Txiki Begiristain

[mcfc1632]

I don't think any of the teams mentioned have recruited significantly better than us over the past 3 seasons.

I think that a lot of people use hindsight to make judgements

You see posts on how xyz player that is having a great season could have been recruited for a fraction of what we paid Sane, Mangala, Otamendi etc.

They conveniently overlook that if we had bought those players, then at the time you would likely (IMO) have seen the same posters moaning about the club not being ambitious enough.

Hindsight is a comfortable method - you can be confident in being right

 

[Tom_mcfc]

Mancini had 2 shots at the champions league with us, admittedly one was terrible..The other we finished 3rd with 10points which is more than we got this season in an easier group than back then.

Counts for nothing if you don't qualify though does it, I mentioned that because you counted Barca putting 4 passed us as a stick to beat Pep with.

Pantilimon
Kolo at right back
Razak
Dennis Suarez
Helan
Scott sinclair

All played, no wonder it was a weak title defence if that wasn't our reserves

Helan came on in extra time, Sinclair came on for Suarez after an hour.

We started with Tevez, Balotelli, Lescott, Nastasic, Barry, Milner, Kolarov and Toure. I would be very hard pushed to declare that as a reserve team. Strong team with some fringe players included maybe.

I liked Mancini just putting out it wasn't all plain sailing with him either, poor in Europe and he was lucky that when he was challenging for titles there was only ever one other team, now we have a few

 

[01cravend]

Counts for nothing if you don't qualify though does it, I mentioned that because you counted Barca putting 4 passed us as a stick to beat Pep with.



Helan came on in extra time, Sinclair came on for Suarez after an hour.

We started with Tevez, Balotelli, Lescott, Nastasic, Barry, Milner, Kolarov and Toure. I would be very hard pushed to declare that as a reserve team. Strong team with some fringe players included maybe.

I liked Mancini just putting out it wasn't all plain sailing with him either, poor in Europe and he was lucky that when he was challenging for titles there was only ever one other team, now we have a few

Just highlighting the fact of how easy we are to roll over these days

2 days before that game we lined up vs Arsenal with Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Sinclair, Garcia, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko... so we made 10 changes for the game vs Villa then we made 8 changes 3 days after Villa for the game vs Fulham.

 

[Tom_mcfc]

Just highlighting the fact of how easy we are to roll over these days

2 days before that game we lined up vs Arsenal with Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Sinclair, Garcia, Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko... so we made 10 changes for the game vs Villa then we made 8 changes 3 days after Villa for the game vs Fulham.

Hardly these days though is it, again a bit harsh to count the Barca game for a few reasons.

You said reserves, I only pointed out it was far from a reserve side

 

[crystal_mais]

Needs to pull some rabbits out of the bag for his mate Pep - I've backed him and will continue to do so - but the lack of planning from the football committee since the last League win under Pellers has been shocking FFP or no FFP -

That Pisscan used to know when to let his senior players go and replace them - most of the time (Yaya, Silva, Zaba, Clichy, Kolarov, Vinny) a full spine that needed replacing 2 seasons ago and we now carry them.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Exactly, poor title defence (I know he wasn't given the players he wanted the year after but still had the same spine) hopeless in Europe. Special treatment to Balotelli. Sunderland and Everton beating us away every time. Not great with man management and the less said about that Wigan cup final the better

And whose fault was the last one? It was leaked from Barca that Mancini was toast and the players played the final as though they couldn't give a stuff.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Txiki's record on replacing/buying/disposing of defenders is awful.
3 seasons of total garbage.

 

[Tom_mcfc]

And whose fault was the last one? It was leaked from Barca that Mancini was toast and the players played the final as though they couldn't give a stuff.

Not saying that it was all his fault however he was the manager that day. I'm not Mancini bashing my original post was a reply to someone listing all the good stuff about Mancini whilst ignoring any bad.

 

[aguero93:20]

I like him.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Not saying that it was all his fault however he was the manager that day. I'm not Mancini bashing my original post was a reply to someone listing all the good stuff about Mancini whilst ignoring any bad.

The leak definitely came from Txiki/Ferran's contacts at Barca ('Sport' story the Tuesday before the final) so one does have to wonder why it happened. It could have been because Barca were interested in Pellers, though it could also be Machiavellian in nature to pull the rug from under Mancini (firing a manager that had won the FA cup would be poor PR). The former in much more likely however the latter is a possibility - I wouldn't put anything past execs of major companies.