Mancinis lack of creative flair in the squad will cost us.

[cleavers]

Then he's lining up for a big failure, how can he expect a full-back to get forward and back for 90 minutes and get constantly doubled up against with no-one to help him?

No not really, lots of teams play this way, and successfully, do Real Madrid, Inter or AC Milan, or Barcelona play with wingers ? Nope, they use players that are comfortable in any role, so if the fullback gets forward he's covered from midfield, its actually a very good, and much more effective way of playing. Players adapt to where they are on the pitch, not stand out on the touchline doing sod all if the ball doesn't come there way. I like the way he wants us to play, but it needs certain players to be playing, and one of the key players is David Silva, and its why I think he wants AJ to adapt to that kind of role, or Milner even, but I'm afraid they're not bright enough to break out of the 442 mould.

 

[buzzer1]

Beggars belief mate does'nt it. What a clown.

Bobby or the OP. ??

Bob.

 

[cleavers]

I think our strongest XI (Hart; Zabaleta, Richards, Kompany, Kolorov; de Jong, Yaya, Silva; Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko)

3 full backs ? Richards is not a centre back, he might think he is, but he's not, sorry Micah if you're reading....

Our strongest defence will I suspect become Richards, Kompany, Boateng, Kolorov at some point, but all the others are more than capable of filling in, but its the chopping and changing, and using too many backup players at once that is half the trouble.

 

[Blue Tooth]

Yaya had the best chance first half...should have scored....Dzecko would have scored more if he was up to speed...we were comfortable...they had one chance all game.We will murder them at home and get a home draw against a team we should beat.
Birmingham away concerns me far more and I am glad of players rested.

One chance all game? Even off the top of my head I can remember that shot that only just went over and that real sitter of a header Hughes missed as the clock struck 90mins!

If you think Hughes's header was a sitter you are obviously watching a different version of the game to me! At no point in that game did I think we would lose...We controlled it, should've won and will murder them at our place.

 

[Deleted member 14625]

I think our strongest XI (Hart; Zabaleta, Richards, Kompany, Kolorov; de Jong, Yaya, Silva; Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko)

3 full backs ? Richards is not a centre back, he might think he is, but he's not, sorry Micah if you're reading....

Our strongest defence will I suspect become Richards, Kompany, Boateng, Kolorov at some point, but all the others are more than capable of filling in, but its the chopping and changing, and using too many backup players at once that is half the trouble.

Well yeah I'd agree with that, I've just not seen a back four that I'm happy with yet. We need a physical defenderto play with Kompany, Richards is that, but I actually forgot about Boateng and he did play well today!

 

[Deleted member 14625]

One chance all game? Even off the top of my head I can remember that shot that only just went over and that real sitter of a header Hughes missed as the clock struck 90mins!

If you think Hughes's header was a sitter you are obviously watching a different version of the game to me! At no point in that game did I think we would lose...We controlled it, should've won and will murder them at our place.

I do believe it was a sitter, Ince's reaction told me that.

 

[cleavers]

Maybe not a sitter, but he should have scored, but so should Yaya.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Mancini is anything but clueless. He's the most astute manager we've had in donkey's years. That said though, we are lacking in both width and pace, and the injury to AJ rams that fact home somewhat. If we don't buy someone tomorrow to cover for him, the second half of the reason could become a real struggle, cos several teams have had us sussed recently. No AJ = no Plan B.
Ashley Young, Sanchez or Elia would do nicely

 

[carlosthejackal]

Without any width or pace we will always struggle and with johnsons injury i worry about what we can acheive this season.