Im_Spartacus wrote:Beefymcfc wrote:It is the point and that's why I try and debate both sides rather than just the one. Mancini and the team haven't helped the cause in many difficult situations in my opinion but there has definately been an undercurrent to what has gone on. We could simply put it down to referees or injuries but there's more to it than that I feel. We were blazing all guns and even though Mancini wanted to shut-up shop at the back he was still playing the same formations and style so should still have been getting the results.
My personal opinion is the mental fortitude element. Quite a few decisions had gone against us in the run-up to the Cup Derby which was putting questions into the players and managers head. The subsequent dismissal of Vince sent that into even further dispair as without the lynch pin at the back (and having to introduce Savic), and captain to boot, it was a double wammy. Moving on we seen Mancini physically shaken and coming out with all sorts of tripe leading to Vieira making his statement, which seem to quell the refereeing decisons. However, what we did see was that decisions started going for United which probably led Bobby, and the players, to believe they could do nothing about it so they may as well enjoy the run-in.
I'm no psychologist but it seems reasonable to me that the pressure got to them all compounded by the sheer scale of what they thought they had to do, beating not only United but beating the establishment as well.
All for debate of course.
Good points well made mate.
I think the return of Tevez, eg, the ability to have a player who can cause real damage by sheer persistence level with or ahead of Aguero is the key factor in the results of the last week. It has given us something fresh, livened aguero up and given defenders something else to worry about as tevez is infinately more direct than our overall style of play, and the contrast seems to fit well.
I feel pressure is something that exists - no doubt about it, but would you say that united buckled to the pressure at wigan, or did they just have an "off day". I would argue that on any given day, city and united would beat most teams comfortably, but sometimes things just dont happen on the pitch, whether that was missing scholes for them, missing various players for us, or just getting it wrong tactically. We can all speculate but will never know the answers.
Whatever the reasons, we have had far more off days than united in the last Few months, and yes they have been helped by referees, but they know how to get a result - something Mancini to me appeared to be good at in his first season with the boring but effective style of play, but seems to have regressed.
Maybe tevez' return, ironically will be the catalyst to Mancini staying. Its a funny old game innit.
It sure is mate and you're probably dead on the money with Tevez. He's not had to deal with anything that has gone on this season and truthfully, I don't think he really cares. He's one of those blokes who will just go out and play his game, not even noticing what's going on. Whatever we think of him or whatever happens to him come the end of the season, one thing that we can all share in is that he has been a breath of fresh air for the team. Looking back at some of the comments as well, it was plain to see that they wanted him back sooner rather than later, whether he was ready or not is debateable.
The one thing I think we've lacked is that individual to drive a team on, a dynamo who gives 100% and would run through brick walls. I was going to start a thread on it asking who could be that 'Midfield Dynamo' and never really thought of Tevez as being such as he is a forward player (or because he wasn't worth mentioning). How wrong I was.
