City vs Chelsea pre-match thread

[mosssideblue]

Navas runs and runs and runs oh and also and gets corners sometimes. Thats all you get every match. Its not enough. He never threatens and NEVER gets you a goal. Sterling for me all day long.

On current form, Navas for me, but respect your view

 

[cibaman]

Bravo
Sagna Otamendi Kolarov Clichy
Fernadinho Fernando
Sterling KDB Silva
Aguero

Stones is to lightweight against Costa and I think Pep will want to bring him down a peg or two after his indiscretion.

Gundogan off the bench if we're struggling. I don't think a point is a disaster but I think we'll sneak it 2-1.

I think Stones is better than most people give him credit when it comes to the physical stuff.

 

[vmsuhail]

Lets just remember if Chelski win its just 3 points -theyve not won the title. Similarly if we win we havent won the title we both have a few more matches to play till May. Thats how I see it. Lets stop making this the title decider for goodness sake.

The momentum and confidence a team gets in winning these games is huge. If Chelsea wins, then they are 8 wins on the bounce including wins against United, Spurs and us. If we have to compete for the title, we need to stop their rhythm at our ground, rather than help it. See how many of Leicester players have talked about their win at the Etihad last season giving them the belief to go for the title.

 

[peoffrey]

Chelsea are still looking like champions for me. They're defensively sound and grinding out results. 2-1 City at best.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Watched them against Spuds. Yes they were ok but certainly not worldbeaters. If City play well and dont make any stupid mistakes at the back or GIVE them the ball in midfield then I really think we have nothing to fear. Spuds played them off the pitch for 40mints.

They didn't do too badly against us for 90 ;-)

It's Chelsea's speed on the break that worries me. There's a pattern with most of our games: Because we have most of the possession - and because we value possession over speed of passing - we end up playing everything in front of our opponents, who almost invariably end up camped out in their own half and it becomes extremely difficult for us to break them down. And our finishing has been quite wasteful lately, which doesn't help when chances are few and far between.

By contrast, when the opposition get the ball, we are often strung out high up the pitch after a sustained period of pressure. We are not in a decent, organised defensive shape. Often Otamendi will be in the opposition's half and Stones not far behind him. We might have Clichy or Kolarov as the last defender. If we give Chelsea (and Hazard and Costa) opportunities like this, then we can expect to be punished.

We need to be much faster in attack, and much more organised in defence. If we do that, we can win. But if we play like we've been playing recently we'll get beaten comfortably.

++++

(Incidentally, the Barca game was unusual for two reasons. First, we were bang up for it, much more than any other game. Second, the tables were turned: it was our opponents who had most of the possession and we were able to exploit them on the break, just like how our opponents normally exploit us.)

 

[MarsLlama]

With two goals from right-sided corners in the last two EPL games, I think Navas, the king of the right-sided corner, has to start.

Feel like Chelsea haven't had their bad patch yet, but were coming out the other side of ours already. United, Tottenham, Everton have all looked worse for wear since they played us. Coincidence? Maybe. But I won't complain if it works on Chelsea. With Coutinho out injured, this could be the decisive month between Chelsea and City.

 

[Ric]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

 

[MarsLlama]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

If Chelsea lose then they won't be in any mood to have Merson tonguing them in the dressing room afterwards.

 

[Akiva]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

Their next five games are much easier than ours, is about the only reason I can think of.

It's still a stupid comment about two teams essentially neck and neck a third way through the season.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

Merson: The Man with no Brain.

 

[aguero93:20]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

Tbf he's not great with numbers and likelihood of outcomes, ask his bookie.

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

They're top and we're the home team.

Whilst its not a must win for us given our European commitments our four head to head games against Chelsea and Liverpool (especially Chelsea) are more important than is normally the case.

We potentially will drop silly points in the New Year when the knock out games begin.

2-1 City

 

[feelymcfeel]

At least Serge will bang one in, he loves scoring against Chelsea.

 

[aguero93:20]

At least Serge will bang one in, he loves scoring against Chelsea.

Weren't they the only team he scored against before the Newcastle game last season?

 

[Father Paul]

Could this be the day of a long overdue clean sheet?

 

[inchy14]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

Because he's a fuck wit.

Even though dropping points wouldn't be ideal, any team can drop points and make them back up, if we were to draw on Saturday but then beat them at the return fixture we'd be extremely satisfied with those results. It's just him trying to put pressure on to us, fuck him.

 

[cibaman]

Just seen Merson say on SSN that this is a game "Chelsea can afford to draw, but City must win". Why?!

"Must" is clearly over stating it but a draw suits them as the away team rather than us. Just as the 1-1 in 14/15 was a better result for them despite the disappointment they felt over the late equaliser. If they were offered a draw now I think they would take it. We wouldnt.

 

[andy h]

The momentum and confidence a team gets in winning these games is huge. If Chelsea wins, then they are 8 wins on the bounce including wins against United, Spurs and us. If we have to compete for the title, we need to stop their rhythm at our ground, rather than help it.

Spot on! Momentum and confidence are key factors in football and a win for City could put a dent in the Chelski campaign.
If Aguero, De Bruyne, Gundogan and Silva are on their A game and the defence puts in a shift, we should have enough to take the points.
A loss for us will give the Arse and Dippers a boost in confidence as they prepare for facing us whereas a win will have the opposite effect.

 

[adr2.8i]

4-3 City, toure off the bench with the winner.

 

[Blue Til Death]

This is a must win for us, we need to send a message to the top 6 and to the press and pundits creaming themselves over Chelsea's recent good form.
Cant say I am over confident as we seem to concede way too easily this season and some of the errors we have got away with at the likes of Palace and Burnley will be punished big time by Chelsea.

All that said, we have the fire power and we have the team to do it, it will take a Barcelona type performance and I'm hoping we can produce that on Saturday, then the 1st team can have a well deserved rest and watch the kids obliterate Celtic ;-)