Can We Keep Everyone Happy?

[monkey-trousers]

I think the Kolo/Lescott situation is far more simple than that. Mancini is using both Kolo and Yaya to the maximum, knowing they won't contribute anything for us for 4 or 5 weeks, and he's resting the players that will until they go. He doesn't care about the ACN, so if they're knackered there its not our business, and they'll get a relative rest while they are away.

I think this is exactly what Mancini is doing. A fully fit and rarely used NDJ, slotting into our midfield in the absence of Yaya isn't as bad a prospect as some may think.

Depends who he is playing alongside.

NDJ works a treat in last year's formation but this year it asks the midfield two to provide much, much more in an attacking sense.

Can we play NDJ with both Silva and Nasri and two strikers? I would suggest not.

If NDJ has to play we need to shed one of the ball players, as well as the enforced absence of Yaya, and have Barry and Milner alongside him in a formation similar to last year.

Fair point, but as you say, the absence of Yaya is forced upon us. NDJ is a very good player that has had few opportunities this season. Just don't want to see the guy 'written off' just yet. He may not be the perfect replacement for Yaya, but who is? Yaya's quite unique. Mancini is about to find out if we can cope without him. The question is, if we can cope, will Yaya walk straight back into the team, or will he become part of the rotation, which I believe will benefit the player and the squad in the long run.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I'd be playing AJ a bit more - I think he should have started either yesterday or against Stoke.

He did start against Stoke ;o)

I am killing off more brain cells than I can afford this Christmas

 

[Anonymous]

That's not what I'm saying at all, I didn't agree with a number of things he did yesterday, for one I would rather Savic at RB than Zab, as I don't think Zab fits into the attacking RB position as well as he does at LB, Zab always does the defensive bit well, but its the getting forward bit that worries me, and he seems (to me anyway) to be better on the left than the right doing it. I thought he should have brought on Dzeko earlier. I don't like Nasri and Silva in the same team, it should only be one of them for me, especially away from home. Silva wasn't in the middle enough for me yesterday either, that is a consequence of them both playing.

On the Yaya situation, I agree that none of them do exactly what he does, but I think we can adjust well enough with the others. I don't personally think he looks jaded either, he just fades in and out of games, he always has.

On Silva, yes he does look jaded, but I don't think Mancini wants to play him so often, but he doesn't trust Nasri on his own to do the job, Nasri does the pretty stuff, but he doesn't do the hard work Silva does, and until he does, on his own he leaves us lightweight through the middle.

The two position he rotates very well are the full backs, this is the toughest position in our team, and so far he has done it very well imho. I expect Savic RB, and Zab LB at Sunderland.

I think we're digressing slightly from the point of the thread - even if it is my doing!

I agree with a lot of what you've posted above.

I think the reason we see Nasri and Silva in the same team quite so often is probably because Nasri's already been and had words with Mancini about getting more playing time. Although all the players we sign will be quite aware that the squad will be rotated - I think the vast majority of players we have will not be happy starting Cup matches and the odd PL game every six weeks. Hence my curiousity as to whether we can keep Dzeko, AJ, NDJ, and to a lesser extent Nasri happy.

It's a fine balancing act and I don't envy Roberto. As Platt said the other week, no matter what team he picks there's some top players who are unhappy, and occasionally top players who don't even make the match day squad.

 

[Bobbies Black Bins]

Honest question based on the way in which Mancini rotates his squad.

My fear is that come the summer AJ, Dzeko, and NDJ will be asking for transfers. I know it sounds like a "negative" thread, but it isn't. More a case of wondering who's going to handle Mancini's ways best. Dzeko and NDJ in particular are players who are possibly in danger of becoming nothing more than back up players who're more likely to see game time from the bench than from the start - but conversely I think they're both ineffective from the bench and need to be starting week in and week out so as to get the best out of them.

Personally I think the untouchables in our squad are exactly that - untouchable - so I wouldn't particularly cry over the departures of our "squad" players, but it'll be interesting to see who's dummy gets spat first.

My money is on Nigel's...

With the amount of games coming in the next 8 weeks we could keep 3 teams happy.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I think the reason we see Nasri and Silva in the same team quite so often is probably because Nasri's already been and had words with Mancini about getting more playing time. .

That's my gut feel too, Billy, and I'm
Not actually sure it's worked. I think we've been more incisive with Milner in that role. Nasri can play for sure, but he's not really clicked with us yet. He's one of the players who won't take kindly to warming the bench. AJ could look to leave if he feels it's hampering his international career.

Great thread billy, best on here in ages.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I think Bob has done too little rotation over the last few weeks which has surprised me tbh.

Players like Nige, Dzeko, Milner and AJ have had reasonably limited game time over December (obviously some less than others...) and I'd be pretty sure that their mindsets have become that they are now back-up rather than first choice.

IMO this can make it more difficult when you have to rely on them to do the business.

I hope Bob's got this right although he seems to have passed up a good chance of giving these players extra minutes in some of the recent games.

 

[cleavers]

From all we've seen from Mancini in the 2 years thus far, I think the last thing he would respond to is "boss you're not playing me, I need more game time or else".

I suspect anyone doing that would likely see less game time. (See Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy, Nedum, etc.)

 

[Anonymous]

From all we've seen from Mancini in the 2 years thus far, I think the last thing he would respond to is "boss you're not playing me, I need more game time or else".

I suspect anyone doing that would likely see less game time. (See Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy, Nedum, etc.)

That doesn't really account for the fact Mancini inherited all those players.

 

[cleavers]

From all we've seen from Mancini in the 2 years thus far, I think the last thing he would respond to is "boss you're not playing me, I need more game time or else".

I suspect anyone doing that would likely see less game time. (See Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy, Nedum, etc.)

That doesn't really account for the fact Mancini inherited all those players.

Fair point, but they are nearly all very useful players, and I don't think he'd have jettisoned anyone who was worth keeping unless they had crossed him, and I don't see him changing that attitude just because he signed a player.

 

[45 years of gloryhunting]

ndj and dzeko should be starting more away games , they are suited to battling for posession , i would have balotelli and aguero on the bench away from home. Johnson should start all the home games , he rips teams apart. Mancini must realise our away first XI will need a different approach , although we have only dropped 9 pts all season , its hardly a crisis.