Defeat I can accept but a lack of effort not.

[Blue2112]

I can accept defeat, lord knows we've had so many down the years but what I can't accept is the predictable manner we allow it to happen time after time in these types of games. After losing to Wigan in the Cup Final when the general consensus was we lost the game due to the turmoil surrounding Mancini's apparent behaviour towards the players, the directors Soriano and Begiristain, Marwood and the transfer kitty, Vicky the Press officer, Stephen Aziz the ex-kitman, Rose the tea lady and no doubt Dave, John, Carol and Lucy from in the City store, I really thought we wouldn't see these types of performances again, or should I say at least not for a few months more until no doubt some of our precious footballers ego's had taken a kicking again.

I really don't go along with this ''lets wait ten games until Pellegrini gets his style of football across' because let's be honest here we are not inventing the wheel. And for the record I have no agenda against Pellegrini this is more to do with the attitude of our players. So yes I'll happily go along with having a degree of patience for the new style to knit together and I'm prepared for the team to need to have some time to understand what is being asked of them and at times I would guess it could look a little disjointed but I have no doubt players of this calibre have played many various styles before and should adapt quicker than for arguements sake the Cardiff players who would have been also working on new formations like 'parking the bus' compared to their more attacking style of last season which earned them promotion. They seemed to have managed it extremely well yesterday.

We have arguably the best squad in the Premiership, a squad full of world class players, internationlas in every position and whilst I accept over the next few months our style will change from Mancini's what I cannot accept is that these players are not clever enough or capable enough of putting in at the very least a performance showing motivation, tempo, urgency, passion and style and if we happen lose then at least we've done so with a degree of pride in our performance. The resulting defeat I can take and well done to Cardiff but it's the manner of our defeat and the complete lack of interest up until the 92nd minute when we could and should have scored two goals that makes it all the more frustrating that had we showed that effort much earlier then I feel we would have put the game to bed and would have been able to coast a little more towards the end. An all too familiar trait carried over from last season when at least they could use Mancini's abbrasivness as the excuse.

The style of football will change but the commitment and effort should be the very least given in every game.

Over to you Manuel.

 

[Marvin]

We approached that game like an end of season meaningless fixture - really does make you ask questions about the mentality of the players in the first away game of the season under a new manager.

That must be the first and last time we see that type of careless approach, and I'm not talking about the defending, but their attitude towards winning the game, this season.

I thought this was a new start. It's not. It was Wembley all over again

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

We approached that game like an end of season meaningless fixture - really does make you ask questions about the mentality of the players in the first away game of the season under a new manager.

That must be the first and last time we see that type of careless approach, and I'm not talking about the defending, but their attitude towards winning the game, this season.

I thought this was a new start. It's not. It was Wembley all over again

It was actually worse......

 

[Anonymous]

Very disappointing , just not good enough , and Pellegrini will know it too .....

at 1-0 down , just after half time , Cardiff , and their fans , must have thought the writing was on the wall ..... but from that point on only one team excelled , only one team WANTED to win it .... and it certainly WASN'T us !

If our lot weren't feeling demoralised after that defeat , they never will ...

 

[Damocles]

Pellegrini's job is really quite simple to describe. The players know they are excellent players. We know they are excellent players. We play a system that suits them.

Since they won the title and some may argue even previous to this, they have completely lost all focus and concentration on their games. Compare the Silva, Aguero, Hart, Yaya, Kompany, Barry, Kolarov, and Lescott right now to beginning of two seasons ago. They look like totally different players.

Realistically and for whatever reason, only Milner, Zabaleta and Dzeko have improved their game since we won the title. Richards gets a pass because he's been injured for much of the time.

Again you can argue whatever cause you feel necessary but it's hard to argue that the players haven't lost a bit of focus since then. If Pellegrini can get them focused on their games again instead of all of the internal strife under Mancini then he'll do extremely well here.

And that isn't something you do in two games. It isn't even something that you do over the course of 10 games.

We need to be realistic about what Pellegrini's job is, and it's a long term attempting to better the club and what they want to achieve in terms of atmosphere and progression for the youth team. It feels daft to say this but unless Pellegrini does absolutely awful this year (as in 5th), I don't see the problem.

 

[Anonymous]

It feels daft to say this but unless Pellegrini does absolutely awful this year (as in 5th), I don't see the problem.

The problem, certainly amongst the supporters, is also pretty simple. Pellegrini replaced one of the most popular and successful managers in City's history. The fact the change was made for reasons wider than simply games won/lost is difficult for people to stomach as that's the only thing that generally matters to supporters. That's my take anyway.

 

[MCFCTrick]

It feels daft to say this but unless Pellegrini does absolutely awful this year (as in 5th), I don't see the problem.

I fully agree with most of your post Damocles...especially the focus lacking in the players you mention.

However, if we will be going off just results for Peller's first year, then I assume he needs to better second place and an FA Cup Final, also group qualifying in the CL.

And given many other squad's improvements this year....that's a big ask...but anything less will be seen by many supporters, and certainly the media as worse than last season under Mancini....

It is (very) early doors of course, and while I don't doubt we will improve from yesterday's performance, I see a tough season ahead for the new guy.....

 

[FantasyIreland]

Some of our players simply don't have the heart when the going gets tough.

 

[Blue2112]

Pellegrini's job is really quite simple to describe. The players know they are excellent players. We know they are excellent players. We play a system that suits them.

Since they won the title and some may argue even previous to this, they have completely lost all focus and concentration on their games. Compare the Silva, Aguero, Hart, Yaya, Kompany, Barry, Kolarov, and Lescott right now to beginning of two seasons ago. They look like totally different players.

Realistically and for whatever reason, only Milner, Zabaleta and Dzeko have improved their game since we won the title. Richards gets a pass because he's been injured for much of the time.

Again you can argue whatever cause you feel necessary but it's hard to argue that the players haven't lost a bit of focus since then. If Pellegrini can get them focused on their games again instead of all of the internal strife under Mancini then he'll do extremely well here.

And that isn't something you do in two games. It isn't even something that you do over the course of 10 games.

We need to be realistic about what Pellegrini's job is, and it's a long term attempting to better the club and what they want to achieve in terms of atmosphere and progression for the youth team. It feels daft to say this but unless Pellegrini does absolutely awful this year (as in 5th), I don't see the problem.

Reading this the phrase thats jumping off the page at me is ''Work In Progress'' and disapointingly we probably are right now.

After winning the title in such an amazing fashion gaining the world's attention and focus on this football club we simply failed to push on and make three or four world class signings to lay down a marker both here and in Europe. The following summer's transfer window was shambolic and at the very least stalled our movement forward, some would argue we took a couple of steps backwards.

I feel after all the hard work in gaining on our neighbours it's my opinion we handed back the iniative to United and to a lesser degree Chelsea who now with the arrival of Mourinho have an added impetus whilst Spurs are much stronger squad than 12 months ago whilst our competitors in the Champions League have all carried on growing they're squads. We stood still for 12 months and floundered a watershed decision which has culminated in our current position and bedding in four new signings may prove too much too soon. I feel the club have accepted this and a trophyless season will be acceptable if we progress in the Champions League.

 

[moz]

pellers will not be long term if he cannot limit performances like yesterdays to 2 or 3 a season

the owners have set targets and if he does not hit them he will be gone just like mancini

im afraid thats the name of the game now.......... success or bust