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Speaking to an ex City player when Manning was appointed I asked what the players would think taking instructions from someone who has never played the game, and never managed at their current level (I was just intrigued as in any other workplace that could lead to resentment). He said it wouldn't be a problem, they would treat him like any other manager and take on board what he said. He did then say however if the manager was not up to it they would quickly work him out, and that's when problems would set in and players would become disgruntled - I think we are now at that stage

He needs more time training the squad, haven't you listened to his interviews!

I was just about to post a similar thread. The people that know more about football than me - how are we supposed to be playing? The high press, winning the ball back in dangerous positions? Keeping possession, so I suppose if we have he ball the other team can't score? Eventually I suppose the plan is that if we have the ball all the time we will eventually create something? As Manning has said himself though, it only takes a second to score a goal. Other teamsbwho play a possession based game will move the opposition out of position, to create the opening, but I can't see how we will ever do this the way we play. The centre backs have the ball, but pass to the full back when the opposition are half way between the two of them, the full back will then get the ball and a player will be on him. Are we not supposed to draw the man so when the pass is made the player receiving will have time and space? When we break, we seem to do so so slowly, or turn back, which then mean the opposition get back behind the ball, so any advantage is gone. When we get high up into a crossing positions, we then turn and play the ball back, so the person crossing is doing so from a less favourable angle. When the ball is crossed low into the box, there is never anyone attacking he near post (as Tammy was so good at), so the ball would have to be perfect to avoid the defender, keeper, and our attacker be in perfect spot. All these things seem so obvious I cannot work out what I am misunderstanding. I cannot work out what, even if everyone was playing well, we are trying to achieve? People have said we lack quality, but so do most teams in most leagues, but they manage to score.

But he didn't go down the wing, it would have been good if he did. He didn't pull wide into space, he didn't make a run forward to try and get the ball. I can't work out if he genuinely didn't know what he was doing of if that was his instructions. A few times he was unlucky and just on a different wavelength to others with passes. I remember Semenyo having a similar performance so wouldn't write him off yet, and if the rest of rest of team had played well we wouldn't really be discussing it.

The Leeds match was a new low for me in terms of atmosphere. 1 down, an injury time corner, and not even a 'come on your reds'. Maybe everyone just new it would be a poor delivery!

Just wonder how many Andi would have scored if he had played more often through the centre, the position he said he wanted to play when he signed!

Am I missing something here? The linesman put his flag up but the ref correctly overruled him?

Which games would you say were a worse atmosphere than today out of interest? Today it was pretty much silent for 90 minutes, I can't see how it could be any worse. I agree to an extent with the initial post. I have seen many games over the years where we have been bad, very bad, technically players much worse than our current squad, but in terms of entertainment, today was one of the worst. There was just nothing, we barely got near their goal. We didn't even have a go. What I don't understand is why when there was an option to break away, outnumber them, we would delay, or turn back, they would get behind the ball and we would be back to square one again, side to side again where the chances of getting forward and scoring were next to nothing.

Would you be saying the same if he has scored the chances he should have in the last two games?

I'm still trying to work out what James was doing for the goal. You could have driven the team bus through in the space he let him have to get the shot in. Fantastic finish though.

So the fans who sit on their phone moaning are the hard core, but those that travel the length of the country watching City are not, strange comment

Your first paragraph is exactly what JL did say in his interview though.

But if they had said that a significant amount of teams in the same league would have money coming out their ears and that £200m was not a particularly large amount in comparison to them, our achievements (or lack of) may have been viewed differently again.

Is finishing consistently higher than we have for 40 years not considered success?

But the additional pay they are receiving is actually being donated to another charity, so is that still greedy?