Mancini's Psychological Battle

Really good read:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9055291/Manchester-City-manager-Roberto-Mancini-shows-subtle-psychology-by-claiming-Everton-defeat-was-his-fault.html

It sounds like an interesting theory, but I can't shake the nagging suspicion that someone's blowing smoke up his arse. Bobby's a smart bloke, but I suspect this is more about taking a bullet for the team than anything else.

leopold wrote:It sounds like an interesting theory, but I can't shake the nagging suspicion that someone's blowing smoke up his arse. Bobby's a smart bloke, but I suspect this is more about taking a bullet for the team than anything else.

I tend to agree - but that's what I read into the article. Bobby's taking the heat off some under-performing players the likes of:

Aguero - 6 weeks ago you would have thought he'd be on the 20+ mark.....but keeps dragging his shots wide of the post.

Dzeko - for all his early burst of goals..looks like he his frustrated that gets the ball at his feet, with his back to goal, and not enough crosses for him.

Silva - always looking for the killer pass, but inevitably plays a simpler pass as nothings on.

Nasri - started slowly, but i can see him having more of an impact in the closing months. Looks more to shoot and get forward than of late.

Milner - rightly, must be frustrated that he has been dropped, then brought back, played in unusual positions...etc etc

Johnson - not really sure what has happened to him...but he looks a shadow of himself when he comes on...maybe that's the problem, needs a run of games.

I still think Balotelli may be our key to this season going one way or the other....and that's a big gamble...but it seems the script is always written for him.

Anyway, 3 points on Sat and Chelsea do us a favour - its order resumed.

I've had to take 2 days off away from any football media, It even affected my sleeping, only now can I, with some perspective re-enter the fray.....

In flicking thru the channels, I happend to accidentally flick 41 instead of 14 on the tv box, the sight of the Harpies of Gillette soccer special circling around the soon to be corpse of City's title bid was sickening, (according to the sky experts..tm) Thompson, Nicholas, Merson, taking turns to stick the knife in Mancini.

I watched the 1st hour of the game, then when the goal went in, I just knew it was over, we'd been average upto then, but the ref was shocking again, as was Barry, he needs a rest, give NDJ a run, he's looking sharp again.
As for the reports of Mancini not preparing, bollox, he's just taking the flack for the team, the real test is Fulham, and our ability now, to bounce back, the defeat might just be the thing we need to snap out of this torpor we've been muddling thru in games.

i also had some time off. i don't think the missus has been overly happy with me for a couple of months now. i watch footy then i complain about footy. when city play shitty i'm a well pissed off bloke.

Sounds like you're in the same boat I am, Dawg. My missus always tells me to chill out, that it's City and we're not about winning things. So I try to explain to her that it's not about the winning, it's the lumps of meat on the pitch in City shirts not playing like it matters to them and that in the past, back when we had poor players, at least they did their best.

I just don't say anything any more. It's much safer.

Me three !! But she came to me last night and said "you didn't tell me you lost to Everton" !! So you are damned if you do, damned if you don't !! I thought we were not discussing football anymore?

my wife leaves me alone most of the time when i am watching the footy. she can tell by the pained expressions on my face, the throwing of my hands in the air, the pulling of my hair (what's left of it), the muttered expletives etc. that city aren't doing the business.

even when we win, we i have usually gone through those emotions to get to relief at the end.

it isn't elation anymore, just relief.

I don't talk to my Mrs about football anymore, mainly due to the fact she "doesn't give a shit about sport in general". However, my Mrs still knew we'd lost to Everton, as my mate screamed out when they scored (he came round to watch the game). As i didn't, all she said when i came up was "presume they lost 1-0 then". She obviously does show some interest then .

Tuesday was a completely shit night all round.

My missus is a City fan as well, which is great for me as it means she generally doesn't mind me talking about it. She does tend to worry about my stress levels when I'm shouting at the telly when we're playing badly. But worse is when she tells me off when I take her to the match, it's like I'm with my mum!! Mind, after taking her to the United and Liverpool games recently, our son has decided she's a bad omen and he's told her she's not going again. Good lad

I've tried several ways of keeping it together while watching City, a few shots of rum to calm the prematch apprehensions when I see Kolarov or Savic on the teamsheet , a quick few beers as the game starts, but all to nowt, by the end of the game I'm either relieved or suffering from a full on funk ( not the james Brown kind either unfortunately) and have to keep telling myself it's just a silly game etc...
Even when we were slaughtering teams, there's still that little doubter at the back of the mind saying, remember Fulham?, Liverpool 2-0 up etc... I think until we win the title, there's still going to be that collective psyche which emerges....!
Saying that, everytime I do go to a game, we win, well, every competitive game that is ( I don't count the Charity shield)! so maybe I should get a season ticket? and I've been going since the very early 80's! admittedly, I don't get to many games due to living in London these days.
It also doesn't help having relatives who are all Reds, United, Liverpool and Chelsea too, so unless we're slaughtering everyone, I get it in the neck from someone!!!

My missus hates football full stop. As i scream at the tv she calmly comes in and says to me the ref/players can,t hear you. That makes me even worse, as i try my best to explain, only to see her turn her back walk out of the room. She just cant understand how wrapped up in a game you can become.

Skyblue, you can get your own back there. Does she cry when she's watching something sad on the telly? Just tell her that they are all actors, none of it is real and she's just being silly.* Then you can point out the obvious parallels about getting wrapped up in something.


* I should stress that this tactic may end up with your balls in a jar. Be careful out there!

My missus loves football - oh wait...........

wensdi: what havn't u old us ??????

Good advice leopold but i must ensure the house is rid of any jars 1st !!!

Also sharp instruments such as knives, scissors, shears and the like. Maybe stand at a safe distance with a clear exit too, just to be safe. The last thing you want is a testicular incident

if i forget the 'community shield' as well, city have won everytime i've seen them this season too. and we've averaged 4 goals per game too.

next matches in feb so watch us stuff porto and blackburn too.

My wife is thai, so very easy for me, she just goes in the bedroom and watches Thai television on the internet, so i get total peace for the whole game. The downside comes when we go to Thailand as her brother is a typical Asian, he is a red.

just give him a city shirt. that's what i give as pressies to my rellies these days. you support liverpool? have a city t-shirt.

loved it when my sister in law (married to a rag) dressed their baby in the city top i gave him when he was a few months old after we stuffed the rags. she wasn;t taking any chances beforehand as he had a utd top over the city one!

My missus is from Mauritius, all her family are Reds, they wanted to get him a United kit, but I had to put them straight from the off, he's a Blue!!!

i've lived in france for two years now. the only time i've seen a liverpool shirt was when they beat us in the 1st leg.

my local sports direct have even given up on stocking liverpool shirts and it's just city and utd from england now and city appear the best sellers.

without global support, utd wouldn't have had the sustained success they've had as easily.

well united only have Evra now.

We have Cleeshee and Nasree



2-1 on the french players stakes..

Went to the Le Mans 24 hour race when Le sulk was playing for us. City shirts with french accents everywhere

When I was in Malaysia in August - I converted all the pilots i was training from Liverpool and United fans - to City fans.

Showed them the MCFC website, got them to change their screen savers to our badge....they all got really excited!!

Probably QPR fans now with Tony Fernandes' investment!!!