The murmuring around Old Trafford provided a strange buzz that required no explanation: City just fell behind late. The predictable singing aimed at the Blues rolled around the ground.
United sit on top, one point over City, with ten games left after United’s 2-0 defeat of West Brom and City’s 1-0 loss at Swansea.
This lead looms large, as Red Devils also possess an easier run-in, with the Middle Eastlands needing to play Chelsea, Arsenal, as well as United. Sir Alex’s side could sit four points clear before the Blues kickoff next weekend, piling pressure on his Italian counterpart.
And it's beginning to show.
Mancini played the role of devastated manager, in a very Wenger-like performance, mystified by the result, unnerved, and seemingly unable to conjure up anything to help his side move forward.
Contrast the City gaffer to Fergie’s focused attention in his post-match comments, including, at no extra charge, free translations from Sir Alex Ferguson’s The Art of War, Premiership Edition:
"The City defeat was a bonus I didn't expect (A horrible blunder; how could you loose THAT game?!) but I am happy to be top (as in you can’t handle it) because only a few weeks ago we were seven points behind them (United’s brilliant ascendency; the Blues’ massive collapse).
"That is credit to the players and the resilience of the squad (against all odds) because as everyone knows, we have had a lot of injuries (If you can’t stay ahead of us when we’re injured, you stand no chance now, as we approach fitness.).''
The media portray Roberto Mancini as a tactician, one who is a bit aloof from his players, which doesn’t bode well for the title run-in.
Teams in City’s position need to reframe the media conversations around the side, with comments like “We’re disappointed with the result today, but there’s still over a quarter of the season to play. It’s a long race that will go to the wire. We accept that. Yet, we play United at home and view that as a major advantage. We like our chances.”
Nothing of the kind will come from this cool Italian. So, if the manager won’t lift City, who will?
Some suggest it could be Carlos Tevez.
THAT man from Argentina doesn’t deserve a second chance, with Carlito’s Way difficult for all to comprehend, as he’s brilliantly determined striker, one capable of carrying a team for a spell.
On the other hand, as we’ve witnessed, he’s unprofessional, petty, and childish to the extreme – a high-risk, high-reward gamble that can turn cancerous. Oh, and what added pressure Tevez’ return could place on Mancini, who once stated he’d never again play for the club.
We all know in life, until you’ve accomplished something, it is human nature to doubt, if only on occasion, until you finally accomplish a penultimate goal as difficult as winning the Premier League.
World-class footballers possess a rare confidence, a sheer force of will it takes to beat incredible odds to reach the pinnacle of the beautiful game. One blog writer smack-dab in the middle of North America is no expert about sports psychology, without question.
Yet, it doesn’t take any education or experience to see what’s transpiring absolutely naked right in front of us, in the gobsmacked expression on Mancini’s fate in Cardiff. Just look at the man.
Roberto will face countless questions about the Blue’s title credentials from now until season’s end, with any missteps, any miscalculated tactics – like playing two holding midfielders and taking off Silva early today, hint-hint – drawing major scrutiny. The questions and pressure take their toll.
Sir Alex will exploit this to no end, assuredly, as that’s the luxury that comes from winning the Premier League twelve times. People don’t doubt United.
We’ve witnessed this film before. We know the story. We love how it ends.
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