If ever there was any doubt that effervescent Portuguese football tactician, Jose Mourinho is the best the game has to offer presently in terms of management, then such doubts would have been laid to rest as a result of his enviable pedigree. When Mourinho left FC Porto for Chelsea immediately Russian Billionaire, Roman Abramovich bought over the club, not a few argued that the success Mourinho recorded was due to the availability of mega bucks at his disposal, without taking into cognizance the fact that the Portuguese guided a bunch of young talents at FC Porto to win the coveted UEFA Champions League. The question that Mourinho die hard critics should ask themselves is why Manchester City with all the mega buys made by Italian tactician, Roberto Mancini with Arab billions is not making the desired instant success the Portuguese made in Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Real Madrid? Learned football followers will acknowledge that Roberto Mancini bought a bunch of players with great industry, strength, average technical ability and zero creativity. This largely accounts for the low number of goals and near zero entertainment Manchester City is currently offering. Take it or leave it, the only natural finisher in Manchester City is Roque Santa Cruz, who has almost been permanently confined to the bench! Maverick Argentine striker, Carlos Tevez and Togolese pride, Emmanuel Adebayor are more of support strikers than finishers, yet Mancini would rather play either of them as a lone striker with a bunch of midfielders who are richly possessed with strength and industry without creativity as back up. How can Roberto Mancini play Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure, James Milner, Nigel De Young or Patrick Viera and David Silva, who plays directly behind Tevez in a 4-4-1-1 formation and expect to get goals?
While this formation worked against Chelsea because of its overwhelming strength against John Obi Mikel, Ramires and Michael Essien, without Frank Lampard who does a bit of creative link up for Chelsea, Mancini’s formation will always fail against a very creative and technical side. It remains to be seen why Italian tactician prefers to bench England’s new sensation, Adam Johnson, a player who is very skilful and technically sound or even Shaun Wright Philips with his pace and determination for an over rated James Milner.
The disquiet emanating from the City of Manchester among sections of Mancini’s players, particularly in the area of indiscipline makes one to think if the Italian has the ability to manage the temperament of players like Mario Balloteli, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Nigel De Young. Until Roberto Mancini injects creativity in his midfield and perfectly manage the bunch of temperamental high profile players he has procured, the billions of Manchester City can not guarantee any laurel at both the domestic front and Europe.
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