IS Bobby Mancini THE MAN?

[Original Dub]

Lets not get hung up on opinions of the strength of the scum - happily I think they are about to slide away over the next few years and I think that they have got away with it big time this year becasue a couple of players have stepped up - but that is just an opinion

The issue here is the tactics that we deployed (again) - it is that part of the question that should be answered

It seems to be tactics that are only deployed against the best sides lately. In fact, first half tactics on the main tend to keep the opposition stifled and once we score the mentality seems to change.

The problem is that against the bigger sides you need a plan B and we look to be severely lacking in a plan B. Even against Chelsea at the bridge, which is the only team from the top 8 we have beaten in the league under mancini, it wasn't a plan B that changed the game, it was the lucky goal that Tevez scored IMO.

I don't want to take anything from the man, because he has to be credited with some fantastic performance against the lesser sides lately, but he has been outclassed either tactically or through spirit and grit by all the top teams except for Chelsea.

I'm not worried about Arsenal because we're away, I'm not worried about Villa because they've a very defence and I'm not worried about Spurs because we have a terrible record against them.... I'm worried because I think if the players listen to Mancini and try to play containing football against these sides as we did against United, then we will be punished.

Our hardest game of the run in, on paper, is now over. We are a serious heavy weight contender and we need stand and trade blows and see who falls, because I honestly believe we have enough in our locker to knock each one of these out. Defensive play will see us lose on points IMO.

[brite blu sky]

Lets not get hung up on opinions of the strength of the scum - happily I think they are about to slide away over the next few years and I think that they have got away with it big time this year becasue a couple of players have stepped up - but that is just an opinion

The issue here is the tactics that we deployed (again) - it is that part of the question that should be answered

It seems to be tactics that are only deployed against the best sides lately. In fact, first half tactics on the main tend to keep the opposition stifled and once we score the mentality seems to change.

The problem is that against the bigger sides you need a plan B and we look to be severely lacking in a plan B. Even against Chelsea at the bridge, which is the only team from the top 8 we have beaten in the league under mancini, it wasn't a plan B that changed the game, it was the lucky goal that Tevez scored IMO.

I don't want to take anything from the man, because he has to be credited with some fantastic performance against the lesser sides lately, but he has been outclassed either tactically or through spirit and grit by all the top teams except for Chelsea.

I'm not worried about Arsenal because we're away, I'm not worried about Villa because they've a very defence and I'm not worried about Spurs because we have a terrible record against them.... I'm worried because I think if the players listen to Mancini and try to play containing football against these sides as we did against U***d, then we will be punished.

Our hardest game of the run in, on paper, is now over. We are a serious heavy weight contender and we need stand and trade blows and see who falls, because I honestly believe we have enough in our locker to knock each one of these out. Defensive play will see us lose on points IMO.

agree with the defensive play comments. What i am not totally convinced by is that it is Mancini's tactic. I mean any team will start with a certain sense of containment.. ie. lets try not go a goal down lads, and will aim to settle themselves to some extent. For me the slow starts we had were due to the players and perhaps the change in set up and roles, but after that the main problem seem to be sitting too deep, conceding space too easily and losing touch with the front 2 or 4. Now i for one am not convinced that it isn't the players doing this as opposed to Mancini's instructions.

i suppose you could take the opinion that ultimately the manager has to take responsibility for this, so if the team continually shrink back, then it is up to him to understand why and to stop them doing so

[john68]

First and foremost, amidst quite a lot of moaning, as opposed to the more analytical criticism, we have to fully understand just how far we have travelled on our journey to, one day, be challenging at the very top.
It is not that long ago when at this point of the season, we would have either been spectators, watching som other teams' seasons unfold or doing the maths against the likes of the Hulls, Wolves and Burnleys.
It is also important that we understand how much steeper the path gets from here and how much harder it will be to make progress against top clubs who have a wealth of talent, experience and resources. Neither should we get too hung up on the rags. They are only a marker on the way to the top and our main target must always remain the very top, whether that be Barca, Inter or whoever is dominating World footbal that year.

It is always a learning curve, every game is a lesson and in that respect, our mistakes tell us where we have weaknesses and where we have to strengthen, whether that be tactically or in player strength. Mental toughness comes from losses and learning to stand up again. In that respect, the derby was useful to our future.

I don't know if Mancini has the ability to take us to the top but it is also a learning curve for him. If he learns quickly, we will succeed. I think we have the players to make 4th, the team to take Spurs and get the points and the resources to eventually match the teams at the very top.
However, it won't be easy and we as fans have to understand that there will be plenty of slip ups and lessons on the way and we have to be prepared to back the club through thick and thin until we reach our target.

Analyse by all means...critically analyse by all means but FFS stop the emotional whinging and moaning like little girls.

[johnny crossan]

Club Captain Kolo backs Mancio - 4th or not
[youtube]FdbfDfWF75g[/youtube]

[Original Dub]

Club Captain Kolo backs Mancio - 4th or not
[youtube]FdbfDfWF75g[/youtube]

At his stage I've come to the conclusion that you either work for Mancini or you ARE Mancini. Jesus man, do you post about anything else??!

How many times does Kolo say "willy" in that interview?

Kolo loves the willy me thinks...

[johnny crossan]

Club Captain Kolo backs Mancio - 4th or not
[youtube]FdbfDfWF75g[/youtube]

At his stage I've come to the conclusion that you either work for Mancini or you ARE Mancini. Jesus man, do you post about anything else??!

You're right OD, one has to have a sense of priorities and I'm trying to keep it simple.

[Original Dub]

Well you could be right about him, but how you've come to the conclusion that him staying is your priority and that he's a great manager for us, based on one win against ANY of the decent sides he's faced in the league is premature IMO.

IF he gets fourth, I don't want him to go anywhere. Hell, even if he pushes is close and I can clearly see he made us GO FOR IT in the last four games, I may not want to see him gone, but nothing so far has made this decision concrete and you seem to find it amazing that everyone doesn't want him NOW on a long term contract?

[btajim]

Club Captain Kolo backs Mancio - 4th or not
[youtube]FdbfDfWF75g[/youtube]

City Legend there.

[johnny crossan]

Here's Mancio talking about Torres and next season on SSN today
[youtube]HwdiY-5hOUs[/youtube]

[Original Dub]

Here's Mancio talking about Torres and next season on SSN today
[youtube]HwdiY-5hOUs[/youtube]

Jesus, he's jumping the gun!

We need confidence at this stage though....

[mcfc1632]

Really liked his reply to the SKY reported when asked about the Torres rumours thi morning, something like- "...... well yes he is a player that would interest all clubs in Europe - but it is the same with Joe Hart - we just need to play the next 4 games and then we can look at the transfer market..."

bet Joe liked that

[gillie]

Sky really load the gun with how they represent a honest answer to a question dont they!Mancini said every top team in Europe would be interested in Torres but according to Sky we are after him.

[johnny crossan]

Really liked his reply to the SKY reported when asked about the Torres rumours thi morning, something like- "...... well yes he is a player that would interest all clubs in Europe - but it is the same with Joe Hart - we just need to play the next 4 games and then we can look at the transfer market..."

bet Joe liked that

Mancio thinks he 's on loan to Villa according to today's PC!
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Video

[Slim]

Really liked his reply to the SKY reported when asked about the Torres rumours thi morning, something like- "...... well yes he is a player that would interest all clubs in Europe - but it is the same with Joe Hart - we just need to play the next 4 games and then we can look at the transfer market..."

bet Joe liked that

Mancio thinks he 's on loan to Villa according to today's PC!
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Video

hahaha, heard that. At least he knows his geography.

[brite blu sky]

Sky really load the gun with how they represent a honest answer to a question dont they!Mancini said every top team in Europe would be interested in Torres but according to Sky we are after him.

unbelievable really isn't it.. and then all the other press follow their lead exaggerating the story and filling bits from ages old interviews and comments to try to make it look like a story... see the Grundian article today.. or rather dont bother.

i dont watch Sky for this reason, they are just a bunch of lying wankers or agenda pushing morons. bit off topic now but i saw a clip of the election debate where the Sky moderator asks that Gleggy numpty about the press calling him a nazi. The fuclin Moderator!
Just shows to me that they are bunch brass necked hillbillies.
but then the rest of the press are no better imo.

[10.Goater_Legend]

Yes he is in the MAN, the reason he is?, because before the Arsenal game yesterday I never felt City would lose with Mancini's tactics. I was that confident in Mancini and the boys, in my life time I can NEVER recall being 100% certain that we would come home form the Emirates/Highbury with something. When Hughes was here I always thought there was a big chance we would lose away in any game.

That to me is a sign of real progress, I think the Shiekh and Khaldoon have pulled off a master class bringing this man in, because if we don't finish 4th this year you can bet your blue arse we will next season.

A top manager and we are lucky to have him imo.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Yes he is in the MAN, the reason he is?, because before the Arsenal game yesterday I never felt City would lose with Mancini's tactics. I was that confident in Mancini and the boys, in my life time I can NEVER recall being 100% certain that we would come home form the Emirates/Highbury with something. When Hughes was here I always thought there was a big chance we would lose away in any game.

That to me is a sign of real progress, I think the Shiekh and Khaldoon have pulled off a master class bringing this man in, because if we don't finish 4th this year you can bet your blue arse we will next season.

A top manager and we are lucky to have him imo.

Do you feel 100% certain we will beat Villa and Spurs?

[Im_Spartacus]

not having scored against united, liverpool, arsenal, everton etc, I would be very concerned for our prospects in those two games

[MaineRoadMemories]

not having scored against U***d, liverpool, arsenal, everton etc, I would be very concerned for our prospects in those two games

Mancini's tactics against teams in the upper part of the table has been to not concede and try and nick a goal with a long ball counter attack. It worked at Chelsea but is looking more likely the exception to the rule.

Everton 2-0 : Liverpool 0-0 : Chelsea 2-4 : Everton 0-2 : United 0-1 : Arsenal 0-0

For us to have any chance of beating Villa and Spurs he has to change his culture and attack teams of this nature. He's surely aware of this and quite possibly has played this way so far this season to take it down to the two crunch games against Spurs and Villa ensuring that we have our final league position in our own hands.

I really hope so because watching an unleashed City team is so exciting.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

not having scored against U***d, liverpool, arsenal, everton etc, I would be very concerned for our prospects in those two games

Mancini's tactics against teams in the upper part of the table has been to not concede and try and nick a goal with a long ball counter attack. It worked at Chelsea but is looking more likely the exception to the rule.

Everton 2-0 : Liverpool 0-0 : Chelsea 2-4 : Everton 0-2 : U***d 0-1 : Arsenal 0-0

For us to have any chance of beating Villa and Spurs he has to change his culture and attack teams of this nature. He's surely aware of this and quite possibly has played this way so far this season to take it down to the two crunch games against Spurs and Villa ensuring that we have our final league position in our own hands.

I really hope so because watching an unleashed City team is so exciting.

Absolutely right and in those two games we will find out whether we have it or not.