City vs Sunderland pre match thread

[Sergi0 Na5r1]

Hart
Zaba MDM Mang Clichy
Yaya Fernho
Nasri Silva Milner
Lampard

 

[ped]

Anyone else think Jojo shouldn't start and we should paly without a recognised striker?. Didn't look like he brought much to the table yesterday, and we seemed to cope in the scoring department without one.

he only get back after was out for a month or so...give it a rest ffs

To be fair he hasn't exactly ripped up trees since arriving. Big 2nd half of the season for the lad, if he carries on "as is" he'll be sold in the summer.

problem is with his injury record no one will buy ,looks like a loan back to Italy ,unless he can get himself sorted

 

[Bluekiwi]

No one has put kolarov in their team yet?

That's because the majority of blues know their football. He was awful against Burnley.

He was knackered after all that running he did against the Baggies. Oh just a minute, wasn't he a mid second half substitute so that excuse doesn't hold.

 

[Marvin]

Kolarov had a bad game against Burnley. He was not alone.

He's just come back from a lengthy spell out and not so long ago Clichy had a couple of really bad games. Aguero has had bad games as well.

 

[RACHACE]

Kolarov had a bad game against Burnley. He was not alone.

He's just come back from a lengthy spell out and not so long ago Clichy had a couple of really bad games. Aguero has had bad games as well.

Fair point well made. I'd still have clichy in ahead of him though without a doubt.

 

[cleavers]

There were worrying comparisons with the CSKA away game on Sunday, particularly with how we became disorganised and started to panic at the back, against a team who just worked hard , so its how we bounce back that matters, we didn't react well after the CSKA game, so hopefully we've learned something from that.

I think I read a stat that Sunderland have only conceded once in their last 5 away games (not checked), so it won't be an easy game, but they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.

We need our strongest 11 available on current form, they'll have had 5 days to recover, so should be all raring to go, our passing needs to improve vastly from Sunday, as does our chance taking. On paper we should win comfortably, and we have the chance to put pressure on Chelsea by winning before they kick off away at Spurs, who have improved recently (5 games without defeat).

 

[Danamy]

There were worrying comparisons with the CSKA away game on Sunday, particularly with how we became disorganised and started to panic at the back, against a team who just worked hard , so its how we bounce back that matters, we didn't react well after the CSKA game, so hopefully we've learned something from that.

I think I read a stat that Sunderland have only conceded once in their last 5 away games (not checked), so it won't be an easy game, but they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.

We need our strongest 11 available on current form, they'll have had 5 days to recover, so should be all raring to go, our passing needs to improve vastly from Sunday, as does our chance taking. On paper we should win comfortably, and we have the chance to put pressure on Chelsea by winning before they kick off away at Spurs, who have improved recently (5 games without defeat).

It's funny you say that about the comparison with CSKA, i said the same thing to my nipper, it was a mirror image of the 45 mins in Moscow.

 

[Marvin]

Kolarov had a bad game against Burnley. He was not alone.

He's just come back from a lengthy spell out and not so long ago Clichy had a couple of really bad games. Aguero has had bad games as well.

Fair point well made. I'd still have clichy in ahead of him though without a doubt.

Clichy is in form, but Kolarov's low crosses are a great attacking weapon. I don't think there is a full back in the country who can put crosses in like Kolarov, and when you don't have any forwards, low pullbacks to oncoming midfielders become more important.

 

[cleavers]

Clichy is in form, but Kolarov's low crosses are a great attacking weapon. I don't think there is a full back in the country who can put crosses in like Kolarov, and when you don't have any forwards, low pullbacks to oncoming midfielders become more important.

All fine and well, if its working, and it wasn't, an unfit Kolarov wasn't getting forward, wasn't making any crosses, and was defending like a drain, that was before we took the lead. After half time the whole thing became unstable down the left as Burnley took advantage, allowing them to get on the attack more, by hitting long balls into that area, that neither Kolarov nor Mangala dealt with.

Gifting them a "walk it in" goal after 90 seconds didn't help, and the whole second half was a poor team effort, but our left side became very vulnerable, and nothing was done about it.

 

[ancoats]

sat down last night and looked at the season so far and its been just ok but then I looked at the sunderland game and it got me thinking its the biggest game of the season for me

we are missing big players already played 2 games in 7 days looked leggy in the 2nd half of the burnley game so we must not show if its taking its toll on us the worst thing is to show weakness the others will jump over all us

and like the past couple of season the sunderland game is a hard game and you have to fight for the points they wont just roll over and have so very good players and a good manager

so we must come out on fire get the fans singing pump it up and let them feel it they also have played the Christmas games and if anything should be them with no legs and we are at home so the fan should sing us home

 

[oasis-city-greek-fan]

Υes Kolarov had 2-3 bad touches..Βut we never played from his side...He was out of the game anyway.
Playing without a striker Milner Silva and Nasri are pushed to play in the center next to Navas so we lose our left wing...
We draw against Burnley coz defenders didn t clear the long balls...scoring 2 goals while the players that had scored 31 from our 39 goals were out or at the bench was a good stuff.
It will be tough against Sunderland.Jovetic return won t solve the problems.He is not a clear striker.The team will have to play high to score so we ll be exposed at the counter attacks and Fernandos absence making the things worst.Thats why i am obsessed with the not scoring from the corners situation.We need the mentalitty we had in Rome for this one and passionate support.

Have a great New Years Eve.

 

[kun]

Hart
Zabaleta Demichelis Mangala Kolarov
Yaya Fernandinho
Silva Lampard Nasri
Jovetic

Willy, Sagna, Boyata, Fernando, Navas, Milner, Pozo

I didn't like the look of Jovetic as a lone striker but I think we should give it a try from the start. Kolarov again despite his performance vs Burnley, we need the attacking intent. Lampard to start to give Stevan some support and Yaya back in as we need him to dictate the tempo (probably his last game before AFCON)

I'm going 3-0 City: Yaya, Lampard and Kolarov. Come on CITY!!!

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

ironic that we started the last few games wondering where the goals were going to come from , and its the defence that fell apart against the in-breds , after we notched a couple of goals and went into cruise control. No doubt the pre match talk will be about sunderlands great record against us , ommitting to refer to our 3-1 league cup final win and 4-1 thrashing last month . As previously stated before we played the web footed clarets , i will take a scabby 1-0 , until we get a fully fit squad firing on all cylinders.

 

[AdamoTheGreat]

Welcome back Pantilimon!

 

[Bluep*ss]

Welcome back Pantilimon!

He'll have a blinder!!!!

 

[Bluep*ss]

There were worrying comparisons with the CSKA away game on Sunday, particularly with how we became disorganised and started to panic at the back, against a team who just worked hard , so its how we bounce back that matters, we didn't react well after the CSKA game, so hopefully we've learned something from that.

I think I read a stat that Sunderland have only conceded once in their last 5 away games (not checked), so it won't be an easy game, but they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.

We need our strongest 11 available on current form, they'll have had 5 days to recover, so should be all raring to go, our passing needs to improve vastly from Sunday, as does our chance taking. On paper we should win comfortably, and we have the chance to put pressure on Chelsea by winning before they kick off away at Spurs, who have improved recently (5 games without defeat).

Spot on Cleavers.........

Just for the record - anyone who thinks Sunderland at home will be easy - think again. In their last 6 games - 5 of which were away - they have had
win 3-1 at Palace, 0-0 at Leicester, 0-0 at Liverpool, win 1-0 at Newcastle, 0-0 at Villa and a 0-0 at home to Chelsea.
The point I am making is that they have conceded 1 goal in 5 away games. Will it be easy for City on New Years Day. ? NO.
Our mentality needs to change when we play bottom half teams - plus -Keep the same solid back 4 - unless of injury.

 

[CAPTAINKIPPAX]

The way we lifted off the gas against Burnley was an absolute disgrace I'm a realist and understand we are not gonna win every game and if we simply get outplayed giving 100% i've no quarrel with it. We should rip Gus's boys a newun anywhere near our best we will do just that REST NO-ONE none of them deserve it after that second half debacle don't need anything fancy 3 points no matter how many goals just need a sleeves up full shift from everyone not 50%.

 

[Marvin]

There were worrying comparisons with the CSKA away game on Sunday, particularly with how we became disorganised and started to panic at the back, against a team who just worked hard , so its how we bounce back that matters, we didn't react well after the CSKA game, so hopefully we've learned something from that.

I think I read a stat that Sunderland have only conceded once in their last 5 away games (not checked), so it won't be an easy game, but they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.

We need our strongest 11 available on current form, they'll have had 5 days to recover, so should be all raring to go, our passing needs to improve vastly from Sunday, as does our chance taking. On paper we should win comfortably, and we have the chance to put pressure on Chelsea by winning before they kick off away at Spurs, who have improved recently (5 games without defeat).

Spot on Cleavers.........

Just for the record - anyone who thinks Sunderland at home will be easy - think again. In their last 6 games - 5 of which were away - they have had
win 3-1 at Palace, 0-0 at Leicester, 0-0 at Liverpool, win 1-0 at Newcastle, 0-0 at Villa and a 0-0 at home to Chelsea.
The point I am making is that they have conceded 1 goal in 5 away games. Will it be easy for City on New Years Day. ? NO.
Our mentality needs to change when we play bottom half teams - plus -Keep the same solid back 4 - unless of injury.

Sunderland are normally one of the most defensive sides in the League. They are prone to the odd bad day, and the odd good day, but most of their games are draws or narrow defeats. They seem to be better away from home than at home. eg beating Newcastle and then following that up with a home defeat to Hull.

Pantillimon is brilliant at taking crosses, as he should be, but seeing as we don't have a centre-forward he shouldn't have many high crosses to deal with.

 

[cleavers]

There were worrying comparisons with the CSKA away game on Sunday, particularly with how we became disorganised and started to panic at the back, against a team who just worked hard , so its how we bounce back that matters, we didn't react well after the CSKA game, so hopefully we've learned something from that.

I think I read a stat that Sunderland have only conceded once in their last 5 away games (not checked), so it won't be an easy game, but they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.

We need our strongest 11 available on current form, they'll have had 5 days to recover, so should be all raring to go, our passing needs to improve vastly from Sunday, as does our chance taking. On paper we should win comfortably, and we have the chance to put pressure on Chelsea by winning before they kick off away at Spurs, who have improved recently (5 games without defeat).

Spot on Cleavers.........

Just for the record - anyone who thinks Sunderland at home will be easy - think again. In their last 6 games - 5 of which were away - they have had
win 3-1 at Palace, 0-0 at Leicester, 0-0 at Liverpool, win 1-0 at Newcastle, 0-0 at Villa and a 0-0 at home to Chelsea.
The point I am making is that they have conceded 1 goal in 5 away games. Will it be easy for City on New Years Day. ? NO.
Our mentality needs to change when we play bottom half teams - plus -Keep the same solid back 4 - unless of injury.

Whilst it is a good recent away record, immediately before that they shipped 8 at Southampton, and have also lost 2 of their last 3 at home, 3-1 and 4-1, so their defence is nothing special, we need to get at it, and take our chances when we do. We also need to be on our passing game, confident, and we should win. We don't need to revert to the panicky City of 5 or 6 weeks ago (signs of that again on Sunday), where when we went behind we struggled.

Our good run started with a hard fought, if awful draw at QPR, when we showed plenty of fight at least, then we came from behind to win a couple of games, more good spirit, and then several clean sheets. We need to stop the daft goals going in again, 3 in the last 2 games, silly errors, stupid free kicks in dangerous areas that encourage the hoof into the box that we seem to struggle with.

Hopefully all these are being worked on in training this week, get back to how we were playing when away at Sunderland and Southampton, and we'll be fine.

 

[Marvin]

They're still a bogey side until we well and truly do them at home.

I wonder whether Jovetic will come back in. At the start of the season he was in favour, but now even though he is our only fit forward, Pellegrini would seemingly play Milner up front over him. Perhaps he's not fully fit having missed so many games

Silva and Navas have been brilliant these last few games. If Nasri and Yaya are back, we should have too much for Sunderland. It's possible Chelsea will drop points so we need to win this one.