City vs Aston Villa Pre Match Thread

[pudge]

Villa are in the shit after todays other results.

No sauntering about Yaya.. I mean City.

 

[Demosthenes]

Fernandinho sits out. Again. For no reason.

 

[aguero93:20]

Happy with the line up, can see Lampard and Aguero both getting on the score sheet tonight.

 

[SebastianBlue]

There is zero mobility in that middle.

If Villa decide to go for it, we could have real problems with some of their quicker players running off the back of us.

Should be a nice open game.

Finally someone speaks some sense. I was reading the comments about the selection and couldn't believe everyone was happy with a midfield of Fernando, Lampard, and Yaya.

Only one of those players is any good in possession when the opponent presses, none of them are particularly pacey in defense, and only one likes to defend (and that's all he adds). That while Aston Villa have some of the fastest midfielders in the league who enjoy a good knock on and sprint exercise when ever it's available.

I fear we are going to have a torrid time today. Why drop our most consistent performer? Why not play Milner over Lampard regardless of full fitness (which Lampard has but is still not as energetic as Milner at 80%)?

I suppose I am in the minority with these concerns, though, and I of course do not have the same information as our manager... But it all seems strange.

Lampard playing this much at the end of the seasons smacks of the ownership group trying to drum up excitement for his arrival in NYC after their horrible start to the season.

 

[Blueband Brother]

Same line up as last week, interesting. Aston Villa are buzzing after their FA cup achievement and this is not going to be an easy game but we should be more than capable of getting the three points.

I want to see a better performance from Lampard and hope Mangala can continue to rekindle his confidence and settle in finally.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Lampard is more effective when coming in as a second half sub. wtf has fernandinho done to pelle?is he carrying some kind of injury or a dog house?

 

[Dax777]

Why does he always bench Dihno near the end of the season. Did the same last season.

To be fair, Garcia was playing extremely well slotted in front of the back line.

If it's me I'd find a way to get Dinho in as much as possible, though. Has been one of our most consistent performers lately.

Yes, Garcia played well, but that only happened coz he dropped Dihno, had he not dropped Dihno we wouldn't have known Garcia had that in him. I'm not angered by it, just wondering why it happens near the end of the season in 2 straight seasons.

 

[Sergi0 Na5r1]

I don't see Lamps as an effective impact sub.

Every time he's come on recently in a sub capacity has been around the 70th minute without much effect. I think we should have used him more earlier in the season when Yaya was away and he had his strong streak. Playing him now instead of Dinho is a little strange.

 

[kupest]

There is zero mobility in that middle.

If Villa decide to go for it, we could have real problems with some of their quicker players running off the back of us.

Should be a nice open game.

Finally someone speaks some sense. I was reading the comments about the selection and couldn't believe everyone was happy with a midfield of Fernando, Lampard, and Yaya.

Only one of those players is any good in possession when the opponent presses, none of them are particularly pacey in defense, and only one likes to defend (and that's all he adds). That while Aston Villa have some of the fastest midfielders in the league who enjoy a good knock on and sprint exercise when ever it's available.

I fear we are going to have a torrid time today. Why drop our most consistent performer? Why not play Milner over Lampard regardless of full fitness (which Lampard has but is still not as energetic as Milner at 80%)?

I suppose I am in the minority with these concerns, though, and I of course do not have the same information as our manager... But it all seems strange.

Lampard playing this much at the end of the seasons smacks of the ownership group trying to drum up excitement for his arrival in NYC after their horrible start to the season.

Don't really mind anything else you said but that is pretty far stretched to say the least.
The reason I think Lampard is preferred is because his quality in the box (header and runs) is second to none in our midfield. Its gives Pellegrini a 4-4-2 alike system without the extra striker.

 

[ianw16]

Looking at that team, I'm just glad Villa haven't got Agbonlahor available. Even so, think we might struggle here.