Did Mancini put his own CV ahead of City's interests?

[m27]

Serious question - how were we meant to score on Monday given the way we set up?

Would have helped if Tevez had stayed on. But we had two strikers on the field? Surely when you do that, you must always have at least some chance of scoring, there's a limit to how defensive minded you can be if you've got 2 strikers. We weren't really set up that defensively, our performance was just absolutely awful.

You can have 4 strikers on the pitch but if there's no one to give them the ball they won't score.

I agree that the players on the pitch, even when Tevez went off, should have been better than the performance, but the 'tactics' were baffling.

If you don't play Silva there has to be a change in the game plan, i.e. get some crosses in and play with wingers on their 'correct' flanks. As for Barry and Toure as a midfield pair...Jesus Christ. Rust is quicker.

 

[shadygiz]

yes...he did this way back in september when he fielded a weakened team for the carling cup against west brom.

i felt back then that he had put his own interests (i.e. 4th place keeps his job) before that of the club.

I can remember back then, a lot of us were saying that it was possibly the easiest of all the trophies to win this year and would give us a cup to start building a winning mentality.

Unfortunately, mancini has his head on pushing for 4th and thus saving his job

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

If we win on Saturday, will anyone really give two shits aboutt he team selection on Monday?

yhp, because to me we can win the FA Cup next year.

We'll find it a hell of a lot harder to get in the Champions League if we don't this year.

saying that, with Tolmie's proposed transfer targets I think we'd struggle to get in the CL next season anyway, they hardly sing out "Champions League world class" players.

and doesn't it say it all that Mancini doesn't have enough faith in his players and himself to challenge on two fronts and get the job done on two fronts in the same week?

Mancini out for me regardless of what we do to the end of the season.

 

[Blue Coop]

I am as annoyed as anybody at the team selection on Monday. However, those players on the field should have been more than capable of performing against a very weakened Liverpool side due to injuries. It was a poor performance and the players were as much to blame as Mancini was that night. Right now, we are still in a great position in the FA Cup and league so both are still there for the taking.

Okay, monday was a very disappointing night and while he may see delivering a cup as a priority, I don't think you'll see a weakened side again in the league this season. He took a risk and it didn't pay off, players and manager alike both underestimated Liverpool and it showed.

 

[Soulboy]

I am as annoyed as anybody at the team selection on Monday. However, those players on the field should have been more than capable of performing against a very weakened Liverpool side due to injuries. It was a poor performance and the players were as much to blame as Mancini was that night. Right now, we are still in a great position in the FA Cup and league so both are still there for the taking.

Okay, monday was a very disappointing night and while he may see delivering a cup as a priority, I don't think you'll see a weakened side again in the league this season. He took a risk and it didn't pay off, players and manager alike both underestimated Liverpool and it showed.

But aren't you concerned that another "big" game comes and goes and Mancini fails to deliver a performance once again?

This isn't just about one match, the Liverpool game, this is a trend whereby just about every must-win game Mancini has had to achieve, he's failed.

Do we always blame the players? Even though we've changed half a dozen of them since last season?

No matter which way you cut this, the manager is responsible for results. One bad pereformance is forgivable, but failure to win an away game in four months and failure to win a crunch match in 16 months does not make for pleasant reading.

 

[moomba]

failure to win a crunch match in 16 months does not make for pleasant reading.

What would you classify as a crunch match, given we've beaten Chelsea (twice), Rags, Arsenal, Liverpool in that time.

Or are we just talking the Spurs match and the league cup semi, 16 months does seem a lot more impressive than 2 matches I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

failure to win a crunch match in 16 months does not make for pleasant reading.

What would you classify as a crunch match, given we've beaten Chelsea (twice), Rags, Arsenal, Liverpool in that time.

Or are we just talking the Spurs match and the league cup semi, 16 months does seem a lot more impressive than 2 matches I guess.

Talk about clutching at straws....Chelsea twice you can have...the rest is just horse shit and hot air. The rags beat us over two legs. When has Mancini managed to navigate us to a victory against Arsenal? And Liverpool at their absolute worst earlier this season is not and never will be a crunch match.

 

[Soulboy]

What would you classify as a crunch match, given we've beaten Chelsea (twice), Rags, Arsenal, Liverpool in that time.

Or are we just talking the Spurs match and the league cup semi, 16 months does seem a lot more impressive than 2 matches I guess.

Talk about clutching at straws....Chelsea twice you can have...the rest is just horse shit and hot air. The rags beat us over two legs. When has Mancini managed to navigate us to a victory against Arsenal? And Liverpool at their absolute worst earlier this season is not and never will be a crunch match.

In the run-in last season, the last few games, I would suggest most of those was a crunch game... Everton at home... lost, Manyoo at home... lost. Carling Cup semi decider against the rags... lost.

Spurs obviously. I would suggest Liverpool on Monday night was a crunch game. Being knocked out by the first decent team we faced in the UEFA Cup...

The rags away a few weeks ago... Chelsea a fortnight ago... lost.

Failure to beat the rags, Everton or Spurs or Arsenal this season.

It's harder to think of games that Mancini has ever exceeded expectations. Can you think of one?

 

[moomba]

Talk about clutching at straws....Chelsea twice you can have...the rest is just horse shit and hot air. The rags beat us over two legs. When has Mancini managed to navigate us to a victory against Arsenal? And Liverpool at their absolute worst earlier this season is not and never will be a crunch match.

Just asking a question of what constitutes a crunch match in Soulboys eyes.

 

[Anonymous]

Talk about clutching at straws....Chelsea twice you can have...the rest is just horse shit and hot air. The rags beat us over two legs. When has Mancini managed to navigate us to a victory against Arsenal? And Liverpool at their absolute worst earlier this season is not and never will be a crunch match.

In the run-in last season, the last few games, I would suggest most of those was a crunch game... Everton at home... lost, Manyoo at home... lost. Carling Cup semi decider against the rags... lost.

Spurs obviously. I would suggest Liverpool on Monday night was a crunch game. Being knocked out by the first decent team we faced in the UEFA Cup...

The rags away a few weeks ago... Chelsea a fortnight ago... lost.

Failure to beat the rags, Everton or Spurs or Arsenal this season.

It's harder to think of games that Mancini has ever exceeded expectations. Can you think of one?

Not one. Lost every big game he's had to navigate. The guy's such a fucking muppet I honestly think some of the posters on this board have completely taken leave of their senses. The amount of drivel I've read attempting to defend him is unbelievable...

Oh, and Moomba - I think you'll find Hughes was manager when we beat Arsenal...