Roberto Mancini defends tactics after Micah Richards comments
Last updated on .From the section Football

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has defended his tactical switches after Micah Richards raised concerns about playing with three centre-backs.
Richards claimed Mancini's decision to switch from 4-4-2 during the Champions League defeat at Ajax killed City's chances of claiming victory.
But Mancini said: "If you are a top player it is not important what system you use.
"If you don't understand a system like that, you cannot play for a top team."
City were leading 1-0 through Samir Nasri in Amsterdam before goals from Siem de Jong and Niklas Moisander swung the game in favour of the Dutch champions.
Mancini then instructed his players to switch formation in a bid to rescue the Group D game.
But home midfielder Christian Eriksen scored to seal a 3-1 victory to leave bottom-placed City facing an uphill task to reach the last 16 after taking one point from three games.
Afterwards, Richards admitted the Premier League champions were uncomfortable with the three centre-back formation, saying they preferred to play 4-4-2.
Mancini added: "What Micah said is not important. He answered a question. I understand people want to write about it, but to me it doesn't matter.
"Maybe Micah doesn't know because it was his first game for two-and-a-half months."
Comments
Join the conversation
Richards hasnt experienced playing 3 at the back, (which Mancini has been trying to introduce since pre-season), because he has been injured for months.
You mean apart from Lampard, Terry, Cole, Bertrand, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Brown, Ferdinand and Rooney?
How recently are you looking? I'm sure Lampard, Terry and Cole all got Champions League winning medals last season and they're English
Anyone like to promote it on here?
Zonal marking means someone smaller than you can get a run on you, doesn't make sense. Stay with your man and make sure he doesn't beat you to the heade.
Simple
Mancini does not even know how to control his players.
Give credit to Ajax and accept the fact that Mancini and players both have to take some responsibility for performance. To say Mancini is a bad managert and city just mercenaries is nonesense. Bad managers do not overturn 8 points deficits to win the league and while money has been spent, what is bought has to be managed. Mancini is a good manager - not great.
I think you're mad bro
However Micah made a point that he didn't have the experience of changing into that formation, so why change it if its a massive risk.
It would probably have been important to keep it level at 1-1 until the 70th minute, sub Micah off for an experienced defender and then adopt a 3-4-3 to try to win.