Hughes needs to solve the issue with Robinho and fast
Manchester City find themselves in a predicament that was always going to be inevitable given their spending tactics over the last year. They have an unbalanced side in which they are spoilt for choice in certain positions, yet are lacking in quality in others. Take their strike force for example. Mark Hughes has the dilemma every game of choosing from a list of names that include Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Robinho, Roque Santa Cruz and even Benjani. He is in a situation where he cannot satisfy all of the egos in his squad and his most pressing issue is undoubtedly the Brazilian Robinho.
The striker was the talisman that led City’s season last year. His 14 goals greatly contributed to Mark Hughes’ side finishing in the top half of the table and without him you could argue that the Welshman would no longer be in charge of the Manchester club given the high expectations of the owners. However, the Brazilian has missed out of much of this season with an ankle injury and his situation at Eastlands has changed greatly.
The former Real Madrid man is no longer a first choice striker with Adebayor and Tevez preferred. Robinho has found his chances limited to wing roles and although he was effective there last season and a player of his class can still be dangerous from the flanks, it is clear that he has not been performing this campaign. The competition for the returning Martin Petrov has not installed the fight and drive into the Brazilan that Hughes would have hoped. In addition to his head has been consistently turned by the temptation of Barcelona who have expressed an interest in the flamboyant attacker. Robinho is one of those players who can have the world at his feet when he is on form and everything is going his way yet he is less willing to fight for the cause when the going gets tough. I do not believe that he is enjoying the fact that he is no longer the flagship signing of the Manchester City revolution.
In recent games Robinho has been deployed in a familiar wide role yet has been thoroughly disappointing. I watched the Chelsea match in which City performed heroically in a hard fought win yet I forgot Robinho was even playing until hearing his name mentioned around the 60th minute mark. He has the ability to drift out of games and there is the sense that his interest at Manchester City is fading. Last night against Spurs he had another away day in which he isolated left back Sylvinho, leaving the in-form Aaron Lennon to torment the 35-year-old Brazilian for 90 minutes. Whereas last season the Brazilian would be at the centre of the match, floating across the park, this year he has found himself drifting out of games.
Mark Hughes needs to solve the issue of Robinho and fast. It looks like the Barcelona ship has sailed for the attacker yet Hughes needs to define the role Robinho has to play in the new Man City set up. You could argue that the range of players that Manchester City have in attack means that they are unable to find a system that suits all of them. Robinho is a little like Didier Drogba in the sense that he needs to believe he is one of the most important members of the squad in order to perform. When on a run of form the striker can be one of the world’s most dangerous players but he is currently underperforming and is in a predicament. It will be interesting to see the rumours that are circulated about Robinho during the transfer window and the January period will no doubt help determine his role within the side. Robinho does have the ability to see be a key player for City, but his attitude and performances need to change. It is worth Hughes doing his utmost to keep the Robinho but the Brazilian needs to be solely focused on being a Manchester City player.
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Robinho IS NOT THE PROBLEM!! Firstly,proper tactics was what was needed in this situation.We should not want Robinho to track back!His attributes are best used in attack. How did it work for Man Untd with Ronaldo and it can’t for City?Flawed argument!Hughes is not a good tactical manager plain and simple!.When the game started and I saw Sylvinho on the left with Robinho I was in total disbelief! Total mismatch.Made me feel like I could be a Premiership Manager. He could have started by switching Tevez(workrate)and Robinho(because Robinho is not solely a left sided player).He could have used Kompany alongside Toure and use Richards on the left because he is quicker than Sylvinho.He had Zabaleta and Onuhua at his disposal as well.And if City are not to be made to look vulnerable in the center,then they need to press high and win the ball early.Not zone!Kranjcar and Palacios had too much space afforded to them because of such and fed whoever at will.
Secondly, Robinho is Robinho and Tevez is Tevez.Both with different attributes.A very good manager recognises the difference in the 2(both very integral to City’s cause) and tries to be able to utilise them both to the benefit of the team.It’s acceptance that is what is needed.When we see Tevez running back and scrapping we want Robbie to be the same way.But why should he be?He is not that!Do we understand why Sir Alex has been so successful?Another coach would not have been honest enough to build the team around the best player in Ronaldo(not Rooney).And he might have been made to play as a winger for the rest of his life in England(which Hughes is doing with Robbie).Ronaldo was not asked to scrap and Sir Alex recognised that his attributes would have been best used going forward not defending.The team was designed to accommodate Ronaldo in this way( either by pressing high or with one of the central midfielders going across to help Neville ALWAYS).City needs to do the same.Imagine having De jong and Barry and not deploying either one to do that?? We need to stop making excuses for Hughes’ failings as a manager!Hughes is so busy trying to make Robbie the scapegoat by not utilising him properly and then taking him off(causing the average joe to think that it was Robinho’s fault.)But not all of the people out there are football brain dead!
One must not buy into this common English belief (and yes Im English too)that football is about running and trying to cover every blade of grass on the pitch and being “committed.” It’s quite cultural actually.To be successful requires one to think outside the box and see things differently ,see the football differently.Understanding and respecting different cultures. Think about it for a second.Why did Capello take the same group of players that Mc Claren had(who could not qualify for the Euros)and transform them into a team that did not lose a game in Qualifying? 1. Capello is a very good tactician and utilises players based on their specific attributes(Emile Heskey anyone?.2 Mc Claren was one dimensional and lacked any sort of tactical awareness.He would have picked Owen(based on sentiment and on 3 years ago form). Capello on the other hand is not budging.(Sorry guys he is not going to South Africa barring a miracle).Why does Brazil continue to be world beaters(despite our thinking that we have the best league and players)?Why does Robinho play well for Brazil and is not performing for City? Tactics and understanding of the cultural differences friend.My point is Hughes is Welsh.He was a bustling forward in his time and therefore thinks all players should be this way.Do we hear of any Spanish teams interested in Bellamy?Yes he is quick,yes he runs and runs and chases back…but HE IS NO ROBINHO! Why then haven’t they come knocking on his door? Why?Because Robinho would be used to optimise his ability fully. That’s why!
Take Barca for example.Last year Chelsea isolated Messi for long periods,double teamed him and gave him the odd kick here and there.What did Guardiola do in the next game(knowing that this still was his best player and he would need him to win the Final?)He played him in the Center Forward position causing Untd major problems(Evra had actually been psyching himself up for a battle of the midgets)but it never came and the rest is history.That my friend is proper use of tactics nad brain.Do you think Hughes is capable of such ingenuity? Nope! It’s strictly the same-Santa Cruz for Adebayor with Bellamy,Petrov and Robinho battling.No creativity or reshuffling.Trying Robbie on the right or alongside Ade up front. Trying Tevez and Ireland as Attacking midfielders in A 4-2-2-2 system..Even 4-1-2-2-1(with De jong sitting infront the 2 Central Defenders,Barry and Ireland infront with Robinho and Tevez causing havoc behind Ade.He has no clue and is a mediocre manager with mediocre staff!Guardiola also trusts his player. Something Hughes definitely has to work on.Taking him off is only going to isolate Robinho and affect his confidence.ANOTHER COACH PLEASE?? BETTER MANAGER NEEDED!!
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Mark Hughes is not the right man for ManCity. He was better with his prev. clubs but their expectations are not so high like mancity. Change hughes city will fly with amount of money power they have. He totally messed up while buying players…hes the wrong man at the right place!
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Rodney – I must say I enjoyed reading that, think there is a lot of sense in your argument and you’re clearly a very well informed Man City/football fan.
I am not trying to necessarily say Robinho is the problem, more that Hughes needed to work out his tactics to find out the role that he wants Robinho to play, because at the moment he is being a bit wasted and is underperforming because of it. Hughes is gone now so it will be interesting to see what set up Mancini goes with and in particular in what role he deploys Robinho.
I also agree with the English work ethic sentiment to a certain extent although I think that it is much more key in the English PL because of the pace and strength involved in the English game. The Spanish league is much more suited to players such as Robinho I think and that’s why they will never be interested in someone like Bellamy, because it doesn’t suit there style. There is little benefit to come from fielding 11 hard working players but having said that in the Prem you need a number of solid players for the foundations. I believe Hughes could not decide which direction he wanted to take and this may have contributed to a Jekyll and Hyde like City
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