Burnley (A) | Pre-Match Thread

[MK-Blues]

Selection is all about that tension between either picking a team with liverpool in mind, or saying momentum is key and both games have the same number of points available for the win, so let’s aim to keep it going and pick our strongest most in-form 11 for Burnley.
I favour the latter option.

i think thats what pep does as well. one game at a time. its only us fans who like to play football manager on forums here and make teams oh play that one here and then this one in next game. and i agree with you and as MAG said in the opener it is this game against burnley that is more important as if we drop points here just before liverpool is all the encouragement that they'd need for that game and all of a sudden door is open for them. we win first and go with at least 7 points ahead then they would start on the backfoot and a game they will have to win so would plauy in our hand.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

sterling literally does nothing against them ever and especially at their ground. and torres is coming back from covid so rest him mid week and play again on weekend is a good choice i think.

He got 2 goals when we beat them 4-0

 

[Badensbluemoon]

I

i thought MAG said otherwise. this will be a walk in the park for us. don't worry. we always seem to whip them. its others like chelsea playing them now find it difficult to break them down.

Yes, he did said otherwise. its just me, as soon I say this will be easy then more likely it will be tough...and I was trying to be a bit funny, lol

 

[MK-Blues]

He got 2 goals when we beat them 4-0

that was dead rubber as far as anything in league was concerned and we were at home. they were off form anyway having won the title already so doesnt really count. whenever its counted and in big games he hasn't done much except once in community shield and even that was not at anfield. just never done anything there. also fact that he is so off form that form alone would keep him out of any big game.

 

[chesterbells]

i think thats what pep does as well. one game at a time. its only us fans who like to play football manager on forums here and make teams oh play that one here and then this one in next game. and i agree with you and as MAG said in the opener it is this game against burnley that is more important as if we drop points here just before liverpool is all the encouragement that they'd need for that game and all of a sudden door is open for them. we win first and go with at least 7 points ahead then they would start on the backfoot and a game they will have to win so would plauy in our hand.

Yes, agreed pal

 

[Mancity1980]

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Premier League Stats

W9 - D3 - L1 ... We have played them 13 times in the Premier League; winning on nine occasions, drawing thrice and have lost only once ... and that 1-0 loss came almost six years ago, back in March 2015 at Turf Moor.


View attachment 9270


We remain the form team in this league at present but they aren't doing too bad either. They have won three of their last five league games which include 'that' win at Anfield a couple of weeks ago. During this period (of last five league games) they have also won their two FA Cup ties, so that makes it a decent total of five wins out of last seven games.

Their game this weekend isn't till tomorrow (against Chelsea, away) so their stats aren't updated below. Our stats however do include our game against Sheffield United.


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Pre-Match Thoughts

I went out last night to get some milk from my local supermarket and the radio was on in the car; it was only a five minute drive (and don't ask me which station or who it was as I already can't remember) but some random presenter was talking about Burnley and said Manchester City properly own them and whoop them every single time while against all other teams they're always up for it and stay in their games till the very end. Then he went on to give us some credit as well that how 'even Burnley' can't handle the movement of our players and the fluidity of our game ...

He went on to heap some more praise on Pep and his methods but I didn't hear all that because my mind was stuck on what he had first said about Burnley being our whipping boys and I was like whaaaaaatttt? That's not the common belief amongst City fans and I'm sure when this pre-match thread gets going, I'll see a whole lot of "they're always a tough team" or "this will be the hardest of our recent games" etc. etc.

Actually forget what is to come ... I have already seen all this in the last pre-match thread (the Sheffield United one) where I read quite a few comments by you lot suggesting to rest players against Sheffield as it's Burnley up next or stating that the game ahead with Burnley is surely the tougher one.

Made me go back and review each of our fixtures over last three years a bit more in detail to remind myself of what has been going on ... gave you one stat above that we've only lost once to them in this century (back in March 2015) and then if you go further back looking for another loss against them ... well, you have to go all the way back to October 1974. And there haven't been that many draws in all this time either ... only three if you go all the way back to division two in 1998 and they are well spread out as well (one in 2018, another in 2014 and one in 2009).

So yeah, I don't know where this perception about their toughness originates from ... perhaps by watching their results against other teams where they clearly are the 1-0 merchants or champions of nil-nil ... but against us is altogether a different matter ... our last four home games against them have resulted in 5-0 wins to us ... and the three away games in between those have been 3-0, 4-1 and 1-0 wins for us ... so yeah, they might be tough and disciplined and what not for everyone else but against us they wet their pants every time ... and so I don't expect any different this time around.

Scheduling has been a little kind to us for this one as well as we get an extra day's rest over them. As for them, they take on Tuchel's Chelsea this Sunday then play us on Wednesday and then next Saturday they play Brighton at home ... guess which game would they be prioritizing this week and would be at the forefront of their thoughts?

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The Game After

Talking of Burnley having an eye on their next game and perhaps even prioritizing that one ... well, guess what would be on our minds this week? Not sure if it will be on Pep's or the teams' minds (and I certainly hope it is not) ... but the fans thoughts are a different matter all together. Surely our minds are already racing ahead to that encounter at Anfield next weekend. Maybe that's just the nature of a fan's view as I've noted in previous threads as well that we always seem to have the upcoming game sorted but are worried more for the one after ...

All I will say to that and it is the oldest of clichés ... One. Game. At. A. Time!

Winning at Anfield would give us the same amount of points - three - that're up for grab at Turf Moor first. That might be true in simple mathematics terms but in reality ... no, not quite ... those three would be a lot more in the context of the season at large but let's explore that further in the next pre-match thread ...

That also makes these three points (against Burnley) far more important than the one's we've already picked in last few games. Because dropping points now - just before heading to Anfield - would be just the boost Scousers would need to get their tails up. Go there with (at least) seven points lead and a long winning run intact and that'd be demoralizing in itself to begin with ... so these three points first ... and hold on to those red thoughts for a few more days!

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Match Prediction

For a change, we'll win there this time ... oh wait, my mind's raced ahead too ;)

Well, we'll win at Turf Moor too ...
Burnley 0 - 3 Manchester City

I told you after reading your fantastic prematch post for the West Brom game I would start reading them for subsequent games! Another great one mate. Your earlier point about the perceived Burnley toughness is interesting. Your recent matches against didn’t go back to the centurion season where I am pretty sure we went on a fantastic winning run from game week 1 right up until a New Year’s Day nil nil at Turf Moor (echos of this year? I hope not) but as you rightly point out we have hammered them on multiple occasions, so it is a bit of a contradiction.

My take on it is the respect we give them is based on their tough mancunian core. They usually have a lot of ex Rag and ex City youth players (and senior players) and reside in a tough Lancashire ex mill town. Also, I would surmise that even in the hammerings the key was the opening goal; it never came in the 100 point season (although in did in every other match that year) but it came early in the former fixtures.

 

[mancity1]

Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes unavailable for the next game so few striker options for Burnley.

60 minutes in against Chelsea and they haven't had a shot on goal.

 

[Corky]

I told you after reading your fantastic prematch post for the West Brom game I would start reading them for subsequent games! Another great one mate. Your earlier point about the perceived Burnley toughness is interesting. Your recent matches against didn’t go back to the centurion season where I am pretty sure we went on a fantastic winning run from game week 1 right up until a New Year’s Day nil nil at Turf Moor (echos of this year? I hope not) but as you rightly point out we have hammered them on multiple occasions, so it is a bit of a contradiction.

My take on it is the respect we give them is based on their tough mancunian core. They usually have a lot of ex Rag and ex City youth players (and senior players) and reside in a tough Lancashire ex mill town. Also, I would surmise that even in the hammerings the key was the opening goal; it never came in the 100 point season (although in did in every other match that year) but it came early in the former fixtures.

The nil nil on NYE was in Croydon.

Burnley was 1-1 with Danilo wonder goal cancelled out after a few worldy saves by Ederson as the pressure was put on. 2 games before that tehy beat us 1-0 there, and in 2019 we scrapped through with the GLT sergio goal and brought stones on at the end under real pressure.

Burnley will look at yesterday as very postitive, a long ball to Woods or Barnes could open us up, as has been done before by Burnley to beat us. Theses games are either very close or we run away with them.

 

[Corky]

Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes unavailable for the next game so few striker options for Burnley.

60 minutes in against Chelsea and they haven't had a shot on goal.

Good news, just beat me to it.

They will rely on the striker who won the title for City in 2017/18.

 

[mancity1]

The nil nil on NYE was in Croydon.

Burnley was 1-1 with Danilo wonder goal cancelled out after a few worldy saves by Ederson as the pressure was put on. 2 games before that tehy beat us 1-0 there, and in 2019 we scrapped through with the GLT sergio goal and brought stones on at the end under real pressure.

Burnley will look at yesterday as very postitive, a long ball to Woods or Barnes could open us up, as has been done before by Burnley to beat us. Theses games are either very close or we run away with them.

Both already ruled out Corky , Woods did his hammy today.

 

[chaddblue]

Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes unavailable for the next game so few striker options for Burnley.

60 minutes in against Chelsea and they haven't had a shot on goal.

Is Barnes definitely out? Think it was touch and go whether he’d play today

chris Wood looked like the kind of injury that would keep a player out for a few weeks

great news for us if he’s out

 

[mancity1]

Is Barnes definitely out? Think it was touch and go whether he’d play today

chris Wood looked like the kind of injury that would keep a player out for a few weeks

great news for us if he’s out

Unless the Ginger Mourinho was having a lend of us he said he won't be ready for Wednesday maybe the following match but we shall see.

 

[dickie davies]

I think we'll see Cancello and Zinchenko selected to totally overload the midfield. For the vast majority of this game we're going to be playing with two at the back
We should also be practicing 20/25 yard shots in preparation for their parked bus

....................Ederson
Cancello..Stones..Dias..Zinchenko
...................Rodri
..........Bernardo......Gundogan
Mahrez........Jesus......Sterling

 

[Mancity1980]

The nil nil on NYE was in Croydon.

Burnley was 1-1 with Danilo wonder goal cancelled out after a few worldy saves by Ederson as the pressure was put on. 2 games before that tehy beat us 1-0 there, and in 2019 we scrapped through with the GLT sergio goal and brought stones on at the end under real pressure.

Burnley will look at yesterday as very postitive, a long ball to Woods or Barnes could open us up, as has been done before by Burnley to beat us. Theses games are either very close or we run away with them.

My bad! A quick check online rather than relying on my middle aged grey cells reveal I was confusing Burnley with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park 31 Dec 2017 after winning an amazing 27 (I think!) games on the trot in all competitions.

 

[chaddblue]

Unless the Ginger Mourinho was having a lend of us he said he won't be ready for Wednesday maybe the following match but we shall see.

Cheers. Didn’t see pre match interviews

 

[BlueCityfan]

We absolutely should be winning against these....i don't think they've had a shot against Chelsea the whole game.

 

[chaddblue]

We absolutely should be winning against these....i don't think they've had a short against Chelsea the whole game.

Kolo Toure just had one

 

[Corky]

Pitty there are no fans, would have been good to hear an Munbongo chant.

 

[MAG]

 

[waspish]

Well Burnley be fresh for the game seeing they didn’t put much effort in today.