Just as the defeat to Citeh turns Carlo’s dissipating [one-win-ahead] track record against Roberto Mancini into bland equality so does it also highlight the problem our coach currently has with his fellow countryman. In short, our man knows exactly what to expect from a friend and colleague who is under the greater pressure this season and who has yet to make his mark on the Premiership [being desperate to do so before it’s too late to save him from the sack] yet tactically he appears unable to see the wood from the trees when preparing for the contest.

Suffice to say, a hat-trick of losses has to be a margin of reversal that cannot be put down to mere misfortune and it clearly needs to be addressed before it becomes even more of an habitual occurrence. Never mind, some may say, for although we shouldn’t rely upon it, the situation may well resolve itself through Roberto’s self-inflicted demise, due to an overdose of Italian catennacio or similar intransigence in the face of impatient owners, but in the meantime and for what it’s worth, here is my four pennyworth on a panacea should he survive to plague us further and why I think, there is ultimately a happy ending to what is currently a mere three act tragedy…

Firstly, may I suggest that we dispense with the bravado of naming the team in advance of the game. This practice isn’t big or clever, but simply confirms [or allows alteration to be made to] any opposition plans or preconceived ideas. Quite simply, in circumstances where it’s easier to reel off your rival’s teamsheet [due to injuries] why voluntarily hand the initiative back to your opponent in this way? In this instance Mancini was made aware not only of the system we would play, but also given a pretty clear indication that Carlo had nothing new up his sleeve, meekly buying into the expectation of another of those cat and mouse encounters we’ve grown to hate rather than love. Familiarity may breed contempt, but it also fosters complacency, especially when it implies an acceptance of the way the game is likely to go, which in the recent season’s against this side has been downwards for us.

Another consequence of ’naming names’ was the early confirmation that, should we go ’like for like’ against them and play with two holding midfielders it was bound to leave us with about as much creativity in the middle of the park as they had - a case of, all too obviously, playing into their hands. By announcing a threesome of Mikel (a cert to hold) Essien (a cert to mix it) and Ramires (a cert not to) we kind of laid our cards on the table when keeping them close to our chest might have at least suggested the lurking of a Baldrick-like cunning plan. Of course, there will be those who argue that our team picked itself [so why not name it early] and others who would see no reason for change in system or personnel anyway. Would this viewpoint be based on some sort of blasé masochistic desire for a ‘more of the same please’ policy, or are we now so firmly entrenched in our 4-3-3 that anything else is an unwarranted intrusion on a party line-up that has become as cosy as a comfy pair of slippers?

Secondly, whilst perishing the thought that we should ever go into every home game with the same negative tactics as those adopted by Mancini, full marks to him for lulling his opposite number into such a false sense of mundane security, especially when everything else about Ancelotti screams ’attack, attack, attack!’ at you, virtually game after game. So, Carlo, in future no reverting to a stereotypical Italian approach when faced with a like-minded compatriot and a little more inventiveness if you please! It doesn’t always have to be this way against a Mancini-marshalled outfit you know, just as I’m hoping and praying it wont be if and when we come up against Jose once again. There is enough talent, so we are told [believe] in this squad to extend the odd tactical boundary beyond the awaiting of an opening goal and keeping fingers crossed it’s us that get it.

For me, whether you accept it was with hindsight or not, this defeat has to be regarded as an opportunity missed, one to have caught niggling opponents on the hop when they were mindful of a seven point gap. We could, perhaps should, have matched their 4-5-1with the insertion of some creativity in the form of either Kakuta or McEachran, thereby having a little something in midfield they plainly lacked, surrounded by the sort of numbers that at worst would have ensured a great deal more possession than we got over the ninety minutes and at best might have provided the springboard for our usual high number of scoring opportunities. But then we knew it wasn’t going to happen, didn’t we… and what’s more to the point, so did Mancini.

Naming the team so far in advance was quite stupid I thought. However, we don't have many options on the bench and even a dullard like Mancini would have no problem guessing our team sheet.