if we finished 5th...

[AlthamBlue]

I yearn for the days of boring but winning football. I'd rather go back to that.

So does Bobby mate

Roberto Mancini will have no complaints if Manchester City's cautious approach rekindles their title dream.

The Blues have seen their claims to the Premier League crown dwindle over recent weeks, with arch-rivals Manchester United now five points clear at the top and eight ahead of their neighbours.

City have also played a game more than Sir Alex Ferguson's side, leaving them with a mountain to climb if they are to take the trophy.

A defence which has suddenly sprung a leak has been part of the problem for Mancini's men, with a once watertight back four now riddled with holes.

Resolving that problem is key to any late title tilt and Mancini acknowledges that City may need to bore their way back into the race.

"I would like this," said the Italian tactician.

"When you don't concede a goal but you have players like Carlos (Tevez), (Edin) Dzeko, (David) Silva and Yaya Toure, you win 90 per cent of your matches.

"At this moment, I would prefer it if we win 1-0 for two or three games. We would like to score two or three goals every game but it is not possible and in the past, all the teams that have won the title conceded very few goals."

Concentration

City have dropped five points in their last two games, against Aston Villa and Birmingham, but Mancini refuses to buy into the belief that his side struggle to maintain focus against the Premier League's lesser lights.

He said: "I don't think that is true. Maybe we are having more difficulty when you meet teams that are at the bottom but this is normal.

"Three weeks ago everything was good but now we are in a bad moment because we concede too many goals.

"Maybe some situations have gone against us but it is important we understand it and try to have more concentration."

Mancini is confident the gap separating City from United can still be closed, with the unbeaten Red Devils yet to endure a wobble this term.

"We have lost five points on United the last two games but it is possible they will lose two games," he said.

"They have to play against Chelsea twice, against Arsenal and against us so anything can happen.

"All the teams at the top are very strong - United, Arsenal and Chelsea - but we want to stay there."

 

[samharris]

Maybe the reason we didnt go out and panic buy this window is because no matter what, the powers that be are willing to give Bob more time should we not get top 4 ??
some seem have the mindset that spuds are going to do well and we will struggle..
we shall see what unfolds.

 

[kenzie115]

I'm confident we will finish 4th but if we don't I'd definitely stick with Mancini. I have never felt like this before but I have 100% faith in him.

Aside from that, a new manager would want new players and we'd move back 12 months and probably only finish 4th next season anyway.

 

[johnny crossan]

Dismal Dave and his grisly acolytes would sound like Optimus Prime!

 

[peoffrey]

If Bobby Manc wins anything for us it would be very difficult for the board to sack him regardless of finishing in the top 4 so should we reach a semi final he would be a very worried man if we weren't in top 4 at the time, but there again the board wouldn't be that stupid as to sack someone at that stage would they?

The City Board have made mistakes for years. Would you have honestly thought in 2003 that we'd have had 5 Managers in the dugout since the move from Maine Road? You'd have hoped for a serious replacement for Keegan and some stability.

5th and no trophy is a failure when we see Chelsea struggling (against their usual level) and Liverpool / Tottenham off the pace a little. City have been there or thereabouts and it's ultimately achievable. Another dejection akin to last season's defeat at home to Spurs isn't acceptable when you look at the team. That's why we have expectation.

 

[Bill]

for continuity reasons yes.

 

[peoffrey]

for continuity reasons yes.

But Mancini would be missing his targets again. I'm sure the man himself would be more disappointed than everyone else. He was winning pots in Italy from day one. 5th simply isn't good enough when you look at the investment.

I'll stick my neck out and go for:

1.) Trafford
2.) Arsenal
3.) City
4.) Chelsea

Swap 3 and 4 with a storming run and I'll still be happy.

 

[Motty]

5th again and no Champions League football and ultimately failure is something that I don't really want to think about.

Even if it did happen though, I wouldn't want Mancini to get the sack, because in the long term I think he will bring trophies to the club as he is a great manager, but, if he was sacked, I think it would be more justified than Hughes' sacking.

 

[nralmazrouei]

HERE is the good news ((morinuho to man city next summer confirm )) because my relative from royal family and this is the link but in arabic language (http://www.goal.com/ar/news/1920/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A/2011/02/04/2337761/%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%88-%D9%8A%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AC%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A)

 

[citizens_1976]

I'd sack him regardless. I think his attitude is poor. If we want to win a title we can't go to the emirates, old trafford and Chelsea and try to get a 0-0 draw, sit back and p,ay cautious. The teams that win the title every season go to places like old trafford and stamford bridge and try and dominate the game, try and win the match. Barcelona have the right mentality, win win win. What is the difference between away and home? Nothing- just a crowd! The players can't hear the crowd playing the match anyway! It's absolutely ridiculous that a team costing soo much money will still go to old trafford, anfield, emirates and play cautious but most embarrassingly- hardly have a shot on goal. It's a boring style of play that's never going to win us trophies and titles.

With the same mentality and the games we have coming up we will definitely finish outside the top 4. I'm never normally one for criticism of players or managers but its clear as day to see that if we don't have the winning mentality and we still stick with this same old boring mentality what says "city are there for the taking" then we will underachieve yet again. As much as i like the guy this why I don't think Mancini is the right man for the job.