Are we missing the point tonight?

[lythamblue]

I don't think there was that much wrong with the team selection tonight as the team we put out should have been good enough to beat a team of West Brom Reserves.

After all, ON THE FACE OF IT, we still had a few expensive highly paid internationals in it, players with Premiership experience and the balance was some billy big bollox kids who spend all day training with 'superstars' and were begging to be given a chance to show how this has benefitted them and how good they are etc.

As it turned out, the kids weren't the problem ..... it was the more established 'stars' who were the problem. Accordingly, I don't fault Mancini for his team selection .... but I do fault him for the general attitude that is developing within our playing staff!

The experienced players out there were all highly paid individuals, who know no matter how well they played, they would still not be in the team against Chelski and will probably (barring injuries to others) will hardly feature in any important games for the rest of the season and maybe even their City careers. However, they will still pick up their gigantic pay packets at the end of the month and will soon forget about this result.

They therefore have no motivation to win and conversely, the kids live in an environment that they actually believe they are playing alongside superstars for a BIG club and the world is just waiting for their careers to naturally lift off..... in line with their big new contracts.

Well ..... why dont they all just fookin wake up!!!

The 'stars' are much maligned by all as 'mercenaries' and until they start winning silverware for the club they have joined..... mercenaries are indeed what they are. The ones that played tonight, can't even get in to the 1st team and have probably given up trying to.

So, Mancini ..... it's time to sort all this out. It's well documented that our biggest problem will be 'team spirit and motivation' but so far we are developing exactly along the lines of how the Media and Pundits have predicted we would. Even the young kids who have done nothing yet, think just because they play for Man City (the richest club in the world) success is just around the corner and is innevitable.

We have won sod all yet and achieved absolutely nothing apart from spend £300 million in two years.

So, my theory is .... nothing wrong with team selection .... but plenty wrong with players attitude and the management of this problem.

[Ted Hughes]

The biggest problem was a reserve team back 4 that got fucking taken to the cleaners. If you've watched them play, I don't see why you'd be surprised. I wasn't, just that it was only 2.

Which world beaters in the rest of the team did you expect to dominate West Brom anyway?

[Bianchi on Ice]

Team selection needs to be better than that, allowing for the obvious ones. That was a team selected by a manager who'd won this trophy before, sorted out the barren run burned the banner etc and had champions league to think about aside from all the other things this season. People paid good money and gave up their time to watch a cobbled together team and even if theyd won it would only encourage him to do the same next round unless we drew the scum or arsenal and risked our butts getting kicked.

[lythamblue]

T

Which world beaters in the rest of the team did you expect to dominate West Brom anyway?

Didn't say world beaters Ted .... but a team containing Given, Vierra, Johnson, Jo, Santa Cruz and Boyata should have been good enough to put in a performance good enough to beat this opposition. Even when Zabba, Silva and Milner came on ..... the pattern of the game didn't change and we were still second best.

Sorry, but even our fringe first teamers walk and talk as if they are playing for a club that has won ten major trophies in the last 5 years and even our kids think they are right up there with the Arsenal counterparts etc.

IMO, it's time they all woke up and Mancini has to drive this sooner rather than later.

[Ted Hughes]

T

Which world beaters in the rest of the team did you expect to dominate West Brom anyway?

Didn't say world beaters Ted .... but a team containing Given, Vierra, Johnson, Jo, Santa Cruz and Boyata should have been good enough to put in a performance good enough to beat this opposition. Even when Zabba, Silva and Milner came on ..... the pattern of the game didn't change and we were still second best.

Sorry, but even our fringe first teamers walk and talk as if they are playing for a club that has won ten major trophies in the last 5 years and even our kids think they are right up there with the Arsenal counterparts etc.

IMO, it's time they all woke up and Mancini has to drive this sooner rather than later.

Look mate, one is a keeper, one is an 18 year old centre back, one is a 97 year old defence minded midfielder, one has been told he's a gonner. Jo scored. Perhaps Johnson should have done more but it's hardly Brazil's 1970 attack is it? Then look at the rest of that team! Imo you put that team out regularly, most teams in the top 3 divisions will beat it. It's a completely unbalanced, not very good team & is a carbon copy of the sort of teams he put out in the states when he wasn't arsed about the results.

[lythamblue]

T

Which world beaters in the rest of the team did you expect to dominate West Brom anyway?

Didn't say world beaters Ted .... but a team containing Given, Vierra, Johnson, Jo, Santa Cruz and Boyata should have been good enough to put in a performance good enough to beat this opposition. Even when Zabba, Silva and Milner came on ..... the pattern of the game didn't change and we were still second best.

Sorry, but even our fringe first teamers walk and talk as if they are playing for a club that has won ten major trophies in the last 5 years and even our kids think they are right up there with the Arsenal counterparts etc.

IMO, it's time they all woke up and Mancini has to drive this sooner rather than later.

Look mate, one is a keeper, one is an 18 year old centre back, one is a 97 year old defence minded midfielder, one has been told he's a gonner. Jo scored. Perhaps Johnson should have done more but it's hardly Brazil's 1970 attack is it? Then look at the rest of that team! Imo you put that team out regularly, most teams in the top 3 divisions will beat it. It's a completely unbalanced, not very good team & is a carbon copy of the sort of teams he put out in the states when he wasn't arsed about the results.

Compare it to West Brom's team and it was certainly no weaker. The team they put out was not a Premiership side either.

Our load of billy big bolloxes thought we would stroll it ..... when they realised that we were being battered they couldn't even muster a fightback. Our kids would have also thought that it would be a stroll in the park because after all ..... they play for 'City'.

Sorry Ted but we have an inner problem. We believe we are greater than we actually are and the fringe players are not motivated.

I believe Mancini knows the score and is aware of this ..... but hasn't quite yet worked out how to deal with it.

[Tokyo Blue]

The point is City need progress in the competitions which are the most financially rewarding. Given the financial rules coming in, the club (not the fans) need income above trophies. Sounds really odd, but it is true. The League Cup is hardly going to affect the turnover of the club when compared to finishing fourth or above. Nor is it going to do any more for the club financially than finishing seventh. Less, in fact. You don't even get much in terms of gate receipts out of it any more.

Giving the kids a chance to play against decent opposition is a good thing. We now know a little bit more about them.

Playing so many kids together means that they are playing with players they have played with all their young careers rather than "strangers". I can see some sense in it, but I would not have done it.

Well, whatever the thinking, we are just as out. I have to say though that I felt much worse after Doncaster, Cardiff, Halifax, Forest, Shrewsbury, Chesterfield, etc etc etc.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

One look at that team told you we would lose and that Bobby didn't give a shit. it's not right.

[kinkylola]

I think everyone saying "look at the team mancini put out last night, mancini out" is totally missing 'the point'. And before you jump all over me the point is NOT that the CC doesn't matter.

The point is that we only have 3 senior defenders who are currently not injured right now. Zabaleta, Kompo and Toure. Everyone else including micah is injured. Swp also had to pull out of the CC squad with an injury.

I believe we could have played a stronger starting midfield, and we could definitely have started kompo and toure ... but then, what happens if kompo picks up a groin strain or something similar and is out for weeks? Not worth it in my opinion. Putting out the strongest team for any given game does not mean just picking the 'best' players in each position and sending them out on the field, it involves consideration as to upcoming fixtures, fitness conditions, current opponents and all that. We simply could not risk kolo and kompo for chelsea.

I am not making excuses for the loss, as I think the squad we put out should have done a better job, but understanding the injury crisis we are in now is crucial. I am not upset with the team selection, there could have been some improvements, but we should have had enough to see them off. If you want to argue tactics, then that is different and I think you could probably make a case. The players have to take a little blame, they would be expected to perform better, Mancini of course takes some blame ... but I would not blame him for that team selection.

[Socrates]

One look at that team told you we would lose and that Bobby didn't give a shit. it's not right.

I'm sure West Brom fans took one look at their team and said they would lose and that Di matteo didn't give a shit too. Justbecause the competition meant something 34 years ago doesn't mean it does now. West Brom Reserves 2 MCFC Reserves 1, big fucking deal.