Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:58 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Mancini has FM12 before all of us, it's the only logical explanation.

Who's this Savic fella they've signed?

You have to wonder if Mancini is simply sat in his office, scanning a computer, putting random bids in for all the big-priced players?......His transfer policy is so scattergun its unbelieveable....Yes, Nasri is a good player, but nothing significantly better than what they already have....Its signing players simply for the sake of it.

Ultimately, Mancini has to show some balls and realise that he can't hide behind all these signings....He has to show HIS worth and actually fashion some sort of answer from all these jigsaw pieces.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:06 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

You have to wonder if Mancini is simply sat in his office, scanning a computer, putting random bids in for all the big-priced players?......His transfer policy is so scattergun its unbelieveable....Yes, Nasri is a good player, but nothing significantly better than what they already have....Its signing players simply for the sake of it.

Ultimately, Mancini has to show some balls and realise that he can't hide behind all these signings....He has to show HIS worth and actually fashion some sort of answer from all these jigsaw pieces.

I really like Nasri, I never quite got the deal with him before he came to England but he's a footballer that's really grown on me, especially when played centrally. Assuming he'll take Barry or Milners place from the starting midfield 3 at present, he's a player who can carry the ball (at pace) who can play wide also, scores & creates goals. I think it's a great signing.

With him & Silva, they've two of the most creative midfielders in the Premiership.

I'm enjoying City this year, I thought they needed to make themselves likeable, if you're going to spend all that money, play good football & be expansive. I think all the signs are that they're going to be a good watch this year, it's good for the league.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:18 pm  

Nasri is a very logical signing. The main thing that we lacked last season was a bit of creativity in midfield. Remember all those accusations of "too many defensive midfield players"?

Where he fits is interesting because the situation has changed slightly since we first started chasing him. Then it was very clear cut. We'd continue playing 4-2-3-1 with Nasri in the middle of the "3" flanked by Silva and one of Balotelli, Milner or Johnson depending on who and where we were playing. Yaya would drop deeper in place of Barry. And Aguero would replace Tevez as the lone striker.

Since then though Dzeko has started to look like a different player from last season. There must be a temptation to keep playing Dezeko and Aguero in a 4-2-2-2. I think we'll do that in some matches but revert to 4-2-3-1 in the big games.

And of course Tevez is still here. But it would be foolish to regard that as anything other than temporary. Any attempts to fit Aguero and Tevez into the same team would be a big mistake.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:44 pm  

What do you think of Toure when he's played deeper? It seems Mancini liked him further forward, he's a bit of a freight train when he gets going and he's seemed immense when played further forward.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:04 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

What do you think of Toure when he's played deeper? It seems Mancini liked him further forward, he's a bit of a freight train when he gets going and he's seemed immense when played further forward.

I think he was played forward last year because when he joined his fitness wasnt great and he took time to adapt to the PL. He was great at making those surging runs forward but often would drift out of the game for the next 10 minutes whilst he recovered. Rather than play box to box he was given a "half way line to box role". But he became much fitter as the season went on. Noticeably his cup final winner came after he'd dropped back into Barry's position. I think Mancini will expect much more from him physically this year.

He played deeper on sunday and I thought his overall contribution was rather overlooked. He did a lot of tidying up in De Jong's absence and his movement off the ball was excellent. He didnt really need to get forward so much because Barry and Milner were pressing forward. And of course De Jong wasnt playing so Yaya had to be more disciplined. I'd expect him to get forward more if De Jong plays.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:15 pm  

The thing with City is Mancini is still tactically naive no matter how much he spends on players. He WILL also have major problems with keeping players happy as they can only field 11 each week. They will get into massive trouble getting rid of said players as they pay players far more than other clubs can afford. Hence the reason the likes of Adebayor, Santa Cruz and Tevez are still moping about backstage at City. All those superstar egos and only 11 places. Soon the likes of Barry, Milner and Balotelli will be added to those not playing and impossible to sell.

His tactics last season were defense, defense, defense. 3 holding midfielders at home for example and reliant on the world class individuals to pull something out of the fire. This season he's gone to the opposite strategy of attack, attack, attack. Whilst still successful because of the sheer quality of the attacking players, you have to wonder how they'll cope with the Champions League playing like that.

Mancini is no tactical wizard. The fact that Moyes shows him up twice a year is hillarious.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:25 pm  

Ajw71 wrote:

So it's ok for you to spend millions on players but not for city to do the same. Right gotcha.

Correct me if i'm wrong, (i was 7 at the time), but the majority of the Man Utd team that won the very first Premier League was the same that finished 2nd in the last old First Division the year previous. The introduction of Sky Sports coinciding with Utd winning the league simply helped Utd to increase their profile at home and more importantly abroad, thus increasing the money they had to spend on players. City have simply had their money given to them on a plate, they have earned none of it. THAT is the gripe of alot of people i'm willing to bet.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:26 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Not really. Look at Vidic, Vermaelen, Kompany, etc. Even a player like Carvalho, who was originally deemed a bit soft, toughened up and got physical.

You get some centre halves, particularly younger ones, that come over and take a while to adjust, like Daniel Agger, but even he's toughened up and 'gets it' now.

I've not seen a lot of Coates, in fact, I only watched two of Uruguay's games and they were both on poor streams. It seems when you read his measurements and nationality, you instantly think big and fierce, but reading the thoughts of those that have seen him, they say he's not that quick, not that agile and not that dominant. Sounds a bit like Paletta who we signed a few years back, it never worked out for him, but hopefully it does for Coates if he comes. Either way, I'd rather see him than Kyrgiakos, and, if Coates doesn't instantly settle, we can move Kelly across, who is a beast.

Whos reviews have you read rob?


You only need to watch his highlights on youtube to see what hes got

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:32 pm  

Wire_85 wrote:

You only need to watch his highlights on youtube to see what hes got

I remember York giving a trial to a lad who looked brilliant on Youtube. Scoring for fun at an apparently decent level. He now plays for Harrogate Railway!

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:47 pm  

Cibaman wrote:

Nasri is a very logical signing. The main thing that we lacked last season was a bit of creativity in midfield. Remember all those accusations of "too many defensive midfield players"?

Where he fits is interesting because the situation has changed slightly since we first started chasing him. Then it was very clear cut. We'd continue playing 4-2-3-1 with Nasri in the middle of the "3" flanked by Silva and one of Balotelli, Milner or Johnson depending on who and where we were playing. Yaya would drop deeper in place of Barry. And Aguero would replace Tevez as the lone striker.

Since then though Dzeko has started to look like a different player from last season. There must be a temptation to keep playing Dezeko and Aguero in a 4-2-2-2. I think we'll do that in some matches but revert to 4-2-3-1 in the big games.

And of course Tevez is still here. But it would be foolish to regard that as anything other than temporary. Any attempts to fit Aguero and Tevez into the same team would be a big mistake.

Ive no doubt that Nasri is a quality signing....It just seems, from a distance, that Mancini has no firm idea on what formation he sees City playing in....He signs players, throws their names in a pot, and comes out with random ideas of what he wants from his squad.

Even in your post, you don't seem to clear on what City will play...Dzeko, a man who jus 7 or 8 months ago you were spending 20-odd million on, was seemingly on his way out, until he recently grabbed a couple of goals.

It seems to be exactly the same transfer policy that Rafa Benitez was often accused of, if a lot more expensive.....Buy players, discard them after a short period, gain zero consistancy or any sort of team spirit, because players don't have chance to form relationships.

Its a risky strategy, but as I said before, it can't go on forever...Mancini has to stop and prove his own worth pretty soon.