The axe teeters perilously over Roberto Mancini following another season in which Champions League football has not yet been safely acquired and a Premier League challenge has faded with a whimper.
Another significant influx of arrivals this term appeared to give Manchester City a fighting chance of mounting a substantial assault both domestically and in Europe. But ultimately, Mancini is no closer in achieving the ambition etched around Eastlands.
City often refer to their football strategy as a project, in other words, they are targeting sustained success which may take a number of seasons to reach, rather than instantaneous trophies. But patience, as former boss Mark Hughes would testify, is in short supply at Eastlands, and another campaign devoid of silverware could spell the end for Mancini, considering his substantial outlay.
Ironically, three of City’s more consistently influential players this season, Vincent Kompany, Nigel de Jong and Carlos Tevez, were all Hughes masterstrokes.
During Mancini’s reign, out of the eight players designed to be thrown straight into the first-team, only David Silva, Yaya Toure and arguably Adam Johnson can be regarded as indispensable personnel at this point. The rest still have much to justify.
Edin Dzeko remains one of the blots on Mancini’s copybook as the £26 million man has failed to make an immediate impact since his arrival in January.
In the five Premier League games the Bosnian has appeared, City have scored three times - none coming from the former Wolfsburg man.
Dzeko’s heralded link-up play, which was trumpeted by Mancini on his arrival, also appears to have been left in Germany as his last two games have seen him complete just 61% of his passes – the lowest of any from City’s outfield players.
Another signing which has failed to convince has been the problematic Mario Balotelli. Flashes of brilliance mixed with acts of petulance have seen the Italian carded 10 times this season in 19 outings.
Mancini warned upon unveiling the 20-year-old that his personality needed to be controlled but stories of training ground bust-ups along with suitcases being thrown prove the City boss is nowhere close to harnessing Balotelli’s obvious talent, while subduing the starlet’s temperament.
Aleksandar Kolarov is another arrival who has frustrated many at Eastlands. The novelty of being able to strike the ball sweetly with his left foot has been replaced by the sour incidents involving miss-hit crosses and slack defending.
Mancini sought to remedy the Serb’s questionable defensive ability by playing him in a more advanced role, but with a completion rate of just 76% in the league, his involvement in City’s attack with always be limited.
The City boss admitted after his side’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool that his tactics and team selection were both wrong. The Italian has also previously bemoaned the fixture schedule which has left one of the strongest squads in the league fatigued. Against Manchester United on Saturday, it’s difficult to envisage a credible excuse should his men lose.
For now, an FA Cup trophy will have to be classed as a successful season but with the talent at his disposal, Mancini may not be given another campaign to prove his signings improved City in the long term.
