Why is Mancini so defensive minded? Tactics and Transfers

[Project]

1. He's Italian
2. We have serious injury problems
3. Defensively we've been a joke this season.

The latter is the most important. Simply stopping the leaks means that you can then build on sound foundations. We have plenty of attacking talent when everyone is fit on which to build on the sound defence. His immediate job was to make us solid, as the players we have should mean that the rest comes naturally.

That said we have scored 12 goals in his 6 games. Or 9 in his 4 league games. Averaged out in a season that comes to 86 goals.

In short, why are we complaining?

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

As much as wanted Hughes out, I am missing the attacking football we played under him.

I too am missing the fired up headless chickens approach of booting the ball up to our striker (however big or small or good at holding up the ball or winning headers he may be) and trying to pick up the pieces on the second ball. All this organised defending lark and attempts to pass the ball around is shit

I'd hazard a guess he's concentrating on the defensive side because we've got quality attacking players and have scored plenty of goals, yet conceded far too many to a team with aspirations of making it at the top

 

[Bluemoon115]

When a manager takes over in the summer, he has a few pre season games in which to check out different systems and find the most effective.

Mancini did not have this chance.

He stopped us leaking goals and has implemented a very efficient system. I imagine this will change over the summer, but he had no friendlies in which to try things. He had to get wins from day one.

And he has.

 

[Garry.Cook]

I bet you don't miss Hughes' draws, 4-3 wins or knowing we weren't going to get a clean sheet. Mancini is focussing on our defence because he knows we have the quality upfront to score but at the back we're shite...and it's working.

 

[blue wang]

i hope it doesnt go to defensive!
what i am thinking mancini realises we got enough attacking prowress to be a top four team,
however the midfield especially in the defensive department is not top four material as of yet,
i think mancini likes to get a lead then close up shop, he feels he needs to get the players to do this effectiely not like the last 15 minutes of the derby! makes sense, i think we would probably looked more comfortable, maybe even created an oppertunity if instead of Benji,sylvinho and ned maybe viera, flammini and gato had come on!
.. Just speculating ofcourse however i do see the logic.

i do agree with you the partnership and ireland and robinho potentially coould be very fruitful both these players need to find form and i am sure with time and patiance they will, they to good not to.
the only mid-forward partnership that rivals that in this league is gerrard and torres and in la liga probably iniesta and messi,
Mancini i think is smart enough to exploit this partnership to its fullest.

 

[DontLookBackInAnger]

We have played 6 times under Mancini winning 5 and losing just 1, our biggest win of the season at home and away are with him as manager AND with an injury list as long as your arm. When he arrived the main issue was we leaked goals for fun, so it stands to reason his focus so far has been to make the team more solid.

 

[bluemoonmatt]

Isnt ancelotti (spelling?) Italian too? Look what Chelsea did to Sunderland.

We need an Italian with a good mix of the best of both worlds. Maybe Mancini is working that way for when players are back?

I prefer the way we are playing now to drawing at home to Burnley and co

Chelsea's defence is the joint (with Villa) best in the league. Italians and their football is defensive, always has been.

 

[><((('>]

God damn it theres always a reason to complain!

 

[the--dud]

If he can bring Garrido and Benjani back from the dead and make them perform well, and chuck Boyata on for a cup semi-finals against the rags (his second ever game), I think he can see the potential in Ireland quite easily ;)

Trust Mancini!

 

[skybluekings]

1. He's Italian
2. We have serious injury problems
3. Defensively we've been a joke this season.

The latter is the most important. Simply stopping the leaks means that you can then build on sound foundations. We have plenty of attacking talent when everyone is fit on which to build on the sound defence. His immediate job was to make us solid, as the players we have should mean that the rest comes naturally.

That said we have scored 12 goals in his 6 games. Or 9 in his 4 league games. Averaged out in a season that comes to 86 goals.

In short, why are we complaining?

Good point. Didn't look at it that way. Have to say though that it isn't the most attractive football.