Negative players or negative tactics...

[Anonymous]

...or just the curse of City.

When you look at the number of times this season we've dropped points, and the number of points we have dropped, in games which we should/could/nearly have won, it ain't half frustrating.

The one thing I will say, is I'm tired of the team setting out to defend from minute one. Our Bobby seems to have learned nothing from our recent adventures against Stoke and Chelsea. We need to go out and dominate games, rather than taking this passive, cautious approach, which just seems to invite the opposition onto us...

The responsibility must also lie with the players as well. Bellamy, Tevez, RSC, and SWP were all far too greedy today in the final third of the park. Players of that experience, and that quality, should have much better decision making in pressure situations. It's just a small example, but after we equalized we went up the park, RSC picked up the ball outside the area, and could and more importantly, should have played Johnson in instead of just putting his laces through the ball...

Anyway, its still a point gained, so I'm not too disheartened. Frustrated as fuck though...

 

[cleavers]

Agreed, frustrating, but that's the city we know and love.

 

[Marvin]

Give credit to the opposition?

The substitutions were adventurous.

The midfielders we have at the club are defensive - I don't see what choice Mancini has. Ireland has played in recent games and been subbed

 

[flb]

Its the personnel at Mancinis disposal thats the problem

 

[kippaxblue76]

Its the personnel at Mancinis disposal thats the problem

Exactly, thats why he tried to bring in Mariga, a young Vieira type to drive us forward.

 

[Bill]

Give credit to the opposition?

The substitutions were adventurous.

The midfielders we have at the club are defensive - I don't see what choice Mancini has. Ireland has played in recent games and been subbed

he needs a run of games, we need a run of games, a run of positive play.

all we ask is he fucking tries it.

 

[bluefandk]

to many defensive midfielders, and not enough creative midfielders at the club.

 

[Anonymous]

If we're constantly having to come from behind, doesn't that suggest that our initial approach going into matches is wrong.

The substitutions were hit and miss. Bringing on Viera and not Ireland was laughable but I'm sure there'll be plenty on here that will disagree, which is fair enough, so I won't moan about it.

What seemed so baffling was that Sunderland posed no threat through the middle of the park, yet still we insisted on packing it at every opportunity.

 

[scorer]

Negative players or negative tactics...

or just negative posters??

I would have taken a point at Sunderland at the start and am satisfied with the point now.

We are still the hardest team to beat in the league.

 

[Mattyc55]

To be honest Billy, I dont think much of the blame for the first half of today can be placed on Mancini's head, and his tactics/selection. Before the game I was pleased with how we set up (off the back of Chelsea) and the form of certain players; Zabaleta remaining in place of Ireland, and Swp getting the nod due to his impact at Chelsea/Wembley.

However, the players clearly have a problem getting going in the games against the lesser sides in the league as opposed to the big games. Whilst it could be said that its a case of playing in second gear and attempting to just "do enough", points DO NOT come easy against ANY teams in the premiership, and every game has to be approached in the same manner; regardless of whether or not one of the opposition players has banged Bridgy's misses or not. We were hungrier last week, we were hungrier at OT, and we were hungrier against Arsenal. United have been winning the league for years as a result of beating the lesser sides, whilst the likes of Liverpool have slipped up against the lower sides and beat United.

It must be nearly as frustrating for Mancini to see his side go from the way in which they pass it at COMs, Stamford Bridge, and OT; to the amount of stray passes in the first half today.

Today was another case of two totally differing City outfits, but I think Mancini reacted well with RSC and going 4-4-2, then Vieira and Johno having a positive impact on the result. The only thing I would question is that Johno clearly should have come on a lot earlier for a woeful SWP.

One thing that has impressed me though about this side, is our character to get back into games when going behind. Lets HOPEFULLY learn how to start games, and then we can start looking at challenging the 3 above us. Giving teams starts, and their fans an opportunity to sing and encourage is only going to make things incredibly different.

Decent point today, essay over.