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Wolves 0 - 3 City
- Heroic defending under pressure. Grit. Organisation against set pieces. Work rate off the ball. Thrilling counter-attacks. Isn't this all what Mark Hughes was meant to bring us? Tonight we looked like an idealised version of a Hughes side. Mancini appears - and of course it's early days - to have already conjured up the type of side that Hughes tried and failed to summon. At this stage it's impossible to separate the various contributory factors here: new manager bounce, two easy opposition sides, a natural variance in performance levels across the season and so forth. But there's no doubting that the appointment of Roberto Mancini has coincided with a serious upturn in our performance.
- The most pleasing area was our newly robust defence. This was the main failing of Hughes this season and there is no doubt that we have improved. We were fortunate just how witless Wolves were going forward - but defending high balls into the box has been a weak point recently and Kolo Touré, Vincent Kompany and Micah Richards won almost everything they had to face. Wolves had most of the ball but forced Shay Given into very few saves. It helped that we did not reckessley commit six or seven bodies forward whenever in possession. And we have faced two very blunt attacking sides so far - and have Middlesbrough next - but so far there has been a noticeable improvement in this area.
- Of course, defending well is only part of the game plan. You've also got to be good on the break. And we were brutal and brilliant; breaking at speed through the front three of Martin Petrov, Carlos Tévez and Craig Bellamy. It won't always come off like this but they were excellent - Tévez and Bellamy in particular. Bellamy's spin for Tévez's goal was excellent, Tévez set up Bellamy's missed chance in the first half, Petrov put him through in the second. Garrido's free kick was won by Barry after good work by Bellamy. Robinho was sparky when he came on but the idea of replacing our forwards with someone slower and lazier is absurd. Shaun Wright-Phillips, maybe. But Robinho and Adebayor aren't getting back in on current form.
- I wrote before the game that 4-3-3 was definitely the way to go, and that is how Mancini started. But it wasn't working and so half way through the first half he switched to 4-4-2 with Martin Petrov wide on the left and Craig Bellamy closer to Carlos Tévez. It clearly worked well - Petrov stretched the Wolves defence, and the successful Bellamy/Tévez link up is mentioned above. But it's the second time in his two games that Mancini has made a tactical change half way though the first half which has turned the game. Full marks.
- The last thing we need now is to get carried away, to say that we will finish fourth or even win the league. It's just been two games, against two poor teams. But there's enough here to think that we can still have a decent season despite recent events.
5 comments:
I think the main difference between the two managers so far is while that they both implement systems, Hughes system was one that was imposed on the squad and was based on breakneck tempo, trying to use speed and numbers to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and overwhelm the opposition. Players seemed to have specific duties and if the system wasn't functioning it was because a player was not quite fulfilling those duties which was required which is why I suspect we saw the like for like substitutions.
Mancini systems seem to adapt to the players at his disposal. He definitely seems to be able switch the system if its not working efficiently while encouraging players to use their technique and ability to read the game and adapt to circumstances.
I think the biggest difference is that we're not trying to force things. Instead we are keeping composure by maintaining possession, keeping the ball on the ground and using quick movement and passes to keep shifting the opposition til something opens. When the counter attack is on City still use breakneck speed but without over-committing and leaving gaping holes at the back.
Its clear that Mancini, like Hughes won't tolerate laziness, but I think some of the criticism of Ade falling under this category may be a bit unfair. I think part of the problem has been City's previous inability in to pick out his runs, so he either gets frustrated when players don't see his runs and play the early ball or he starts to drift out wide where he is no longer effective.
The last thing we need now is to get carried away, to say that we will finish fourth or even win the league. It's just been two games, against two poor teams. But there's enough here to think that we can still have a decent season despite recent events.
mancini tonight: 'city can join the title race this season'....
it's called putting your balls on the line. he knows there is a good chance he will have to deal with disappointment, but it's worth it, he is encouraging us fans, praising and flattering the players.
one more nice thing tonight... when asked about the victory he immediately gave ALL the credit to the players, called them fantastic. this is charming and wise.
a very famous american football coach once said his philosophy could be explained thus:
when we win, you were fantastic, when we draw, we did okay,
when we lose, it's because I did badly.
I don't want to refer to previous regimes, but for Mancini, and Italian coaches in general, the team is everything. That's something I think we've lost over the last few years. There has been a cold atmosphere around the club at times, and far too much scapegoating, politicking, and egotism. It would be wonderful to get that unity back.
I'm impressed with Mancini's tactical nous, but I'll wait for a real test, i.e. United 6th January, to start gushing.
one of the main differences between Hughes and Mancini is their tactical ability to change games. Hughes was always reluctant to introduce substitutes, and even when he did they didnt have much effect because they would be too late or the wrong player. this infuriated me. But Mancini seems to know all his options and has the ability to change the system and the game.
Defending set pieces and using substitutions to shore up the defence and see out a game from a wining position. Crikey!
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