I am not so sure Mancini knows how to play to the strength of his players.
Of all the strikers, perhaps only Tevez can play the role of the "false nine". Not many strikers can play this role. The only strikers that I know is Messi, Tevez and Suarez. Both Messi and Suarez shine for their team because theirs manager play to their strength. But Tevez was strangely on and off, perhaps he isn't clearly favored by Mancini.
Tevez loves to "dictate" football. Most of the players, senior or young ones, listen to his "command" on the pitch. He is danger playing inside the hole. He is danger playing just outside of the box, close to the center of the goal. That is a "false nine" position, as he can shift in and out of the box at will. Thus he can score all kinds of goal, from the simple tap-in to a few solo and long range goal.
When Tevez was a skipper before, the team were without Aguero and Nasri. But they still played better than today despite Tevez mostly play as a lone striker.
Aguero loves to stay upfront, closer to the goal so he can use his speed and footwork to pounce on goals. He isn't really the false nine type of player in this sense. More like a upfront striker. His reluctant to track back at time perhaps confirm this.
Both Balotelli and Dzeko are upfront striker. Not suitable as second striker.
The Barcelona formation is normally David Villa and Pedro at left right side, with Messi as false nine. Xavi or Iniesta (or other playmakers) in the centre to dictate play. Busquet as sweeper just in front of two CB.
But when Mancini wanted to deploy 3 strikers, he put Balotelli/Dzeko upfront, with Tevez and Aguero on left right side behind him. It didn't play that well because he didn't use the strikers correctly. Perhaps the best formation is Tevez as false nine, just behind Aguero/Balotelli/Dzeko. Both left right strikers have to track back at time as well.
The midfield Mancini can put in Silva and Nasri to dictate and control the midfield, like Xavi or Iniesta. Yaya/Milner/Barry/Javi as sweeper. Since Silva is injured, Yaya might replace him to play alongside Nasri. But I am not so sure Yaya can dictate play like Xavi/Iniesta does as he is originally not a playmaker, but a holding midfielder.
Yaya's strength is that he can burst forward at times to threaten the opposition. But this day his track back is really slow. His defending skill is poor at times. He has the speed to burst forward but track back too slow like a flat tire. How come he ALWAYS play 90 minutes and start every game as long as he isn't injured? It's a mystery to me.
I suspect Yaya's contract has a stipulation/clause that he MUST play 90 minutes and start every game, or he might be compensated without following this? If this is the case, it shackles Mancini's freedom to change the midfield, as Yaya clearly has his weakness as well. And his weakness might be taken advantage of by the opposition. They know Yaya always play full time and always start game as well.
Some rumour says that the club do not want to renew his contract, because of this clause/restriction? Everyone's guess.
But Mancini has 4 holding midfielders - Yaya, Javi, Milner and Barry, it is clear that he prefers to use 2 holding midfielders. With 2 holding midfielders in Yaya (always him) and Javi/Milner/Barry, plus Silva and Nasri if 2 of them uninjured, they can only use 2 strikers. Thus the formation become 4-2-2-2. Badly no width and can only rely on FB to act as wingers.
Or he may prefer using 3 holding midfielders. Leaving either Silva or Nasri on the bench. Stable (perhaps too cautious and too safe), but lack of creativity if Silva or Nasri is shackled by opposition.
If he wants to use 3 strikers + 2 holding midfielders + 2 playmakers, the defense have to be 3 men. But 3-men defense didn't work so well. Not much width as well because the left and right striker act like winger, and 3 defenders can't go forward. Thus the formation 3-2-2-3 looks "weird"
The 4-2-3-1 formation didn't work so well as well. 4 defenders, Yaya plus another as holding midfielders, Silva and Nasri on left and right side flanking the false nine Tevez, with Aguero up-front. It didn't work so well because both Silva and Nasri being deployed to left and right side of the field. They should have worked better just behind the false nine Tevez, not too far from left and right. The formation should be 4-2-2-1-1. But formation like this again lack of width, getting exposed left and right side. So there is always a dilemma.
Which mean if Mancini want to use 2 playmakers, he shouldn't use 2 holding midfielders. There is always some confusion in midfield about who cover who and who cover what ground.
The best formation (I think) for Mancini is the Barcelona formation: 4-3-3. This formation won't lack width because the FB and left right strikers can provide the width. 4 defenders, 1 holding midfielder in Yaya (as he is too slow to track back, he should stay back often), 2 playmaker in Silva and Nasri, Tevez as false Nine, 2 left right strikers in Aguero/Balotelli/Dzeko. They can't play this if Tevez is not used as Aguero hardly a false nine or second striker.
Mancini's problem is having too many players - 4 top strikers and 4 holding midfielders, and only 2 playmakers.
When you have too many players, it gives you too many options. Too many options lead to too many formation change. Too frequently the formation change and player change possibly cause the disjointed and poor performance.
In short, Mancini failed to keep it simple. Barcelona keep everything simple. They always use 4-3-3, or more effectively 4-1-2-1-2.
Just my 2 cents.
