Roberto Mancini: City Should Forget Last Season’s Win and Focus on Current Season

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said that his side should not delve too much on their landmark Premier League win last season and focus instead on winning the current one.

Mancini remarked his disappointment after his side were playign against tough oponnent Arsenal last Sunday. He noted that they should not have given away the first-half lead by Joleon Lescott, citing faults in their defence and lack of attacking flair that led the match to end 1-1.

The City squad have never lost any league games since the season started, marking three draws and two wins in five matches. Mancini emphasized that last season’s victory is now part of “…the past, it is history,” and urged his side to work harder to defend their title.

Last Sunday’s fixture proved an unsatisfying experience for Mancini, as he reportedly shoved Mario Balotelli towards the exit tunnel following their fuming verbal exchange. The striker noted his disappointment for a nonappearance against Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League opener. The Italian manager denied pushing the player down.

Arsenal proved to be the better side last Sunday, as they appeared to dominate ball possession. City managed to open the scoring through Lescott’s header. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure were not able to convert their opportunities that could have broken Laurent Koscielny’s equalizer, while Balotelli failed to impress given his limited 85th-minute entry into the pitch.

Mancini cited City’s failure to dominate scoring and defend properly as their main problem. Saying that more hard work is the key, he remains dismayed with their missed chances in the second half against Arsenal, which he views as a serious contender for the league title.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger noted that he is “pleased” with the point his side gained in their draw against City. While he remains satisfied with their class in performance, he noted that they could have pushed for more.

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Photo credits:

Manchester City vs. Arsenal [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 25 September 2012, from <http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/09/24/the-match-in-pictures-manchester-city-1-1-arsenal/ >