zuricity wrote:
Yeah some people suck up to Roberto but I don't mate. I have City first not Roberto. If however, recognising the fact that Roberto has actually delivered Cups and Titles is called 'sucking up' then i suppose I am guilty as charged. He's delivered. I think we all owe him that much in respect.
Technically Cup and Title.
I'm actually less bothered about what he does or doesn't win. It doesn't bother me that we didn't win the CL for example, as the team clearly isn't good enough yet. Doesn't bother me that we lost yesterday - anything can happen in a one off game and you can dominate for 90 minutes and lose to a free kick.
It's more to do with progression. In the semi in 2011, we seemed to learn something about 30 minutes in - namely that we were better than the rags. From that point on, we were a different team, full of self belief, which we took into last season. Yes, we had a wobble under pressure last season, but we came back strong late on and looked like that team again.
This season, it's gone. Only in occasional patches have we ever looked anything like the team we were. Regardless of the poor summer signings, we only lost AJ and de Jong from last season, who were bit part players, so why have we gone backwards? I'd suggest that teams have worked out how to beat us and, so far, we haven't worked out a way which stops them or an alternative way to play.
The odd thing is, we still look pretty good against the top teams. It's the 'lesser' teams we seem to look clueless against. So is it formation, personnel, desire, attitude?
If Mancini knows the answers (and the answers aren't buy me de Rossi and Canvani) then I'd be tempted to give him another season to prove himself, especially as the alternatives aren't obvious. If he hasn't got a plan for sorting it, then he should go now.
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