Maybe the famous scarf was tied on too tight, but Roberto Mancini looked strangled at the Britannia Stadium last night.
Strangled by the direct, uncompromising approach of hosts Stoke City. Strangled by the inability of his forwards to finish off a multitude of chances. Strangled by Emmanuel Adebayor getting himself stupidly sent off in the closing stages of normal time.
Strangled by the expectations and pressure placed upon his shoulders by megabucks owners and an increasingly demanding support. That banner hanging from the Stretford End at Old Trafford is safe. It’s still 34 years since Manchester City have won a major trophy.
Yet it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Mancini was hired because previous boss Mark Hughes couldn’t turn draws into wins. At full time last night, City had drawn their fourth 90 minutes in a row, three of those to Stoke and one in an almost shamefully negative performance at home to Liverpool. Hughes only lost two of his 21 matches in charge this season; Mancini has now lost four in 15, exiting two cup competitions and being drawn back into the pack chasing fourth spot in the table. It’s Chelsea away on Saturday too.
At most clubs in the country it would be crazy to talk about the increasing pressure on a manager almost two months to the day since he was appointed, but City aren’t like most clubs, their wealthy owners, the obstinate Garry Cook and their vocal support have made that clear, and Mancini’s body language last night portrayed a man who is feeling the heat. The owners and supporters want success yesterday – Hughes found that out to his cost – and with the possibility of trophies removed from the immediate horizon, Mancini now simply has to achieve Champions League qualification. You’d fear for him if he didn’t.
That edginess seems to be consuming him. At the end of normal time last night he marched towards Stoke boss Tony Pulis to make clear his displeasure at the home side’s approach before – perhaps reminding himself of tales of James Beattie and the Emirates Stadium changing room – wisely backing down.
He has a real fight on his hands to secure a place in the top four, a challenge not helped by the fact that his widely lauded strike force suddenly looks a little weaker. Adebayor will miss the next three matches, Craig Bellamy’s knee injury could flare up at any time, Roque Santa Cruz is as rusty as an old gate and who knows what frame of mind Carlos Tevez will be in when he returns from his family emergency in Argentina?
The honeymoon period is certainly over at Eastlands, and while Mancini is fully deserving of the chance to put right the several wrongs that have blighted recent weeks, he’ll have to act quickly if he is to avoid a messy divorce.
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