Mancini Debut....Thoughts?

[shawzy]

Well Well.What did you think of our new man at the helm then?
Personally i thought he got it spot on for his debut.The main thing was to stop the goals conceded and at last we got a clean sheet.
The defense looked great today.Was we really understrength with injuries?
Subs...I thought bringin Silvia off for Micah and switchin Zabba to the left was a masterstroke..Mancini could see the threat of Etherington and stopped any threat.
Overall I thought we looked brilliant and solid today..We got the clean sheet and 3 points against a very tough,dirty Stoke team.We cant always pley fancy dan football but were effective and did our job as a team.
I noticed Mancini gets very involved with the game.Alot more than Hughes.I also like the unity with him and Brian Kidd.Did anyone notice the amount of paperwork being shown to players before they came on as subs.Seemed all very proff and tactical.
Very very pleased with everything i seen.
The designer suit and City scarf looked great as well :-$
What are your thoughts on the match then lads?

[carl_feedthegoat]

Well Well.What did you think of our new man at the helm then?
Personally i thought he got it spot on for his debut.The main thing was to stop the goals conceded and at last we got a clean sheet.
The defense looked great today.Was we really understrength with injuries?
Subs...I thought bringin Silvia off for Micah and switchin Zabba to the left was a masterstroke..Mancini could see the threat of Etherington and stopped any threat.
Overall I thought we looked brilliant and solid today..We got the clean sheet and 3 points against a very tough,dirty Stoke team.We cant always pley fancy dan football but were effective and did our job as a team.
I noticed Mancini gets very involved with the game.Alot more than Hughes.I also like the unity with him and Brian Kidd.Did anyone notice the amount of paperwork being shown to players before they came on as subs.Very very pleased with everything i seen.
What are your thoughts on the match then lads?

EARLY DAYS MATE BUT SEEING AS THIS WAS NEVER GOING TO BE AN EASY GAME EVEN WITHOUT ALL THE TURMOIL OF THE LAST WEEK OR SO I THINK HE DID EXCELLENT...YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN YOU MENTIONED HIS SUB TACTICS.SPOT ON HE WAS AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME I WASNT THAT NERVOUS WATCHING OUR BACK LINE.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Just one question first.When Zabba went to the left was it a masterstroke to take him away from Etherington or to mark him? I only ask as within a minute of the switch Zabba was skinned and a very dangerous cross came over.

No doubt Mancini got almost everything right though and especially the ambitions of the team once they were 2 up. He kept the back 5 sitting in position and although when they did balls into the box it was a bit iffy at times there was better discipline and we got what was so important a clean sheet. Getting a 3rd would have been nice but it wasn't essential whereas the clean sheet was.

[JB]

[url]Just one question first.When Zabba went to the left was it a masterstroke to take him away from Etherington or to mark him? I only ask as within a minute of the switch Zabba was skinned and a very dangerous cross came over.[/url]

No doubt Mancini got almost everything right though and especially the ambitions of the team once they were 2 up. He kept the back 5 sitting in position and although when they did balls into the box it was a bit iffy at times there was better discipline and we got what was so important a clean sheet. Getting a 3rd would have been nice but it wasn't essential whereas the clean sheet was.

I felt the same way Doug. I would have put Barry at LB and moved Zabs into DMC with NDJ, but we looked even more solid once Garrido came on - and I never thought I would say that.

[edge275]

Well Well.What did you think of our new man at the helm then?
Personally i thought he got it spot on for his debut.The main thing was to stop the goals conceded and at last we got a clean sheet.
The defense looked great today.Was we really understrength with injuries?
Subs...I thought bringin Silvia off for Micah and switchin Zabba to the left was a masterstroke..Mancini could see the threat of Etherington and stopped any threat.
Overall I thought we looked brilliant and solid today..We got the clean sheet and 3 points against a very tough,dirty Stoke team.We cant always pley fancy dan football but were effective and did our job as a team.
I noticed Mancini gets very involved with the game.Alot more than Hughes.I also like the unity with him and Brian Kidd.Did anyone notice the amount of paperwork being shown to players before they came on as subs.Seemed all very proff and tactical.
Very very pleased with everything i seen.
What are your thoughts on the match then lads?

Agree with everything there mate.

On a side note do you know how you can tell a licker from a mile off? They refer to Mancini as Mankini.

Search for mankini and see the lickers in full ;)

[carl_feedthegoat]

Just one question first.When Zabba went to the left was it a masterstroke to take him away from Etherington or to mark him? I only ask as within a minute of the switch Zabba was skinned and a very dangerous cross came over.

No doubt Mancini got almost everything right though and especially the ambitions of the team once they were 2 up. He kept the back 5 sitting in position and although when they did balls into the box it was a bit iffy at times there was better discipline and we got what was so important a clean sheet. Getting a 3rd would have been nice but it wasn't essential whereas the clean sheet was.

HE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN "SKINNED" BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE VERY VERY FEW TIMES HE WAS.ALL IN ALL ZABBA WAS EVERYWHERE AND DID HIS JOB BRILLIANTLY.
SYLVHINO WAS GETTING TIRED AND WAS UNDER PRESSURE ON THAT SIDE...IT WAS A VERY GOOD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TIMELY TACTICAL MOVE BY THE MANAGER.

[BlueMoonAwoken]

I think macini gave robinho a start in front of ade or rsc to say look robbie i have confidence in you , give me a show today. And that didnt happen at all! Im really worried with robbies form at the moment. You play him on the left he dont track back mancini played him upfront where i think its his best position. Robinho had very little impact in the game for a world class player.

The defence gave me confidence and didnt having me throwing my computer chair all round the room. The defence just looked steady and always in control of the situations in front of them. But then again im not getting too carried away as its only stoke. When we play villa , spurs etc then i will see how good a manager macini is. But back to back wins with wolves coming will make me think we have something special in macini.

Ireland for me looked very comfortable in that formation today and once again was pulling strings. Barry and de jong sitting and letting ireland rome free. Kompany was flawless today apart from letting the ball bounce once. Im a huge admirer of kompany and feel his dutch calm style breeds confidence either in midfield or defence. when Micah came on he looked scary he has got his springs in his feet back.

All round good performance and i didnt feel nervous at all !

[shawzy]

Just one question first.When Zabba went to the left was it a masterstroke to take him away from Etherington or to mark him? I only ask as within a minute of the switch Zabba was skinned and a very dangerous cross came over.

No doubt Mancini got almost everything right though and especially the ambitions of the team once they were 2 up. He kept the back 5 sitting in position and although when they did balls into the box it was a bit iffy at times there was better discipline and we got what was so important a clean sheet. Getting a 3rd would have been nice but it wasn't essential whereas the clean sheet was.

To be fair to Zabba DH he had been playing on the right and had just been switched over to the left.Just needed abit of time to adjust to the role.I thought the sub was a fantastic decision and proves our new gaffer has confidence in himself and the team.
There aint really a point to question because we didnt concede and looked very solid as a unit.

[Manx Blue]

I thought his use of defensive players (Garrido, Richards etc) was very good. With injuries he had a look at players and see what they could do for the coming weeks with Toure away and the injuries mounting up...very astute

[SORTED]

Patient, efficent, disciplined and well organised...hopefully the flair will kick in once the team get used to his tactics.

[The Original Special One]

Just one question first.When Zabba went to the left was it a masterstroke to take him away from Etherington or to mark him? I only ask as within a minute of the switch Zabba was skinned and a very dangerous cross came over.

No doubt Mancini got almost everything right though and especially the ambitions of the team once they were 2 up. He kept the back 5 sitting in position and although when they did balls into the box it was a bit iffy at times there was better discipline and we got what was so important a clean sheet. Getting a 3rd would have been nice but it wasn't essential whereas the clean sheet was.

HE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN "SKINNED" BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE VERY VERY FEW TIMES HE WAS.ALL IN ALL ZABBA WAS EVERYWHERE AND DID HIS JOB BRILLIANTLY.
SYLVHINO WAS GETTING TIRED AND WAS UNDER PRESSURE ON THAT SIDE...IT WAS A VERY GOOD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TIMELY TACTICAL MOVE BY THE MANAGER.

I've always had my reservations about Zaba not entirely dispelled by today's performance, but it was certainly one of his better performances and I suspect he can only improve under Mancini, as he will surely, in time, point out to him the often reckless nature of his challenges

[The Original Special One]

I thought his use of defensive players (Garrido, Richards etc) was very good. With injuries he had a look at players and see what they could do for the coming weeks with Toure away and the injuries mounting up...very astute

of course his next job will be making sure they do so consistently but our defence, and the defensive responsibilities of all our players, can only improve with Mancini at the helm

[xavi6]

It was a decent performance. Looked good at the back (I thought Vince was excellent) and the substitutions were spot on.

Robinho was fairly awful and possibly could've been hauled off earlier. Having Superman is a right winger was a ridiculous decision but he corrected it early which was good.

If he continues with De Jong/Barry/Ireland as a midfield three then I will be very happy.

[Manx Blue]

I thought his use of defensive players (Garrido, Richards etc) was very good. With injuries he had a look at players and see what they could do for the coming weeks with Toure away and the injuries mounting up...very astute

of course his next job will be making sure they do so consistently but our defence, and the defensive responsibilities of all our players, can only improve with Mancini at the helm

Here Here TOSO...I caught the last half hour or so on the Stream, and also thought Kompany looked good.

[Slim]

Too early, but it was a solid win and a clean sheet. I am a happy camper tonight.

[Midnight Blue]

Was a solid first game in charge for Mancini, wouldn't say it was outstanding, but after being in charge for only a week wouldn't expect it to be.

Robinho was pretty ineffective and whether he warranted a starting place is questionable. We also missed the heading ability of Richards from set pieces. Against a side with as many tall players as Stoke we needed someone who could make those clearances and until Richards came on we didn't have that.

Overall a solid first game in charge and liked his ability to change it up tactically when needed but there were signs that he still has quite a bit to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the individual players.

[Renato_CTID]

Absolutely better than Hughesy, Mancio shows immediately how some City most talented players like Barry or Kompany, my own MOM today, could play. Calm is strongest virtue and Mancio knows very well it managing an ex hysterical squad named Inter Milan!

[DoomMerchant]

Too early, but it was a solid win and a clean sheet. I am a happy camper tonight.

Too early to talk about his debut? that's fine. We'll wait for you. Yr like 18 hours ahead of us or something? i'll get a chair. Sit down. Make a bag of popcorn. etc. As the earth rotates we'll catch up with you and you can weigh in. No worries.

I'm a happy camper too fwiw. Just seemed like a very professional job, loved seeing Mancini working the subs and chatting with Kidd. And all the hugging and the scarf! Loved the scarf. Va bene.

and as Slim has said, it's too early to tell what we might expect from Mancini this season of course...once we get through the next the next 3 matches tho i think we'll have a better idea.

cheers

[Florida Blue]

I think the sub tactic says at all. Can anyone of you remember a time when MH made a tactical substitution and you said "brilliant?"

Never in my mind.

The switch of Zaba to left back (which if I recall was only the 2nd time he has played there for us) was good use of the players he had. Surely he could have moved Barry back there or brought Garrido in sooner. But remember the Tevez goal came from a Zaba cross fomr the left when Sylvinho and Zaba had briefly switched roles. So it wasn't like he hadn't been there for some time as it was.

Now, as for the Garrido switch, I was not 100% sure if the move was tactical or a reason to allow Tevez to walk out to deservedly proper standing ovation. Regardless, it was a good move. 6 minutes or not Garrido left little doubt that Stoke would do anything.

Lastly, did we just find the stabilizer in the central defense in Kompany (and CARL, you can leave my spelling alone, I know...)?

And lastly, lastly, what about the selection of two academy/reserve center backs on the bench?? Says he is willing to get the youth salivating...

[Vhero]

Well Well.What did you think of our new man at the helm then?
Personally i thought he got it spot on for his debut.The main thing was to stop the goals conceded and at last we got a clean sheet.
The defense looked great today.Was we really understrength with injuries?
Subs...I thought bringin Silvia off for Micah and switchin Zabba to the left was a masterstroke..Mancini could see the threat of Etherington and stopped any threat.
Overall I thought we looked brilliant and solid today..We got the clean sheet and 3 points against a very tough,dirty Stoke team.We cant always pley fancy dan football but were effective and did our job as a team.
I noticed Mancini gets very involved with the game.Alot more than Hughes.I also like the unity with him and Brian Kidd.Did anyone notice the amount of paperwork being shown to players before they came on as subs.Seemed all very proff and tactical.
Very very pleased with everything i seen.
What are your thoughts on the match then lads?

Mate your points are exactly the same points I was pointing out during the game and were gonna put on here afterwards. I am amazed in 1 game he has done what Hughes has struggled to do for many games and that's a clean sheet win which we haven't had in the league for 15 games (since Portsmouth!) Amazing he did it in 1 game. I know it premature but this is exactly one of the reasons Hughes had to go in the owners minds and Mancini is proving the owners decision correct.