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

[Father Paul]

I

**** Southgate. Hiding behind ‘well X national team played X player twice so why pick on me?’ - know your players. Stones shouldn’t be being played twice in a week in FRIENDLY games. What’s there to see? You know he’s a starter. Why risk him? Braithwaite on the bench for 180 minutes yet Stones is needlessly flogged. Prick

It is easy for me to say it because I don't support England but hopefully Walker and Stones are injured for key games in Germany.

 

[Phil1]

Surprise surprise the media dipshits is writing the treble winning all conquering city off against the mighty havnt won a league in 20 season never min a win at the ethiad.

We got this, might not be enough to win the league but to dismiss us is yet again is the main theme from the football fraternity.

3-1 city, when it matters it won’t be close.

There’s City fans posting on here that aren’t much better tbf.

 

[BringBackSwales]

That only happens once a season at most. It’s the fact that Arsenal are a big pressing team, and we are probably without a couple of press resistant players, so the playing out from the back is going to be crucial. Ortega wobbling, the defence losing confidence and that could lose us the game. It was the way we dealt with that press and prayed through it that won the home game.

Prayed Dave? Didn’t know you were religious

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I have a feeling that we could be in for a bit of a surprise line up with both Walker and Stones missing on Sunday.

The logical thing would be playing Gvardiol and Akanji as full backs, but I wouldn’t be that surprised if we just play three at the back actually, and play an extra midfielder instead.

Absolutely no chance. We are not going to defend Arsenal’s 4/5 attackers with a back 3 out of possession. Back 3 in possession is fine, but it should always change to a back 4 out of possession unless we want to get thumped.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Fuck off waistcoat. The walker injury i can accept, that happens from time to time, it's a horrible time to get injured but it is just unfortunate. The Stones one though is pure negligence.

There's zero doubts John Stones plays in the Euros if he's fit, zero! he's had an injury riddled season to date, only just coming back from the latest injury and waistcoat plays him in both pointless games. Why!? Our season could ultimately be decided by waistcoat playing players that didn't need to play in friendlies. Wanker!

Pep should have laid right into him publicly and called it out for what it is.

Walker didn't need to play, Wastecoat could've played someone who'd have benefited from the game time/experience.

Stones should've been a sub for the Belgium game.

Agreed...Pep should've publicly questioned the twat in his presser.

 

[kaz7]

Can we please score first then go for the throat

 

[City Raider]

Arteta on Saka, Martinelli and Gabriel's chances of facing Man City: "There is a chance. They haven't trained but tomorrow we have another session."

That’s all 3 playing then

 

[Blue warrior]

Despite Stones and Walker being out if we really go at them and get an early goal that will be a bonus. Gut feeling tho, this will be a nerve wracking game and I think they will be times they cut us open at times.

 

[argyle]

I have, playing John Stones in back to back friendly fucking games was fucking scandalous but why would the waistcoat wanker give a fuck he’s never going to win anything anyway the ****.

Stones' fault too.

He should have said he couldn't play two games in a week and prioritised the Arsenal match.

I bet Pep isn't happy with both Stones and Walker.

 

[City Raider]

Whoever’s fault it is, international friendlies in March are a farce. By definition these involve the best players, fighting for trophies. They should not have been put in that position. The league could be decided Sunday, it’s an absolute joke.

 

[citymad]

I wonder if he will have the brass neck to turn up on Sunday?

If he's been reading this forum, he won't. Personally I think he's gotten off lightly in the press with his decision to play Stonesy.

 

[Dodge]

Ederson
Dias
Rodders
KDB
Haaland

That spine strikes fear into any team in world football. As long as those 5 start, you could fill the rest of the team with Under-11's and we'd win most games.

Add a sprinkling of Phil, Jack & Bernie stardust and jobs a good 'un.

Let the bottlers worry about us, get behind the lads and send the shandy drinking southern Jessie's back down the M6 to cry themselves to sleep wailing at the injustice of it all.

The delicious irony of the newly moneyed Northern Oiks, from the wastelands of Manchester sending the old money, self-obsessed, arrogant London tossers back to Tory-land is one of life's joyous blessings.

It's so unfair mummy.

Up the fucking Blues.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Absolutely no chance. We are not going to defend Arsenal’s 4/5 attackers with a back 3 out of possession. Back 3 in possession is fine, but it should always change to a back 4 out of possession unless we want to get thumped.

Don’t necessarily disagree with you, but Guardiola hasn’t genuinely surprised us with a line-up in a big game for a good while now, and it’s long overdue.

I think Pep would ideally want Ake to be marking Saka, rather than Gvardiol, and Havertz isn’t really an out and out striker either, so that’s why I think we could do something a bit different. Maybe the surprise is Gvardiol playing in the middle rather than on the left.

I’m genuinely intrigued as to which formation Pep chooses, although that’s probably just because we’ve not had any proper football for two weeks, and we’ve had to watch two absolutely shit England games instead.

 

[SWP's back]

He know the risk for every single of his player playing in international games so why use of him being angry about it?

He knows he can't force his player to not playing for their country at all.

Other managers seem to have ways of doing so.

 

[SWP's back]

Who, John? I find him one of the brighter players and speaks articulately.

Yes, John. He seems a lovely lad and yes he’s able to put a sentence together but that’s not what I said.

 

[vanchi]

I’ve not heard that, but imho that’s not a true blue with that opinion
Your last sentence is 100% correct
Personally I’d play Gvardiol CB going into midfield (he’s made for that role) and Ake left back. One of the things which was so clear in the presigning videos was his ability to play out the back and carry the ball, but we’ve not seen much of that, it’s like Pep has put the breaks on him, time to unleash the beast?

Haaland
Foden KDB Bernardo
Kovacic Rodri
Ake Gvardiol Ruben Akanji

Transitions to

Haaland
Foden Rodri KDB Bernardo
Gvardiol Kovacic
Ake Ruben Akanji

I’d also be looking to play deeper and much more direct

he is though, and he seemed to like him so i was quite surprised.

i don’t think we’ll see your idea, pep said months ago that he’s not ready (although a journalist, maybe sam lee, not sure, said that pep more likely meant that they haven’t even tried it). i like it when he goes into free range chicken mode for the national team, but pep’s system is a bit :D more complicated. i hope we’ll see your vision on the pitch one day. :)

 

[wattle]

I have, playing John Stones in back to back friendly fucking games was fucking scandalous but why would the waistcoat wanker give a fuck he’s never going to win anything anyway the ****.

And Braithwaite didn’t play one minute. Great management that. Utter twat

 

[TinFoilHat]

I want blues at the game to sing a full throated The Waistcoat is a Wanker.

 

[vanchi]

Leave your Croatian victim complex at the door when you enter Bluemoon. Unlike you, the rest of us care only for what’s best for City and don’t fanboy based on nationality.

I love both Kova and Gvardiol and hope both start, but leave your nationalistic out.

how bout you leave your xenophobia and bigotry at the door?

i read the forum rules before joining and followed the procedure, according to the rules i am allowed to post here.

if i were fansomething i’d be fangirling btw, but i’m not. gvardiol for example needs to be slapped and is stupid. and that’s just a small, tiny example. but it’s my croatian nationalistic victim complex, sure jan.

anyway, your issues are not my problem, if you can’t refrain yourself from making xenophobic insults ignore button is your friend ;)

and don’t tell me what to do, my boss is the only person in the world that gets to do that during my working hours. and i’m pretty sure you’re not my boss so good luck with asserting your authority on someone who’s not me.

 

[mancboy]

So stones and walker are out and we have to play one of the most versatile international defenders not to mention one of our standout performers this year and an international midfielder and 4 time cl winner, its a bit like complaining you have to take the lambo cos the ferrari has a flat.