Mancini says 'Tactics' will change.

[Failsworth_Blue]

Boateng was way below par on sunday, but beloieve me, he is a superb player and after 2/3 more games to get his mental/physical sharpness back you will see the real player, cool, cultured, strong and classy.

He looked a good player at the world cup and I'm hopeful he'll get better. But he looks like a centre half to me. I don't think he's going to be the overlapping fullback our system warrants. Kolorov is though.

I'm glad some Blues can see the game for what it is.

So Dave can you admit that Boateng did well in his build up for the goals but was a bit wasteful and must improve on the rest of his performance. Not too different to what Mancini was getting at when talking about AJ really

 

[ST Coleridge]

For one thing, their mentally high defensive line wasn't apparent until the game was underway - and then, did you expect a first-half substitution? As said, I reckon that Milner was there to help with the Ben Arfa threat on Newcastle's right. Also, Milner made a couple of those runs in behind, but his final ball was poor.

As for Balotelli, I think we'll maintain the idea of diagnol running, with Mario stationed on the left - we saw this in the Europa League qualifier.

..........NDJ.......GB
...AJ/DS...YYT/JM...SWP/MB
.................CT

Agreed, but it was apparent after abpout 2 minutes of play even after we scpored they kept it. That's what the best mamagers get paid vast sums of money for, to spot these things and act upon them. We have 3 subs now so using 1 in first half isn't a huge gamble is it? Once upon a time we had only 1 sub, that's when managers had it tough and had to be very tactically astute and use fine judgement. After 20 mins, Mancini could hve taken Milner/barry/Yaya off and moved Silva centra;lly and put Johnson out wide to make those runs, I can think of some managers who would have done just that and gone and won the game easier than we did.

I agree with you, but it's an awful bold move - especially when we take an earlyish lead and look comfortable at the back. It might have been a bit of a snub to Milner/Toure too (although, of course, Mancini should be able to manage such situations).

Half-time, at 1-1, I'd have ditched Milner for Johnson and moved Silva to the left. But perhaps the 'impact' of Johnson might have been lost a little.

And, hey - we're talking about twenty-five minutes. We got there in the end.

More interestingly - what was Hughton's high line all about? Do you think this is the start of a high-tempo Barcelona-esque pressing game? Joey's a bit like Xavi, with Nolan providing the Iniesta-style penetrative runs.

 

[K.Reeves right foot]

Agreed, but it was apparent after abpout 2 minutes of play even after we scpored they kept it. That's what the best mamagers get paid vast sums of money for, to spot these things and act upon them. We have 3 subs now so using 1 in first half isn't a huge gamble is it? Once upon a time we had only 1 sub, that's when managers had it tough and had to be very tactically astute and use fine judgement. After 20 mins, Mancini could hve taken Milner/barry/Yaya off and moved Silva centra;lly and put Johnson out wide to make those runs, I can think of some managers who would have done just that and gone and won the game easier than we did.

I agree with you, but it's an awful bold move - especially when we take an earlyish lead and look comfortable at the back. It might have been a bit of a snub to Milner/Toure too (although, of course, Mancini should be able to manage such situations).

Half-time, at 1-1, I'd have ditched Milner for Johnson and moved Silva to the left. But perhaps the 'impact' of Johnson might have been lost a little.

And, hey - we're talking about twenty-five minutes. We got there in the end.

More interestingly - what was Hughton's high line all about? Do you think this is the start of a high-tempo Barcelona-esque pressing game? Joey's a bit like Xavi, with Nolan providing the Iniesta-style penetrative runs.

I don't think Mancini cares about players felings do you?! He had a perfect reason to take off Milner anyway - he was ill. Bold yes, sometimes bold reaps rewards, I believe the most succesful managers have an element of boldness about them from time to time, lucky managers are usually ones who take risks and it wouldn't have ben a risk anyway. newcastle were awful in my opinion esp in defence.
Your assessment of the Newcastle barcelona style is interesting! I think a more simple explanation of Hughton getting it completly wrong is correct though! Could also be that opposition managers have sussed out we have a chronic lack of pace in midfield when we don't play Johnson...just a thoiught..<br /><br />-- Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:22 am --<br /><br />FFS..Im supposed to be working from home today and i've done fuck all, stuck on here!..Mods, please ban me for today pleas or i'll be sacked!

 

[Didsbury Dave]

He looked a good player at the world cup and I'm hopeful he'll get better. But he looks like a centre half to me. I don't think he's going to be the overlapping fullback our system warrants. Kolorov is though.

I'm glad some Blues can see the game for what it is.

So Dave can you admit that Boateng did well in his build up for the goals but was a bit wasteful and must improve on the rest of his performance. Not too different to what Mancini was getting at when talking about AJ really

Boateng's a new player, coming back from injury, looking for match fitness and still clearly finding his feet.

Johnson's in peak fitness, scoring goals and on top of his game.

So completely different.

 

[FEEDHIMGARY]

So Dave can you admit that Boateng did well in his build up for the goals but was a bit wasteful and must improve on the rest of his performance. Not too different to what Mancini was getting at when talking about AJ really

Boateng's a new player, coming back from injury, looking for match fitness and still clearly finding his feet.

Johnson's in peak fitness, scoring goals and on top of his game.

So completely different.

i agree i dont see boateng as a natural attacking fullback.. looks like a centre half to me..

 

[ST Coleridge]

So Dave can you admit that Boateng did well in his build up for the goals but was a bit wasteful and must improve on the rest of his performance. Not too different to what Mancini was getting at when talking about AJ really

Boateng's a new player, coming back from injury, looking for match fitness and still clearly finding his feet.

Johnson's in peak fitness, scoring goals and on top of his game.

So completely different.

With the team we put out, we should have won this game easily (hence Mancini's frustration at half-time). Johnson's a young player, he was played for the more difficult Juve game and then rested. He'll play plenty of games this season, he can't really claim to have been ignored.

 

[Marvin]

Played a great through ball for Tevez's goal against Newcastle

Mancini brought AJ on. You could argue he could have been brought on earlier - but nevertheless he brought him on. And Mancini has said that City will play a more adventurous game when the injured players are back - something some of us have been hoping for.

Why doubt him. Wait and see

 

[Failsworth_Blue]

So Dave can you admit that Boateng did well in his build up for the goals but was a bit wasteful and must improve on the rest of his performance. Not too different to what Mancini was getting at when talking about AJ really

Boateng's a new player, coming back from injury, looking for match fitness and still clearly finding his feet.

Johnson's in peak fitness, scoring goals and on top of his game.

So completely different.

I wouldn't say Johnson was at peak fitness or on top of his game but we'll agree to differ on this one

 

[sboroMCFC]

agreed Dave but its still a welcome read, not only will it be enjoyable to watch it will take the pressure of our front men. we wont be giving the inititive to our opponants week in week out.

well done bobby.

Let's wait and see.

Kolorov will certainly give us more penetration on the left. I don't think Boateng will, he looked pretty hopeless on the ball at the weekend.

I'd just like to see our attacking players earn their money. If we're really honest Sunday was appalling and we fluked a win.

You clearly know nothing about Jerome Boateng, so why come out with such a ridiculous statement?

 

[Scooby Blue]

Also doesn't explain why Ade hasn't been picked for a league match even when he has been fit.

We've had plenty of managers who have talked a good game, not least of who was our previous manager.

So when it comes to whether or not Mancini going to start playing a more attacking formation, I think I'll wait until I see it on the pitch rather than rejoicing at some soundbites he's spit forth...

But Billy, why do you want a 4-4-2? It's shit, dude.

The 4-4-2 vs 4-3-3 (4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1) debate has been well aired on this forum but I would point out that in the end it boils down to players rather than formations.

One reason that many City fans have reservations about 4-4-2 is that in recent years we have seen both City (e.g. under MH) and England struggle in games using this formation. But this was often because the other team had BETTER players rather than that they were playing a fancy superior system.

In a 4-4-2 match up the game boils down to 1) better defence ? 2) quality of 2 CM's 3) quality of wide players 4) quality of strikers.

Utd won the treble with a 4-4-2 system because Giggs / Scholes / Keane / Beckham was pretty useful.

I don't see a City player suitable to play on the left in a 4-4-2 so I am happy to see RM play around with other formations... but if we had Gareth Bale in our squad, I see no reason why we couldn't play Bale / Milner / Toure / AJ (Silva) as an attacking midfield 4 at home vs weaker teams, allowing us to play Tevez + Ade / Balotelli up front.