Aston Villa (A) - Wed 6th Dec, 20:15 | PL | Pre Match Thread

[Tricky_Trev]

It’s definitely risky, but I love that Pep is trying some different messaging with the squad. We’ll never know if he truly believes we’ll win it, but the very fact he feels he has to say this probably means he thinks we’re currently on track to fall short. If we were heading in the right direction he wouldn’t say something that could rock the boat. He’s saying it to try to change the path we’re on, to alter the squad’s psyche. And I love it. Yeah, those quotes will ‘backfire’ every time we drop points and he’ll be asked about them every time we do. But at the same time, the squad might be desperate to prove him right.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Please no Alvarez.

Love the lad, but he is the main problem.

He is the one leaving Rodri exposed. Gives away cheap ball and doesn't get back with runners.

Not his fault, but him being on the pitch also prevents us changing the attacking option off the bench.

Wonderful dead ball delivery, incredible awareness in the penalty area, but we all know he will make way again for KDB.

Having Julian in from the start makes us far too attacking, we need any extra sitter alongside Rodders right now?

 

[Rammy Blue]

Please no Alvarez.

Love the lad, but he is the main problem.

He is the one leaving Rodri exposed. Gives away cheap ball and doesn't get back with runners.

Not his fault, but him being on the pitch also prevents us changing the attacking option off the bench.

Wonderful dead ball delivery, incredible awareness in the penalty area, but we all know he will make way again for KDB.

Having Julian in from the start makes us far too attacking, we need any extra sitter alongside Rodders right now?

Agree mate, said it in a different thread, it’s why I feel we are conceding so many at the moment. Great goals and assists but leaving us too exposed as he’s just not a midfielder.

 

[Blue2202]

Kovacic was more than OK before his first injury, he was top quality vs Newcastle. Nunes can be a fantastic carrier of the ball and can run all day. That's what I've seen. You should factor in what Pep and Txiki have seen, who have been largely great at identifying the right players, even if not entirely faultless. Sometimes it might be hard to tell from distance whether a player can learn what's required in his position in our team. Apparently, Phillips couldn't understand or do what is expected from him.

I agree kovacic did very well in that newcastle game and was solid in the other first few and I think for the money we paid will turn out a decent signing.

Im not doubting txiki and pep but I dont see how Nunes will ever be more than a squad player with everyone else fit... he may have different qualities to what we already had but hes never had much of an attacking output and I dont think hes known for being robust and breaking up play, hard to see where he fits in the team but just my opinion. Obviously hope I'm wrong.

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

Ederson

Walker
Dias
Akanji
Ake

Stones
Kovavic
Bernardo

Doku
Foden
Haaland

By the sounds of things Doku will be ready.

Another high scoring game in store. I'm going for 3-2 to the treble winners.

Would be my preferred line up too..

 

[TrentGrisham]

Where’s this from?

edit…just remembering you’ve got form for being inflammatory, I’ll ignore it then.

What did I do?!

Anyway, it came from a Man City fan FPL twitter account who's only been wrong on one occasion.

 

[Fordyboy46]

The more I think about it, I reckon Johnny Stones is going to start: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake, Stones, Kovacic, Lewis, Foden, Bernardo, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Carson, Gomez, Gvardiol, Nunes, Phillip's, Bobb, Alvarez, Ndala?

 

[Fordyboy46]

Would be my preferred line up too..

Doku ruled out

 

[Withnail]

Please no Alvarez.

Love the lad, but he is the main problem.

He is the one leaving Rodri exposed. Gives away cheap ball and doesn't get back with runners.

Not his fault, but him being on the pitch also prevents us changing the attacking option off the bench.

Wonderful dead ball delivery, incredible awareness in the penalty area, but we all know he will make way again for KDB.

Having Julian in from the start makes us far too attacking, we need any extra sitter alongside Rodders right now?

I suspect Phillips will be off in January and after reading your twitter posts I believe Pep will have some money to spend in January. The squad is already small as it is, so maybe a KP replacement?

 

[alexmcity]

It’s definitely risky, but I love that Pep is trying some different messaging with the squad. We’ll never know if he truly believes we’ll win it, but the very fact he feels he has to say this probably means he thinks we’re currently on track to fall short. If we were heading in the right direction he wouldn’t say something that could rock the boat. He’s saying it to try to change the path we’re on, to alter the squad’s psyche. And I love it. Yeah, those quotes will ‘backfire’ every time we drop points and he’ll be asked about them every time we do. But at the same time, the squad might be desperate to prove him right.

I think Pep's message is directed more to journalists and fans than to our players. Journalists and fans are thinking something is wrong with City. Pep tells them: we played well and were the better team against Liverpool and Spurs. He mentioned in the postmatch interview that we had other periods in which we deserved to win but drew/lost. Pep's right, he doesn't like foolish takes. On other days, we'd have won both games with Liverpool and Spurs. Bad luck with injuries and bad luck in games shouldn't be rationalized as bad form or problems. Shit happens, the results will improve.