Time Manchester City got their house in order
Let’s be honest with ourselves about Tuesday’s match against Bayern Munich. Whether there were arguments on the bench or not, City were probably facing this Munich side at the wrong time.
The Munich that were involved on Tuesday evening were far far better than the team we had seen drop out of the competition so miserably last year under Louis van Gaal, they were far superior to Manchester City, tactically superior, their players wanted it more and there were a few Manchester City players that did not want to give the game the 100% it deserved.
The striker Dzeko was obviously upset after being substituted against one of his former Bundesliga rivals but wrongly so. The Bosnian looked lazy, almost half expecting his side to conjure up something special without the need to do the hard work, this did not work for the 25 year old as Mancini took noted of his poor display and took him off just after the interval.
It was at this moment where very much everything Manchester City had been trying to achieve over the last six months just went to the cleaners. Being upset about a substitution is one thing, showing it to the manager, the fans, the bench and the tv cameras is another, unprofessional and something he should very well be fined for.
Talking about Dzeko, Mancini said: “He was disappointed but he played a bad game, it is the last time any player at this club does that.”
The next situation was regarding Carlo Tevez who claims he was ready to play but Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claims he refused to. Someone is lying.
Mancini said of the Tevez issue on the night.
“He (Tevez) refuses to go in,” Mancini said. “He refused to come on the pitch. What I said to Carlos is between me, him and the team (but) I am really disappointed because it is Carlos. I decide the changes. It’s a bad situation, it’s important for a player to help the team. (The situation) is impossible.”
He continued:
“I wanted to calm everything and put Carlos Tevez on the pitch. I wanted to keep the score down and not concede a third goal. Can you imagine a Bayern Munich, Milan or Man United player doing this?”
“He refused to warm up and again refused to go on the pitch. If a player has a lot of money to play for Manchester City … he can’t (refuse to play), never. I think tonight we had a problem, in this game. Before, we never had a problem, we started the season very well but I can’t accept one player refusing to go in. We will speak about this with the chairman in the next few days.”
So from Mancini’s point of view it looks as though Tevez’s future at Manchester City has come to an end, but they will need to find a buyer soon and if he does not play for the club he will lack in match practice, something that will lower his current value even more.
Tevez does however deny that he refused to play, claiming it was another reason that he was not put on the pitch.
“I would like to apologise to all Manchester City fans, with whom I have always had a strong relationship, for any misunderstanding that occurred in Munich. They understand that when I am on the pitch I have always given my best for the club.”
Tevez added:
“In Munich on Tuesday I had warmed up and was ready to play. This is not the right time to get into specific details as to why this did not happen. But I wish to state that I never refused to play. There was some confusion on the bench and I believe my position may have been misunderstood.”
“Going forward I am ready to play when required and to fulfil my obligations.”
Whilst his statement probably won’t cut any ice with Mancini it does provide confusion amongst the ranks and the only way one will be able to tell if there is something happening at the club that sorts this mess out will be at the weekend in their next match.
They say money can’t buy you love, that money can’t buy you happiness – well that was proved right against Bayern Munich, however it is going to cost the club the most valuable commodity of all to sort this issue out – time, time that Carlos Tevez and Roberto Mancini probably do not have.
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