Derby Pre Match thread

[Otamendi's Beard]

I agree with your analysis but not your team. For me we need to play 4-3-3 with the ball and 4-5-1 without the ball to nullify United's strengths. We need to avoid chasing the ball, be patient and compact and not be too concerned with not having the lions share of possession. We win this by forcing them down dead ends and hitting them with pace on the break.

My team to do this:-

Hart

Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Sagna

Fernandinho, Toure, Fernando

Navas, Sterling, De Bruyne

Good shout on the team. My only concern would be relying too much on Sterling as our main goalscoring threat. He'll undoubtedly get in behind them and create chances, it's just whether he has the composure to be clinical on the day.

Overall I'd be happy coming away with a point, but we're capable of winning it by hurting them on the break.

 

[LeKoa]

Silva is a bigger miss than Aguero. The majority of our recent victories over United have been won in the midfield. We have just been too strong for them in this critical area over the last 3-4 years. De Bruyne is a different player but a legitimate replacement for Silva. Of course, Aguero is a huge loss and Bony, pound for pound, is not the same force as Aguero. But, up until Saturday Sterling was not a finisher (allegedly).

Derbies give me the most wretched stress. But, I am confident that we can take 3 points.

 

[citytillidie86]

I hate the build up to the derby and am glad when it is over. We have a game midweek which I think is more of a must win, but all I can think about is the derby. Think it will be touch and go for Silva to make the game. But still think we will win 2-1

 

[kaz7]

I hate the build up to the derby and am glad when it is over. We have a game midweek which I think is more of a must win, but all I can think about is the derby. Think it will be touch and go for Silva to make the game. But still think we will win 2-1

David is out,another week for him to recover,the target is Seville away,@Bluwhit

 

[Sergio Picasso Aguero]

With Merlin and Kun out I think this is the first time in years where the starting lineups will look pretty even in terms of quality. Not the end of the world if we lose though as we'll only be 1 point behind and the last time we lost a derby we went on an 11 match winning streak.


Hart

Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Kolarov

Fernandinho, Yaya Toure

Navas, De Bruyne, Sterling

Bony


I think the attacking trio of Navas, Sterling and KDB could be dangerous on the counter.

2-1 City

 

[ojeme]

Their strength lies in the middle of the park with them likely to play Herrera, Schweinsteger and Carrick/Schneiderlin and so i'd try to nullify that by playing the Ferns:

Hart
Zabaleta Kompany Mangala Sagna
Fernando Fernandinho*
Yaya Toure*
Navas Sterling* De Bruyne

*i would have loved to play Delph because he's better on the ball than nando but we can't do that for obvious reasons
*toure plays slightly ahead of the Ferns and not as a number 10 as he seems to be more effective in a deeper role and I also hope he's fully fit and not half fit
*Navas instead of Bony for me so we can hurt them with our pace

Going to be a very stern test with our 2
best players out injured but I reckon we can get all 3 points if we get the tactics right

 

[aguero93:20]

Content with a point, happy with a win, satisfied if we wipe the fucking floor with them.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

Id take a point.

 

[malg]

Id take a point.

Yep.

 

[melons]

Hopefully a late kick off and a long journey back from Moscow will have a negative effect on them. At least our boys will be tucked up in their own beds not too late on Wednesday night (hopefully injury free !)
I think that this will be a season defining week...