Whilst Carlos Tevez’s name has dominated the media headlines since his refusal to leave the bench last Tuesday against Bayern Munich, it dawned on me that the only man to benefit from the entire episode is Roberto Mancini. He can now get rid of the Argentine without any uproar. He has been backed by other managers and most importantly it has taken the focus off his team being thoroughly outclassed during the game.
This whole scenario has threatened to boil over for months and it appeared that sooner or later something like this would happen. Even though it has not shown the club in a great light it has for the first time, given City sympathisers. Everyone now suddenly feels sorry for Mancini and the City team for having to put up with someone so clearly self-obsessed. On Friday, the situation became even more beneficial when Sky Sports front man and sometime Spurs manager Harry Redknapp spoke out against Tevez and praised the Italian manager for his dealing of the situation; it must have been music to Mancini’s ears.
However, everyone seems to have missed the whole point of Tuesday night. Manchester City failed miserably in their first real test of the season and were horribly exposed at numerous points. The ease at which Bayern retained possession will have alarmed the management team at City and actually re-enforces the Italian’s claims that he still needs more midfield players at the club in order to turn them into true contenders.
It is of course still early in the advancement of the team, especially in Europe where they are relative newcomers to the continent’s most illustrious competition. The standard of Europe’s elite has not been higher in recent years and Bayern are a side full of confidence, and understandably so. The core of the side has played together for years and has an understanding that is only replicated at Barcelona.
Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was simply magnificent in midfield and must be considered one of the leading exponents of the modern day midfielder. It is quite remarkable that at just 27 years of age he already has 89 international caps for Germany and has been a member of the Bayern first eleven for the last eight years. Having begun his career on the right of midfield he has been moved into the middle where he dictates play as well as anyone around at the moment.
The contrast in the City side was highlighted several times throughout the game when they were exposed defensively. Players such as Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure are more than adequate at Premiership level but are quite simply left wanting at the very top. If City are to compete with the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, they have to be defensively sound. The rest of their side has been built up steadily and replaced once the next step has been made and the defence must now be the area of concern.
The look on Mancini’s face when the second goal went in was one of pure frustration. He had read the tactical side of the game poorly, and he knew it. To travel to the Allianz Arena and play with Aguero, Nasri and Silva behind Dzeko was indeed a bold move and one that backfired. The irony of the whole thing is that going into a game such as this there would have been nobody better to start than Carlos Tevez. His work rate when playing on his own up front is something quite extraordinary and was a vital part of City’s qualification for this tournament.
Whatever the full extent of the conversation on the bench on Tuesday, it will probably never come to light but it has benefited Mancini wonderfully for now. Carlos Tevez has been made the scapegoat and will surely never feature for City again. At a time when managers are scrutinised in the media daily it must be a huge relief for the Italian that the game has been completely forgotten
Photo courtesy of cvrcak1.
