Mancini on his team selection and The Carling Cup:

[masterwig]

"Saturday is more important, the FA Cup is more important. The Europa League is more important.

Awful attitude.

 

[the goats backside]

Its 6 games to win the carling cup whereas its 17 to win europa thats my argument about last night, sorry i am just confused, surely to achieve our goal this year would a 44 game season not have been easier to achieve than a 55 game season

 

[jamiegrimble]

"Saturday is more important, the FA Cup is more important. The Europa League is more important.

Awful attitude.

^^^^^
though it appears the top teams show a modicum of disrespect to this trophy, a quick glance at most recent winners of this competition to be at the forefront of our premier league and Europe at the moment.
2005 Chelsea
2006 Man U
2007 Chelsea
2008 Spurs
2009 Man U
2010 Man u

 

[macmanson]

To be honest, I think the pressure's getting to Mancini.

At the beginning of the season he seemed pretty comfortable with all kinds of questions. But in the last few days, he's seemed very bothered by the number of games, the relentless press questions, and the fact that he's got so many players unavailable.

I think it all got to him a bit yesterday, and he went over the top with his selection. It almost seemed like he was trying to prove a point about how difficult his job is.

He's said from the beginning of the summer that we want to compete for everything, but the team he put out last night showed he believes that's not actually possible.

But the problem with throwing away the Carling Cup, as others have said, is that it's actually counter-productive, because just ends up heaping MORE pressure on us in the difficult and un-winnable competitions. (The league, Europa League etc..) The Carling Cup was a chance to help us find our feet as a winning side, and a trip to Wembley buys us (and him) some breathing space.

It reminds me a bit of O'Neill throwing away the Europa League 2 seasons ago for the same reason - and look what happened to Villa's league form after that ...

In the meantime, over the road, Ferguson hasn't got the squad to compete in ONE competition, never mind four. But he shuffles his tired old pack, and puts out patchwork teams that do just enough every time, and more importantly, shrugs off the pressure every time.

Mancini better steel himself for the realities of English football, and quickly. Because if Ferguson sees Mancini's feeling the pressure, and starts exploiting it like he did to Benitez, it'll be a slippery slope for him.

HUGE gamble to take at this stage. Didn't come off. Over to you Roberto ...

Ferguson hasn't got the squad to compete in one compeititon? Since when? Last night he made 11 changes yet still managed to bring in players like Rafael, Anderson, Macheda, Hernadez, Gibson, Park, Brown, Ferdinand. With all due to respect to our squad last night United's squad was much better. The reason why? Injuries. We have got injuries to 8 players at present who would almost certainly be in and around the first team squad come match days. We have the squad to compete in all competitions but we don't have the squad to cope with the amount of injuries we've got at the moment

I know i keep harping on about injuries on here but you have to understand that Mancini felt he couldn't take any chances with our fit first teamers last night because we are down to the bare bones as it especially in defence

Not a Mancini out post, but who's fault is it that we have so many players injured? Near the end of last season, we had a number of players injured after Mancini arrived when it wasn't an issue under Hughes. Over the summer the former trainer under Hughes, Raymond Verheijen, released an article stating that Mancini's methods were actually creating more injuries (8 soft tissue injuries in his first 2 weeks alone).

(<a class="postlink-local" href="ht...return false;">viewtopic.php?f=1&t=188774</a>

Now again this season, we've had the same type of thing where there has been a number of injuries that had little to do with playing in games with the exception of Kolarov and Balotelli. So I don't buy the excuse that he is unlucky. He's created the situation for himself by insisting that players overtrain which often makes us look lethargic in games and makes us more prone to injuries.

On a side note, Graham Dorrans from WBA had another good game. I had argued he would have been a cheaper and better buy than Milner in the Milner transfer thread. Still feel that way after watching Milner play here.

 

[persvenality cult]

Ferguson hasn't got the squad to compete in one compeititon? Since when? Last night he made 11 changes yet still managed to bring in players like Rafael, Anderson, Macheda, Hernadez, Gibson, Park, Brown, Ferdinand. With all due to respect to our squad last night United's squad was much better. The reason why? Injuries. We have got injuries to 8 players at present who would almost certainly be in and around the first team squad come match days. We have the squad to compete in all competitions but we don't have the squad to cope with the amount of injuries we've got at the moment

I know i keep harping on about injuries on here but you have to understand that Mancini felt he couldn't take any chances with our fit first teamers last night because we are down to the bare bones as it especially in defence

Not a Mancini out post, but who's fault is it that we have so many players injured? Near the end of last season, we had a number of players injured after Mancini arrived when it wasn't an issue under Hughes. Over the summer the former trainer under Hughes, Raymond Verheijen, released an article stating that Mancini's methods were actually creating more injuries (8 soft tissue injuries in his first 2 weeks alone).

<span>(<a href="http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=188774" class="smarterwiki-linkify">http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=188774[/url]</a></span>

Now again this season, we've had the same type of thing where there has been a number of injuries that had little to do with playing in games with the exception of Kolarov. So I don't buy the excuse that he is unlucky. He's created the situation for himself by insisting that players overtrain which often makes us look lethargic in games and makes us more prone to injuries.

On a side note, Graham Dorrans from WBA had another good game. I had argued he would have been a cheaper and better buy than Milner in the Milner transfer thread. Still feel that way after watching Milner play here.

said this on another thread

arsenal 9, sunderland 9, fulham 8, city 7, chelsea 7

(current injury tallies)

it's that time of year. numbers alone are no reason to cast aspersion.

and I've seen that article before. But the story behind the claims he makes, doesn't really back up the impression the article gives, of a perfect injury record under Hughes.

Don't you remember our defensive injury crisis? half the same bloody players this time around...

Hughes' last game was missing scores of injured players.

here's the line up;

* 01 Given yellow card
* 02 Richards
* 04 Onuoha
* 16 Sylvinho
* 28 Toure
* 07 Ireland
* 08 Wright-Phillips
* 18 Barry
* 14 Santa Cruz
* 32 Tevez
* 39 Bellamy

shalll we play, 'who's missing?'

off the top of my head.... De Jong (possibly suspended, cant remember)....Lescott had just been ruled out for 3 months, Bridge was out for a couple. Richards went off injured (having just come back).... Kompany was just returning to fitness. He suffered very badly in Hughes' first 12 months, for some reason, probably coincidence.

the stand out inclusion, of course, that paragon of fitness, RSC (second appearance in 3 months)

One interesting thing about that article is how much he talks up his part in Bellamy's fitness. Can you recall Bellamy being out under Mancini? I can't, although I'm sure it happened. What is a fact, is that he managed more appearances in that second half of the season than the first. more than once, he completed three games in a week. I wish I could be more specific but, ehh, you know. Arsed, much?

When this article first surfaced, I read Verheijen's twitter... noting that he had been to visit Bellamy at Cardiff once more. Bellamy's record since joining Cardiff: 2 appearances out of a possible 7 (and counting).

He's selling his services, IMO. That, and his new book...to me the article reads more or less as a free advert, with lashings of sour grapes.

 

[Stillsy]

"Saturday is more important, the FA Cup is more important. The Europa League is more important.

Awful attitude.

no it isnt. we simply cannot play in these 4 competitions with the squad we have at the moment plus the injuries!

i think most will agree the most important competitions go.

The premier league
The europa league
F.A cup
League cup

 

[gman07]

I disagree with the bold sentence.

We nearly got to the final last season because we played a strong team in every round.

Every trophy is important...we haven't won one for 35 years, we have to go all guns blazing in EVERY competition.

Yes we did... but we didnt have European League to consider last year... which are more matches than CC... so all in all with the injuries that we currently have and with the squad size down to 25 we had a forced hand since we are playing Chelsea at 12.45 on saturday not 3pm or 5pm since chelsea are playing on a tuesday.... its all about finding a good balance for the players that are available... and since most injuries are among the defenders we had to play a young defence...

 

[Soulboy]

Awful attitude.

no it isnt. we simply cannot play in these 4 competitions with the squad we have at the moment plus the injuries!

i think most will agree the most important competitions go.

The premier league
The europa league
F.A cup
League cup

And the rags and Chelsea (and probably Arsenal) will all be battling it out for the Premiership, winning the Champions League, lifting the FA Cup, and these 3 clubs have pretty much tied up the League Cup for the past decade.

So the teams with the big squads (such as us) target everything. All the time. Remorselessly.

Or are you suggesting we are not in their league when it comes to the quality of the squad?

Well that's not what everyone has been saying aboiut the rags this last 6 months... they are bankrupt and history, with a fading group of players... so I was informed on a regular basis.

 

[Anonymous]

no it isnt. we simply cannot play in these 4 competitions with the squad we have at the moment plus the injuries!

i think most will agree the most important competitions go.

The premier league
The europa league
F.A cup
League cup

And the rags and Chelsea (and probably Arsenal) will all be battling it out for the Premiership, winning the Champions League, lifting the FA Cup, and these 3 clubs have pretty much tied up the League Cup for the past decade.

So the teams with the big squads (such as us) target everything. All the time. Remorselessly.

Or are you suggesting we are not in their league when it comes to the quality of the squad?

Well that's not what everyone has been saying aboiut the rags this last 6 months... they are bankrupt and history, with a fading group of players... so I was informed on a regular basis.

That's certainly one contradiction which has struck me today....

Although to be fair, having an injury crisis across one part of the pitch is a nightmare compared to having five players in different positions out...

 

[macmanson]

Not a Mancini out post, but who's fault is it that we have so many players injured? Near the end of last season, we had a number of players injured after Mancini arrived when it wasn't an issue under Hughes. Over the summer the former trainer under Hughes, Raymond Verheijen, released an article stating that Mancini's methods were actually creating more injuries (8 soft tissue injuries in his first 2 weeks alone).

<span>(<a href="http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=188774" class="smarterwiki-linkify">http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=188774[/url]</a></span>

Now again this season, we've had the same type of thing where there has been a number of injuries that had little to do with playing in games with the exception of Kolarov. So I don't buy the excuse that he is unlucky. He's created the situation for himself by insisting that players overtrain which often makes us look lethargic in games and makes us more prone to injuries.

On a side note, Graham Dorrans from WBA had another good game. I had argued he would have been a cheaper and better buy than Milner in the Milner transfer thread. Still feel that way after watching Milner play here.

said this on another thread

arsenal 9, sunderland 9, fulham 8, city 7, chelsea 7

(current injury tallies)

it's that time of year. numbers alone are no reason to cast aspersion.

and I've seen that article before. But the story behind the claims he makes, doesn't really back up the impression the article gives, of a perfect injury record under Hughes.

Don't you remember our defensive injury crisis? half the same bloody players this time around...

Hughes' last game was missing scores of injured players.

here's the line up;

* 01 Given yellow card
* 02 Richards
* 04 Onuoha
* 16 Sylvinho
* 28 Toure
* 07 Ireland
* 08 Wright-Phillips
* 18 Barry
* 14 Santa Cruz
* 32 Tevez
* 39 Bellamy

shalll we play, 'who's missing?'

off the top of my head.... De Jong (possibly suspended, cant remember)....Lescott had just been ruled out for 3 months, Bridge was out for a couple. Richards went off injured (having just come back).... Kompany was just returning to fitness. He suffered very badly in Hughes' first 12 months, for some reason, probably coincidence.

the stand out inclusion, of course, that paragon of fitness, RSC (second appearance in 3 months)

One interesting thing about that article is how much he talks up his part in Bellamy's fitness. Can you recall Bellamy being out under Mancini? I can't, although I'm sure it happened. What is a fact, is that he managed more appearances in that second half of the season than the first. more than once, he completed three games in a week. I wish I could be more specific but, ehh, you know. Arsed, much?

When this article first surfaced, I read Verheijen's twitter... noting that he had been to visit Bellamy at Cardiff once more. Bellamy's record since joining Cardiff: 2 appearances out of a possible 7 (and counting).

He's selling his services, IMO. That, and his new book...to me the article reads more or less as a free advert, with lashings of sour grapes.

Agreed that Raymond is likely doing a little self promotion but the types of injuries and where they are happening is what worries me. Chelsea's injuries have mostly been onfield playing type injuries where a good number of ours have been off field or in training itself. It's the repeated soft tissue injuries that I would be worried about. We're not seeing broken leg type injuries like Fullham or injuries as a result of rash tackles, but muscle and soft tissue injuries that are the result of overuse.