City boss Mancini not taking things for granted against Welsh delight
Monday, August 15th, 2011 12:31:00
Mancini: Difficult to play against a newly-promoted side
On paper, a home fixture against a team who have come up from the Championship would appear to many to be an ideal assignment for City in their Premier League opener.
But last season's promoted trio Newcastle, West Brom and Blackpool — who memorably got their campaign started with a 4-0 thumping of Wigan at DW Stadium — all fared well in their initial round of league matches and were each positioned in the top half after 10 games.
With that in mind, there is no danger of Mancini underestimating the task that awaits his players.
"When you start the season and you play against a team who come from the Championship, it is really difficult," said the Italian.
"Last season, with all the teams that came from the Championship, it was very hard to play against them in the first 10 games and it will be the same this time around. But this is why the Premier League is difficult. Every game is hard."
Swansea will be the first Welsh team to compete in the Premier League.
They have become renowned for their dynamic brand of football over the last few years and Mancini is well aware of the kind of challenge the Swans are likely to pose.
"I have watched many of their games," said Mancini.
"Swansea play good football.
They don't play long ball and they have good players.
"Their manager Brendan Rodgers is good — last season, he played really good football and got promoted."
Although Mancini's expensively assembled squad are being widely tipped to mount a serious title challenge this season, he has been keen to stress the difficulties of the early part of a season, both in terms of player recruitment and condition.
Although Mancini's expensively assembled squad are being widely tipped to mount a serious title challenge this season, he has been keen to stress the difficulties of the early part of a season, both in terms of player recruitment and condition.
He is currently being forced to operate short of what he had hoped, with any talks over Samir Nasri's expected move from Arsenal too late to give the Frenchman a chance of being involved against Swansea.
Record signing Sergio "Kun" Aguero is still some way short of full fitness as well, while controversial Carlos Tevez only came back to training last Monday.
"I think the first 10 games are very difficult — the squad is not 100 per cent ready," said Mancini.
"It needs four or five games to find good form for the players."
Tevez will sit out the game tomorrow, while Aguero may feature for the first time since his £38m (RM185.7m) move from Atletico Madrid, but Mancini reckons the 23-year-old can contribute only 45 minutes at best.
Taken from Malay Mail Online
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