Arsenal (H) - Sun 31st Mar, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[jimharri]

3rd??? we'll either be 1st or 2nd behind Liverpool have you seen Arsenal's fixtures there's zero chance of them finishing 2nd never mind 1st

Agreed. I can’t see Arsenal finishing above us. They'll choke, a la last season.


*cue an Arsenal win on sunday now*

 

[brummie blue]

Hope Pep calls out the waistcoat wanker tomorrow in his presser.
Its on Southgate if we lose the game.
Utter twat.

Pochettino has done it, saying he was surprised Chilwell played both England games.​

 

[Zenmanc]

Think he's a better option than Walker these days.

Ortega
Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Ake
Rodri, Kovacic
Benardo, De Bruyne, Foden
Haaland

Also, think with Kovacic available there's no need to rush Grealish back in a game like this. If Kovacic wasn't fit it might be worth bringing Jack in to steady the midfield ship but Kovacic brings a lot of control and composure anyway (and also has good ball carrying abilities much like Jack).

Will be very tough this one. Arsenal came into the 4-1 game last season defeated before the first whistle but their confidence is high this season and they'll be a different proposition. We're gonna have to beat them differently this time. We can definitely do it but they're a much tougher prospect this year.

Like this but if Ake and Gvad are on the field at the same time Ake will be CB and Gvad LB. Don't think the opposite has happened yet this season.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I fully expect one of Stones or Walker to make the bench, we will be fine.

Bigger decision for me is whether Pep goes with Kova alongside Rodders for control; or a quartet of Doku, Phil, Kev and Bernie behind the Viking.

There’s no decision to make imo. We’re already without Stones in the midfield build up, so if he doesn’t put Kovacic in there, it’s curtains before it even begins. Kovacic HAS to play.

 

[Boo or Boo-urns]

it’s curtains before it even begins. Kovacic HAS to play.

Yip, Farteta will have Joginho, Declan Lice, Fartin Odourguard & Kai Have-it playing as a box midfield formation engulfing our midfield if Godri is out there on his own.

 

[Rammy Blue]

There’s no decision to make imo. We’re already without Stones in the midfield build up, so if he doesn’t put Kovacic in there, it’s curtains before it even begins. Kovacic HAS to play.

We all thought Pep would play Kova at scousers, but he didn’t, and was wrong imo.

Take nothing for granted when the bald fraud is in town.

 

[NeilMcnabTwoFooted]

At some point, the best sides in sport lose their reign. For me, the current Man City side is far weaker than last year - last year we had Gundo, Mahrez and an in-form Grealish. Now we have Nunes/Kovacic and Doku as replacements. Meanwhile we're playing Gvardiol at LB where he is struggling - whereas he was, past season, a world class center back.

Our team is worse than it was last year in these positions - and meanwhile Liverpool (especially) and Arsenal (somewhat) are better.

It's not clear to me that we're the best side in the P/L this year - and on top of all of the above, we have a tough run-in.

TBH - I think we'll end up 3rd in the P/L this year and will not win the Champions League. A draw v. Arsenal would be a great result - but as both sides are so close in ability I don't know who will win.

cheery soul ain’t ya mate, bit more positivity wouldn’t go a miss, not all this negative outlook, putting years on me you are, well leather em sunday don’t worry mucka.

 

[NeilMcnabTwoFooted]

So; if what City Xtra have tweeted is reliable it looks like it may be "only" Walker and Stones who won't be available. Why did that tw@ play them? Surely, you use friendlies to try out new players, not fellas who you are more than aware of what their capabilities are.

he played em coz he’s a waistcoat wearing worm, who has about as much tactical expertise as a sausage roll, he’s bobbins and has contributed to our title challenge in a negative way, he’s typical F.A. yes man, but don’t worry Pep will sort it Sunday mate

 

[urban genie]

with some back in training revised from other day

Eddie
Akanji
Dias
Ake
Gvadiol
Rodri
Kovacic
Berny
Kev
Foden
Haaland

or

Eddie
Akanji
Dias
Ake
Gvadiol
Rodri
Berny
Foden
Kev
Grealish
Haaland

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Pochettino has done it, saying he was surprised Chilwell played both England games.​

.....and Pele Palmer played zero minutes.

Sums up the Waste Coat !!

 

[Rammy Blue]

with some back in training revised from other day

Eddie
Akanji
Dias
Ake
Gvadiol
Rodri
Kovacic
Berny
Kev
Foden
Haaland

or

Eddie
Akanji
Dias
Ake
Gvadiol
Rodri
Berny
Foden
Kev
Grealish
Haaland

Grealish won’t start. It’s Kova or Doku that’s the only quandary Pep has.

 

[Middedon]

Our squad is arguably slightly weaker but our best team isn’t.

I’m glad you said this because I feel like I’m missing something. Stones will be a miss obvi, but otherwise with Gundo for Foden this is essentially our best team from last year.

I keep seeing people in other social media wishing we had Laporte for this game. How long are we going to moan about the players we lost…who probably wouldn’t have played this fixture last year anyway!

 

[MadchesterCity]

Whichever of the 3 out of Walker, Stones and Akanji that can be patched up best will play at right back.

I’m not against seeing Gomes or Rico Lewis playing over a player who is struggling with injury

 

[the talisman]

Hope Pep calls out the waistcoat wanker tomorrow in his presser.
Its on Southgate if we lose the game.
Utter twat.

You’d think the Stones would be involved in the decision to play him twice in a week. His place is secure, he’s England’s best centre half by a margin so why wouldn’t he push to only play 1 game?
No one on here was surprised when he broke down, he must have known the risk.

 

[Ric]

Grealish won’t start. It’s Kova or Doku that’s the only quandary Pep has.

Not even sure it’s that much of a quandary tbh. Surely has to be Kovacic imo.

 

[richards30]

Ederson
Akanji
Dias
Gvardiol
Ake
Rodri
De Bruyne
Kovacic
Bernardo Silva
Foden
Haaland

 

[MadchesterCity]

actually gvardiol made city’s only shot on target in that game, with captain hair flick clinging to him like a baby panda. rice managed to clear it off the line unfortunately.

Maybe this is the time for our Croatian lads to shine.

 

[MadchesterCity]

You failed to answer a single one of my questions.

Cheers that you're 100% for City - I am too (in spite of what you may believe). But I'm a realist. Our squad this year isn't nearly as good as it was last season - and Liverpool and Arsenal are better (and in the case of Liverpool... significantly better).

Yet to be proven, wait to end of season before making those statements

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Cheers - disagree though. I'd much rather have last years squad over this.

Gundo is better than our replacement mids.
Mahrez is better than Doku.

I agree with you about Foden - other pluses to our squad are the performances of our youth players: Lewis and Bobb are up-and-coming stars.

I'm hopeful that we'll win one of the following trophies: league title, champion's league, fa cup. I think we have a great shot at the fa cup - I think it's iffy that we'll win either of the other two trophies.

As long as we win one of the premier league or champions league I’ll consider the season to be a success.

 

[ysmsa]

Our squad is arguably slightly weaker but our best team isn’t. Gundo is a miss but to incorporate him we have to play Foden wide. Foden is playing the best football of his career in that Gundo position so I would argue that injury-free we are as good as last season and maybe even better. Mahrez was only a bit part player by the end.

The big miss for tomorrow will be stones because only he can do that job: a tactical innovation that will forever be known as the “John Stones position”.

I also believe we won’t win all three this year but it will be down to injuries and fixture congestion and not quality. Last year everything aligned, we could ease up in the title race, we got an easy semi final, and all these things affect freshness and injuries. This season feel like the opposite, especially when you throw in the extra games.

Want to Like but I refuse.

Still believe it's 3 until it isn't.

We haven't been troubled in CL or FA Cup yet and our points total in PL could and probably should be 6 / 8 points better than it is.

Still think Dips and Arse have monumental collapses in them, they aren't all that!