Mancini's fault

[avoidconfusion]

In all fairness our 1st Half was very good I thought, I am not sure what happened in the 2nd Half but judging from Mancini's RAGING on the byline, it looked to me like that this was not how he wanted us to play either so I am not sure if this was Mancini's fault.

It was not Mancini's fault that Tevez misses and open goal and Adebayor casually flings his right heel at the ball during that corner hoping it would go in rather than smash it in with his head. It was not Mancini's fault that Richards was a complete donkey and gave a penalty away either.

What do NOT understand though is bringing on Jo for Tevez and Adebayor should have come on much earlier.

Also, he needs to stop Tevez dropping deep all the time... and also stop Adebayor always being on the bylines on the wings... what the fuck is the point of playing a striker or even two strikers when neither of them is ever where they are supposed to be?

[dazby]

Can you not see that Yaya surges forward when Tevesz goes deep.

[ant london]

I'm not despondent after that yesterday.

It was always going to happen that we got taken out by a "lesser" team....not surprised that it happened yesterday and it's not panic stations that it did.

HOPEFULLY, lots of lessons can be learned from yesterday. For me, our undoing was delaying the substitutions til there was only 15 minutes left.....Sunderland had been building a head of steam since the break and we should have changed things pretty early that half to change the tempo and shape and disrupt their momentum. Yaya (who was immense first half) should have come off for Paddy V or even Zabba and Adebayor should have been on from 55 minutes at least in order to give us a focal point and get them onto the back foot more.

We invited trouble for too long and we were punished for that.

There is still plenty to be positive about though even though I have a sore fist after smashing the wall when they scored.

[Dubaimancityfan]

Yaya looked really tired. Does he suffer with Ramadan where Kolo doesn't?

Never thought of that. I did find it strange the way he wilted because imo it happened pretty early in the 2nd half, in fact almost from the off. There was suddenly a hole appearing where previously he'd been sweeping up everything. I thought his 1st half performance was fantastic, up there with the best of Gerrard & Co but he became Christian Negoui in the 2nd.

Doug, can you confirm that Yaya was playing while fasting ? If that is the case then it would explain how he almost vanished in the 2nd half.
And if that is the case, then Mancini made a big mistake in not subbing him for the 2nd half. Can you imagine playing 90 minutes without a drink of water !!

[ant london]

Yaya looked really tired. Does he suffer with Ramadan where Kolo doesn't?

Never thought of that. I did find it strange the way he wilted because imo it happened pretty early in the 2nd half, in fact almost from the off. There was suddenly a hole appearing where previously he'd been sweeping up everything. I thought his 1st half performance was fantastic, up there with the best of Gerrard & Co but he became Christian Negoui in the 2nd.

Doug, can you confirm that Yaya was playing while fasting ? If that is the case then it would explain how he almost vanished in the 2nd half.
And if that is the case, then Mancini made a big mistake in not subbing him for the 2nd half. Can you imagine playing 90 minutes without a drink of water !!

plenty of other players in the Premiership manage it....never noticed much of a dip from Nicolas Anelka whilst he fasted through the month at City...or now at Chelsea

can't be easy I admit but a bit easier on a freezing cold day on Wearside than in the desert ;-)

[avoidconfusion]

Can you not see that Yaya surges forward when Tevesz goes deep.

i would prefer us to play a PROPER striker up front besides i did not see much of Yaya in the second half at all

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I recall a conversation I had with Mark Bowen about Kolo and fasting. They had talked to him at length about it and Kolo had assured them it wasn't a problem for him.He had got used to it over many years.From memeory it was never flagged as a problem during matches for Kolo but all players are different and maybe Yaya's energy levels do suffer as a result as they seemed to.

[Rag_hater]

After the first half Yaya had I don't think many people would have thought it wise to sub him.I think its understandable why Bobby kept him on.We can all say with the benefit of hindsight it was the wrong move but at the time it didn't appear that way.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

After the first half Yaya had I don't think many people would have thought it wise to sub him.I think its understandable why Bobby kept him on.We can all say with the benefit of hindsight it was the wrong move but at the time it didn't appeaer that way.

Not the first time Yaya has had a great first half and then been unconvincing in the 2nd is it?

[Dubaimancityfan]

After the first half Yaya had I don't think many people would have thought it wise to sub him.I think its understandable why Bobby kept him on.We can all say with the benefit of hindsight it was the wrong move but at the time it didn't appeaer that way.

Not the first time Yaya has had a great first half and then been unconvincing in the 2nd is it?

Is he a 1 half player then ? Worse than Elano in that case as Elano managed at least 70 minutes. As you said Doug, some players like Kolo and Anelka can handle fasting but maybe not in the case of Yaya. That can explain his dramatic dip in form in the 2nd half.

[Renato_CTID]

we beat liverpool 3-0 with exact same team, would anyone have really changed it??

Me, because Sunderland is not the same kind of squad like Liverpool was last Monday! Two strikers up to the front and I think we were two nil quite at the end of 1st half yesterday. Where is the Roberto Mancini offensive coach of Fiorentina, SS Lazio and Inter times? I'm really forgetting about him since he came to Eastlands!

[BobKowalski]

After the first half Yaya had I don't think many people would have thought it wise to sub him.I think its understandable why Bobby kept him on.We can all say with the benefit of hindsight it was the wrong move but at the time it didn't appeaer that way.

Not the first time Yaya has had a great first half and then been unconvincing in the 2nd is it?

Is he a 1 half player then ? Worse than Elano in that case as Elano managed at least 70 minutes. As you said Doug, some players like Kolo and Anelka can handle fasting but maybe not in the case of Yaya. That can explain his dramatic dip in form in the 2nd half.

Unlikely. I recall reading that Yaya like Tevez needs game time to get up to speed fitness wise as it were. More they play the fitter they get and the better they get. Its a bit like a supertanker. Slow to get going but once at full speed virtually unstoppable.

The Tevez upfront on his lonesome will continue. The 'false no. 9' with inverted wingers is clearly one of Mancini's gameplans. Tevez played this for Taggart's mob with fake ron and shrek. Quieroz is (apparently) a big fan of the 'false no. 9' but him going and the signing of berbs put paid to it.

When it works it looks awesome. When it doesn't it can look pretty negative. Question is what other gameplans does Mancin have up his sleeve and how much do they rely in getting Kolarov and Boateng back or getting Silva up to speed and Balotelli fit? Ade at the moment seems to be Ibra at Barca. To be used in certain circumstances only.

This is going to be one hell of a fascinating season.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"The 'false no. 9' with inverted wingers is clearly one of Mancini's gameplans"

As you went on to mention , but what are the others?

[ronk]

"The 'false no. 9' with inverted wingers is clearly one of Mancini's gameplans"

As you went on to mention , but what are the others?

As he went on to mention, he doesn't know but speculates that Silva and Balotelli play a part (obviously) in other strategies and attacking fullbacks are relevant too.

Question is what other gameplans does Mancin have up his sleeve and how much do they rely in getting Kolarov and Boateng back or getting Silva up to speed and Balotelli fit

[the_georgian_genius]

I think it was Brad Pitt's fault to be honest.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"The 'false no. 9' with inverted wingers is clearly one of Mancini's gameplans"

As you went on to mention , but what are the others?

As he went on to mention, he doesn't know but speculates that Silva and Balotelli play a part (obviously) in other strategies and attacking fullbacks are relevant too.

Question is what other gameplans does Mancin have up his sleeve and how much do they rely in getting Kolarov and Boateng back or getting Silva up to speed and Balotelli fit

But surely their main use is likely to be part of the main plan rather than a different one.

[ronk]

"The 'false no. 9' with inverted wingers is clearly one of Mancini's gameplans"

As you went on to mention , but what are the others?

As he went on to mention, he doesn't know but speculates that Silva and Balotelli play a part (obviously) in other strategies and attacking fullbacks are relevant too.

Question is what other gameplans does Mancin have up his sleeve and how much do they rely in getting Kolarov and Boateng back or getting Silva up to speed and Balotelli fit

But surely their main use is likely to be part of the main plan rather than a different one.

"main" gameplan? That wasn't so clear. Silva was on the bench for the false 9 plan so maybe he's not all that integral. Balotelli, similarly, would have to rotate with Tevez or play as a wide forward in that system. Mancini's gameplan will really only become evident as the season wears on (if at all, sometimes things change), it's just one system that he's used a few times while certain players are missing, and it's a good system.

[BobKowalski]

We can only guess at what Mancini's main gameplan is if indeed there is any main gameplan as such. Balotelli on the left in yesterdays team and formation with Milner just edging out Barry (or even De Jong) in the center would have been ideal. Kolarov or even Bridge would have been preferable to Lescott in terms of a better offensive threat. I'm not going to get on Micah's case even with the penalty incident. Balotelli is also a real wild card giving us a greater 'unpredictability' irrespective of formation or tactics.

At the risk of upsetting people the false no. 9 with Tevez and Balotelli instead of fake ron is shades of taggart's mob when Tevez was at the swamp. I don't see us playing Tevez and Ade in the same team but I do see Silva as being more of a second striker playing off a Tevez or Ade or even Balotelli. I also think anyone pining for a traditional target man striker is going to be disappointed. RSC will go and Ade is not really target man potential. Saying that we will probably sign one tomorrow but if we don't then with Tevez, Balotelli, Jo and Ade there is no 'big target man in the box' type player and no sign that Mancini wants to go down that specific route. If its needed at times then either Ade or Balotelli will have to fill that role.

Mancini will always play with three strong central midfielders all of whom bar Nigel can and will be offensive minded as well as being capable of shielding the back four. Against some teams slotting Barry in ahead of De Jong with Milner and Yaya in front and a combo of Balotelli/Ade/Silva/Tevez or Johnson as a 'front 3' is almost a given. Add 2 offensive FB's like Kolarov and Boateng and you have a powerful and skillful atacking unit that is also strong defensively. Want more security then add Nigel and pick 2 from the front 5. Make that 1 as Tevez will always play.

442 with two strikers up top and wingers on their 'natural' side is dead except maybe in a cup tie against lower league opposition and just for the hell of it.

[ronk]

I think putting Barry left back and moving Adebayor up front as a 2nd striker showed that there is life in 442. I wouldn't read too much into the loss. I think a lesson was learnt and steps will be taken to address that.

[BobKowalski]

I think putting Barry left back and moving Adebayor up front as a 2nd striker showed that there is life in 442. I wouldn't read too much into the loss. I think a lesson was learnt and steps will be taken to address that.

I agree that reverting to a straightforward 442 during a match or as circumstances dictate can be a valid option but as a starting formation or a default tactic for most matches it is dead. Yesterdays match pissed me off but left me largely unworried. Shit happens from Tevez missing an open goal to a 94th min penalty which Hart lept over having anticipated Bent striking it higher (or better) then he did.

I think I am unworried because we have yet to concede a goal in open play and its clear as day what Manicni is trying to do and the quality and versatility of the players that have been brought in to do the job. I know early on we are going to lose a skirmish or two but I am confident we will win the war.