Is now the time to consider Mancini's tenure at the club

[johnny crossan]

Chelsea winning their game in hand puts them a point behind City. Going to be interesting to see how things pan out in this race. Benitez gets a lot of stick from many people, but he's a very very clever coach. I bet he fancies overhauling us, if not the rags. He has some excellent players at his disposal, and he seems to be getting that extra bit out of Torres.

This is something else which hasn't sat well with me the last couple of weeks. We're looking up as if all we have to worry about is catching United. After yesterday's result, I look at Chelsea as a big big threat. What's to say they don't overtake us in the next month. They have a better goal difference without having played that game in hand.

even Rafa's milkman wouldn't talk to him not so long ago

 

[Bill]

he is committing professional suicide.

 

[MSP]

Benitez gets a lot of stick from many people, but he's a very very clever coach.

He is and always was a very, very good manager. Success wherever he was except Inter. He had beaten El Clasico teams for title twice in 3 years.

He is made to look fool by by rags for that "Fachts" stuff.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Cups, plural. They also won the FA Cup, so not a bad season considering they changed their manager halfway through the season.

True, but beside the point. It's not the way I want our club to act, and in the long term I think it will cause damage to Chelsea.

You don't rate what Chelsea have done but their trophy haul in recent years is not to be dismissed. I don't believe you need to keep a manager for decades to ensure success

I've been thinking about this and Chelsea is an interesting case. They spent a lot of money pre-Mourinho but he was the manager that put it all together and won two consecutive titles. He also established the basis for their system, which was anchored by an exceptional spine - Cech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba - and a good supporting cast. Even Avram Grant nearly won the CL playing the Mourinho system with those players.

Managers like Scolari and AVB tried to screw around with it and fucked up because the players knew the system that JM introdiced played to their strengths. They had to do something different at some point though and Di Matteo did that, plus it helped that they won the CL as they could attract decent players as the old guard started to move aside. However it took a bit of tactical tweaking from Benitez to get that little bit extra out of them and get them performing to the level they should be.

Mancini has half-done what Mourinho did for them but he can't seem to take it forward as teams adapt to our style. So while our worry is that Mourinho may not be interested in building a dynasty over 10 years, would it be worth getting him in for 2 or 3 years just to establish that winning mentality and system? Then let the next manager (Klopp, Guardiola or someone else) build for the long term on what JM might have put in place?

 

[Rammy Blue]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

 

[Bill]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

january will tell us everything. if we dont sign anyone bob is toast in the summer.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

Our next three games are Norwich (A), Stoke (H) and Arsenal (A). The rags have West Brom (H), Wigan (A) and Liverpool (H).

On current form we might only get 2 or 3 points. If we do and the rags get 6 or 7 then it's a double figure gap and I would say that's it for the title. Or we could get 6 or 7 and they could get 2 or 3. Then it's game on.

 

[MSP]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

That's the problem mate, it might sound unbelievable but with a way how we're playing and with 5 teams not far behind us losing more points in near future makes a pressure on us even to qualify for CL spots.

I guess we're strong enough to avoid such problems though but some arses should be moved around to avoid bringing ourselves in such situation. As pressure becomes bigger and bigger once you come near it, even the quality doesn't mean lot in such situation.

 

[grim up north]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

january will tell us everything. if we dont sign anyone bob is toast in the summer.

Even if the players we want arnt available

 

[moomba]

IF it becomes 9/10 point gap on Saturday then I reckon it would result in the trigger being pulled. It's always going to be easier to make the decision at a low point as there ends up being far less fallout with the media, if we waited until the end of the season and managed to claw it back to say 3/4 points then we'd get murders for sacking Bob at that point.

Our next three games are Norwich (A), Stoke (H) and Arsenal (A). The rags have West Brom (H), Wigan (A) and Liverpool (H).

On current form we might only get 2 or 3 points. If we do and the rags get 6 or 7 then it's a double figure gap and I would say that's it for the title. Or we could get 6 or 7 and they could get 2 or 3. Then it's game on.

This is the thing. At one yesterday I was thinking we just need Newcastle to hold out, and us to pinch one and there's 1 point in it. Things can turn pretty quickly. FWIW I think 7 points is the minimum I'd be looking for in the next three games, although 9 would get things back on track to an extent.