you like in our matches against the decent sides?

You come across completely lacking of confidence about our run in. You then go on to explain its because of the "good form spurs are in" or the "easy run in Villa have", and now its because the "base fitness of our players" is lacking.

The fact remains that fourth is in our hands and winning two home games in a row will all but secure it. You're not confident because of every other factor EXCEPT for the manager and I'm confident because of every other factor EXCEPT for the manager. Now one of us is wrong here or at least worrying about the wrong things.

But to call my post ridiculous and pointless when every cunt and his brother can see there are valid points there is way OTT.

Why don't you tell me whats so wrong about my post and while you're at it, why don't you tell everybody why the confidence has really been sapped out of you going into two HOME games against equal opposition?

[brite blu sky]

Everyone here is making valid points imo.. yet i remain unconvinced at the arguments. OD has a good point, but as i keep suggesting it is the better sides that are able to exploit our lack of connection between midfield and attack. When we play sides that are not quite as good they cant that as easily and we get the better of them. Ok so thats one point that i feel is still the case and is a genuine problem. However that alone doesn't explain how the team can get it together when we go 1-0 down for instance.. suddenly they find the urgency, push up and close the gap with the strikers and we look and are very dangerous. So maybe it is a bit of both.. midfield problem compounded by not going out there to win the game from the start.
Unlike Grob i dont think that Villa and Spurs are as good as the rags, and i think that will make a difference on the day.
But like OD and others it would be good to see this team really going for it.. it is after all when we appear at our best and there is always a good argument for playing to your strengths..

The rags, much as I hate to say it, have more bottle than Villa, Spurs & City put together. If they'd had City's current players in their team & we had theirs they would have battered us (& battered Arsenal). Their mentality, their belief, is their biggest asset & the biggest difference between them & us. It's the bridge we have to cross & a problem which money alone can't solve.

The manager that can bring that mentality to City will be the one that turns us into one of the world's best clubs rather than just one that can win the odd cup or title by spending money. It doesn't look like Mancini or Hughes have (had) the charisma to be that man but if Mancini can continue Hughes' excellent job of building the club into being genuine regular contenders, the right man may have an easier job taking us that extra step in the future.

Re the next games, Spurs & Villa tend to crack under pressure, as do we but we are at home in front of our crowd so that should make the difference.

good post Ted. im not convinced that our current team crack under pressure.. coming back to win from 1-0 down a few times suggests not, but i think you mean general pressure.. as in must win games.. yes?

Also would point out that the kind of managerial quality you are refering to is also something that has to be built, not necesarily bought. Baconface almost got ousted from the swamp before they got it together.. also they had a lot of seasons in the CL before they made any significant impact. We will never know what any manager is capable of unless they are given some time to work with.

Take just one little example of say Bellemy. Having known Bellers for half a season only how could Mancini know if he gets tired towards the end of a campaign and should be used differently. There are rhythms in life and football that you can only understand through the experience of being there and being there over the cycle.. Does Steven Ireland need stability around him to flourish ? a lot of people on here would sell him come summer bcos he has had a very indifferent season.. imo that kind of thinking will get us nowhere. We need to trust a manager to try and learn these things.

To use your analogy, i get the sense we are on that bridge.. but kind of collectively shuffling forwards testing to see if it is going to hold our weight..

[Ted Hughes]

Everyone here is making valid points imo.. yet i remain unconvinced at the arguments. OD has a good point, but as i keep suggesting it is the better sides that are able to exploit our lack of connection between midfield and attack. When we play sides that are not quite as good they cant that as easily and we get the better of them. Ok so thats one point that i feel is still the case and is a genuine problem. However that alone doesn't explain how the team can get it together when we go 1-0 down for instance.. suddenly they find the urgency, push up and close the gap with the strikers and we look and are very dangerous. So maybe it is a bit of both.. midfield problem compounded by not going out there to win the game from the start.
Unlike Grob i dont think that Villa and Spurs are as good as the rags, and i think that will make a difference on the day.
But like OD and others it would be good to see this team really going for it.. it is after all when we appear at our best and there is always a good argument for playing to your strengths..

The rags, much as I hate to say it, have more bottle than Villa, Spurs & City put together. If they'd had City's current players in their team & we had theirs they would have battered us (& battered Arsenal). Their mentality, their belief, is their biggest asset & the biggest difference between them & us. It's the bridge we have to cross & a problem which money alone can't solve.

The manager that can bring that mentality to City will be the one that turns us into one of the world's best clubs rather than just one that can win the odd cup or title by spending money. It doesn't look like Mancini or Hughes have (had) the charisma to be that man but if Mancini can continue Hughes' excellent job of building the club into being genuine regular contenders, the right man may have an easier job taking us that extra step in the future.

Re the next games, Spurs & Villa tend to crack under pressure, as do we but we are at home in front of our crowd so that should make the difference.

good post Ted. im not convinced that our current team crack under pressure.. coming back to win from 1-0 down a few times suggests not, but i think you mean general pressure.. as in must win games.. yes?

Also would point out that the kind of managerial quality you are refering to is also something that has to be built, not necesarily bought. Baconface almost got ousted from the swamp before they got it together.. also they had a lot of seasons in the CL before they made any significant impact. We will never know what any manager is capable of unless they are given some time to work with.

Take just one little example of say Bellemy. Having known Bellers for half a season only how could Mancini know if he gets tired towards the end of a campaign and should be used differently. There are rhythms in life and football that you can only understand through the experience of being there and being there over the cycle.. Does Steven Ireland need stability around him to flourish ? a lot of people on here would sell him come summer bcos he has had a very indifferent season.. imo that kind of thinking will get us nowhere. We need to trust a manager to try and learn these things.

To use your analogy, i get the sense we are on that bridge.. but kind of collectively shuffling forwards testing to see if it is going to hold our weight..

I mostly mean pressure of expectation, which is one reason Dunne for example, had to go. He was our club personified, brilliant one day when we're up against it, often useless against anyone anywhere when we're expected to win & have everything to win.

I agree with the scenario of letting a manager grow with the club but the chosen man was Hughes. If we didn't believe in him we should have replaced him immediately & put someone else in that position but to trust him then sack him half way through was just rank bad management by the board. We're too far down the line now to let Mancini have 4-5 years to do that job unless he wins stuff. If we'd brought him in immediately then that would have been possible. Now the best he can hope for without tangible success is a season or so.

I think the kind of manager we need in the end has to be a stronger personality than Hughes or Mancini & have a touch of the Svengali (not Sven gali!) about them. I couldn't see that in Hughes & can't in Mancini but I can in Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger & even Moyes. They have that 'something' clearly lacking in Hughes & Mancini & I'm not sure you can learn it.

When we eventually get to the point where we're one of the world's top clubs, the club itself will become the mentality, just playing for City will give the belief & the manager needs only to coach but to get us there I think we need someone.. I was going to say 'special' but Christ I keep making a case for Mourinho without meaning to!

[mcfc1632]

Strange how things go in circles

I find it amusing to hear posters stating how time is needed - the manager has to settle in -needs to get his own players etc

I actually agree - and I support the manager - just like OD I have reservations - is not discussing those what a forum like this should be about

The amusing part though is that a number of the posters stating these things are the same ones that stated the exact opposite under the previous manager

[brite blu sky]

hmm the pressure of expectation.. on the face of it thats a bit of a prickly fucler for City fans to deal with tbh.

commonly known as 'bottling it' i believe.

Despite the historical evidence of always seeming to bottle it, the current team have some players with experience of not bottling it, and Mancini has experience of not bottling it as well..

If we bottled it in the previous 2 games for instance, then we looked pretty fuclin solid even at bottling it level.

Where it showed was in rushed passes and snatched attempts, less fluidity and incisiveness going forward.. perhaps also less confidence to commit forward..

makes a bit of sense to me

[Alex Sapphire]

where's Antii?

[mcfc1632]

where's Antii?

'not made here syndrome' - he was not the OP on this thread - so he is probably creating his own on the subject

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

where's Antii?

Right here. You had some questions did you?

[Ted Hughes]

where's Antii?

Right here. You had some questions did you?

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

where's Antii?

Right here. You had some questions did you?

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

You thought I didn't know where that's from didn't you?!?!?! Absolute classic mate. One of my all time favourites.

[Ted Hughes]

where's Antii?

Right here. You had some questions did you?

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

You thought I didn't know where that's from didn't you?!?!?! Absolute classic mate. One of my all time favourites.

T'was a great film.

[The Man In Blue]

where's Antii?

Right here. You had some questions did you?

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

You thought I didn't know where that's from didn't you?!?!?! Absolute classic mate. One of my all time favourites.

T'was a great film.

it was only a model.

[crossan]

We need to keep hold of Roberto......he is the man.

[Beefymcfc]

We need to keep hold of Roberto......he is the man.

Are you Mancio's wife?

[Slim]

Oh no, we've won twice against top8 opposition now, OD only has half the point he had before now.

[Original Dub]

Oh no, we've won twice against top8 opposition now, OD only has half the point he had before now.

Only half the reservation, which I'm delighted with.

Did you think I wanted the fact that we couldn't score against alomost all top opposition to continue??
I'm a man city fan.

You silly boy.

[Slim]

Oh no, we've won twice against top8 opposition now, OD only has half the point he had before now.

Only half the reservation, which I'm delighted with.

Did you think I wanted the fact that we couldn't score against alomost all top opposition to continue??
I'm a man city fan.

You silly boy.

Okay Dub, can I get something from you here. If we finish 4th, I would like to see from you that City were right to sack Hughes..in your signature..for the following season.

[Original Dub]

Oh no, we've won twice against top8 opposition now, OD only has half the point he had before now.

Only half the reservation, which I'm delighted with.

Did you think I wanted the fact that we couldn't score against alomost all top opposition to continue??
I'm a man city fan.

You silly boy.

Okay Dub, can I get something from you here. If we finish 4th, I would like to see from you that City were right to sack Hughes..in your signature..for the following season.

If we get fourth I'll be so ecstatic I'll probably do almost anything mate!

But we'll never know what would have happened had we kept hughes. Some seem to think we would have gotten worse as the players got used to each other. I happen to think we'd be roughly where we are now to be perfectly honest with you, I really do.
Still though the cunt's gone and that's that. Its only natural that we compare how the two have done, but to speculate over where would or wouldn't have gone under hughes is pointless IMO.

If we finish fourth there is no doubt mancini is the man, as hughes would have been had it been him. Coming fourth so early in our "development" is a fantastic achievement. We performed admirably against Villa and I was proud as fuck. We never panicked and strangely, neither did I, even when they scored. The confidence is back I think and we couldn't be playing spurs at a better time than 3 days time.

I've been nervous as fooook lately and that's why I've tried to stay away from the board for the last few days. I wasn't gonna post until we'd either made it or fucked it up, but I think I've seen enough against Villa to have faith in the manager and the team to go on and clinch this now, so most of my "reservations" have been pushed back, thank God.

Its great to be blue.

[brite blu sky]

Oh no, we've won twice against top8 opposition now, OD only has half the point he had before now.

Only half the reservation, which I'm delighted with.

Did you think I wanted the fact that we couldn't score against alomost all top opposition to continue??
I'm a man city fan.

You silly boy.

Okay Dub, can I get something from you here. If we finish 4th, I would like to see from you that City were right to sack Hughes..in your signature..for the following season.

If we get fourth I'll be so ecstatic I'll probably do almost anything mate!

But we'll never know what would have happened had we kept hughes. Some seem to think we would have gotten worse as the players got used to each other. I happen to think we'd be roughly where we are now to be perfectly honest with you, I really do.
Still though the cunt's gone and that's that. Its only natural that we compare how the two have done, but to speculate over where would or wouldn't have gone under hughes is pointless IMO.

If we finish fourth there is no doubt mancini is the man, as hughes would have been had it been him. Coming fourth so early in our "development" is a fantastic achievement. We performed admirably against Villa and I was proud as fuck. We never panicked and strangely, neither did I, even when they scored. The confidence is back I think and we couldn't be playing spurs at a better time than 3 days time.

I've been nervous as fooook lately and that's why I've tried to stay away from the board for the last few days. I wasn't gonna post until we'd either made it or fucked it up, but I think I've seen enough against Villa to have faith in the manager and the team to go on and clinch this now, so most of my "reservations" have been pushed back, thank God.

Its great to be blue.

with all due respect lads i was trying to point this very thing out before the game.

It is absolutely fantastic to have a team that if it is developing a characteristic it is 'if you score against us you better be well prepared for the backlash' cos you are going to get fucled.
So far we have done that on many occasions now.. and is starting to look like a pattern.

Thats why i was saying before the Villa game, if we scored Villa were minced.. but if Villa scored they would also be minced.

their only real option was not open to them.. that was to not score under any circumstances and try to keep it at 0-0.

Whatever happens this season i am already looking forward to the Everton games next season. They taught us a lot about ourselves and we went on and learnt from it.. would of course only be civil of City to return the favour