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City 2 - 0 Stoke
- So the Mancini era starts with a win - like the Eriksson era but unlike the Hughes one. Stoke City at home is almost as easy a game as he could have asked for, but with our injury problems and recent distractions three points were not inevitable. If this is a precedent, first half goals and then a bit of catenaccio would be a nice change from the cavalier style of Mark Hughes. But we will come up against harder side than this.
- Mancini's solution to the Tévez/Ireland issue was to have Carlitos lead the line with Ireland restored to his best position, in the hole of a 4-3-3. If we are play a more possession based game then we can't do it without Ireland. How exactly we do this when our two target men - Adebayor and Santa Cruz - are back, is unclear. But neither of them present a particularly compelling case for inclusion.
- By all accounts (I caught some of the game but by no means most) Vincent Kompany did well at centre half. As of tomorrow, he is our only fit and available centre half. Presumably Micah Richards will partner him at Molineux but it will be interesting to see if Mancini goes back to Serie A for a centre half. I dream about Chiellini but wouldn't mind Iván Córdoba either. And if we do buy either who will they partner?
- Martin Petrov's contract expires at the end of the season. If this re-invention of him as a right winger becomes a theme of the Mancini era, will he earn a new contract? If you want a sleepless night, imagine Petrov going to Spurs on a Bosman in the summer.
6 comments:
good stuff eh. anyway, just play tevez where robbie was, Ade up front, and you have a balanced looking team.... I don't know where this leaves robbie tho... he looks desperately short of confidence. perhaps the loan to barca would be best for all parties... but if he stays hopefully the fans offer him the support he obviously needs.
that'd be nice... an end to the endless scapegoating of players. i'm not holding my breath tho ;)
I suppose, when you say catenaccio, what you actually mean is possession-based control of the game forcing the opponents to take risks if they want to score, and not actual catenaccio - in which case your assessment is correct.
It was an extraordinary revelation to see the team can actually play a possession game as well as a fast counter attacking game, and is a pretty damning indictment of Hughes this season when you look at the ridiculous risks we've run against Wolves, Fulham, Burnley, Hull and Sunderland this season by always seeking to attack at pace.
Mancini's ability to tighten up the (makeshift) defence with two simple gambits - pushing the back four higher up the pitch and making them play closer together wen out of possession - also reflect very badly on the previous manager and suggest he was going badly, badly wrong in the way he set the team up.
Don't suppose that will be reflected in the collected wisdom of Fleet Street, though.
Why don't you watch all the match on Sky Football First and then delight us with your incisive comments.
By the way your mate Henry was interviewed by Jimmy Wagge on GMR before the game. It quite spoiled my PMT.
I didn't think we played very well today, but Stoke were far too keen to give the ball away in midfield (especially Tuncay dropping deep), and it meant we barely needed to get out of 2nd gear. Mancini was positive in switching Petrov to the right and moving Ireland inside when it was obvious Ireland was struggling, but otherwise I saw little improvement on previous in an attacking sense. The fact that both we only had 2 shots on target in the first half (scoring from both) gave us a generous half time lead, but we certainly deserved the lead and win.
Defensively we looked much sounder, most likely as Toure not once went on a proper marauding run, which kept the back 4 nice a and simple. Having said that, it still took a few good saves and decisions from given to keep the clean sheet.
So it's a step in the right direction. Onwards and upwards. I know Mancini didn't have much a say in the Spurs-Fulham result, but it's as good as he could have hoped for so far.
PS: Barry was excellent
Isn't Cordoba like 5'9 or sumat? He's good, but he's no commanding centre back! Wouldn't be that sure if he would be the answer.
Nice to see Kompany back at his natural position even if it might have owed to Lescott and Onouha being injured.
I realize that we're going to lose Toure for 3-to 4 weeks but I'd be curious if Mancini goes into the market for another central defender as Onuoha and Lescott are considered short-term injuries. I would not be overly surpised if he uses Richards as a stop-gap solution with Mee being drafted to the subs bench until the return of Toure, Lescott, or Onouha.
If we're going into the market in Janauary I would love to see City sign a creative central midfielder.
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