Now I feel recovered enough to post again I see the usual rabid knee-jerking is going on. Sack so-and-so, slag the players off etc etc
I am not a 'Mancini man', nor was I a 'Hughes man', but I can see improvements at the club that no single defeat against a better side is going to stop.
5th - and I am certain we will get the required point at the very least on Sunday - is a creditable improvement AND we are a better side now than we were in September, better than we were in early December IE:the pace of improvement is excellent. As a season, our CL place - and title challenge - was lost in that horrible run of draws, but we can guarantee that we will be better next year and such a poor run is extremely unlikely ever again.
This current manager has improved us I have no doubt, and yet he has done it with players he has not chosen (except AJ). Not blaming the previous manager because he did as well as we could at the time with signings, but we have achieved this position whilst having obvious squad deficiencies for a top four club. Some players are just not at the required level.
I am certain Mancini will address things in the summer, and attract a good number of players. Now that we have the glorious Europa League we have a lot more matches to play, and therefore need to increase squad numbers, with a number of players of the required quality. What we will see this summer is whether Mancini can attract better players, him together with our enhanced status and fame - people have stopped laughing. Next season we will be challenging for the Premiership from the off, and looking to win the EL.
Goalkeeper - Hart and Given - currently no need to add. keep both. No need for sentiment from Mancini. One will be on the bench.
Full backs - we do not have a top class full back at the club. Sometimes Zabba has a good game, other times not. Bridge is good attacking-wise, but defensively exposed far too often. Richards is still very inconsistent. Sylvinho and Gaz are both, unfortunately, slower than my 80-year old mother whatever their other qualities.Therefore Bobby needs to find 2 'top 4' full backs.
Centre backs - Kompany Lescott Toure. Whilst Dedryck isn't ready to join quite yet we should be having 4 top CBs, not 3. Lescott is the only 1 of these 3 that will be really top class, so ideally we need another top CB and leader.
Centre mid - Bobby said he was shocked that Barry and Nige were his only options, hence Vieira. Obviously we need at least 1 attacking mid. probably 2 as I reckon Ireland may be on his way and isn't performing.
Wide midfield - SWP has not been at it this season, despite the flash of brilliance against Villa. Petrov is out of contract, so if we assume Bellers can do another year we still need another couple of options signed in this area.
Strikers - Tevez, Ade and RSC is not enough. Not be a long shot. You could argue - many do - that RSC isn't up to it, in which case we need to sign another 2 top strikers.
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