'I am not a magician' says Mancini

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Roberto Mancini produced the kind of shrug that could only be Italian after suffering his first defeat as manager.

It was body language that spoke volumes for it was clear that he had learned a great deal from seeing his side lose to a hungry, busy and fast-improving Everton side.

Mancini, who suffered the blow of losing Roque Santa Cruz to injury in the opening five minutes of the 2-0 defeat at Everton, made the bold move to substitute an ineffective Robinho who had come on as the Paraguayan’s replacement but he warned no one should read too much into it.

The manager pulled no punches in his post match press conference.

“I must pay a compliment to Everton, they played better than us. We didn’t play well,” he admitted.

“The penalty was harsh because if you give a spot kick for shirt pulling there should be 5, 6 or ten per game. It was a pivotal moment because it doubled the lead just before half time.

"Only in England would this kind of
penalty be given but it is not an
excuse. We didn’t play well enough to
win the game and I learned more about
my players"

Pressed about title chances and whether the club’s ambitions this season had been set to a level that is too lofty, Mancini smiled.

“I am not a magician, I am a manager,” he declared. “Hard work will improve us and that is the aim this season to improve game on game and see where we end up in the league and the cups”

Mancini said that too much should not be read into the substitution of Robinho who he says still has a future at CoMs.

“He is a good player and is treated like every other player,” he said.

“He must work hard and improve. His substitution was tactical. I had four attackers on the pitch in Robinho, Bellamy, Tevez and Benjani and I wanted to put Shaun Wright-Phillips on so I had to take off one and it was Robinho.”

The boss confirmed that RSC had damaged a calf and lamented the striker’s luck. He didn’t rule out going into the market before the end of the month but said it depended on injuries and availability.

As for the ‘lucky’ scarf? ‘That is staying,” he laughed – one of the few grins he’d had all day!

from mcfc.co.uk

[glossopblue]

you earn your money on tuesday then robby!!!

[ENIAM NAM]

Hopefully he will learn more fom this defeat, than he probably has during the last 4 games!

[Goataldo]

To be fair shirt pulling often goes unpunished in the English game, but Micah had hold of him blatantly, for quite a while. It was like 'why the hell hasn't he let go of him yet?' Definitely started outside the box though.

[Grob]

The fact that Richards held onto the shirt of Saha for what seemed like ages is the issue.

Mancini may be no magician but to show a reasonably in form everton no respect on their home ground by playing Bellemy, Robinho, Tevez and Petrov for an hour and only 2 in midfield is Mark Hughesesque management.

[petrov]

As long as we work hard and improve, he sounds like Mark Hughes in that statement. No goals, no targets just improve.....

Fair play to him for having the balls to blame the team though.

[9secondlegend]

im sorry mr mancio , you are a magician , now get you your magic wand out and sort that fuckin shambles out today. pronto.

[viking the Odd]

Maybe this is where we have been going wrong, let's get in Paul Daniels, or Derren Brown,that will do it, the old three card trick scam,let's make everbody believe robbie is crap,then unleash the wrath of robbie in the semi next week, then again, maybe that's a bit Tommy Cooper.
Mr Mancinni is obviously no magician, but maybe he can learn a bit of sleight of hand, and sign us a few aces, and deal us a trip to wembley. where we can come up trumps and thump the Villans.

[CityFanFromRome]

To be fair shirt pulling often goes unpunished in the English game, but Micah had hold of him blatantly, for quite a while. It was like 'why the hell hasn't he let go of him yet?' Definitely started outside the box though.

And this is the pivotal point. Micah could have stripped Saha of his whole kit but if he had started it outside the box, it was a free kick, so the referee and the linesman fucked up big time there.

But as Mancio said it is not an excuse, we were poor and deserved to lose.

[Ted Hughes]

To be fair shirt pulling often goes unpunished in the English game, but Micah had hold of him blatantly, for quite a while. It was like 'why the hell hasn't he let go of him yet?' Definitely started outside the box though.

And this is the pivotal point. Micah could have stripped Saha of his whole kit but if he had started it outside the box, it was a free kick, so the referee and the linesman fucked up big time there.

But as Mancio said it is not an excuse, we were poor and deserved to lose.

I thought it was a nailed on pen & in theory should be every time someone does it but usually it's difficult to see. Micah made sure the officials saw it by being painfully obvious. Don't know why defenders do it.

[Geo123]

Magician he is not, but he did prove himself to be almost as tactically inept as hughes today and showed no ideas when we went behind, lets hope this is only a blip

[ross.mcfc]

It was a stone wall penalty. I couldnt believe what I was seeing when he started it outside the box it was so blatent and then to continue inside the box was just asking for a penalty to be given.

[Typical City]

The fact that Richards held onto the shirt of Saha for what seemed like ages is the issue.

Mancini may be no magician but to show a reasonably in form everton no respect on their home ground by playing Bellemy, Robinho, Tevez and Petrov for an hour and only 2 in midfield is Mark Hughesesque management.

The most utter stupid bollocks i've ever read on this forum. We had an off day and Everton played well. Get over it.

[Typical City]

There's some fucking whoppers on this thread. I wonder how many were there in the 3rd division. My god we didn't beat Everton 4-0 away. My god Mancini lost a game. Twats.

[edge275]

There's some fucking whoppers on this thread. I wonder how many were there in the 3rd division. My god we didn't beat Everton 4-0 away. My god Mancini lost a game. Twats.

Had a few tonight? ;)

[Kladze]

There's some fucking whoppers on this thread. I wonder how many were there in the 3rd division. My god we didn't beat Everton 4-0 away. My god Mancini lost a game. Twats.

lol

[irblinx]

Magician he is not, but he did prove himself to be almost as tactically inept as hughes today and showed no ideas when we went behind, lets hope this is only a blip

Tactics had nothing to do with it last night. We had 8 men on the pitch who played like Sunday league players, the best tactician in the world couldn't have improved that shower. Unless you think Mancini told them to go out there and wimp out of tackles and pass to the other team!

The press will gleefully overreact of course as they've been dying for us to lose so that can bang on about how weak the oppo were in the last four games willfully ignoring the fact that Hughes would have got us a draw at best against the same oppo. They will no doubt spout about poor Everton being laid low with injuries ACN absentees whilst ignoring the same for us. Of course were it any other team they would just point to the mid week semi final and say that the players all had one eye on that

[john68]

The blame MUST rest firmly at the feet of Mancini. Players are never expected to take responsibility for playing badly.

It is Mancini's job to motivate the players and get the best out of them...He failed miserably to do that.

Tevez and Bellamy both had their worst games...a sure sign that Mancini has already either lost the dressing room...(they obviously have no respect for him) or he doesn't have a clue how to handle them.

Mancini's post match comments were very Hughes...hard work will sort it out...That is obviously not good enough.

What has happened to Given since Mancini took over? He has been shit in his last two games.

Why do we need to wait until we are dragged down even further...Mancini should go now.

[john68]

Oh yeah...I forhot the other old chestnut...

...."AND WHAT'S MANCINI EVER WON IN THE PREMIERSHIP?"

[Kladze]

I blame the Sheik.