Will they fire Mancini?

[SWP's back]

For me, outside of his general likeability, I am always left with the impending feeling that Bobby is all too quick to find excuses rather than finding solutions.

I am currently asking the question how much further must/can he improve upon, should we miss out on title, to a United team who their own fans will tell you have been crap and riddled with injuries?

United will represent a greater challenge next time around, because Ferguson will ensure it.

I have my doubts Bobby would have it in him to pick us up to the extent we would require to avoid a repeat disappointment.

This club is still all about impetus and momentum at this stage in the project.

But your doubts about Mancini are long standing Tolm. They were there even before this season and continued during our amazing start. I have a feeling you simply don't like the guy.<br /><br />-- Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:03 pm --<br /><br />

Even at home, I'm struggling to think of a convincing performance this side of New Year.

Spurs 3-2
Liverpool 3-0
Fulham 3-0
Porto 4-0
Blackburn 3-0
Bolton 2-0

You may say we were not "awesome" but I would say we were convincing in each of those games, would you not?

 

[lancs blue]

We were never in contention?

Had we won both games against the rags we would have been level on points with them at the end of the season!

And if my grandma had balls etc... ;-)

Be honest, did you ever seriously think last season that we were going to win the title?

Yes, of course.

Had we won at the swamp near the end of the season, we might very well have gone on... but we didn't. And that was that. But too often we played like we were going for a Championms League place rather than to win the thing.

A bit more bravery last season and we genuinely could have won it.

Too many lily livered Blues on here worn down by the rags success over the years that we are now happy to be just nearer their coat tails than used to be the case.

I'm neither lily-livered nor worn down (worn out maybe!), I just never felt we were quite good enough last season to win it and so it proved. This season I think we can win it but if we just miss out it'll be frustrating but not a disaster. Next season I will be expecting us to win it. Like I said, gradual progress.

 

[80s Shorts]

I don't think the owners would be justified in sacking Mancini even if he failed to win the league this year. Lets face it he's got us our first trophy in over 35+ years and the style of football under him has dramatically improved over the past year. Players like Milner, Lescott and Kompany have flourished underneath him and I honestly feel it would be a travesty if Khaldoon came to the conclusion of sacking him. (Which I highly doubt he would as he seems a very level-headed, shrewd businessman.)

You've said something that is 100% true but then used it to justify an incorrect conclusion. Khaldoon Al Mubarak is indeed a very astute, level-headed businessman.

So let's imagine he hires an executive to run one of his businesses (not a football club). The business hasn't been well run in the past and needs a good shake-up. He therefore accepts he can't expect results early on but he backs his manager, who asks for & justifies investment in new machinery & hires key management personnel that he believes will deliver results.

That investment pays off to some degree (as he would expect) and the company has some noteworthy successes, winning a prestigious award. But then it hits a few problems - sales drop a bit, orders don't get produced in time, there are quality problems, etc.

So he calls his executive in and says "I hear things are a bit rocky at the moment. What's causing the problems and how are you dealing with them?"

The executive may say "Yes, we've had some problems. There have been problems with suppliers & materials so I've sourced these materials somewhere else. There have been machine reliability problems so I got the manufacturer to put a maintenance team on site for a few weeks to sort them out. I hired a new sales guy but he's not really been able to get the orders we want so I've let him go and have recruited the top guy from our competitors. I expect to have all these problems under control in 2 months and be back on track."

Khaldoon is likely to think "Excellent. We might not yet be the biggest business of its type yet but I've got a guy who clearly knows how to drive it forward."

However, if the executive were to say something like "Yeah, we've had a few blips but it's swings and roundabouts so they'll sort themselves out eventually I suppose" then Khaldoon's attitude is likely to be "Hmmm. He may have won an award a couple of years ago but I'm not sure I've got the right man for the long term here. I'm not confident of his ability to move this business forward so I'm going to look for a replacement."

What a load of claptrap.

 

[jay_mcfc]

But this isn't about the last two games.

We have been turgid for months now.

When was the last time we played well away from home in the league? Against the rags?

Even at home, I'm struggling to think of a convincing performance this side of New Year.

Many on here chastise the rags for their ability to win games without impressing... but we've been doing the same as well these past few months!

We might have been 'turgid' away from home for a couple of months but to suggest we have been at home is ludicrous. We've scored 3 goals at least in most of our games and looked very comfortable without ever really getting out of third gear.

I have only ever given United credit for what they do week in week out. Some of the stuff that gets written about them in here is ridiculous and that is why I am content to be where we are. It's tough winning the league, in fact it's the toughest trophy to win imo. I really wish they had gone through in the Champions league and the FA Cup because the way they have managed to focus on the prem has been to our detriment. Anyway, this isn't about them but if we get 90ish points and lose the league I won't be too downhearted.<br /><br />-- Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:05 pm --<br /><br />

I don't think the owners would be justified in sacking Mancini even if he failed to win the league this year. Lets face it he's got us our first trophy in over 35+ years and the style of football under him has dramatically improved over the past year. Players like Milner, Lescott and Kompany have flourished underneath him and I honestly feel it would be a travesty if Khaldoon came to the conclusion of sacking him. (Which I highly doubt he would as he seems a very level-headed, shrewd businessman.)

You've said something that is 100% true but then used it to justify an incorrect conclusion. Khaldoon Al Mubarak is indeed a very astute, level-headed businessman.

So let's imagine he hires an executive to run one of his businesses (not a football club). The business hasn't been well run in the past and needs a good shake-up. He therefore accepts he can't expect results early on but he backs his manager, who asks for & justifies investment in new machinery & hires key management personnel that he believes will deliver results.

That investment pays off to some degree (as he would expect) and the company has some noteworthy successes, winning a prestigious award. But then it hits a few problems - sales drop a bit, orders don't get produced in time, there are quality problems, etc.

So he calls his executive in and says "I hear things are a bit rocky at the moment. What's causing the problems and how are you dealing with them?"

The executive may say "Yes, we've had some problems. There have been problems with suppliers & materials so I've sourced these materials somewhere else. There have been machine reliability problems so I got the manufacturer to put a maintenance team on site for a few weeks to sort them out. I hired a new sales guy but he's not really been able to get the orders we want so I've let him go and have recruited the top guy from our competitors. I expect to have all these problems under control in 2 months and be back on track."

Khaldoon is likely to think "Excellent. We might not yet be the biggest business of its type yet but I've got a guy who clearly knows how to drive it forward."

However, if the executive were to say something like "Yeah, we've had a few blips but it's swings and roundabouts so they'll sort themselves out eventually I suppose" then Khaldoon's attitude is likely to be "Hmmm. He may have won an award a couple of years ago but I'm not sure I've got the right man for the long term here. I'm not confident of his ability to move this business forward so I'm going to look for a replacement."

What a load of claptrap.

Ha ha it really, really is a load of crap. PB you are so much better than what you have done today.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I am currently asking the question how much further must/can he improve upon, should we miss out on title, to a United team who their own fans will tell you have been crap and riddled with injuries?

Why do City fans keep coming up with this nonsense? Regardless of what anyone thinks of their squad/injuries, it is their points total that matters. If they are as bad as we and them keep saying then Ferguson deserves, er a knighthood (arf!), if they win the league with the kind of points tally they will be looking at getting from here.

That's right. doesn't matter how crap we think they are, they've still performed incredibly well this season. That's why, in itself, coming a close second to them won't be anything to be ashamed of considering where we've come from.

 

[SWP's back]

I am currently asking the question how much further must/can he improve upon, should we miss out on title, to a United team who their own fans will tell you have been crap and riddled with injuries?

Why do City fans keep coming up with this nonsense? Regardless of what anyone thinks of their squad/injuries, it is their points total that matters. If they are as bad as we and them keep saying then Ferguson deserves, er a knighthood (arf!), if they win the league with the kind of points tally they will be looking at getting from here.

That's right. doesn't matter how crap we think they are, they've still performed incredibly well this season. That's why, in itself, coming a close second to them won't be anything to be ashamed of considering where we've come from.

Agreed

 

[Anonymous]

That's right. doesn't matter how crap we think they are, they've still performed incredibly well this season. That's why, in itself, coming a close second to them won't be anything to be ashamed of considering where we've come from.

Fergie is a genius for getting that team to the top of the league. They have been garbage for much of the season - just Spurs on Steriods with Valencia/Young/Nani crossing for WellHard/Rooney. I can't even take them seriously. Yet there they are. What separates the good from the great when it comes to managing football clubs? Getting your team to be more than the sum of it's parts.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you guys not worried that despite having the best squad in the league by far, you are going to lose the title to one of the worst United teams ever that has had Vidic out for most of the season as well?

Surely Mancini needs to take responsibility for that especially with the signings that has been made.

Even Ancelotti won the title in his 1st season with Chelsea and that Chelsea squad was not as good as yours. I don't rate Mancini personally. Not a top tier manager and City could do better. I would rather have Ancelotti or Mourinho.

there's still 30 points to play for and we're 1 point behind???

it's far from over and i expected utd to overtake us at some point. that being said we have got the best squad in the league and should be ahead. i'm not going to blame ref decisions as that would seem pathetic to a different fan.

we're still a work in progress and even though utds team is worse than previous years their points total is pretty fucking amazing considering, we'd be top by some distance in any other year.

it's a case of is there anyone who's a possibilty who can do a better job than mancini and the only person IMHO is mourinho, if mancini fails to pip utd to the league and that man is interested i'd understand if our owners made the move but me personally i'm completely torn,

still happy though mind you with how it's going at city.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I don't think the owners would be justified in sacking Mancini even if he failed to win the league this year. Lets face it he's got us our first trophy in over 35+ years and the style of football under him has dramatically improved over the past year. Players like Milner, Lescott and Kompany have flourished underneath him and I honestly feel it would be a travesty if Khaldoon came to the conclusion of sacking him. (Which I highly doubt he would as he seems a very level-headed, shrewd businessman.)

You've said something that is 100% true but then used it to justify an incorrect conclusion. Khaldoon Al Mubarak is indeed a very astute, level-headed businessman.

So let's imagine he hires an executive to run one of his businesses (not a football club). The business hasn't been well run in the past and needs a good shake-up. He therefore accepts he can't expect results early on but he backs his manager, who asks for & justifies investment in new machinery & hires key management personnel that he believes will deliver results.

That investment pays off to some degree (as he would expect) and the company has some noteworthy successes, winning a prestigious award. But then it hits a few problems - sales drop a bit, orders don't get produced in time, there are quality problems, etc.

So he calls his executive in and says "I hear things are a bit rocky at the moment. What's causing the problems and how are you dealing with them?"

The executive may say "Yes, we've had some problems. There have been problems with suppliers & materials so I've sourced these materials somewhere else. There have been machine reliability problems so I got the manufacturer to put a maintenance team on site for a few weeks to sort them out. I hired a new sales guy but he's not really been able to get the orders we want so I've let him go and have recruited the top guy from our competitors. I expect to have all these problems under control in 2 months and be back on track."

Khaldoon is likely to think "Excellent. We might not yet be the biggest business of its type yet but I've got a guy who clearly knows how to drive it forward."

However, if the executive were to say something like "Yeah, we've had a few blips but it's swings and roundabouts so they'll sort themselves out eventually I suppose" then Khaldoon's attitude is likely to be "Hmmm. He may have won an award a couple of years ago but I'm not sure I've got the right man for the long term here. I'm not confident of his ability to move this business forward so I'm going to look for a replacement."

What a load of claptrap.

I love it when people rubbish posts that someone has put a lot of effort into without offering any sort of counter argument. Tell me why it's claptrap.

 

[jay_mcfc]

Check my posts from yesterday after the match. You'll see quite clearly that I'm pretty calm about our chances of winning the league as it's in our hands. I'm also absolutely in agreement that our progress under Mancini particularly this season has been immense.

However I note that you have ignored pretty much every post made by people suggesting that a change in Mancini's approach to away matches may have something to do with our downturn in form.

If I can be arsed later tonight I'm going to do some little videos illustrating the difference in terms of how quickly our fullbacks were getting forward earlier in the season and how that has changed in the last few months.

Regarding my post about the Sheikh, I know it sounds a little abrasive but it's not meant to be. It's just that I can't imagine finishing 2nd is going to please him when we've been top for nearly the entire season.

I'm no fool, Billy. I know enough about football to accept that things aren't exactly going right for us away from home. This is for a whole host of reasons, the main one perhaps being that we have decided that we're going to build from the back again. The others being a-too much rotating of players, my one real problem with Mancini. b- Tactics of the opposition. c- Forwards not taking chances they would have scored at the start of the season. d- luck/ref decisions (yes it's boring but there is an element of truth to it/them). I'm sure there are many others but ultimately we need to find that mojo we had at the start of the season and start passing teams to death again. Teams have lost the fear of playing us and until we get that back this season will be over with nothing to show for it.