Mancini vs Mark Hughes..Initial comparisons

[CityFanFromRome]

possession of the ball is everything

I agree with your whole post but particularly on this. If you have the ball, first of all the other team can't score. If you have the ball, and keep moving it around, you can lead the opposition to make a mistake and exploit a gap they leave to score. So ball possession is absolutely key.

Of course, passing the ball around the back line won't bring you goals, so you have to use the ball possession somehow, but lumping it forward is the best way to lose the ball and allow the opposition to attack you, which is why it should not be done if not out of sheer necessity, i.e. a panic clearance from inside the box to avoid a goal.

[Dubciteh]

Way too early to judge just remember stuart pearce he started great too...

One thing is i like mancinis quickness to change formation(hughes weak point imo) and hes not afraid to make substitutions for the good of the team ie garrido etc.

Theres a long way to go but two things im looking forward to seeing how he does are 1) in the transfer market, this will be hard hughes was pretty decent on this front i thought, mancini could find it hard if he goes to italys for his signings as they dont have a brilliant record here and also if he listens to brian kidd(who had a shocking record at blackburn 2)im looking to see how he picks the team when everyones fit, at the moment the team picks itself beaucse of injuries(with one exception) but when we have the guts of 22 1st teamers fit it will be intresting to see how he keeps them happy and what approach he takes.

Exciting times but lets not judge him yet cos were one result away of been back to square one...

[Ted Hughes]

One major difference so far is the focus on short passing and keeping the ball on the ground. In all interviews so far Manc has spoken about playing the game "the right way" and how this means playing on the floor. Not for a minute am I suggesting that Hughes was a long-ball merchant. He wasn't that bad. But the defenders seem to have instructions not to hoof the ball. We are trying to build from the back. Perhaps some of that relates to Kompany playing in the team, who is more comfortable with the ball at his feet. In some ways it reminds me of how we played under Sven.... possession of the ball is everything....

Another indication of this is Manc playing Tevez as the central striker. This means there is no point in playing the aerial ball. perhaps this is a deliberate decision to stop the long ball?

Mancini has already said he wants to play RSC with Tevez 'a big man with a little man'.

Imo he's making a bigger effort than MH did to make them play more short passes but the biggest difference in reality is Shay not kicking long. That's where most of our so called long balls come from & Hughes tried a similar thing initially, especially when Given came in. (Sven actually played a lot more long ball than Hughes't eam but it was mainly down to Joe Hart. The charts are still out there somewhere to prove it but I can't be arsed finding them!) Dunne & co were caught in posession a lot, teams saw the weakness & hunted them leading to Dunne's arse going & loss of form (he has licence to hoof at Villa) & as you say; Vinnie has so far helped as he's a much better footballer.

Word of warning: All Wolves best chances, from which they could've scored two goals at least, came from players losing the ball trying to keep posession in their own half. Same problem Hughes had. If that continues we have to go more direct under pressure= exactly what Hughes found out. If Mancini genuinely solves it quickly along with the defence & we still go forward scoring goals then he's an improvement on Hughes. If he doesn't it was a waste of time sacking Hughes. We'll soon find out.

[CityFanFromRome]

Word of warning: All Wolves best chances, from which they could've scored two goals at least, came from players losing the ball trying to keep posession in their own half. Same problem Hughes had. If that continues we have to go more direct under pressure= exactly what Hughes found out. If Mancini genuinely solves it quickly along with the defence & we still go forward scoring goals then he's an improvement on Hughes. If he doesn't it was a waste of time sacking Hughes. We'll soon find out.

Not necessarily. What we need to avoid is a player like Micah keeping possession of the ball himself, as we know he isn't the best footballer at the club, but this doesn't necessarily mean he has to hoof it either, just that the other players need to move to give him a easy option, and that goes for everyone else too. When one of our players has the ball, he needs to have easy options (especially if he's not that good on technique) so that he doesn't have to hoof it if under pressure, nor try to keep it himself and risk losing it as he gets attacked. Of course, good footballers like Barry, Ireland, SWP, Tevez can keep the ball more and try to pick a killer pass as they have the ability to defend the ball even if attacked, but they shouldn't risk too much so having an easy option is always going to come handy in those situations. If the whole team moves that way then we shouldn't have problems in keeping the ball on the deck.

[Ted Hughes]

Word of warning: All Wolves best chances, from which they could've scored two goals at least, came from players losing the ball trying to keep posession in their own half. Same problem Hughes had. If that continues we have to go more direct under pressure= exactly what Hughes found out. If Mancini genuinely solves it quickly along with the defence & we still go forward scoring goals then he's an improvement on Hughes. If he doesn't it was a waste of time sacking Hughes. We'll soon find out.

Not necessarily. What we need to avoid is a player like Micah keeping possession of the ball himself, as we know he isn't the best footballer at the club, but this doesn't necessarily mean he has to hoof it either, just that the other players need to move to give him a easy option, and that goes for everyone else too. When one of our players has the ball, he needs to have easy options (especially if he's not that good on technique) so that he doesn't have to hoof it if under pressure, nor try to keep it himself and risk losing it as he gets attacked. Of course, good footballers like Barry, Ireland, SWP, Tevez can keep the ball more and try to pick a killer pass as they have the ability to defend the ball even if attacked, but they shouldn't risk too much so having an easy option is always going to come handy in those situations. If the whole team moves that way then we shouldn't have problems in keeping the ball on the deck.

It's not about 'hoofing it' it's about not getting caught in possession. De Jong (& Barry for us & England) get caught in possession under pressure ,as Micah does & DeJong almost cost us a goal at Wolves. Barely any PL teams play all short passes. The best, Rags & Chelsea, mix it up. It's about knowing how & when to do it as an attacking threat & when you're in trouble defensively not overdoing it & getting rid when you're in the shit.

Watch how many attacks rags set up by hittig it at Rooney from the back either over him or at him. Chelsea the same with Drogba/Anelka, Liverpool with Torres & even Arsenal with Adebayor. We will use RSC & Ade like that.

Mancini's Inter team didn't mind 'hoofing it' to Ibrahimovic when it suited them, if that's the term used but I'm sure now that Hughes has been sacked & the agendas have gone we can use the word 'long pass' when it happens.

[Socrates]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

[CityFanFromRome]

It's not about 'hoofing it' it's about not getting caught in possession. De Jong (& Barry for us & England) get caught in possession under pressure ,as Micah does & DeJong almost cost us a goal at Wolves. Barely any PL teams play all short passes. The best, Rags & Chelsea, mix it up. It's about knowing how & when to do it as an attacking threat & when you're in trouble defensively not overdoing it & getting rid when you're in the shit.

Watch how many attacks rags set up by hittig it at Rooney from the back either over him or at him. Chelsea the same with Drogba/Anelka, Liverpool with Torres & even Arsenal with Adebayor. We will use RSC & Ade like that.

Mancini's Inter team didn't mind 'hoofing it' to Ibrahimovic when it suited them, if that's the term used but I'm sure now that Hughes has been sacked & the agendas have gone we can use the word 'long pass' when it happens.

They do, indeed. However, they can also come out of a pressure situation ball on the deck, not only by making a long pass, and that's what I was talking about. There will be a moment when a long pass is the best option, maybe to pick a run forward from a player, or when you really have no other option so it's better than being caught in possession, but long passes should not be the only way to get out of a pressure situation, that's all what I'm saying.

As for Mancini's Inter, I agree that they "hoofed" it to Ibra, and that wasn't the prettiest thing you could see on a footy pitch, but as you said every team does it at times, bar maybe Barcelona, it's just that the best teams don't do it all the time, and neither should we.

[Original Dub]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

[Ted Hughes]

It's not about 'hoofing it' it's about not getting caught in possession. De Jong (& Barry for us & England) get caught in possession under pressure ,as Micah does & DeJong almost cost us a goal at Wolves. Barely any PL teams play all short passes. The best, Rags & Chelsea, mix it up. It's about knowing how & when to do it as an attacking threat & when you're in trouble defensively not overdoing it & getting rid when you're in the shit.

Watch how many attacks rags set up by hittig it at Rooney from the back either over him or at him. Chelsea the same with Drogba/Anelka, Liverpool with Torres & even Arsenal with Adebayor. We will use RSC & Ade like that.

Mancini's Inter team didn't mind 'hoofing it' to Ibrahimovic when it suited them, if that's the term used but I'm sure now that Hughes has been sacked & the agendas have gone we can use the word 'long pass' when it happens.

They do, indeed. However, they can also come out of a pressure situation ball on the deck, not only by making a long pass, and that's what I was talking about. There will be a moment when a long pass is the best option, maybe to pick a run forward from a player, or when you really have no other option so it's better than being caught in possession, but long passes should not be the only way to get out of a pressure situation, that's all what I'm saying.

As for Mancini's Inter, I agree that they "hoofed" it to Ibra, and that wasn't the prettiest thing you could see on a footy pitch, but as you said every team does it at times, bar maybe Barcelona, it's just that the best teams don't do it all the time, and neither should we.

I don't think we do/did play a lot of it, I think we've played some of the best football I've ever seen from a City team this season both home & away but been shit in defence. If we play as good football under Mancini as we did under Hughes but tighten up the defence then imo this will be the best City team I've watched.

[Socrates]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

I prefer the possession football Mancini has introduced but if he wants to vary it a bit more albeit with some targeted balls rather than hopeful punts then nobody will complain too much.

[Ted Hughes]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

I prefer the possession football Mancini has introduced but if he wants to vary it a bit more albeit with some targeted balls rather than hopeful punts then nobody will complain too much.

Thank Christ for that.

[Original Dub]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

I prefer the possession football Mancini has introduced but if he wants to vary it a bit more albeit with some targeted balls rather than hopeful punts then nobody will complain too much.

Aye mate, I get that, but in your post you said "rather than the opposition" as though it was a tactic that our previous manager employed, when in actual fact if both managers played long ball at certain times, the chances are that the same players will produce the same outcome.

Would you not agree?

[Socrates]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

I prefer the possession football Mancini has introduced but if he wants to vary it a bit more albeit with some targeted balls rather than hopeful punts then nobody will complain too much.

Aye mate, I get that, but in your post you said "rather than the opposition" as though it was a tactic that our previous manager employed, when in actual fact if both managers played long ball at certain times, the chances are that the same players will produce the same outcome.

Would you not agree?

I'm sure defending like complete numpties wasn't a deliberate tactic either but hopefully execution will be similarly improved when we use a long pass thereby eliminating the complaints? Where the tactics may differ is to use long passing much more selectively rather than as the automatic reflex to every pressure situation.

[edge275]

I'm just glad Shawzy and others are now starting to see the light. It's quite clear that Hughes was a disgrace tactically. I also think he lacks motivation. Good riddance.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I'm just glad Shawzy and others are now starting to see the light. It's quite clear that Hughes was a disgrace tactically. I also think he lacks motivation. Good riddance.

Sorry to disagree Edgemeister, but I think the motivation may have been too much for him to handle. He was so desperate to prove he belonged that he dare not take risks until it was too late.

I do think he had some great bits of footy being played, he clearly has the potential to manage one of the big boys, but is still a few yrs of being ready to do that job in my humble opinion.

[Original Dub]

If we start playing some long passes to our own players rather than to the opposition then I'm sure no one will complain...

And you think that that would be a change in tactics, more so than the players playing properly?

Hmmm....

I prefer the possession football Mancini has introduced but if he wants to vary it a bit more albeit with some targeted balls rather than hopeful punts then nobody will complain too much.

Aye mate, I get that, but in your post you said "rather than the opposition" as though it was a tactic that our previous manager employed, when in actual fact if both managers played long ball at certain times, the chances are that the same players will produce the same outcome.

Would you not agree?

I'm sure defending like complete numpties wasn't a deliberate tactic either but hopefully execution will be similarly improved when we use a long pass thereby eliminating the complaints? Where the tactics may differ is to use long passing much more selectively rather than as the automatic reflex to every pressure situation.

Ah, so you do agree. Grand.

[Original Dub]

I'm just glad Shawzy and others are now starting to see the light. It's quite clear that Hughes was a disgrace tactically. I also think he lacks motivation. Good riddance.

Well I was very happy with the first two games this season. And I'm very happy with Mancini's first two games. Tactics were spot on for all four games.

Lets just wait until its safe to say that Mancini's style and tactics have been stamped on the team before we start sucking each other's cocks, eh Edge?

Because if my memory serves me right, Pearce's tactics and the team's performances were outstanding for his first 8 games. To say Keegan's tactics were a disgrace in comparisson to Pearce would be quite wrong... how do we know this? Because time told us.

Mancini's first two games have impressed me, but new manager syndrome can be extremely powerful and I know better than to call a previous manager's tactics a disgrace from previous experience.

[edge275]

I'm just glad Shawzy and others are now starting to see the light. It's quite clear that Hughes was a disgrace tactically. I also think he lacks motivation. Good riddance.

Well I was very happy with the first two games this season. And I'm very happy with Mancini's first two games. Tactics were spot on for all four games.

Lets just wait until its safe to say that Mancini's style and tactics have been stamped on the team before we start sucking each other's cocks, eh Edge?

Because if my memory serves me right, Pearce's tactics and the team's performances were outstanding for his first 8 games. To say Keegan's tactics were a disgrace in comparisson to Pearce would be quite wrong... how do we know this? Because time told us.

Mancini's first two games have impressed me, but new manager syndrome can be extremely powerful and I know better than to call a previous manager's tactics a disgrace from previous experience.

Trust me, this guy is light years ahead of Hughes.

If not, you can pin my comments up by a mast and use them as a stick to verbally beat me with.

[Socrates]

I'm sure defending like complete numpties wasn't a deliberate tactic either but hopefully execution will be similarly improved when we use a long pass thereby eliminating the complaints? Where the tactics may differ is to use long passing much more selectively rather than as the automatic reflex to every pressure situation.

Ah, so you do agree. Grand.

Half agree.

[Original Dub]

I'm sure defending like complete numpties wasn't a deliberate tactic either but hopefully execution will be similarly improved when we use a long pass thereby eliminating the complaints? Where the tactics may differ is to use long passing much more selectively rather than as the automatic reflex to every pressure situation.

Ah, so you do agree. Grand.

Half agree.

I'll shake on that ;)