City vs Chelsea pre-match thread

[blinkblue]

Sagna has to start. He's generally had Hazard's number over the last 2 seasons if I remember correctly.

A back 4 is the way to go with Fernandinho/Fernando dropping in between the centre backs.

 

[george22]

A bit nervous about this one frankly
Conte has his boys fired up and this will be a good hard fought match
No cock ups at the back
2-1 city

 

[Vialli98]

They've looked poor their last few games, but still won. Much like us.

As has been noted, City have a tactical advantage insomuch as Chelsea are locked into a lineup and formation that is largely unlikely to change. Meanwhile, it's anybodies guess what Pep will do.

My mind tells me this one could well end a draw, but I'm going for City 2-1.

I don't think we've looked poor. I mean, compared to the Everton and United games, then sure, but I think the team is learning how to get results without dominating and blowing teams away. The Boro and Spurs games told me a lot more about this team than the previous 5 wins. Blowing teams away is fun, but I'm sure Pep will have learned a lot about the team from your last 2 league wins. He was noticeably very happy with the team this weekend.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

What for you mean "back". He's been good since the start of the season and great for a month and a half now. Biggest mistake of the pre-season not trying to get this fella. Best DM in the League by the length of the street.

I think he started off slowly, post Euros.

I agree, I would have loved us getting him.

Proves with every game that Leicester were a one man team.

 

[Jazzman]

Chelsea fan here..

It should be an interesting game. I expect City to have the bulk of the possession while we'll try and hit you on the counter as quickly and often as possible. Our defense looks great at the moment because the system is set up to cover their weaknesses and we have Kante and Matic (as well as Moses and Alonso) helping out the back 3 literally all the time, so as a team, we're a strong unit. I think, if we are pressed aggressively up high, individually the players might struggle. I'm looking at Cahill specifically, Azpi isn't extremely confident in possession under pressure either.

Before the Spurs game, I would have probably accepted 2 draws from these 2 games. Having secured 3 points this weekend, I could live with a defeat at the Etihad. This is by far our biggest test this season (something we've been saying pretty much every week since before the United game). We're obviously in extremely confident mood, but no-one is confident enough to expect a win at the Etihad. Our next 5 games after this are very winnable.

Whatever the result, it won't change much for either team. It'll be a really for tight title race. Both teams will be up there in April. And if it hasn't been said before, if we don't win it, i'd much rather City won it than Liverpool (or Arsenal).

Fair comments IMO. I, for one, would also prefer Chelsea to win it instead of Arsenal or (unbearable) Liverpool, if we don't.

 

[Mike N]

Fair comments IMO. I, for one, would also prefer Chelsea to win it instead of Arsenal or (unbearable) Liverpool, if we don't.

Bang on .

 

[KDBestplayerintheworld]

Very tough to call this one! I slightly favor Chelsea because of the structure they have in place. City is always a question mark how we are going to line up, who will play ... De Bruyne, Silva & Stones won't have played for 10 days when they play Chelsea next weekend because of being rested this weekend. Not a big fan of that. I think the structure & routine will help Chelsea to a narrow victory 1-2 at the Etihad.
If City want to win (I assume they do :)) the key will be to be super efficient going forward ... which has been a problem sometimes in recent weeks.

 

[Father Paul]

This will be very difficult the Chelsea wing backs could cause us no end of trouble. While this is not a league decider it could go a long way towards deciding the outcome. We have a tough fixture list in December and consequently not sure we can afford to lose this one. We need a Barcelona like performance (Home leg) and with a bit of luck and some sharp finishing we might just nick it. We are unlikely to keep a clean sheet so at least 2 goals required to win this one.

 

[Ban-jani]

I don't think we've looked poor. I mean, compared to the Everton and United games, then sure, but I think the team is learning how to get results without dominating and blowing teams away. The Boro and Spurs games told me a lot more about this team than the previous 5 wins. Blowing teams away is fun, but I'm sure Pep will have learned a lot about the team from your last 2 league wins. He was noticeably very happy with the team this weekend.

I always think it's a results business during the winter months.

Teams tend to play more swashbuckling stuff at the beginning and end of seasons.

We'll really need to turn up to get something from a very well set up Conte side.

 

[Carlos- the- jackal]

Usual negative shite as usual on here, last few weeks have shown we can battle at places like Palace and the six fingered inbreds and get results which is a good sign,we know we've got top footballing quality in the team but the lads are battling and all putting a shift in which is just as important and with a full week to prepare and a mostly fully fit squad i expect us to put the rentboys to the sword and make a statement to the rest of the league.

 

[Akiva]

I don't think we've looked poor. I mean, compared to the Everton and United games, then sure, but I think the team is learning how to get results without dominating and blowing teams away. The Boro and Spurs games told me a lot more about this team than the previous 5 wins. Blowing teams away is fun, but I'm sure Pep will have learned a lot about the team from your last 2 league wins. He was noticeably very happy with the team this weekend.

I watched the Spurs game and they were the better side, further I feel Boro did enough to earn something from their match with you. This is not a disparagement, on the contrary, it's fitting for potential Champions to get all three points from games when they should be getting one or none. I'm simply stating I think we are in somewhat of a similar situation.

I've seen a lot of talk on your forums, and ours, and many fans on both sides seem to be willing to accept a draw up-front. There's that level of mutual respect for the dangerous players in each squad, and the tactical prowess of both managers, which dictates that it could seriously go either way. My feeling is though, that Guardiola has a slight advantage insomuch as he knows by-and-large what to expect from Chelsea and can tailor the team around that in his first full week of training with a full squad since taking over. We'll see.

FWIW, I agree that we'd all much rather see Chelsea succeed than Arse and even more so the bin dippers.

 

[Ric]

Usual negative shite as usual on here, last few weeks have shown we can battle at places like Palace and the six fingered inbreds and get results which is a good sign,we know we've got top footballing quality in the team but the lads are battling and all putting a shift in which is just as important and with a full week to prepare and a mostly fully fit squad i expect us to put the rentboys to the sword and make a statement to the rest of the league.

I'm not surprised people are apprehensive to be fair, given Chelsea's recent form. I prefer that to some of the ridiculous pre-match predictions we get, where people say "we'll smash them 6-0" etc.

It's going to be a tight game, but I think we're slight favourites with home advantage. Wouldn't be surprised if it was a draw though.

 

[kaz7]

If ever there was a team set up to sucker punch it's them,we need a barca level performance as we will get done at least once,clean sheets are sadly not what we do anymore

 

[cibaman]

Dreading this match. Chelsea are looking excellent this season.

They've played 6 fewer fixtures than City so you would expect them to look fresher at this stage of the season. Let's see how we play with a full week off between games.

 

[shemnel]

need a good performance no doubt, but if we lose it aint season over everyone ;)

they'll be tough to score against though. 2-1 city.

 

[Carlos- the- jackal]

I'm not surprised people are apprehensive to be fair, given Chelsea's recent form. I prefer that to some of the ridiculous pre-match predictions we get, where people say "we'll smash them 6-0" etc.

It's going to be a tight game, but I think we're slight favourites with home advantage. Wouldn't be surprised if it was a draw though.

Oh aye it will be a test no doubt but a test i expect us to come through,these are the games i think we will excell in and Guardiola will show why he is the best coach out there,i'm confident we'll win seems a strange thing to say about a team that's kept 5 clean sheets in the last 6 games but i think we'll exploit their 3 at the back system i think Cahill ,Luiz abd Azpilacueta can be got at and we can exloit that,on the other hand the rentboys are probably saying our back line can be got at and aren't the best but bring it on i say.

 

[Manchester33]

I'm quite confident. We haven't been beaten at home so far this season and we got to rest Stones, Silva, KDB and Gundogan this weekend. With those 4 going into the squad and Aguero back on form I think we'll be the best team they've played.

They got torn a new arsehole vs Arsenal and Liverpool beat them comfortably - are they flat track bullies?

 

[Bewar3them00n]

If we can give another Barca level performance, we could well blitz Chelsea in the same manner.
Pep will indeed do his homework prior to this game.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

It was interesting watching them against Spurs that there was plenty of space between the back three and the midfield. Silva and De Bruyne will be able to exploit this if they leave the same space on Saturday.

From their point of view, they must fancy Hazard and Moses against our defence. I fear that Costa will bully Stones so I hope Otamendi will do that job and that he'll keep his head.

 

[Blue Hefner]

If we play well we can pin their wing-backs and they could end up with a flat back 5

It goes without saying but we need to take our chances, do that and I can see us winning 3-0 or 3-1. Aguero is usually good for a goal against Chelsea