City v United pre-match thread (team news pg 66)

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

PL have been busting a gut recently to ensure this fixture is significant in the top 4 race. I've lost all hope of it being a fair 11 v 11 game, because you know as soon as the opportunity is presented, the ref will screw us.

We will have to score irrefutable goals where it will be difficult for the ref to screw us (like Sergio's yesterday - though I did think they would give it offside); anything scrappy and it won't be given. Also, we will have to keep them way out of our penalty area, so the dive for a penalty option becomes null and void. Then we will also have to ensure we play a tight, high line so it will be easy to see they are offside.

Basically, we will need a perfect performance to be in with a shout of getting anything from this game. Even then I'm not convinced as the ref will be over protective towards them and blow up for any contact on their players.

This may have sounded cynical a couple of seasons ago, but after everything that has gone on this season it is inevitable.

 

[mcfc49]

time for plan b willy zab ota company kolarov Fernando fernadinho delph kun sterling silva. lets kick the shit out of them lets dive cheat harangue the referee . cripple rashford the world class one. lets make this about anti football. no nice pleasing easy on the eye great to watch football for the worldwide audience. let us bribe or intimidate the corrupt officials with threats or money or both. win at all costs.

 

[Jazzman]

This is a must not loose game.

 

[sh249]

This is a must not loose game.

I reckon it will be tight.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

time for plan b willy zab ota company kolarov Fernando fernadinho delph kun sterling silva. lets kick the shit out of them lets dive cheat harangue the referee . cripple rashford the world class one. lets make this about anti football. no nice pleasing easy on the eye great to watch football for the worldwide audience. let us bribe or intimidate the corrupt officials with threats or money or both. win at all costs.

No point trying to bribe the officials. Gill and Scudamore have already typed out the referees script and stuffed it in the brown envelope along with a large wad of reasons for the rags to get the points.

 

[RayCTID]

We have the players to cause them a few problems (providing they have recovered from the unexpected kicking they got from the gooners) but more than likely we are going to get shafted from the officials. A draw at best.

 

[leth]

-------------------- Bravo ---------------------
Navas -- Kompany -- Otamendi -- Clichy
---------Fernandinho -- Toure -------------
---------------- De Bruyne -------------------
Sterling --------- Jesus ---------------Sane

Obviously much depends on the fitness and recovery ahead of the game. While i'd feel more secure with Willy in goal, it's looking very much like we're planning to retain Bravo for next season. On that basis we might as well keep playing him in the hope that he can do something towards recovering his damaged reputation and start to earn a bit more trust from the fans and his team-mates.

United seem likely to have the pace of Rashford/Martial on their left, so i think we've got to persist with Navas at right-back. I remain keen to explore the possibility of trying Delph at left-back but this isn't the game to take that risk. Delph can come in for Fernandinho if he's not fully fit by Thursday. I'm assuming Silva won't make it.

I can't work out if Sterling's confidence has taken a hit since he lost his place to having De Bruyne play on the right, or whether he's getting forced inside and crowded out more by having Navas overlapping him so much. I suspect the latter isn't helping. If Silva is out, we've just got to hope Sterling can get back to the level he was at in March. Maybe tell Navas to hang back and let Sterling isolate his full-back more.

I think Aguero will probably be fit for Thursday, but even so, he's played virtually every minute since mid-February and while he took his goal well at Wembley, in a more general sense, it's been starting to show. If Guardiola feels we can get 60 minutes out of Jesus, i'd be inclined to throw him straight back in. The pace of that front three should give the likes of Blind a lot of problems. It would go a long way to lifting the mood before kick-off too if Jesus can start. A fresh Aguero could still be a real asset from the bench against tiring legs.

Still pretty confident we can win this game and go on to secure 3rd place pretty comfortably. A draw would definitely be a better result for us than Utd though so if Mourinho sets his team up defensively to frustrate us, we need to be smart and avoid getting sucked into taking unnecessary risks. They'll need to attack us at some point and it's more important that we pick them off at the right moment than leave ourselves exposed at the back trying to force the issue.

 

[abu13]

I think Navas will be key at full back against the pace of Whatshisname, Sane and Sterling out wide with KDB, Yaya and Delph in the middle assuming that Silva is out.

Maybe Fernando instead of Delph to be given the job of man marking Jogba all game.

Bravo
Navas Kompany Stones Kolarov
Yaya
Sterling KDB Delph Sane
Aguero

 

[Father Paul]

We have the players to cause them a few problems but more than likely we are going to get shafted from the officials.

90% of the contributions point towards the futility of even turning up. Yes the game could be decided by a dodgy decision but is just as likely to
be decided by good or bad play by either team. The Rags are the form team at the moment have not lost a game in an eternity and we will be
doing well to get a draw. But to get that draw we will have to defend well and take any chance that presents itself. The fact that they are probably
a better team than us now is very concerning.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

I think Navas will be key at full back against the pace of Whatshisname, Sane and Sterling out wide with KDB, Yaya and Delph in the middle assuming that Silva is out.

Maybe Fernando instead of Delph to be given the job of man marking Jogba all game.

Bravo
Navas Kompany Stones Kolarov
Yaya
Sterling KDB Delph Sane
Aguero

Paul Bogpapa may not be fit to play