The Unconvincables

The Beatles once sang that money couldn't buy them love. For Roberto Mancini, money couldn't buy his side a shot on target as Manchester City played out a 0-0 draw away at Arsenal last night. The full-time whistle was met with the chant of "Boring, boring City" from the home faithful that was so loud the TV sound engineers had to muffle it.

As the sides left the field of play, Mancini was seen in deep discussion with Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, who had appeared to take exception to the defensive tactics employed by the Italian. It mattered not to the forty-six year old, who had seen his side take the point he had craved.

Cesc Fabregas makes his feelings known to Roberto Mancini

Although Fabregas has a point - City set up in a 4-5-1 formation leaving Carlos Tevez as the lone striker - Arsenal simply could not break down their opponents for whom Joe Hart, Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany and Micah Richards epitomised the stereotypical defensive steel so often renowned as being a cornerstone of Italian football.

Mancini was unmoved by the criticism of his side, "It's not important", he said after the game whilst captain Kolo Toure suggested the game had shown City's title credentials: "It's very important to be a good team defensively - strikers win you games, defenders win you titles."

Whilst City's defence, with Toure at the heart, appears to be sound, it is the attack, or lack thereof, that struggled at the Emirates. Tevez was supposed to be up front on his own with support arriving from the five-man midfield but tracked back so much that the visitors might well have been employing Craig Levein's 4-6-0 formation.

Edin Dzeko's arrival puts another problem onto Mancini's plate

With the impending arrival of Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, the over-reliance on the Argentine may wane somewhat. However, it will also intensify rumours that Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz are on their way out of Eastlands; the former kicking and screaming as he makes a typically dramatic scene as he so often has throughout his career. The retired Togo international isn't afraid to make his feelings known and a recent bust-up with Kolo Toure has all but sealed his fate.

Despite quality attacking additions to his squad, Mancini still appears reluctant to use those players to win big matches. Adam Johnson was benched as Jo was used on the left side of a five-man midfield in an unsuccessful attempt to null the threat of Theo Walcott; David Silva and Mario Balotelli were both injured whilst playing both Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong as holding midfielders gives a defensive imbalance to the side.

Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong give the City side a defensive imbalance

Mancini went to The Emirates and set up not to lose the game. Granted, City did not lose but nor did they pose any sort of threat to Fabianski in the Arsenal goal. Henry Winter has quipped that David Seaman was a busier goalkeeper from his position in the TV studio and it is difficult to argue with him.

It is difficult to say that City had their moments in the match because, apart from Tevez fluffing his lines when he ghosted free of his marker from a Barry free-kick and a long-range effort that flew wide from James Milner, they offered nothing whatsoever. It was as if they were afraid to lose but reluctant to try and win. In a Premier League season where the table is so tight, taking points off the sides around you, particularly if you are at the top, is crucial.

Mancini will undoubtedly be happy at stifling a side who so comfortably dispatched of his team in the reverse fixture (though City were a man light for 85 minutes) but if the Sky Blues are to challenge realistically for the title then they must show more attacking endeavour against the rest of the title contenders or face the consequences.