Mancini's selection and tactics

[jimharri]

I have been racking my brain all day to try and remember when we've ever gotten a win against a team that played possession football with pace. Anyone playing remotely Continental football just thrashes us, and its not just one hell of a coincidence that our players can't cope on these particular days.

Gives me loads of hope for the CL next year. No wait, that's not right...

Agreed. Mancini seems bereft of ideas when facing top quality continental opposition. Our two CL campaigns have been very disappointing, and his career record in the competition is nothing to write home about.Maybe it'll change next season. We can only hope.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I have been racking my brain all day to try and remember when we've ever gotten a win against a team that played possession football with pace. Anyone playing remotely Continental football just thrashes us, and its not just one hell of a coincidence that our players can't cope on these particular days.

Gives me loads of hope for the CL next year. No wait, that's not right...

Agreed. Mancini seems bereft of ideas when facing top quality continental opposition. Our two CL campaigns have been very disappointing, and his career record in the competition is nothing to write home about.Maybe it'll change next season. We can only hope.

I think Mancini will still be here next season as there are unlikely to be any viable alternatives but if we don't perform in the Champions League next year he'll be gone.

 

[OB1]

I have been racking my brain all day to try and remember when we've ever gotten a win against a team that played possession football with pace. Anyone playing remotely Continental football just thrashes us, and its not just one hell of a coincidence that our players can't cope on these particular days.

Gives me loads of hope for the CL next year. No wait, that's not right...

The Southampton game will be a test of Mancini's tactics again because Pochettino has got them pressing high up the pitch and playing good fast football. Remember Swansea away last season? We really struggled there and lost, I have a feeling we could struggle similarly against Southampton (and Swansea when we play them). Mancini has to drop his stubborn streak and build a more mobile and energetic outfit, this zombie version of Barcelona has it's limits as we're seeing this season.

We have to be braver when teams press us and not rush to hoof the ball away. Yaya's return should help v Saints as you can give him the ball anywhere and expect him to retain possession. Ultimately we need to add some more agile central mid fielders who can zip about the pitch and zip the ball about in tight spaces (or trust Silva and Nasri to player deeper more central roles at times?).

 

[Rammy Blue]

Ultimately we need to add some more agile central mid fielders who can zip about the pitch and zip the ball about in tight spaces.

That's the crux of it for me mate, hence why it irritates the fuck out of me when people are praising Garcia.

It's the main reason why we perform so poorly in the Chumps.

 

[chesterbells]

Ultimately we need to add some more agile central mid fielders who can zip about the pitch and zip the ball about in tight spaces.

That's the crux of it for me mate, hence why it irritates the fuck out of me when people are praising Garcia.

It's the main reason why we perform so poorly in the Chumps.

I'll second that

 

[City_Sean]

you cant go far in europe, if you dont play with a fast tempo.

every team we have played presses, and we are clueless against them, i honestly cant see us winning the CL with the likes of nasri, barry, kolarov, etc, too slow...

 

[Anonymous]

In the 27 years Fergie has been United manager (and I hate to use them as a bench-mark), how many managers have come and gone at City? In the same 27 years City have had 18 managers, but if you ignore 3 caretaker-managers it is only 15. Of those 15 the record for shortest stay is Steve Coppel (6 games, W2, D1, L3), who was followed by Phil Neal (10 games, W2, D1, L7).
So up until recently we can see what instability does for you (or not as the case may be). At last we have a realistic patient owner who has invested for the long haul. Many complain about Mancini's tactical naivite and poor squad rotation, but those are all things where he needs to learn to take advice, and stop being so stubborn. The formation is too narrow and the build-up is too slow, too much like SerieA. Just let the shackles off Robby and let them play to their strengths.

 

[Mr. Aguia]

Ultimately we need to add some more agile central mid fielders who can zip about the pitch and zip the ball about in tight spaces.

That's the crux of it for me mate, hence why it irritates the fuck out of me when people are praising Garcia.

It's the main reason why we perform so poorly in the Chumps.

I'll second that

I'll 3rd it.

I don't understand why Mancini feels the need to have Garcia in there when we already have Barry to do the same job. We don't need a second slow footed ball winner. Why are we playing QPR with 2 holding dm's when they have 9 behind the ball?

 

[NipHolmes]

I have been racking my brain all day to try and remember when we've ever gotten a win against a team that played possession football with pace. Anyone playing remotely Continental football just thrashes us, and its not just one hell of a coincidence that our players can't cope on these particular days.

Gives me loads of hope for the CL next year. No wait, that's not right...

Agreed. Mancini seems bereft of ideas when facing top quality continental opposition. Our two CL campaigns have been very disappointing, and his career record in the competition is nothing to write home about.Maybe it'll change next season. We can only hope.

I think Mancini will still be here next season as there are unlikely to be any viable alternatives but if we don't perform in the Champions League next year he'll be gone.

But that puts our league campaign at risk.

We need to either back or sack. By delaying till next season it means we have to find a top manager at the start of a campaign which is nigh on impossible and it means they will want their own players to fit their strategy which mean further player turnover. It has to be this summer, back or sack. Blunt but the other option is more painful imho.<br /><br />-- Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:35 pm --<br /><br />

you cant go far in europe, if you dont play with a fast tempo.

every team we have played presses, and we are clueless against them, i honestly cant see us winning the CL with the likes of nasri, barry, kolarov, etc, too slow...

Baines costs the same as we paid for Kolarov to put into perspective, if we sold Nasri I'd go balls deep for Gotze.

 

[grim up north]

Agreed. Mancini seems bereft of ideas when facing top quality continental opposition. Our two CL campaigns have been very disappointing, and his career record in the competition is nothing to write home about.Maybe it'll change next season. We can only hope.

I think Mancini will still be here next season as there are unlikely to be any viable alternatives but if we don't perform in the Champions League next year he'll be gone.

But that puts our league campaign at risk.

We need to either back or sack. By delaying till next season it means we have to find a top manager at the start of a campaign which is nigh on impossible and it means they will want their own players to fit their strategy which mean further player turnover. It has to be this summer, back or sack. Blunt but the other option is more painful imho.

-- Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:35 pm --

you cant go far in europe, if you dont play with a fast tempo.

every team we have played presses, and we are clueless against them, i honestly cant see us winning the CL with the likes of nasri, barry, kolarov, etc, too slow...

Baines costs the same as we paid for Kolarov to put into perspective, if we sold Nasri I'd go balls deep for Gotze.

You gone off Sahin then