Manchester City V Blackburn Pre-match thread.

[dom]

Panti
Boyata Nastasic Lescott Clichy
Navas Garcia Demicheles Milner
Negredo Lopes

Apologies to anyone who's got to watch that side but it would get the job done.

Please, please , please .. NOT Boyata at RB ... I've seen him in a variety of defensive roles an RB is thatv one he really hasn't got a clue about...

 

[Mancini Manus Domini]

Important to win this match and progress. However this is an opportunity to give a rest to some of the key players and those that played the full 90 minutes at Newcastle.

Also we have the chance to play some of our younger players. I would like to see both Marcos Lopes and Devante Cole from the start.

Pantilimon
Richards Nastasic Lescott Clichy
Navas Milner Rodwell Lopes
Dzeko Cole

Subject to no injuries.

Subs to include Fernandinho, YaYa, Aguero, Hart - hope none needed. Youngsters Shay Fahey, Jason Denayer, Emyr Huws

Rodwell is injured again. Well that's what Pellegrini said in the pre-Newcastle press conference... not sure how long he's out for, but it's safe to say it will be at least 4 years.

Garcia for Rodwell then. Agree with all the others.

 

[kunaguero10]

not Boyata at right back please, he's had his chances at city and clearly isn't good enough. Of course Richards will play tomorrow, but in future I'd rather Shay Facey was given a chance

 

[Tricky_Trev]

We have so many defensive players fit and so few attacking ones that I'd even be tempted to play with wing-backs just to protect an extra forward-thinking player. As long as we are concentrated, we will win regardless of the formation we use, so I'd really consider it. We cannot afford any more injuries. Imagine if Navas/Silva now pick up a knock... we'd be fucked.

So I'd go something like:

...............................Negredo................................................
...................................................Lopes.................................

..................Fernandinho...................Milner........................
..........................................Garcia..........................................
Kolarov...................................................................Richards
......................Nastasic....Lescott....Boyata..........................

......................................Pantilimon......................................

You might think that's strange, but I think there's logic to it. I'll explain. We rest Silva and Navas who are now more important than ever before with Nasri out. We rest Yaya and Dzeko (they both got slight knocks v Newcastle). Kolarov and Richards would both be very dangerous as wing backs and should get in behind Blackburn and supply Negredo with tap-ins/headers. In midfield, Fernandinho and Milner would have licence to get forward and support Lopes/Negredo, since there is Garcia protecting, plus a back 3. In a nutshell, we protect as many key attackers as possible, whilst still having enough to win.

We just need to get through this game unscathed and still in the hat, that's all that matters.

 

[Armaan]

Is it on tv?

 

[baildon blue]

Is it on tv?

I think its on ITV on Wednesday .

 

[CITYBOY1000]

Seriously, Budweiser is among the crappest lagers of all time.

I use to like it years ago but a lady friend at work told me she thought it had a smell like vomit and it put me off after that. After she mentioned it I did start thinking the same.

On to the harder stuff now anyway.<br /><br />-- Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:50 pm --<br /><br />

We have so many defensive players fit and so few attacking ones that I'd even be tempted to play with wing-backs just to protect an extra forward-thinking player. As long as we are concentrated, we will win regardless of the formation we use, so I'd really consider it. We cannot afford any more injuries. Imagine if Navas/Silva now pick up a knock... we'd be fucked.

So I'd go something like:

...............................Negredo................................................
...................................................Lopes.................................

..................Fernandinho...................Milner........................
..........................................Garcia..........................................
Kolarov...................................................................Richards
......................Nastasic....Lescott....Boyata..........................

......................................Pantilimon......................................

You might think that's strange, but I think there's logic to it. I'll explain. We rest Silva and Navas who are now more important than ever before with Nasri out. We rest Yaya and Dzeko (they both got slight knocks v Newcastle). Kolarov and Richards would both be very dangerous as wing backs and should get in behind Blackburn and supply Negredo with tap-ins/headers. In midfield, Fernandinho and Milner would have licence to get forward and support Lopes/Negredo, since there is Garcia protecting, plus a back 3. In a nutshell, we protect as many key attackers as possible, whilst still having enough to win.

We just need to get through this game unscathed and still in the hat, that's all that matters.

I don't disagree with anything you say there Tricky and fully agree with your reasoning.

BUT are you not a little concerned that this Blackburn team are a proper team full of young, committed English lads who want to get to Wembley and who will really go for it at our place ?

Have you considered that by resting too many keys players we could actually get knocked-out of one of the four titles ?

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Weakest team possible please. We've got a chance to rest our key players for a week, can't be doing with anymore injuries.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Seriously, Budweiser is among the crappest lagers of all time.

I use to like it years ago but a lady friend at work told me she thought it had a smell like vomit and it put me off after that. After she mentioned it I did start thinking the same.

On to the harder stuff now anyway.

-- Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:50 pm --

We have so many defensive players fit and so few attacking ones that I'd even be tempted to play with wing-backs just to protect an extra forward-thinking player. As long as we are concentrated, we will win regardless of the formation we use, so I'd really consider it. We cannot afford any more injuries. Imagine if Navas/Silva now pick up a knock... we'd be fucked.

So I'd go something like:

...............................Negredo................................................
...................................................Lopes.................................

..................Fernandinho...................Milner........................
..........................................Garcia..........................................
Kolarov...................................................................Richards
......................Nastasic....Lescott....Boyata..........................

......................................Pantilimon......................................

You might think that's strange, but I think there's logic to it. I'll explain. We rest Silva and Navas who are now more important than ever before with Nasri out. We rest Yaya and Dzeko (they both got slight knocks v Newcastle). Kolarov and Richards would both be very dangerous as wing backs and should get in behind Blackburn and supply Negredo with tap-ins/headers. In midfield, Fernandinho and Milner would have licence to get forward and support Lopes/Negredo, since there is Garcia protecting, plus a back 3. In a nutshell, we protect as many key attackers as possible, whilst still having enough to win.

We just need to get through this game unscathed and still in the hat, that's all that matters.

I don't disagree with anything you say there Tricky and fully agree with your reasoning.

BUT are you not a little concerned that this Blackburn team are a proper team full of young, committed English lads who want to get to Wembley and who will really go for it at our place ?

Have you considered that by resting too many keys players we could actually get knocked-out of one of the four titles ?

Yep, I've considered it. I don't think it would happen, however if it did I really wouldn't be all that fussed. I don't think anyone is equipped to compete on 4 fronts for a full season. Nobody! In a strange way, it could help our season. That doesn't mean I want us to lose though, of course not. The point I'm saying is that it's worth taking the risk of resting key players, due to our injuries, our fixture list, and the FA Cup probably being our 4th most important competition since we're effectively already in the Capital One Cup Final.

 

[Marvin]

Weakest team possible please. We've got a chance to rest our key players for a week, can't be doing with anymore injuries.

Better to win the game and relax and make subs, than have a long game of attrition