City Vs Newcastle Pre match Thread

[MihaiCity]

For Newcastle:

Hart
Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov
Fernando, Fernandinho
Silva, Nasri
Aguero, Bony

If everything goes to plan and we're winning, we should sub Fernandinho, Silva and Aguero off after an hour and put Yaya, Navas and Dzeko on.

For Barca:

Hart
Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy
Yaya, Fernandinho
Navas, Silva, Milner
Aguero

Maybe bring Nasri and/or Bony on towards the end of the game.

Yaya is SUSPENDED for Barca game and he 100% as to start vs Newcastle

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Have to laugh. People have been on here bemoaning Chelsea's luck with injuries and being
able to play a settled side regularly, but we have to rotate.
Strongest team for both games, equally important. For those saying rest Kun, well
i think not. He's just starting to get into a stride, the last thing he needs, is resting.

 

[Bluekiwi]

If we play a weakened team against Newcastle and drop points and then lose against Barcelona, then that's our chance of a trophy pretty much gone. The players have had a long enough rest. Full strength for both games.

We played a weakened team last season before a Barca game - what happened? We got dumped out of the FA cup.
Has to be the strongest team against Newcastle because we are hunting Chelsea down and we don't want the chasing pack to catch up with us. Rotation should be during the game when we have made sure of the points. And definitely not when we are only 2 up because we have a recent history of gifting the opposition a toe hold back into the game.

 

[mosssideblue]

Maybe we'll start Jovetic to placate him for his exclusion from the CL squad.

That would be for the wrong reason, don't you think.

Strongest team on merit, not sympathy

 

[Marvin]

Had we been in our usual form, we'd probably rest players, but what would be the impact of dropped points at home to Newcastle, and a bad result against Barca. It would end our season, and possibly be the end of Pellegrini.

Bony and Aguero need to play together. The only possible positions where we could rotate are at full back where there is little to choose between the players anyway.

If anyone is carrying a knock, or struggling to play twice in 3-4 days, then that's another issue.

 

[FantasyIreland]

The only possible positions where we could rotate are at full back where there is little to choose between the players anyway.

 

[noblelord]

If we play a weakened team against Newcastle and drop points and then lose against Barcelona, then that's our chance of a trophy pretty much gone. The players have had a long enough rest. Full strength for both games.

We played a weakened team last season before a Barca game - what happened? We got dumped out of the FA cup.
Has to be the strongest team against Newcastle because we are hunting Chelsea down and we don't want the chasing pack to catch up with us. Rotation should be during the game when we have made sure of the points. And definitely not when we are only 2 up because we have a recent history of gifting the opposition a toe hold back into the game.

This is another must win match if we are to overtake Chelsea. We've also got to return to Fortress Etihad. Hopefully the team will forget about Barca until after we've won the Newcastle match.

 

[MCFCYann]

Practically a no-brainer. Play strongest possible team for both games, we've seen what resting key players can do to results at home- so no need to destroy any chance of a trophy by doing that. Yaya/Ferna a must for Geordies as they are our most offensive and effective CDM pairing. As for Barca, playing Fernando for that added defensive cover is vital. As for the Demi/Mangala complex in terms of the Barca game: Well we saw that Demichelis could'nt handle Messi's pace and dribbling last year with the Pen incident, however he's a far better reader of what Barca will play (through balls in the channels) etc.. Mangala on the otherhand would be more apt for dealing with Messi and physical side to it all- but his decision making is atrocious so could be undone with one ball at any moment. Mangala for me though.

 

[Chris in London]

Is this actually the first time this season we have had every member of the first team squad fit and available for selection?

 

[tonea2003]

Is this actually the first time this season we have had every member of the first team squad fit and available for selection?

thinks so mate, but we are the time of the season where strongest team available is the only viable option