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Roberto Mancini provided all the ammunition that his detractors could possibly want with a baffling team selection and formation to start the first game of the season.
It is hard to express how frustrated I am watching the first half of Manchester City's opening fixture against Swansea this evening. City are playing a 4-2-3-1 which is completely the wrong formation. A 4-2-3-1 one is, when played with fast wingers, the perfect counter attacking formation. It is not the formation that you select in trying to break down a visiting defense against a team that is not pushing forward hard.
Swansea play good quality football at times, but they do not push forward like say a Chelsea might do when playing at home.
David Silva and Adam Johnson are playing out on the wings with each player occasionally moving inside, especially Silva in search of the ball. If City are to play a 4-2-3-1 then Silva needs to be the pivot rather than one of the wingers. Mancini's determination to push Craig Bellamy out of the club is shown time and again as pure folly until an adequate, speedy, replacement is found.
That City have hit the bar twice and had the majority of play does nothing to mitigate the circumstances. City should be dominating by playing the Inter Diamond with Balotelli and Dzeko up front and Silva pulling the strings. This would also allow both Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry to push forward in support.
City may still win the game, but Mancini has fluffed his first test of the season.
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Comments
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Posted by Emir on 08/15/2011
Your really writing this up while the game is at Half??? LMAO.... talk about not having the patience to bash a coach till the final whistle..... But i guess Mancini and the squad can expect this from the Media now that their TRUE contenders
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Posted by Sanie on 08/15/2011
2-0 city, mancini 1-0writter
Wallace Reply If you are going to take shots at least watch the games. City moved to a 4-4-2 after the first goal was scored.
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Posted by Ballsup on 08/15/2011
Well,well,well.
Looks like the lone striker up front, that would be the one in 4-2-3-1 just put city in front. Don't see Swansea scoring, but going by the other results this weekend 1-1 would seem apt.
Perhaps Mancini got it right?
Wallace Reply City finally got the break through but it is indicative of the formation issues that City couldn't score in the first half with a 4-2-3-1 but 9 minutes after City switched to a 4-4-2 they scored a second.
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Posted by mark molloy on 08/15/2011
wally poulter gets it so, so wrong....you just gotta laugh.
Wallace Reply 4-2-3-1 formation City 1-0 Swansea. 4-4-2 formation City 3-0 Swansea. Please try and pay attention to what's going on.
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Posted by Emir on 08/15/2011
TRUE CONTENDERS (I'm talking Champions League)
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Posted by southernblue on 08/15/2011
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Posted by jem on 08/15/2011
You people get a life and watch the f ing game. Sad bastards.
Wallace Reply Yup... the lack of knowledge about formations and tactics is really disappointing. It's not that difficult... watch the game!
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Posted by ADSSD on 08/15/2011
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Posted by Hans Pantts on 08/15/2011
City 4 Swansea 0 .... yea Mancini REALLY fluffed it!
Wallace Reply Mancini's team played 57 minutes the way he started and City scored a single goal. The team played the last 33 in a formation closer to what he should have played and City scored three more.
Wrong way: Goal every 57 minutes
Right way: Goal every 11 minutes
Now I understand this new math is difficult for some but...
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Posted by Tuntu Mbulo on 08/15/2011
Mancini knows what he is doing. First game 4-0. The formation was perfect.
Wallace Reply If Mancini continues to play a 4-2-3-1 City will suffer more of those home draws that cost the team a shot at the title last year.
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Posted by John on 08/15/2011
I agree with Wallace. Mancini is the only worry I have about City. I believe he got it so wrong against United and got wrong several times last season. But I am just too excited with Aguero!!!
Wallace Reply I know... every time he touched the ball I thought something was going to happen. And to think when I watched highlights of him from Spain all I could focus on was that the Spanish goalkeepers really had bad positioning... Unbelievably good.
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Posted by Jack on 08/15/2011
Is Wally the diminutive of Wallace?
Wallace Reply It can be. Although in a lot of cases it's used here as a dig against me because the word "Wally" became something of a derogatory phrase in the early 80's and continues to this day. Unbeknownst to those here who use it that way when posting it so happens that my late Mother called me that from when I was little (and before it was used negatively) and so I have only fond memories of it.
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Posted by Waqas Azeem on 08/15/2011
It's good to see you again, Wallace. Long time.
I believe Balotelli had a knee problem on Saturday in training and wasn't deemed fit to start. And Kun wasn't match fit also. But I definitely agree with you on the Inter-Diamond and 4-2-3-1, particularly with reverse wingers, it's frustrating (Birmingham last year). Yaya should be one of the 2 in that and not the ACM. One more thing, Mancini should be playing SWP against beatable teams and I think Bellamy and Onouha deserved better.
P.S. Mancini switched to 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 (when defending) after Savic substitution.
Wallace Reply When Savic came on they move Lescott out to left back and Clichy a little forward, but he was certainly more defensive minded that a midfielder, yes.
Completely agree about Yaya and the ACM position in a 4-2-3-1. Silva should be there. With Bellamy, City can win the title. Without him, it's up for grabs this year.
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Posted by James W. on 08/15/2011
Hey Wallace, why do you think Bellamy is so important? I personally prefer Adam Johnson.
Wallace Reply Bellamy's speed on one wing with Johnson on the other. It's the combination which makes a 4-2-3-1 work brilliantly.
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Posted by Waqas Azeem on 08/15/2011
Wallace, Bellamy certainly doesn't feature in Mancini's plans. And other than SWP no one at the club has any pace on the wing. Same issue last year, teams setup in the middle, City no width and all those draws... But Mancini is still in the market for a winger, hope someone with pace and importantly, ability to cross the ball (No-Lenon please).
How do you see Clichy's debut? I think he was ok in the air, but poor on the ball. Swansea winger beat him 3 or 4 times... Can't see how he is an improvement over Kolarov.
Wallace Reply Yeah... that's kind of how my Arsenal friends described him. They weren't unhappy to see him leave which is never a good sign.
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Posted by Ben W on 08/16/2011
Wallace, I like the article but I have to disagree with your premise that MC played with a 4-4-2 in the 2nd half. You are obviously referring to the entrance of Kun as the moment the formation changed BUT Kun sat deep behind Dzeko in the center of the same 4-2-3-1 formation with Silva on the right. The reason it seemed the formation changed was because of the aggression and dynamics of Kun's runs and play on the ball - Silva was no longer the only target in the midfield and Swansea was losing the game and needed to attack. SO, my point is that the personnel was better late in the game but this might not have worked immediately as it did once the game was opened up and Swansea was tired and pressured.. one more thing: Kun is world class!
Wallace Reply I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the first part, but no argument about Kun... City now have two true world class players in Silva and Kun...
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Posted by Hari on 08/16/2011
Hi wallace,
long time!
i do agree abt the meek formation mancini started with......last season mayb it was acceptable but this season he really should be a little more bold......
bt wat i wanna ask u is about the tevez saga and whether nasri and aguero(unnecessary now) wil b good signings???
Wallace Reply Some players take 18 months to find their feet in the Premier League. Nasri was one. Some players take 9 minutes... that would be Aguero. Unbelievable debut.
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Posted by collin on 08/16/2011
welcome back...after watching the game yesterday if I was the owner of mc. Mancini would have to play a more attacking team like he did in the second half as the owners have spend the monies to give him one of the best team in the pm league. I don’t believe we need to play two holding mid fielders on the pitch at the same time as he did in the first half it was boring and frustrating. Leave one the holding mid out drop yaya back and play the other striker. We have to good a team on paper to be set up to play such boring football. Football is a game of passion it’s like dancing samba the way u move inspires others who is standing to want to move even when they are not moving. If the team play the way there did in the second half mc will be feared but in the first half just a rich team on paper.
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Posted by David on 08/16/2011
Hey Wally, good to see you back. Agree about the 4-2-3-1, and another point one could make is that the goal we scored from it came about from good play by Johnson, the speedy winger.
Since Mancini recognized the weakness in his choice and fixed it with the change to 4-4-2, I'm going to give him some credit for the win.
What did you think of Dzeko, by the way? He seemed more comfortable and dangerous than last year.
Thanks for writing! You really know the sport.
Wallace Reply The vast majority of foreign players take 18 months to settle in England. As such Dzeko has until the end of this season before I would worry about him. And indeed, as soon as Aguero came on and there were two forwards, Dzeko seemed much better. So I'm pretty sure he will turn out just fine.
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Posted by Zak on 08/16/2011
I don't think the point here was to say the formation employed from the start would lead to a loss, but that a different formation would have led to a far more dominating performance, specifically early on. I couldn't agree more. For a side that was larger, stronger, faster, and more skilled, City was not in the correct positions to utilize those advantages for long stretches of the first half. With a back line like he has, win or lose, why is Mancini so hesitant to loose the reigns? He seems to be hoarding as much attacking talent as possible, but is hesitant to let it truly ignite. Maybe that will change if Tevez ends up sticking around until January? A side with Kun, Silva and Tevez, no matter the formation, would seem destined for more 4-0 results.
Wallace Reply yeah... what he said!
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Posted by Mike on 08/16/2011
lol, you probably don't need to respond to every single trash talk post going "wat?? Wally's a id10t, 4 sur". I like reading responses to actual comments though.
Last year watching Man City I felt Silva was the only true world class player/creator on the team, the rest were just good hustle and muscle, but Aguero is a very good signing for this situation.
About this game, my only 2 comments are that I think people put too much emphasis on specific formations, since a game of football is not so rigid, like, if Lescott or Richards is finishing a play by going all the way to the other goal, does that mean Mancini has changed it to a 3-4-3 for 2 min? Stoke tied Chelsea not because they had a superior formation, but because they were super geed up for a home game against a big boy. Also, Swansea at home was a dream opening fixture, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Awesome debut for Aguero though
Wallace Reply Certainly the flow of the game can cause players to move into different positions. We saw that with Lescott where he came out of defense for the first goal and became an extra forward (ironically adding the second attacker)
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Posted by Tony on 08/17/2011
Did you notice Balotelli when they showed him on the sideline, while Aguero was doing his thing? It was priceless. He definately looked worried. Maybe this will light a fire under him and stop acting so childish.
Wallace Reply This will be Mancini's biggest challenge this year. Keeping everyone happy.
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Posted by Siri on 08/18/2011
Like your article. I have been watching Citi games for quite sometime and don't like MC formation where he put 2 DM. If he wants to win, he should set a more attacking formation. Let's take example on the game against Man Utd. Citi scored 2 goals with 1 DM and nil with 2 DM. In the game with Swansea, 2 DM with a 1 goal and 3 goals with 1 DM. Sad he could not see that....
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Posted by Manny Urbanus on 08/19/2011
Hi. Much of what Wallace has to say here is really irritating City fans all over the internet. I am a Citizen through and through, but the homer zeal with which so many blue Mancunians want to defend Mancini's tactics are irritating! LOOK AT MANCINI'S PAST. As a tactical coach he continues to exhibit the same flaws throughout a coaching career: dig-in trenches defending that belongs in the Serie B. Mancini never seeks to take advantage of offensive talents as a strategy, as he prefers his pattern of playing it safe, using holding tactics, height and size over speed and skill, etc. Going Defensive. He--in my opinion--is gathering attacking talent (Nasri, et al.) so that he can have a different player for each championship or cup race (or a rotation in all four). I have looked at his career from Lazio, to Inter, to Man City, and he has done exactly this, and it has always cost him the chance to seriously contend for the Champions League. This time it will cost him the EPL & CL.
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Posted by Musa on 09/09/2011
Robert Macini Is never a good couch, mancity have all it take to achieve everything in this season but my fear is Macini sometime he behave like he does not know anything about football. The reason why he's dropping A. Johnson for beach for full time i dont understand.
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About
Wallace Poulter is an award winning video game producer, designer, industry consultant and writer. He has been a football fanatic since the day he moved in next door to Brian Clough. "Cloughie" being the acknowledged genius that he was promptly moved out and went to manage Derby. A serviceable senior school left-back in his youth, Poulter played one season of Sunday league football as a striker proving conclusively that he was a serviceable senior school left-back! Today Poulter remains involved with football as a licensed referee and most recently as a consultant on a Football MMO.
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