Tevez to be absent for Manchester City game?

[Craig_H]

Hope this is true, it'd be sweet for us if both are missing.

[Shaggy]

Yeah there's a report in today's Mirror claiming the players can't stand his training sessions, changing plans at the last minute and 'ruining their social lives' , overly-defensive ideas etc. Hope it's all true

[-V-]

His preference to play 3 central midfielders is going to seriously piss them off. Barry doesn't have the pace to break from deep effectively. Its a shame Viera is getting suspended because it means he might be forced to play Ireland or SWP

[Chris]

Its a shame Viera is getting suspended

Agreed, think thats a massive blow for us. He is shot to pieces and Mancini playing 3 defensive midfielders doesnt suit them at all.

Whoever they play though they seem to look unmotivated and inept so hopefully its the same on sunday, though their money grabbers do tend to raise their game for the big teams at home.

[RedReet]

Deleted

[Redspin]

One other thing that came to mind - compare Mancini's stance on this, with Rafa's on Alonso, when he wanted to be with his partner for the birth of their child.

Slaughter me if you want, and the usual suspects obviously will, but this paints as emphatic a picture as anything, as to why people question how Rafa deals with his players as PEOPLE.

Sometimes seeing them as chess pieces or emotionless cogs in a machine, isnt the right way of looking at it. Ultimately, that's what cost us the services of Xabi Alonso.

If a player's getting £100K a week for kicking a ball around then as far as I'm concerned the manager can treat him as he likes. For another thing Sami Hyypia said recently that Rafa has excellent man-management skills, so I'll take his word rather than your opinion.

And, on another bugbear of mine, what's with this calling Alonso's missus his "partner". He's married isn't he, so she's his wife. If not she's his girlfriend. As far as I'm aware they're not a firm of quantity surveyors or solicitors

[Exiled_red]

Vieria's ban confirmed:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...959250,00.html

Vieira gets three-game ban
Midfielder ruled out for next three games
Last updated: 19th February 2010

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira has been handed a three-match ban by the Football Association over his clash with Glenn Whelan.

Vieira accepted a charge of violent conduct on Thursday after appearing to kick Whelan between the legs during Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Stoke.

The challenge infuriated Potters boss Tony Pulis who called on the FA to act on the matter after the game at the Britannia Stadium.

The FA have now confirmed Vieira will be suspended for three games, meaning he misses this weekend's Eastlands showdown with fellow UEFA Champions League hopefuls Liverpool.
The France international will also be sidelined for the FA Cup fifth round replay at Stoke and the trip to Chelsea a week on Sunday.

The news is a blow for Vieira as he had only recently established himself in Roberto Mancini's City side after injury.

Mancini admitted losing Vieira for three games was a big blow to his plans.

"Patrick made a mistake as far as I am concerned," said Mancini.

"He will now miss three important matches. It is a big problem for me, as he is experienced, and for Patrick as he needs games."

[Craig_H]

If a player's getting £100K a week for kicking a ball around then as far as I'm concerned the manager can treat him as he likes. For another thing Sami Hyypia said recently that Rafa has excellent man-management skills, so I'll take his word rather than your opinion.

And, on another bugbear of mine, what's with this calling Alonso's missus his "partner". He's married isn't he, so she's his wife. If not she's his girlfriend. As far as I'm aware they're not a firm of quantity surveyors or solicitors

You can pay someone £100 million pounds a week for all i care, that doesnt make them robots with no emotions and no ties to their family.

Sami Hyypia was hardly going to say anything different, was he? Naivety to think he would. Do you believe that every player/manager who speaks to the press, tells them exactly what he thinks of something? Or do you think lots of them say the 'right thing' and keep it diplomatic in public?

I didnt know whether or not Alonso was married, so i didnt call her his wife, because i wasnt sure on it. And 'girlfriend' makes him sound about 17

Its a shame Viera is getting suspended because it means he might be forced to play Ireland or SWP

Hopefully he'll play Ireland as a DM as has happened a couple of times already, i believe.

[-V-]

Agreed, think thats a massive blow for us. He is shot to pieces and Mancini playing 3 defensive midfielders doesnt suit them at all.

Whoever they play though they seem to look unmotivated and inept so hopefully its the same on sunday, though their money grabbers do tend to raise their game for the big teams at home.

Hopefully he'll play Ireland as a DM as has happened a couple of times already, i believe.

Looks like Kompany is injured, as is Petrov. Assuming Tevez and Bellamy are both out, Viera suspended.

Santa Cruz? Is he fit? If so then he will play along with Adebayor and Johnson.
So by way of elimination that only leaves them Barry, De Jong and Ireland for midfield.

The only other option they have is to leave out Cruz and play both SWP and Johnson in the wide positions which could cause us problems. Im hoping Insua isn't available as he could get smashed again

[Woobus]

Sami Hyypia was hardly going to say anything different, was he? Naivety to think he would.

Lol you're going out on a limb to have a dig at Rafa with this one, if he didnt think so he could just have said nothing about his man management skills and stopped after talking about being sure we would be finishing in the top 4.

[Craig_H]

Lol you're going out on a limb to have a dig at Rafa with this one, if he didnt think so he could just have said nothing about his man management skills and stopped after talking about being sure we would be finishing in the top 4.

I'm not 'having a dig' at him

It's a characteristic of many on this site, to isntantly jump on someone who posts ANYTHING critical, that suggests a Liverpool player or Rafa isnt perfect. Straight away, it's 'agenda' this and 'dig' that.

Based on the available evidence, and observing stuff that's happened, as well as things i've read, IN MY OPINION Rafa's people-management skills arent too good.

Either i think there's no aspect of his management style that needs improvement, or i'm having a dig?

Madness.

[Woobus]

I'm not 'having a dig' at him

It's a characteristic of many on this site, to isntantly jump on someone who posts ANYTHING critical, that suggests a Liverpool player or Rafa isnt perfect. Straight away, it's 'agenda' this and 'dig' that.

Based on the available evidence, and observing stuff that's happened, as well as things i've read, IN MY OPINION Rafa's people-management skills arent too good.

Either i think there's no aspect of his management style that needs improvement, or i'm having a dig?

Madness.

I know you havent been known to have constant digs at him and the team when we arent going well, just not your nature. Just saying his 'man management skills arent too good' is surely a slight dig? Hardly a compliament.
Whose judgement should we trust then, a Liverpool legend who has worked under him and knows the other players very well or someone on a message board who has very little inside knowledge of how the players think.
Sami was happy to speak out about Rafa while at the club I am sure he would be man enough to say what he believes after he has left the club.

[Craig_H]

I know you havent been known to have constant digs at him and the team when we arent going well, just not your nature. Just saying his 'man management skills arent too good' is surely a slight dig? Hardly a compliament.
Whose judgement should we trust then, a Liverpool legend who has worked under him and knows the other players very well or someone on a message board who has very little inside knowledge of how the players think.
Sami was happy to speak out about Rafa while at the club I am sure he would be man enough to say what he believes after he has left the club.

So unless we pretend Rafa's perfect, we are having a dig?

You cant make any criticisms, or you're having digs?

Surely thats silly.

I very much doubt that nobody who's worked under Rafa agrees with Sami.

He had a good relationship with Sami, so there'll obviously be positive things said. Pennant's view was different, but of course those kind of first hand opinions will be dismissed, because they dare to suggest fault in Rafa.

[Woobus]

So unless we pretend Rafa's perfect, we are having a dig?

You cant make any criticisms, or you're having digs?

Surely thats silly.

Who says Rafa is perfect? No one out there is perfect.

I would call it a dig as it seems to me that you're trying to say that anyone who believes Sami must be niave. Does Pennant have that view due to Rafas man management skills or due to Rafa getting rid of him, I am sure Pennant had a different view when he was playing all the time under Rafa. I would respect Sami's view over Pennants any day of the week.

Seems we have different meanings for having a dig at someone, I would definately say that was a dig but each to their own.

[Craig_H]

Who says Rafa is perfect? No one out there is perfect.

I would call it a dig as it seems to me that you're trying to say that anyone who believes Sami must be niave. Does Pennant have that view due to Rafas man management skills or due to Rafa getting rid of him, I am sure Pennant had a different view when he was playing all the time under Rafa. I would respect Sami's view over Pennants any day of the week.

Seems we have different meanings for having a dig at someone, I would definately say that was a dig but each to their own.

I'm not saying you'd be naive to believe Sami, i'm just saying it's one person's view and the issue is down to opinion.

Yet, if i express mine that Rafa's man management skills arent that good, it's treated as though i'm being factually incorrect and it's dismissed. People would say "I wouild rather take the opinion of someone who worked under rafa and within the club, than someone on a forum". Which ia fair enough. Pennant worked under him and within the club too - but of course, then the goal posts will get moved Because the opinion doesnt correspond with the status quo, so it'll be dismissed.

That's what i mean about anything positive = 'good post' or whatever and anything negative cant possibly be true, and therefore gets dismissed.

It's the same with newspaper articles that are posted on here. Any which praise us or Rafa are 'excellent article' and those which criticise are 'lazy journalism' or written by 'a clueless cunt'.

As i said, criticism or a negative opinion, is always 'a dig' or based on an 'agenda' etc etc

It seems that you cant just not rate a player, or a certain aspect or characteristic of the manager.

Eg, if i say i think Rafa's too cautious or too stubborn, i'd be accused of having an 'anti-rafa agenda'

You couldnt make it up sometimes.