Hat(s) Off To Bob

[Chinners]

Grazie, Mancini. Grazie mille.

Mmmmm? Maley(FA cup 1904). McDowall(FA cup 1956). Mercer. Malcolm. Mancini.

Bolton (1926). Bloody Scouse 2 (1933). Bobby (Mitchell) 1955 scorer. Bond (1981). Bobby Mancini

Don't forget Machin. No trophy, but 10-1 victory vs. Huddersfield, claimed to have been watched by at least 100 000. And don't confuse R(ob) with B(ob).

heh heh

Chill, I'm Teasing You

[Citizen of Oslo]

Some things in life are too serious to joke about. :-).

[DoomMerchant]

Yes, a great managerial performance. Can you imagine a world where some people would've wanted him sacked just 5 days before? Silly I know, but just imagine if that would've ever happened.

Giving the armband to Kompany... rectifying the biggest mistake he has made all season is the smartest thing he did in this match IMO. Let's hope he sees it and lets him keep it!

This too. The way he tactically masterminded Tevez's injury then changing the captin to someone else. A real triumph!

Forza Mancini!

I agree that he was yelling his ballsack off to get the team to do what we did formation wise and energy wise. Hats off to him for sure.

I also agree that I indeed am a fickle cunt who wanted his balls in a lemon press a week ago. He might still earn his nuts back into said lemon press if he reverts to form.

Cheers

[kinkylola]

Yes, a great managerial performance. Can you imagine a world where some people would've wanted him sacked just 5 days before? Silly I know, but just imagine if that would've ever happened.

What the fuck's this all about?

You think one good performance from him and the team in the semi final is good enough to mask the absolute tripe he/we have produced for much of the season?

As good as it was, when it was and who it was against .... it does not.

More of the same and yes it does.

erm ... we're in 4th and the final of the FA cup ... don't think we've been playing tripe for anywhere near "much of the season" ... but hey ho!

[Kladze]

Yes, a great managerial performance. Can you imagine a world where some people would've wanted him sacked just 5 days before? Silly I know, but just imagine if that would've ever happened.

What the fuck's this all about?

You think one good performance from him and the team in the semi final is good enough to mask the absolute tripe he/we have produced for much of the season?

As good as it was, when it was and who it was against .... it does not.

More of the same and yes it does.

erm ... we're in 4th and the final of the FA cup ... don't think we've been playing tripe for anywhere near "much of the season" ... but hey ho!

That's your side of the argument mate.

Had we played the whole season with the same mental attitude as the second half at Wembley we may well have been sitting on top of the pile instead of fourth .......... and that's my side of the argument.

Many people - including Mancini, ironically - refer to it as "a winning mentality"

[Ted Hughes]

Yes, a great managerial performance. Can you imagine a world where some people would've wanted him sacked just 5 days before? Silly I know, but just imagine if that would've ever happened.

What the fuck's this all about?

You think one good performance from him and the team in the semi final is good enough to mask the absolute tripe he/we have produced for much of the season?

As good as it was, when it was and who it was against .... it does not.

More of the same and yes it does.

erm ... we're in 4th and the final of the FA cup ... don't think we've been playing tripe for anywhere near "much of the season" ... but hey ho!

That's your side of the argument mate.

Had we played the whole season with the same mental attitude as the second half at Wembley we may well have been sitting on top of the pile instead of fourth .......... and that's my side of the argument.

Many people - including Mancini, ironically - refer to it as "a winning mentality"

Yep, if that performance had been the aim when we played the rags at home months ago, rather than playing like a bunch of cowards, it could have been the moment that changed our season & set us up for a title challenge. Instead, it was the moment that defined us as not being good enough or bold enough to compete. At least it's looking like we've learned our lesson, or I should say Bob has; most of the fans already knew.

[CityFanFromRome]

I have to say one thing, since many seem to point at Mancini's shouting on the touchline as a sign of him wanting the team to push up, which it in the end did very well in the second half. It's not the first time he gets angry on the touchline, I've seen him do that a lot this season especially in the games where we were poor; I just wonder, is that the first time he gets the adjusting of the tactic right, or is that the first time the team actually adjusted the tactic following his directions instead of carrying on like they were doing?

[Wooders]

bought himself some much needed time - he and mario probably won a few more fans that day

[BobbyJ1956]

It's clear that Mancini fixed it when it needed fixing in the semi and City showed they can beat a team that's beaten them too often. There are similar tests coming up against Everton and Tottenham, so how's he going to approach putting those past nightmares away? And then there's Stoke - how's he going to play against them, when they've hustled City off their stride two or three times now?
As for Tevez's position, yes he did wrong putting in the transfer request and probably wrong again not being at Wembley, but I can't see how Mancini can leave him out if he's fit - the guy's got so much energy and drive, he's so hard to knock off the ball, and he can make something out of nothing. But if he's not fit until the Final, then Mancini is faced with a decision like Ramsey had to make in 1966, of whether to play Jimmy Greaves. (And yes, i know how that turned out.)
BTW, excellent piece on Mancini in the latest MCIVTA.