To Mr Roberto Mancini.

[bournemouthblue]

Just shows given time what he could do,that was an amazing last couple of months....thank you roberto...and by the way lets hope we get rid of the hangers on we have at the club...im sure that is on robertos mind right now....he and khaldoon are full of intent for next season and the title..

 

[Damocles]

Sorry for the delay in my replying, but I thought you had gone to bed so I went to mine. Here we go;

You must have noticed how, for many games this season, our defence and midfield kept possession by passing sideways or up and back and back again.
Keeping possession is vital, but to do it as we did meant that our eventual approach to the opposition 18yd box was faced with virtually the whole of their team lined up and waiting. That's when we ran out of ideas as well as space.

Yaya Toure, apart from the occasional rampage forward, has been on basically defensive duties - making a seven man defence, often at home against poor opposition, until Tevez' injury forced a re-jig to try to form a link between defence and midfield. As you know, this worked very well and was the beginning of our late spurt.

Now, we no longer see such long delays getting the ball upfield ( Hart is also using the big boot, which I have never liked, but at least it is better than the slow approach) our forwards must think that it's their birthday. Perhaps this might even persuade Tevez to stay now that he will get a better service!

To sum up:

Allowing Yaya up front(almost) and abandoning the slow build-up, have been the major changes in the last few, vital games. These changes in Mancini's tactics saved our season.
Without a terrific squad, we could not have got away with it. Most of my thanks go to them and Sheikh Mansour.

Roberto has done some learning. When he learns the value of a good pair of wingers, playing on their correct sides, we'll be away.

That's a great post and bang on the money. Ya Ya's adapting to his role has been the big sea change this season. That and a few other factors...Richards's form at right back, Lescott at centre half and the availablity of a full strength squad.

Yaya's role hasn't changed at all, though he might just be as you say, better at it now. Here's his heatmap:

First day of season:

Mid season:

Last home game:

The heatmap shows where he receives and releases the ball as a percentage cut into those areas. My point in this, is that there aren't really vast deviations across the area of his effectiveness across the season as a whole. There are a couple of games where he played a big further forward such as Villa, and a bit further back such as Liverpool away (though we had a different setup that day to our usual) but across the season he has always worked in those squares behind the strikers.

Unusually, the Bolton game, he played much further back than he had ever done for City before, with most of his action occurring in our own half.

As a general rule though, he's pretty much always been in or around the same area positionally, but his pass completion rate in the last third has noticeably increased. As you say, he's just getting better at his job.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

IT's not where he's played that's changed, Dammers, it's how he's played. He's stopped passing backwards and started to hurt teams. He's using his burst of strength to get past people, and using his vision to pick people out in attacking areas. The second half against United marked a seachange - it was his best 45 minutes in a City shirt. I am happy to say I was wrong about him - I thought he was wasted in that position. He's really proved me wrong and I have huge respect for him as a player.

What we do with him next season when some of our big targets come off will be intriguing. Might we see a formation change?

With regards to the Bolton game, I wasn't there but on tv it looked remarkably like a change to 4-4-2 to me later in the game, with him sitting in central midfield.

 

[remoh]

Sorry for the delay in my replying, but I thought you had gone to bed so I went to mine. Here we go;

You must have noticed how, for many games this season, our defence and midfield kept possession by passing sideways or up and back and back again.
Keeping possession is vital, but to do it as we did meant that our eventual approach to the opposition 18yd box was faced with virtually the whole of their team lined up and waiting. That's when we ran out of ideas as well as space.

Yaya Toure, apart from the occasional rampage forward, has been on basically defensive duties - making a seven man defence, often at home against poor opposition, until Tevez' injury forced a re-jig to try to form a link between defence and midfield. As you know, this worked very well and was the beginning of our late spurt.

Now, we no longer see such long delays getting the ball upfield ( Hart is also using the big boot, which I have never liked, but at least it is better than the slow approach) our forwards must think that it's their birthday. Perhaps this might even persuade Tevez to stay now that he will get a better service!

To sum up:

Allowing Yaya up front(almost) and abandoning the slow build-up, have been the major changes in the last few, vital games. These changes in Mancini's tactics saved our season.
Without a terrific squad, we could not have got away with it. Most of my thanks go to them and Sheikh Mansour.

Roberto has done some learning. When he learns the value of a good pair of wingers, playing on their correct sides, we'll be away.

That's a great post and bang on the money. Ya Ya's adapting to his role has been the big sea change this season. That and a few other factors...Richards's form at right back, Lescott at centre half and the availablity of a full strength squad.

Yaya's role hasn't changed at all, though he might just be as you say, better at it now. Here's his heatmap:

First day of season:

Mid season:

Last home game:

The heatmap shows where he receives and releases the ball as a percentage cut into those areas. My point in this, is that there aren't really vast deviations across the area of his effectiveness across the season as a whole. There are a couple of games where he played a big further forward such as Villa, and a bit further back such as Liverpool away (though we had a different setup that day to our usual) but across the season he has always worked in those squares behind the strikers.

Unusually, the Bolton game, he played much further back than he had ever done for City before, with most of his action occurring in our own half.

As a general rule though, he's pretty much always been in or around the same area positionally, but his pass completion rate in the last third has noticeably increased. As you say, he's just getting better at his job.

For much of the season, though, we played a high-possession, slow-build-up game. In that case you would expect the whole team to have a higher line on the average, with lots of time in the opponent's half.
With a compact team, the space behind the forwards is also the space before the defence.

Once Tevez was out of the team, we saw Yaya often higher up the pitch than Ballotelli! It was a major change and a great improvement.

 

[taconinja]

IT's not where he's played that's changed, Dammers, it's how he's played. He's stopped passing backwards and started to hurt teams. He's using his burst of strength to get past people, and using his vision to pick people out in attacking areas. The second half against United marked a seachange - it was his best 45 minutes in a City shirt. I am happy to say I was wrong about him - I thought he was wasted in that position. He's really proved me wrong and I have huge respect for him as a player.

What we do with him next season when some of our big targets come off will be intriguing. Might we see a formation change?

With regards to the Bolton game, I wasn't there but on tv it looked remarkably like a change to 4-4-2 to me later in the game, with him sitting in central midfield.

You are correct from what I saw. I have to bang my "trust" drum again, though. Once he could trust his teammates, you saw less passing backwards and sideways.

I think that formation you saw is one of Manicini's preferred. I don't think we'll ever play a singular formation and when he wants to attack in the past he's preferred the 4-4-2 Diamond. I have a feeling we'll be moving towards that in the next season, which honestly might be easier starting Dzeko and Balotelli.<br /><br />-- Mon May 23, 2011 12:01 pm --<br /><br />

For much of the season, though, we played a high-possession, slow-build-up game. In that case you would expect the whole team to have a higher line on the average, with lots of time in the opponent's half.
With a compact team, the space behind the forwards is also the space before the defence.

Once Tevez was out of the team, we saw Yaya often higher up the pitch than Ballotelli! It was a major change and a great improvement.

I've always felt that Tevez distorts formations because he drops so deep. It pushes Yaya too far back. Problem is Carlos is such a great player that you're sort of stuck.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

You are correct from what I saw. I have to bang my "trust" drum again, though. Once he could trust his teammates, you saw less passing backwards and sideways.

I think that formation you saw is one of Manicini's preferred. I don't think we'll ever play a singular formation and when he wants to attack in the past he's preferred the 4-4-2 Diamond. I have a feeling we'll be moving towards that in the next season, which honestly might be easier starting Dzeko and Balotelli.

.

I don't remember us playing the "diamond" once all season, maybe for 45 minutes in one of the home cup replays. It's been 4-2-3-1 all season with the odd change to 4-4-2.

 

[Deepest Blue]

Have spent the whole season fending off the outers and the doubters but all been worth it.

He stated before the FA Semi that we would win the Cup and qualify for the CL and you could read in his face the conviction with which he said it.

Have never wavered in my support for Bob and wish him a long and successful tenure at the most upwardly mobile club on the planet-OUR Manchester City.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Re: Re: To Mr Roberto Mancini.

Football finished forever yesterday, did it?

City have finished the season superbly, and we have to be delighted with our progress. But that progress must continue for Mancini to be worthy of the God-like status a few have already bestowed upon him. All we've done is reached the point that The Skeikh believed we should be at 12 months ago.

I didn't think Mancini could preside over a City team which suddenly looked as motivated and united as the one we've seen for the last 5 weeks. I was wrong about that and I'm delighted to thank him. But I'm far from convinced he's the man to lead us in the long term. If he stays, that is...

But he's proved me wrong once, who's to say he won't prove me wrong again. I really really hope so because the alst 5 weeks have been the best 5 weeks in my 35 years of following the Blues.

Superbly put DD. This has been a great season but up until recently there was the prospect of it not being.

But we're not Everton, Spurs or some other club who would regard this as a once-in-a-lifetime season (although it seems like that at the moment). This is just the start of what we hope to achieve not the pinnacle. Next season will be year 4 and the real start of our journey, as the chairman said.

So as I said a few posts back, well done to all concerned but harder questions are going to be asked of us from now on. If Mancini and the players can answer those questions then they'll deserve all the plaudits we can throw at them. Then I will happily admit I was 100% wrong. Let's hope I have to do just that.

 

[Jumanji]

Sorry for the delay in my replying, but I thought you had gone to bed so I went to mine. Here we go;

You must have noticed how, for many games this season, our defence and midfield kept possession by passing sideways or up and back and back again.
Keeping possession is vital, but to do it as we did meant that our eventual approach to the opposition 18yd box was faced with virtually the whole of their team lined up and waiting. That's when we ran out of ideas as well as space.

Yaya Toure, apart from the occasional rampage forward, has been on basically defensive duties - making a seven man defence, often at home against poor opposition, until Tevez' injury forced a re-jig to try to form a link between defence and midfield. As you know, this worked very well and was the beginning of our late spurt.

Now, we no longer see such long delays getting the ball upfield ( Hart is also using the big boot, which I have never liked, but at least it is better than the slow approach) our forwards must think that it's their birthday. Perhaps this might even persuade Tevez to stay now that he will get a better service!

To sum up:

Allowing Yaya up front(almost) and abandoning the slow build-up, have been the major changes in the last few, vital games. These changes in Mancini's tactics saved our season.
Without a terrific squad, we could not have got away with it. Most of my thanks go to them and Sheikh Mansour.

Roberto has done some learning. When he learns the value of a good pair of wingers, playing on their correct sides, we'll be away.

That's a great post and bang on the money. Ya Ya's adapting to his role has been the big sea change this season. That and a few other factors...Richards's form at right back, Lescott at centre half and the availablity of a full strength squad.

Yaya's role hasn't changed at all, though he might just be as you say, better at it now. Here's his heatmap:

First day of season:

Mid season:

Last home game:

The heatmap shows where he receives and releases the ball as a percentage cut into those areas. My point in this, is that there aren't really vast deviations across the area of his effectiveness across the season as a whole. There are a couple of games where he played a big further forward such as Villa, and a bit further back such as Liverpool away (though we had a different setup that day to our usual) but across the season he has always worked in those squares behind the strikers.

Unusually, the Bolton game, he played much further back than he had ever done for City before, with most of his action occurring in our own half.

As a general rule though, he's pretty much always been in or around the same area positionally, but his pass completion rate in the last third has noticeably increased. As you say, he's just getting better at his job.

What program or tool lets you see these heatmaps, etc?

Edit: Nevermind, those Guardian chalkboards right?

 

[taconinja]

You are correct from what I saw. I have to bang my "trust" drum again, though. Once he could trust his teammates, you saw less passing backwards and sideways.

I think that formation you saw is one of Manicini's preferred. I don't think we'll ever play a singular formation and when he wants to attack in the past he's preferred the 4-4-2 Diamond. I have a feeling we'll be moving towards that in the next season, which honestly might be easier starting Dzeko and Balotelli.

.

I don't remember us playing the "diamond" once all season, maybe for 45 minutes in one of the home cup replays. It's been 4-2-3-1 all season with the odd change to 4-4-2.

I wasn't being clear. I was speculating we might move to that in the future, not that we've really played it this season.<br /><br />-- Mon May 23, 2011 12:18 pm --<br /><br />

Football finished forever yesterday, did it?

City have finished the season superbly, and we have to be delighted with our progress. But that progress must continue for Mancini to be worthy of the God-like status a few have already bestowed upon him. All we've done is reached the point that The Skeikh believed we should be at 12 months ago.

I didn't think Mancini could preside over a City team which suddenly looked as motivated and united as the one we've seen for the last 5 weeks. I was wrong about that and I'm delighted to thank him. But I'm far from convinced he's the man to lead us in the long term. If he stays, that is...

But he's proved me wrong once, who's to say he won't prove me wrong again. I really really hope so because the alst 5 weeks have been the best 5 weeks in my 35 years of following the Blues.

Superbly put DD. This has been a great season but up until recently there was the prospect of it not being.

But we're not Everton, Spurs or some other club who would regard this as a once-in-a-lifetime season (although it seems like that at the moment). This is just the start of what we hope to achieve not the pinnacle. Next season will be year 4 and the real start of our journey, as the chairman said.

So as I said a few posts back, well done to all concerned but harder questions are going to be asked of us from now on. If Mancini and the players can answer those questions then they'll deserve all the plaudits we can throw at them. Then I will happily admit I was 100% wrong. Let's hope I have to do just that.

I think it's harder to get into the Top 4 than it is to take a Top 4 team and win it. Just my opinion though.