Would an FA Cup victory really mean an unsuccessful season for Roberto Mancini?

16 April 2013 08:51

Roberto Mancini's Manchester City side are fifteen points a drift (With one game played less) from table topping rivals with just seven games to go, even the most optimistic City fan would have to admit that it will be a very tough task for the league champions to hold on to the Premier League crown which they won in such dramatic fashion, with the league campaign practically over could victory in the FA Cup be enough for City's season to be branded “successful”? Would a win in the FA Cup still not be enough? Would failure to retain the league title signify a step back in the development and evolution of City?

It's no hidden secret that Manchester City's season has been one muddied by inconsistency and under performing players, after a severely disappointing performance in the Champions League which saw City lose out in a group which has produced two of the four Champions League semi-finalists, the league began to slip away after a series of draws and disappointing results climaxing in a humbling defeat at St Mary's, a venue where many other “big teams” have fallen this season, the FA Cup offers City a chance of redemption, a chance for the players to show the fans and the rest of the world that they still have a burning desire to win trophies for their team, but is it too little to late?

I do not believe that victory in the FA Cup is ever “too little” as it is one of the most prestigious trophies in world football and one which many teams dream of winning. After defeating Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley yesterday Manchester City have a big chance of winning the trophy with only relegation threatened Wigan standing in their way, if City were to do so it would mean a third trophy in as many years and after a drought which saw City go over thirty years without winning a single trophy more glory in the FA Cup would be seen as a great success, which it is.Another point which has to be made is the fact that in the event of City not lifting the FA Cup a trophy-less season wouldn't be such a disaster as many football journalists state in their respective newspapers and The Sun. You may argue that after the vast sums of money that Roberto Mancini has spent on assembling his squad and the amounts that he has at his disposal City should be winning the Premier League every year at the very least but no team in the world no matter how much or little money is thrown at the squad can win trophies every season, no team can forever retain titles and trophies, a fantastic example of this is Manchester United's trophy-less season last season, they lost in every competition, they failed to retain the title, they crashed out of a relatively straightforward group in the Champions League, they failed to win the FA Cup, they even lost in the League Cup but did they panic? Was there speculation about the future of their manager? The answering of all of those questions is easy, the answer is a blunt: No.

The answer is a no because as shocking as it may sound, “big teams” can actually have trophy-less seasons and not have to react irrationally.

Instead of reacting irrationally, City should build on this season, let's not forget the fact that despite the inconsistencies we have had some fantastic results this season, finally breaking the trend by winning at the Emirates Stadium, reaching the FA Cup final and beating deadly rivals

Manchester United at Old Trafford just to name a few. Because with just a couple of good, rational signings I firmly believe that this City side can compete on all fronts next season, of course that is only if we keep the man who made our Premier League glory happen, no not Aguero, the man who made the Aguero goal possible, Roberto Mancini.

Source: DSG