City v Rags pre match thread

[Cheadle Blue]

For me, we still don't really perform in these 'big' games when the chips are down.

I know that sounds ridiculous, considering what we have won in recent seasons. I include QPR, Stoke and Sunderland in my viewpoint.

United and Newcastle, the title year, being the exception.

Tipped us to win 5-0 against Fulham :)

't think we will win tomorrow and 2-3 points at best from United/Arsenal games :(

Has someone hacked your account TH ?
we need 9 points from next 4 games for me , not arsed where they come

Just amused to see the amount of blues who are dismissing the reality.

I agree about the points total, but one of those wins must come against United, it affords us some wiggle room.

I am genuinely taken aback by some of our lacklustre performances in recent years, when no motivation should even be required to turn on our maximum.

We have beaten great United teams in the past with sides which would probably concede ten against our best starting eleven.

The reason people are stating we are title favourites if we beat both United and Arsenal is simply because the opponents in question are more than capable of taking points from us.

I don't see it as 'out there' we could win one, lose one, draw both.

Anyhow, I also sense a reaction from Sunderland at Liverpool on Wednesday, it's shit or bust for them now, so that's where I'm trying to read between all these lines.

I agre with part of what you are saying - its like the newcastle away game the season we won the league, it was a perfect performance, everyone was going on about the newcastle atmosphere like it was galatasaray, and cisse was like weah in is prime, and we dominated from start to finish

The opposite to thatm was the first half of the league cup final, where we didn't look up for it at all

thats why we love city though i suppose

 

[citymantop]

They have the underdog/nothing to lose factor working in their favour so let's hope we are totally switched on from the first minute. Player for player we have it all over them, but in a derby game that doesn't automatically mean we win.



Underdogs possibly, but they are fighting for at the very least Thursday night football. After their last 2 results they will think they are unbeatable, they will try to play a high tempo which will only help our gameplay. 0 - 3

 

[KennyG]

Have to agree with TH.
We flatter to decieve and are flat track bullies
Best squad in the league but we are inferior to the sum of our parts.
Over to you Manuel

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Be like Mike....


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uHPNssX7N4[/youtube]

 

[Didsbury Dave]

TOmorrow is the day for us to stand up and be counted. We have a team full of leaders and we have the psycological edge on Man United.

If I was Manuel I'd be telling them to walk out in to that Old Trafford tunnel, take up all the space, roar each other on and show them who the fucking Daddies are from that minute onwards. Own the fucking place.

 

[supercity88]

I think that the injury to Aguero has enabled us to bolster our midfield and stay a bit more solid in defence. We have been able to play in a controlled manner and pick teams off. We have picked up two important victories whilst Chelsea and Arsenal have dropped points. Liverpool in front of a home crowd have to win, they will play with a high intensity and we can try and pick them off. Let them try and control the game and do to them what they did to Arsenal. I never know what we will do against Arsenal, we typically struggle at the Emirates and will need to try and hit them quick on the counter to win, without Aguero I am not too sure we can do that, in which case our midfield have to win the battle with theirs. The rags are an easier proposition in that we are better across the pitch and should be able to create chances to score. I think we need to really step up our motivation. 6 points from the next two leaves us in a fantastic place to win the league. I just do not expect us to get those 6 points though.

 

[kippax kid]

Thinking of gettin a ticket in there end 32 membership 37.50 ticket !!!! Not shore ! I think we will win ! Its just can I keep my mouth shut if we do? :/

 

[superseiyan]

From the Guardian:

Mata finding space

Robin van Persie's absence allowed Juan Mata to play in his favoured No10 role at Upton Park, with Wayne Rooney pushed forward as the main striker. Rooney grabbed the headlines with his superb 45-yard volley, but Moyes was full of praise for his entire attack, and especially Mata and Shinji Kagawa. They repeatedly combined in the first half, showing great understanding on their first start together. Van Persie hit a hat-trick against Olympiakos before being injured, but his absence may bring the best out in Mata. Yaya Touré and Fernandinho have a fine partnership, but neither is naturally a holding midfielder and they often concede too much space – Mata can exploit that, and play clever through-balls to teammates breaking behind City's defence.

Pace in behind City's defence

Martín Demichelis and Vincent Kompany have been sent off in recent weeks for denying clear goalscoring opportunities – both were individual errors, but a red-card offence in this situation is far more likely when a team is defending high up the pitch, as Manuel Pellegrini requests. Demichelis and Kompany are much more comfortable defending deeper. The positional play and movement of Rooney, therefore, will be very interesting. When playing as the main striker against City in the past, he has tended to drop deep away from goal, bringing Kompany up the pitch – but it might be worth him varying his positioning, and running in behind too. A deceptively quick player, Rooney, could cause serious problems – and Moyes also has the options of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernández, should he want more outright pace.

 

[aguero93:20]

From the Guardian:

Mata finding space

Robin van Persie's absence allowed Juan Mata to play in his favoured No10 role at Upton Park, with Wayne Rooney pushed forward as the main striker. Rooney grabbed the headlines with his superb 45-yard volley, but Moyes was full of praise for his entire attack, and especially Mata and Shinji Kagawa. They repeatedly combined in the first half, showing great understanding on their first start together. Van Persie hit a hat-trick against Olympiakos before being injured, but his absence may bring the best out in Mata. Yaya Touré and Fernandinho have a fine partnership, but neither is naturally a holding midfielder and they often concede too much space – Mata can exploit that, and play clever through-balls to teammates breaking behind City's defence.

Pace in behind City's defence

Martín Demichelis and Vincent Kompany have been sent off in recent weeks for denying clear goalscoring opportunities – both were individual errors, but a red-card offence in this situation is far more likely when a team is defending high up the pitch, as Manuel Pellegrini requests. Demichelis and Kompany are much more comfortable defending deeper. The positional play and movement of Rooney, therefore, will be very interesting. When playing as the main striker against City in the past, he has tended to drop deep away from goal, bringing Kompany up the pitch – but it might be worth him varying his positioning, and running in behind too. A deceptively quick player, Rooney, could cause serious problems – and Moyes also has the options of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernández, should he want more outright pace.

Deceptively quick? I suppose he is, it's suprising the fat **** can run at all.

 

[OB1]

For me, we still don't really perform in these 'big' games when the chips are down.

I know that sounds ridiculous, considering what we have won in recent seasons. I include QPR, Stoke and Sunderland in my viewpoint.

United and Newcastle, the title year, being the exception.

Tipped us to win 5-0 against Fulham :)

't think we will win tomorrow and 2-3 points at best from United/Arsenal games :(

Has someone hacked your account TH ?
we need 9 points from next 4 games for me , not arsed where they come

Just amused to see the amount of blues who are dismissing the reality.

I agree about the points total, but one of those wins must come against United, it affords us some wiggle room.

I am genuinely taken aback by some of our lacklustre performances in recent years, when no motivation should even be required to turn on our maximum.

We have beaten great United teams in the past with sides which would probably concede ten against our best starting eleven.

The reason people are stating we are title favourites if we beat both United and Arsenal is simply because the opponents in question are more than capable of taking points from us.

I don't see it as 'out there' we could win one, lose one, draw both.

Anyhow, I also sense a reaction from Sunderland at Liverpool on Wednesday, it's shit or bust for them now, so that's where I'm trying to read between all these lines.

My biggest worry for a long time has been the team's mentality and it is about to get a very serious test. I have no predictions to make on the outcome other than: if the team show the correct attitude in their remaining games, they will prosper.