Manchester City's midweek Champions League defeat to Real Madrid prompted outspoken manager Roberto Mancini to publicly accuses his team of lacking 'courage' when it counted, but Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes that Mancini himself must shoulder the lion's share of blame for the last minute capitulation.
After the game, Mancini admitted the 3-2 defeat was 'difficult to take', adding:
"This is strange. We need to improve because we go too deep sometimes and leave the opponents to play easy on the edge of the box.
"I don't want us to continue to defend like this. We made mistakes for this reason. We should have a lot had more courage at this time."
Speaking to the BBC, Lawro slammed Mancini's defensive decisions, and argued that the Italian did not do enough to fix some very obvious problems. He observed:
"I cannot believe that Mancini did not identify that both Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo were running riot against Maicon, who looked seriously short at right-back.
"I also don't understand why he gave a debut to Matija Nastasic instead of picking Joleon Lescott. Nastasic looks decent but it still felt odd.
"That was the cause of most of City's problems against Madrid because half the time Vincent Kompany was playing centre-back and half the time he was playing emergency right-back.
"Tactically Mancini got that completely wrong and did not do enough to address it".
Having watched the game, I think Lawro points have merit, especially re the right side of defence, from which two of Madrid's goals came:
Joe Hart is hailed as one of the best goalkeepers around but I would argue he was at fault for Madrid's second and third goals. For Ronaldo's goal, what was he doing? The ball passed right by Hart and he didn't react quickly enough to make the save.
I have to admit it though: I'm a fan of Mancini :-) He's a real character, and I love listening to his irascible (but friendly) post-match press conferences. Take this interview after last week's 1-1 draw with Stoke, in which he slams the referee and describes Peter Crouch's goal as 'like Basketball, not football'. I don't know why, but it just cracks me up:
Jaimie Kanwar
After the game, Mancini admitted the 3-2 defeat was 'difficult to take', adding:
"This is strange. We need to improve because we go too deep sometimes and leave the opponents to play easy on the edge of the box.
"I don't want us to continue to defend like this. We made mistakes for this reason. We should have a lot had more courage at this time."
Speaking to the BBC, Lawro slammed Mancini's defensive decisions, and argued that the Italian did not do enough to fix some very obvious problems. He observed:
"I cannot believe that Mancini did not identify that both Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo were running riot against Maicon, who looked seriously short at right-back.
"I also don't understand why he gave a debut to Matija Nastasic instead of picking Joleon Lescott. Nastasic looks decent but it still felt odd.
"That was the cause of most of City's problems against Madrid because half the time Vincent Kompany was playing centre-back and half the time he was playing emergency right-back.
"Tactically Mancini got that completely wrong and did not do enough to address it".
Having watched the game, I think Lawro points have merit, especially re the right side of defence, from which two of Madrid's goals came:
Joe Hart is hailed as one of the best goalkeepers around but I would argue he was at fault for Madrid's second and third goals. For Ronaldo's goal, what was he doing? The ball passed right by Hart and he didn't react quickly enough to make the save.
I have to admit it though: I'm a fan of Mancini :-) He's a real character, and I love listening to his irascible (but friendly) post-match press conferences. Take this interview after last week's 1-1 draw with Stoke, in which he slams the referee and describes Peter Crouch's goal as 'like Basketball, not football'. I don't know why, but it just cracks me up:
Jaimie Kanwar
are you really paying attention to Lawro's analysis? he's an awful pundit, who's so out of touch with football and lacks any depth in terms of football knowledge. He's constantly contradicting himself in his BBC columns.
ReplyDeleteI believe these pundits are pathetic as most have done nothing as a manager, If they did they failed. Are we really supposed to accept the drivel they spout???, I certainly don't!!!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I dislike Lawro, he is bang on the mark about Bobby Manc. It was Bobby Manc's fault for the loss against Real Madrid, I was screaming for Lescott to be sent on in place of Nastasic. Nastasic is a good defender but this was a game too soon for him, Kompany and Nastasic have never played together once (it was insane to play him so prematurely).
ReplyDeleteNot convinced by Mancini at all. Frank Spencer could win the title with that squad.
ReplyDeleteI think it was a bit harsh to blame Hart for the Ronaldo goal- Kompany screwed him by ducking. He didn't do a good job but I think Kompany created a problem that shouldn't have existed.
ReplyDeleteIs this a Liverpool or Man City fans site? I don't care if Mancini got his tactics wrong or not. Doesn't concern me in the slightest
ReplyDeleteLawro is spot on. Iv been saying the exact same thing all week. If I could notice after 15mins that we were getting reamed down the left wing, how could he not??? Another baffling Mancini decision that Lawro missess is the decision not to have Milner on the bench! So when we get an injury, we bring Kolorov on the wing that we are not getting attacked down. His lack of tactical nous in unbelievable. Even a fool would double up on Ronaldo down the left to prevent him cutting in, we could have been 3-0 down after 20mins FFS! Playing 3 of our smallest players up front also proved to be a mistake. I could go on....
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that someone that has probably never played the game at a junior level let alone managed at the level and with the success Mancini has enjoyed, can come out with something as stunningly stupid as your post but clearly this is something you excel at.
ReplyDeleteI agree much more down to Kompany than Hart.
ReplyDeleteThx :-p
ReplyDeleteOut of the champions league and giving goals away like its xmas. Now whos the stupid one?
ReplyDelete