Saturday 6 November 2010

Lech 3 - 1 City

  • Sorry for the lateness of this post, and the lack of posts recently. There's not really too much to say. It was not a particularly meaningful game, as they go. I think we've still got a good shot at qualification.

  • It was a fairly even game for the most part. We didn't play particularly well, but all three goals were difficult to prevent: two excellent hits and one freak bounce. But that said our defence was as patchy as one would expect given Wayne Bridge's inclusion. And we looked short of ideas in the final third: trying to get Adam Johnson involved in one-on-ones but not much else.

  • In part it felt like the FA Cup defeat against Nottingham Forest in January 2009. That was when Mark Hughes put out a team of players he inherited: Michael Ball, Gelson Fernandes, Darius Vassell etc, as if to show people the poverty of his resources, to display just what a mess he inherited. Here Mancini played Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Emmanuel Adebayor, Joleon Lescott, Shay Given. It's not the same but I did feel some resonance.

3 comments:

StanMCFC said...

Poverty of resources?? I don't understand the point you're making: Lescott, SWP, Adebeyor and Given are all good players; Bridge isn't as bad as you're making out.

It's just a few of them are low in confidence and even good players often need a run in the team before they reach high performance levels. And how can playing Given (a world class keeper) be weakening the side?

These are also MH signings, the same MH you were gutted about when he got sacked. Nothing wrong with that, just you now appear to be saying that 90 per cent of his signings were absolute garbage!

Anonymous said...

That's not it at all Stan. It's just that they're not Mancini's signings and never would be... But that's what comes from changing managers too often. Players know when a manager doesn't believe in them... Some pruning is required (on the playing side) to make room for new growth.

StanMCFC said...

Well i don't think it reflects well on Mancini either. Even if he doesn't believe in those players, he needs them in the short-term (according to his own theory of big squad, regular rotation etc).

If he's going to play these fringe players, he's got to get them believing in themselves. But by all accounts he's not one for the arm round the shoulder.

Not too bothered about the others leaving, but shame if SWP goes. He's popular member of the squad (good for team spirit), truly loves City and I believe he's so much better than his recent performances indicate.

Okay Silva and Johnson are ahead of him, but what about the cover for each position that Mancini (and the club) are always banging on about.

And if by SWP going, it opens up the way for younger players (like Vladimir Weiss) i wouldn't mind so much. But i fear it will just mean another foray in the transfer market and another gigantic salary.