Spurs (h) pre-match thread

[clive manchester]

Difficult to thing straight after today.
Nevertheless, I would set up to counter.

No aguero and play all midfielders. Navas has to start for his defensive work.

Willy,
Sagna, Stones, Otta, Clichy
Navas, Kdb, Silva, Yaya, Sane, Kolarov

Try and make HT level

I have to say that team brought a smile to my face for the first time since Oliver awarded that penalty at the swamp. I agree with the caballero bit.

 

[clive manchester]

Not a single player from shit fest deserves to be in starting line up.

Come again? From where?

 

[Chi-town blues]

Come again? From where?

All those players involved in fuck fest at Everton.

 

[clive manchester]

All those players involved in fuck fest at Everton.

Ah I hear you. I thought it was a new festival id missed out on. You can't beat a bird in wellies. Anyway where was I, oh yeah the zionists, yeah I'm not looking forward to Saturday at all.

 

[Gray]

Everton sucked us into playing as if we were the home team and hit us on the counter.

We should do the same against Spurs, unfortunately we have a manager who will not do that.

Expect loads of possession followed by a defensive bollock and a badly positioned keeper, no clean sheet.

 

[Metalartin]

Really hope we beat Spurs, a win and we are back in the top 4 or there abouts.

That goal difference is not looking so good compared to theirs, both Spurs and Chelsea are clearly not letting many goals in but if we get the first goal I think we'll win it, we were finding the spaces and they were struggling to cope with our movement in the second half at theirs we just don't need any own goals, missed sitters or missed penalties to shake the teams confidence(they aren't recovering from things well at the moment imo but I suppose most teams have periods in the season like that maybe it will be a case of a good start, bad middle, strong finish for us?). Us City fans need to be more confident(not cocky) expecting the players not to go to pieces when they are going through a tough time(keep getting the wind knocked out of us when it looks like we are starting to string some wins together) and doing it yourself is just hypocrisy, it's been a bloody frustrating season so far for all sorts of reasons, it's been the times we've come away saying "we deserved more/could have easily won that on another day" for me.

 

[journolud]

In normal circumstances wouldn't be looking to start Vinnie in this game but if he is fit he has to come in and try and get some order in our woeful defence as I can't otherwise see us containing spuds. Maybe a gamble. As for who else you play... names in a hat it doesn't really seem to matter.

 

[Saddleworth2]

A back 3 would be a great way to integrate Kompany without having him too exposed and potentially leading him to covering and injuring himself in last ditch tackles, shame we have no players who can play wing back efficiently.

Then surely we shouldn't play a back three! I think we would be committing football suicide playing three at the back against spuds. Can you imagine every time we press them high up the pitch. Dembele and Wanyama will win lots of 50/50 and second balls. That will leave our back three waving at Rose, Walker, Ericsson, Ali and Kane as they exploit the acres of space. Realistically, I think we will lose this one irrespective of the formation but will give ourselves a better chance by playing a back 5 of Willie, Sagna, Komps, Otamendi, Kolorov/Clichy. Hopefully Fernando will be fit and asked to play a very holding role. I'd be tempted to play Garcia alongside him if he has the legs for 90 minutes.

 

[Saddleworth2]

If ever there was a time for Pep to compromise his principles its for this game. Playing our usual high line against Spuds could see us getting slaughtered. From what I have watched over the last month, they are the form team in the top 6. We need to set up primarily from a defensive position and draw them on to us. Willie in instead of Bravo. Back four, hopefully with Vinnie in it. Rest Stones. Fernando to play a proper holding role. Yaya or Garcia alongside him for the transition. Sane wide, Stirling wide, De Bruyne and Silva in the middle. Play a counter attack based offence. Sane/Raheem will need to work like hell to negate Rose and Walker. Fernando will need to play a blinder policing Ericsson/Ali. Would be happy with a draw and a solid defensive performance.

 

[Edwin Edwin]

Hard to swallow,but Spurs have a better team,better players in arguably every position.
Forget their quality,they'll show the fight and desire to win,sth we totally lack..Talent is never enough..Pep's selection will have to give the fans a lift even before the game starts,uno sth different/fresh,like Willy,Sané,A.Garcia,*G.Jesus starting.