I hope we will draw at sunderland

[waspish]

Why are so many of you criticising Mancio? He is basically saying that he hopes we don't lose at Sunderland. Nobody seems to have even considered the possibility of a defeat yet that prospect is not impossible given our current goal scoring form. We only managed three against a Stoke side which had rolled over. You also seem to have overlooked the obvious fact that we play Liverpool only 48 hours later, followed by several important cup ties. Some of our boys will be wanting to avoid injuries, so I would be happy with a draw at Sunderland. As for it being a "must win" game, don't make me laugh. We can catch up and overtake the Rags later in the year.

Your so right there's 20 games left of the season a draw at Sunderland would be ok there's a long long way to go ups and downs!

 

[Squatter]

I hope Mancini wins

 

[ali benarbia's studs]

play one up front box the midfield and go for the jugular!

3pts lets take it!!!

no disrespect to sunderland!

 

[Marvin]

We will try and win the game but in the course of the whole season, a point at Sunderland would be a disappointment not a disaster.

 

[Marvin]

Sunderland v Manchester City Pre Match Discussion Thread

This game has been moved back for SkyTV and gives us an selection problem because we play Liverpool 48 hours later. Not so bad if Liverpool were playing on New Year's day too - but they are not. Their game was brought forward 24 hours so they have 48 hours additional rest. We can't go into the Liverpool game playing the same players or we will certainly lose.

So much of the pre-match discussion is going to centre on how Mancini is going to deal with this. Will he play his strongest team at Sunderland, and play the reserves at home to Liverpool, or split the squad over the two fixtures?

Sunderland may have a couple of injury problems of their own as Bramble and Bardsley went off against Everton.

-------------------Hart-----------------
-Zabaleta-----Kompany---- Kolo-----Kolarov (if fit)
-----------------De Jong----------------
-------Milner---------------Barry--------
------------------Nasri------------------
--------Balotelli---------Dzeko-----------

Then Micah, Clichy, Lescott, Yaya, AJ, Silva, Hargreaves, Aguero can come in against Liverpool. We need hargreaves and Kolarov to be fit in time for the Liverpool game to have a chance of being able to cover these two games

MON seems to have galvanised Sunderland since he came in. They haven't turned anyone over, but he has arrested their decline, and they are now looking like a tough team to beat. Sessegnon looks like their danger man, and they have a young winger called Mclean who could come on with 20 mins to go. man for man their back 4 looks very weak, but it will be getting to them that will be the problem. I am sure MON will set them up in exactly the same way that Hodgson did at WBA. It will be another Cup Final, high tempo game. Scoring first will be vital or it will turn into a war of attrition

 

[citytill1die84]

Re: Sunderland v Manchester City

Players on 100k+ a week can play twice in 48 hours and I'd be pretty pissed off if they couldn't. Championship and Leagues 1&2 play 2 games in 48 hours so why can't prem teams?. I'm really looking forward to the Sunderland match we need to get back to winning ways and I feel we will.

I'd start with

Hart

Zaba/Savic Kompany Kolo Clichy

De Jong

Nasri Yaya Silva

Dzeko Balotelli

Keep Barry,Ricahrds,Lescott and Aguero for Looserpool.

For Liverpool can't see Richards being able to play 2 quick fire games and I feel he will be needed for Bellamy.

Team for Looserpool

Hart

Richards Kompany Lescott Clichy

Barry Milner

Nasri Silva Yaya

Aguero

4-5-1 pack the midfield to stop there forward play and attack there defence. I feel we will win both games in the 48 hours Looserpool are very much OVERATED they've scored less goals than Bolton and Blackburn says it all really.

Come on City make my new year a good 1 :)

 

[King Of The Kippax]

Re: Sunderland v Manchester City

-Hart

-Richards
-Kompany
-Lescott
-Clichy

-Milner
-Barry
-Silva
-Yaya

-Balo
-Dzeko

1-0 City, Dzeko

 

[Marvin]

Re: Sunderland v Manchester City

Players on 100k+ a week can play twice in 48 hours and I'd be pretty pissed off if they couldn't.

They could play. In the 50s and 60s players used to play Christmas Day and Boxing Day. That's not the point though. I know they could play, but Liverpool will have played on the the 30th Dec and we play on the 1st january which means that our players will be tired and their players wont be. Not only would it give Liverpool a huge advantage it would also expose our players to injury

The obvious way around it is to use different players in the two games and I think mancini will do that. Maybe he will keep Hart and the central defenders as they don't have to do so much running

The other way of approaching it would be to get the Sunderland game won in the first 30 mins and then just pass it around them like we do at home to teams - but that's very unlikely to come off.

 

[LoveCity]

Re: Sunderland v Manchester City Pre Match Discussion Thread

Seb Larsson says Sunderland are "fired up" for this one. Surprise! Another team ready to play their cup final, we need to reverse the trend at the Stadium of Light as we've been wank there in the last two seasons with a draw and defeat. We beat them 5-0 at home last season though (this April), Johnson opened the scoring in that one and saved us in the 1-1 the season before so maybe start him?

 

[Deleted member 41424]

Re: Sunderland v Manchester City Pre Match Discussion Thread

Sunderland normally play 4-5-1 so my starting 11 would be -

Hart
Zabaleta-Kolo-Lescott-Clichy
Milner-Yaya-DeJong-Razak-Johnson
Dzeko

leaving this as my 11 for the Liverpool game -

Hart
Richards-Kompany-Lescott-Clichy
Nasri-Milner-Barry-Silva
Balotelli-Aguero

hopefully Mancini will put some of the EDS lads in the squads this month to start giving them 5-10 mins at the end of a game. Its months like this we need a couple of youngster we can rely on who have some first team experience.