Mancini finds Silva ’n goals - 7M sport

Mancini finds Silva ’n goals



I have a say

Posted Monday, December 26, 2011 by The Sun

Mancini finds Silva ’n goals
BLUE HEAVEN ... David Silva and Sergio Aguero have been a dream team for Roberto Mancini

DAVID SILVA says Roberto Mancini deserves a huge pat on the back for not parking the bus at Manchester City.

The Premier League leaders are scoring goals for fun, banging them in at an average of more than three a game.

Yet when Mancini first moved in at the Etihad two years ago, many fans were wary of the arrival of a defensive boss with an eye on what the opposition might do rather than his own team.

But big signings and a bagful of goals have changed all that — with the mercurial Silva pulling all the strings in midfield.

It doesn't matter who the Spanish star plays behind — Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko — City have run riot thanks to his pinpoint passes.

But the 25-year-old World Cup winner, who cost City £26million when they signed him from Valencia in summer 2010, insists it is all down to Mancini.

Silva said: "The manager plans all our matches with an offensive vision and this is so positive for my style of game.

"Mancini is not the habitual Italian coach who thinks only about maintaining a lead.

"I remember how he insisted that it is better to win 3-2 than 1-0. Thanks to that philosophy I have improved my game and I am grateful to him.

"Actually, I am enjoying my best ever moments as a professional. My mission at City is clear — to create goals for the forwards. First, it was for Tevez, now Aguero is our main attacker.

"For Tevez, I would search to give him dribbling opportunities so he could use his speed. For Aguero, the key is to deliver the ball in the area and let him search for the space.

"Dzeko or Mario need a more controlled ball to enable them to shoot. But I hope I make good contact with whoever is in attack.

"That's been the key to my two seasons here.

"Luckily, I have worked in Spain with different coaches — Quique Sanchez Flores, Ronald Koeman, Unai Emeri, Luis Aragones, Vicente del Bosque. Each boss has a special style but Quique, Unai and Mancini are very similar in their ideas about connecting midfield to attack.

"Initially I had doubts about adaptating to English football and it wasn't easy.

"But the key has been all the help from my team-mates and the confidence of the coach.

"From the first day, Mancini explained exactly what he wanted and gave me plenty of scope to play.

"The secret of my success here is down to work, work and more work — both in training sessions and matches."

City's goal machine finally came a cropper when they lost at Chelsea two weeks ago.

But they rebounded from their only Premier League defeat so far with back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Stoke and will kick off at West Brom today two points clear of rivals Manchester United.

Mancini reckons it will take 90 points to win the title this term and Silva said: "I'm not obsessed with numbers but, if the boss says 90, then that will be our objective.

"Our dream is winning the Premier League. We certainly want to win all our home games but we realise we are not invincible.

"No one is... even Barcelona suffer defeats now and then.

"West Brom are in mid-table but they can cause significant problems, so this is a big match.

"In fact, every match is like a cup final from now on.

"I have to say it's quite special for me to play on Boxing Day. In Spain, I never played at Christmas but it's a great tradition here and a great spectacle for the fans.

"We have six matches in 15 days but we are professionals and there are no negatives."

Silva has already circled the date of March 17 in his 2012 diary — the day City face Chelsea again.

The Spaniard said: "Juan Mata and I were together in Valencia for some years. I can't wait to face him again when we'll be looking for victory.

"Our loss at Chelsea is in the past. We deserved more but can't change the result. We must win next time."



Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.