The Manager

[Anonymous]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

 

[Joehannes]

I enjoy your posts, crystal, and while I agree with the sentiment of your post, I think that there are far too many players labelled 'world class'.

 

[Mancio]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

 

[Joehannes]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

Only theez.

 

[supercrystal7]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

Remeber when you played United last year at the Etihad. All my Arsenal friends were saying they hope United won it, because you would have bought the title. I did a few sums and then pointed out to them that your squad for the match was only about 20 million more than United's.

It's a shame, but the only way to catch the top teams is by having big money come in or a random golden generation of youngsters.

Last year Madrid and Barca had better squads and still spent 30 odd million improving the team each. Bayern were your equals and spent around 70 odd million. United were not as good so they spent 60 odd million to catch up. Chelsea spent 90 odd million to close the gap. If you don't spend then you end up like Arsenal left behind and trophiless for close to a decade.

 

[Anonymous]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

Mourinho isn't our manager, and if he was and he was demanding the addition of the likes of De Rossi Van Persie Aguero Silva ever summer I'd be saying the same thing about it. But then that's just me. I prefer to see a modicum of foresight from my coaching/scouting set up rather than just running down a check list of the best ten or fifteen players in the world and demanding them all. Absolute nonsense and madness IMO.

Anyway the owners have shown this summer that they thankfully don't intend to operate in that manner every year. Mancini has had to make do with (can't believe I even have to put it like that) Garcia, Rodwell, Sincalir, and Nastasic. If he fails to win something no doubt his excuses are already written.

EDIT:

Oh and what is it that separates the good coaches from the genuinely great. The genuinely great, as we often say, make their team more than the sum of it's parts. I guess if Mancini needs XI world class players in his starting line up we know he's the former rather than the latter.<br /><br />-- Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:30 pm --<br /><br />

Chelsea spent 90 odd million to close the gap. If you don't spend then you end up like Arsenal left behind and trophiless for close to a decade.

Look at what Chelsea spent to build Mou's side, then look at the trophies they won. Then look at what we've spent. The notion that this squad needs another hundred million put into it to compete for the CL is laughable IMO. Of course there's always better players out there and of course you should be strengthening your squad every summer if nothing else just to refresh it and change the dynamic of the group. But you don't need to sign the best players in the world ever summer to do that. It's just not feasible and frankly it's the Football Manager way of doing things.

 

[NipHolmes]

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

Mourinho isn't our manager, and if he was and he was demanding the addition of the likes of De Rossi Van Persie Aguero Silva ever summer I'd be saying the same thing about it. But then that's just me. I prefer to see a modicum of foresight from my coaching/scouting set up rather than just running down a check list of the best ten or fifteen players in the world and demanding them all. Absolute nonsense and madness IMO.

Anyway the owners have shown this summer that they thankfully don't intend to operate in that manner every year. Mancini has had to make do with (can't believe I even have to put it like that) Garcia, Rodwell, Sincalir, and Nastasic. If he fails to win something no doubt his excuses are already written.

All those players you named were replacements for outgoings. We are still thin in CM of a world class CM. People say Milner, people say Barry. Neither is good enough.

Garcia holding with a CM pairing of Yaya and Moutinho is as good as I could wish right now.

----------------------Hart----------------------
Richards----Kompany-------Lescott---------Clichy
--------------------Garcia----------------------
----------------Yaya-------Moutinho------------
-------Tevez----------------------Silva---------
---------------------Aguero---------------------

That's a solid eleven and our best available imo. It is a lineup which is CM strong and creative too. Moutinho will make play from deep and can pick a great pass.

When we have Barry and a.n.other holding be it De Jong or Garcia then we sit too deep. We need to dominate midfield and hold the ball. My main concern is that we are over reliant on Yaya and if we come up against a team that doubles up on him then we struggle. I just want help for him and I want a that player to fit us and Moutinho will imho.

 

[supercrystal7]

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

Mourinho isn't our manager, and if he was and he was demanding the addition of the likes of De Rossi Van Persie Aguero Silva ever summer I'd be saying the same thing about it. But then that's just me. I prefer to see a modicum of foresight from my coaching/scouting set up rather than just running down a check list of the best ten or fifteen players in the world and demanding them all. Absolute nonsense and madness IMO.

Anyway the owners have shown this summer that they thankfully don't intend to operate in that manner every year. Mancini has had to make do with (can't believe I even have to put it like that) Garcia, Rodwell, Sincalir, and Nastasic. If he fails to win something no doubt his excuses are already written.

EDIT:

Oh and what is it that separates the good coaches from the genuinely great. The genuinely great, as we often say, make their team more than the sum of it's parts. I guess if Mancini needs XI world class players in his starting line up we know he's the former rather than the latter.

-- Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:30 pm --

Chelsea spent 90 odd million to close the gap. If you don't spend then you end up like Arsenal left behind and trophiless for close to a decade.

Look at what Chelsea spent to build Mou's side, then look at the trophies they won. Then look at what we've spent. The notion that this squad needs another hundred million put into it to compete for the CL is laughable IMO. Of course there's always better players out there and of course you should be strengthening your squad every summer if nothing else just to refresh it and change the dynamic of the group. But you don't need to sign the best players in the world ever summer to do that. It's just not feasible and frankly it's the Football Manager way of doing things.

The reason you spent so much is because you gave the cheque book to an average manager, who blew it.

With the inflation in the market Mancini's spending is comparable to Chelsea's.

It's good you used Chelsea as an example, because they are the perfect case of a chairman relaxing on his laurels. United had built an excellent young team and Mourinho asked for Pepe. At the time he would have cost around 15 million pounds and considering he is easily the best defender in the world, that was a fantastic price. Roman said NO. Chelsea's lack of depth in defense cost them. United win the league. United win 4/5 league titles and the CL.

You are lucky than Ferguson is blinded by some belief Cleverly is going to be world class. If United had managed to lure Modric for 30 million then history could have been repeating itself

You compete with other teams. If they spend big then you have to as well or else accept a relatively dry period.

 

[Deleted member 14625]

When Mancini says "We need more players, we must improve" after bossing the league and looking the best, games like Tuesday's are why. Real Madrid were a level above and had far more in reserve (Ramos, Modric, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil) than we did. We worry about players like Milner not getting games while Real have the likes of Modric and Kaka sat on the bench. This is Mancini's mindset, to be the best you have to match teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, this is why he wanted to add superstars like Thiago Silva, De Rossi, and van Persie, along with an expensive young prodigy like Hazard to our already talented squad and probably would have if not for FFP/agent fees/etc.

The very definition then of a cheque book manager.

well...... its not as if your beloved jose makes omelettes without eggs ....

Good post. Like it!

Every manager is a "cheque book manager".

 

[Anonymous]

All those players you named were replacements for outgoings. We are still thin in CM of a world class CM. People say Milner, people say Barry. Neither is good enough.

Garcia holding with a CM pairing of Yaya and Moutinho is as good as I could wish right now.

----------------------Hart----------------------
Richards----Kompany-------Lescott---------Clichy
--------------------Garcia----------------------
----------------Yaya-------Moutinho------------
-------Tevez----------------------Silva---------
---------------------Aguero---------------------

That's a solid eleven and our best available imo. It is a lineup which is CM strong and creative too. Moutinho will make play from deep and can pick a great pass.

When we have Barry and a.n.other holding be it De Jong or Garcia then we sit too deep. We need to dominate midfield and hold the ball. My main concern is that we are over reliant on Yaya and if we come up against a team that doubles up on him then we struggle. I just want help for him and I want a that player to fit us and Moutinho will imho.

What do you think the logic in paying what we did for Rodwell was then ? Seems odd to me if we were always going to bring in a replacement for De Jong of the caliber of Garcia, that we would also choose this summer to spend 15 million on another holding midfield player rather than going out and signing as you say, Moutinho for example. Particularly when Razak did so well in pre season and could easily have taken up that role within the squad.