Mancini tactical genius

[Vienna_70]

I must admit, I was puzzled when RM brought on Maicon for Nastasić, but it soon became clear what was happening. I thought Maicon was superb after he came on and he put in some cracking crosses. Just a shame that no one could get on the end of any of them.

On another note, does anyone else think that Merlin being back in the team gave YaYa more space to exploit?

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I must admit, I was puzzled when RM brought on Maicon for Nastasić, but it soon became clear what was happening. I thought Maicon was superb after he came on and he put in some cracking crosses. Just a shame that no one could get on the end of any of them.

On another note, does anyone else think that Merlin being back in the team gave YaYa more space to exploit?

silva makes us so much more effective because he keeps hitting the front players with it.

So does playing without nasri slowing us up and knocking it back to the centre halves all the time.

 

[eastlands oasis]

3-5-2 certainly looks to have some merit.
Maicon and Kollarov out wide do seem to give us another dimension. Playing narrow - as teams have to, to stop us playing suddenly works against them. They get stretched right across the park and big holes open up.

This formation seems to be more effective against PL teams than in Europe, for whatever reason. Zaba and Kompany look comfortable playing it but not sure the rest of the defenders are convinced by it. Thought Maicon was outstanding when he came on, and here was me thinking Bale would run him ragged!

 

[Bluemoonbaldboy]

3-5-2 certainly looks to have some merit.
Maicon and Kollarov out wide do seem to give us another dimension. Playing narrow - as teams have to, to stop us playing suddenly works against them. They get stretched right across the park and big holes open up.

This formation seems to be more effective against PL teams than in Europe, for whatever reason. Zaba and Kompany look comfortable playing it but not sure the rest of the defenders are convinced by it. Thought Maicon was outstanding when he came on, and here was me thinking Bale would run him ragged!

you weren't the only one Telegraph journo Mark Ogden tweeted

Mark Ogden ‏@MOgdenTelegraph

Roberto Mancini cruelly preparing Maicon for a run-out. Mr Maicon, say hello to Mr Bale...#taxi

 

[Chi-town blues]

credit where it is due..Mancini changed the game, and the players did their job.

I love this new CIty!!!

^^^^THIS

 

[savo]

Outstanding response and what an impact from both subs

City have now gone unbeaten at home in the league since December 2010, 35 games in total which is the third highest in Premier League history. #Fortress Ethihad

 

[Ric]

I think Mancini deserves credit today, as the win was a direct result of the changes he implemented. Not many, myself included, thought taking Nastasic off for Maicon was a good move at the time but it undoubtedly swung the game in our favour.

 

[xzbit04]

Good write up by Robbie Savage

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20283309?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/2 ... um=twitter</a>

 

[stonerblue]

been watching football for 40 years, but what Mancini did today was, for me, one of the most disticntive displays of managers tactics changing the whole flow of the game.

I was getting frustrated with us playing through the middle, and it not coming off for us, and was, like a lot of people around me, hoping for the obvious sinclair/dzecko switch..i.e chuck on a winger and sling crosses into the big fellah.

Mancini confused me by playing instead with 4 fullbacks (maicon/zaba/clichy and kolarov)..but it created a vacuum in the middle of the park, which allowed Silva and Yaya to play.

I didn't even appreciate what he'd done until I was driving home and reflecting on it..i must admit i thought the space in the center of the park in the last 20 mins was due to the game getting stretched naturally..but it was Mancini who made that happen...leaving it up to the players to exploit it.

credit where it is due..Mancini changed the game, and the players did their job.

I love this new CIty!!!

Helped a lot having PabZab play a stormer.

 

[kabuverdimcfc]

I don't like the 3-5-2, but was perfect!