KIEV (DF) -- Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has launched a stringent defense of his negative tactics following an uninspiring 2-0 Europa League defeat to Dynamo Kiev on Thursday night, claiming that his City side would be fully capable of winning the Italian Serie A.
"This is how we play in Italy," alleged Mancini after City's ineffectual performance in Kiev. "I won three titles with Inter this way. You play slow, don't move, pass it sideways, and the ball goes in."
A first half goal from former Chelsea and Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko coupled with Oleg Gusev's second half strike ensured the Blues have it all to do next Thursday at Eastlands. Many in the media have been left scratching their heads over the Italian's refusal to allow his crop of world-class players the freedom to express themselves.
"It's hard to believe a player with such fantastic flair could turn out to be such a defensive manager," said former City trainee Liam Murphy, who now follows the club with the Manchester Evening News. "We couldn't win Serie A. We can't even beat Dynamo Kiev. If Edin Dzeko winds-up playing on the left wing and Pablo Zabaleta turns out to be the most attacking midfielder, we're in deep trouble."
Criticism of Mancini's pessimistic tactics wasn't limited to experts in the media, as a plurality of City supporters took to the airwaves and internet last night to express their displeasure. Several who had made the long trip to Kiev felt especially aggrieved.
"I traveled 2,500 miles and spent over 1,000 quid to watch this rubbish?" asked one disgruntled City supporter outside the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium. "What a joke. If I wanted to watch this sort of football, I could just drive down from Blackley on Sunday and see it when we play Reading."
