Mancini - 50 Not Out

[King Kev]

Yesterday was Mancini's 50th league game in charge of City.

Of those games we have won 26 and drawn 13 giving us 91 points.

This is a points-per-game ratio of 1.82

[Fesan]

Doing OK points wise, but I gotta say the way we play in 2011 is... scary. Hoping it is not coaching but fatigue but I can't help but think that someone else would have handled it better. Oh well, get us Champs League Mancini!

[Redna]

Considering family illnes and a very hostile enviroment I would say that he's been doing OK.
CTID!!

[Ted Hughes]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

[Chinners]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Spot on Ted, agree with all of that tbh

[Original Dub]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Spot on Ted, agree with all of that tbh

Aye, count me in too. That is exactly how I feel.

[s1ty m]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Excellent post. Sums up how I feel too.

[BobKowalski]

Pleased so far - well save for the fact that my nerves are getting shredded as we approach the business end of the season

Seriously though am pleased with Mancini and the progress made. Initially I was unsure given lack of PL experience and the fact I knew next to nothing about the guy but the difference shown early on between Mancini and the previous incumbent removed a lot of early doubt. The 'difference shown' being the ability to actually organise a team and the ability to lay down a method and a pattern of playing. For me it was like night and day.

Whether this is due to the fact Mancini can actually coach a team as opposed to simply delegating coaching duties I am not sure but the other aspect I do like is that Mancini can and does improve players. To quote Micah who feels Mancini has got the best out of him 'its not about his man management but the fact he has improved me as a player' [sic]. Mancini also makes the big calls ie Hart for Given and he has no problem picking players like Zabs over players he may have personally brought in. The exception is probably Mario but then Mancini is probably reliving his own playing career through the lad :)

What else? His interviews are largely boring and he says the same thing repeatedly. This month the meme is players being tired (yes enough Roberto I get it). His man management skills are non existent but he does know what he wants and his ability to improve players balances that out.

So overall am pretty happy with Bobby. If we keep the nucleus of this side for next season with players like Silva and Yaya having a a PL season under their belt I think we will be very strong contenders for the title but we do need some continuity on both the playing and management staff for this to happen. Wholsesale changes especially with players new to the PL will simply stall our progress.

[MaineRoadMemories]

...........His man management skills are non existent.......

That's the point of it for me. With United, Arsenal and Chelsea all faltering at some point this season if Mancini believed in his players more, had conviction in a winning mentality against the teams around us in the table and did not piss half of the 25 man squad off to other clubs during the transfer windows we would be sitting top of the league this evening.

[BobKowalski]

...........His man management skills are non existent.......

That's the point of it for me. With United, Arsenal and Chelsea all faltering at some point this season if Mancini believed in his players more, had conviction in a winning mentality against the teams around us in the table and did not piss half of the 25 man squad off to other clubs during the transfer windows we would be sitting top of the league this evening.

No. We wouldn't. The 'half the squad he pissed off' were never strong enough mentally to hack it. Mancini creates a harsh environment in which only the best in terms of skill, work rate, and most importantly, mentally survive. The ones left over from Hughes Kompany, De Jong, Zabs, have the right attitude as well as something to offer on the pitch. Simply having bodies isn't good enough anymore. You either survive and even thrive in the culture Mancini is creating or you don't. Micah is thriving, Kompany is immense. De Jong as well. Someone like Ireland never had a chance. SWP is only there by default.

Plus you say 'United, Arsenal & Chelsea all faltering...' is that a weakness of man management as well? Or is it when we falter or scrape results its a 'man management' problem but when United falter it is just one of those things? Utd have spent 25 years seeped in 'winning attitude'. Its a process and not something you can graft on a new team and expect it to take instantly. Chelsea were winning cups and reaching SF of Champions League prior to Mourinho arriving to give it that final impetus. We not so long ago couldn't score a league goal at home for 6 months.

[King Kev]

...........His man management skills are non existent.......

That's the point of it for me. With United, Arsenal and Chelsea all faltering at some point this season if Mancini believed in his players more, had conviction in a winning mentality against the teams around us in the table and did not piss half of the 25 man squad off to other clubs during the transfer windows we would be sitting top of the league this evening.

... and people would still be moaning.

[ashton287]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Spot on Ted, agree with all of that tbh

Aye, count me in too. That is exactly how I feel.

Have any of you played football recently? I doubt there is anyone on here that could play twice a week and not be affected atall. They might be payed to play but there still human and there playing at the highest level there is.

If we win a trophy this season how many of you will remember this season for the rest of your life? If we get into the CL how many people will see this as the beginning of something spectacular? I think maybe you should all save your judgements till the END of this 'decent' season.

[the_georgian_genius]

Hopefully he will double, treble and the quadruple that in years to come.

Very please with him so far, next season is a big one for him, i expect a proper title challenge, if we are to get in the champions league then i will be happy to get to the knockout stages.

FORZA MANCINI

[Douglas Higginbottom]

It's also fairly true to say that plenty of other players are playing 2 games a week on a regular basis so why keep going on about it.Who knows whether it makes it worse to keep telling players they are or should be tired.I personally think it could have an effect so would like him to stop going on and on about it.

[Fesan]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Spot on Ted, agree with all of that tbh

Aye, count me in too. That is exactly how I feel.

Have any of you played football recently? I doubt there is anyone on here that could play twice a week and not be affected atall. They might be payed to play but there still human and there playing at the highest level there is.

If we win a trophy this season how many of you will remember this season for the rest of your life? If we get into the CL how many people will see this as the beginning of something spectacular? I think maybe you should all save your judgements till the END of this 'decent' season.

Sure we will, but can you honestly see Mancini do well in CL? I mean if we can barely keep up now how will it be when the match in the week is not Aris but Real Madrid?

After looking at the other sides in the PL and how they play with what is clearly worse squads I am beginning to think he is not doing well enough to get the maximum out of our squad. We are in the top four because others have gone backwards, not because we've gone forward. Unless things change towards the summer I'll honestly be hoping for someone else, even though it makes me sad:-( We are playing sad, sad football and I'd take it if we won the league. But playing bad and not winning enough is just ... sad.

Let's hope he turns things around real quick!

[ashton287]

...........His man management skills are non existent.......

That's the point of it for me. With United, Arsenal and Chelsea all faltering at some point this season if Mancini believed in his players more, had conviction in a winning mentality against the teams around us in the table and did not piss half of the 25 man squad off to other clubs during the transfer windows we would be sitting top of the league this evening.

... and people would still be moaning.

So they can all faulter, but if mancini's squad has a bad patch/result in his first full season as manager its a problem?

Doesnt matter who the manager is or who is in the team there will always be results that go against you.

[the_georgian_genius]

...........His man management skills are non existent.......

That's the point of it for me. With United, Arsenal and Chelsea all faltering at some point this season if Mancini believed in his players more, had conviction in a winning mentality against the teams around us in the table and did not piss half of the 25 man squad off to other clubs during the transfer windows we would be sitting top of the league this evening.

... and people would still be moaning.

So they can all faulter, but if mancini's squad has a bad patch/result in his first full season as manager its a problem?

Doesnt matter who the manager is or who is in the team there will always be results that go against you.

Spot on twice in this thread Ashton.

[ashton287]

If it remains so then it will be a decent but not spectacular season as far as the league goes. 'Decent but not specatacular' would be a reasonable description of his tenure so far. I think he MAY have been an improvement on Hughes but so far, it's very very close & there isn't a conclusive argument for either. I'm not sure we wouldn't be further down the line now if we'd never brought him in but equally, I have hopes that in the end he'll take us further than Hughes would have been able to & build a more solid team.

I have a big problem with this 'tired' crap though. It's very negative & is giving an excuse for failure. If 'tiredness' is allowed to ruin our season, I want him out. Everyone else has the same problems every year & we've had the time & money to sort it. If he can't plan for it & deal with it, he's not good enough.

Spot on Ted, agree with all of that tbh

Aye, count me in too. That is exactly how I feel.

Have any of you played football recently? I doubt there is anyone on here that could play twice a week and not be affected atall. They might be payed to play but there still human and there playing at the highest level there is.

If we win a trophy this season how many of you will remember this season for the rest of your life? If we get into the CL how many people will see this as the beginning of something spectacular? I think maybe you should all save your judgements till the END of this 'decent' season.

Sure we will, but can you honestly see Mancini do well in CL? I mean if we can barely keep up now how will it be when the match in the week is not Aris but Real Madrid?

After looking at the other sides in the PL and how they play with what is clearly worse squads I am beginning to think he is not doing well enough to get the maximum out of our squad. We are in the top four because others have gone backwards, not because we've gone forward. Unless things change towards the summer I'll honestly be hoping for someone else, even though it makes me sad:-( We are playing sad, sad football and I'd take it if we won the league. But playing bad and not winning enough is just ... sad.

Let's hope he turns things around real quick!

Iv been waiting 24 years, i can wait a few more seasons to be the best team in the world.

Rome wasnt built in a day and all that.

Also who is going to replace him? Lets get murinho to win us a title and then go backwards the day he sells us out for his next "challenge"(rich as fuck club that isnt really a challenge atall)

[Fesan]

Iv been waiting 24 years, i can wait a few more seasons to be the best team in the world.

Rome wasnt built in a day and all that.

Also who is going to replace him? Lets get murinho to win us a title and then go backwards the day he sells us out for his next "challenge"(rich as fuck club that isnt really a challenge atall)

I agree that things take time and all that jazz, but with no apparent progression I am beginning to wonder and worry you know:-) I'd love for Mancini to be the man and turn this around!

[Ted Hughes]

Would any other manager who took over when Bob did & spent the money that Bob has, not be expected to do exactly what we are doing now & considered a failure if we were achieving less? Are people suggesting that if we were say. 3 points further behind & Hughes was still in charge you would all be saying everything is ok?

Why would it be right to say that Bob has done any more than a 'decent' job? What exactly has he done, that you wouldn't expect any 'decent' manager to do? Would you not look at a squad like ours & expect it to be around the top five & perhaps win a cup?

None of the comments I made about the job he has done so far are unreasonable. If we were ten points better off, I would be kissing his arse but we're not, we are around the position in the league & cups we would have expected to be whoever was in charge. No more, no less. If we win a cup & get 4th, he will have done what we thought this squad was capable of when the season started.

If he grets two cups however or he finishes the season with the team also playing with style, he will have done extra & will deserve extra recognition.