Stoke (a) 20/08/2016 - pre-match thread

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JoeMercer'sWay said:
Bet Leslie was up at the crack of the dawn frantically trying to work on a plan to stop us.

Difficult game, typical City would lose after the week we've had. Hopefully Pep's City is different and we just thrash them and move on.
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The plan like all teams this season will be a back 6 with 4 in front then time wasting diving for free kicks and hit us on the break
 
Tough game no doubt but for once I'm pleased that I don't think we will get out worked or anyone will go missing if Stoke are getting about us
They will know it won't go unnoticed and they won't get way with it
Yep will probably concede but we take our chances we win
 
I remember the CL game when Dortmund visited and dished out a display of football that I still remember to this day. I want all fans to say the same of us this season when we come to town. Be like: sick, jaw drop, wtf, oh my.
 
Right we will trounce these on Saturday and here's why.

1. We have an energetic midfield, with no lazy can't be arsed passengers that go awol.

2. We have a coach who is tactically aware, and will set us up accordingly.

3. We are playing a high tempo pressing game, that will not allow teams to control us.

4. We have a fit Aguero and Silva and that makes a huge difference.

5. I believe that we now have the players, to graft and get a tackle in, and not behave like fairies.

And finally........

6. We need to put last seasons Britannia shocker to bed.

1-5 will be the score.

Oh and I have a lot of friends who are Stoke season ticket holders, and can't face another barrage of abuse and piss taking like last season.
 
The Black Shed said:
I remember the CL game when Dortmund visited and dished out a display of football that I still remember to this day. I want all fans to say the same of us this season when we come to town. Be like: sick, jaw drop, wtf, oh my.
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Dortmund were good that night but I'd say Peps Munich side couple of years after were the best team I've ever seen play at our place
Honourable mention to Arsenal but Munich beat a better City
 
bluemc1 said:
Dortmund were good that night but I'd say Peps Munich side couple of years after were the best team I've ever seen play at our place
Honourable mention to Arsenal but Munich beat a better City
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Have to agree, that performance where they beat us 3-1 was probably the best football I have ever seen against us. I think the difference with Pep's Munich side is that they defended very differently but then this is what you get with him, he adapts and changes things to mould them into the best they can be.

At Barcelona he built a side around Messi and the best passers in the world in Iniesta and Xavi, at Munich he built a solid team ethic and here I'm sure he will do something similar. He wants to give us a very unique identity and so far it is really exciting to see it developing.
 
Feel like Steaua just had no idea what they would be up against. Stoke will be much harder. We'll still win.
Predicting a 1:3, Sterling early on, Aguero in the middle and Kolarov wrapping it up in the second half.
 
Its too early on to expect a performance level of last nights standard in every game. And clearly, yesterday, as Pep said himself, was the most important game of the season. Now he has to make them believe that Saturday's game is.
Not going to guess the team but would imagine there are a couple of guys who will be desperate to get on the pitch and show the boss they've got what it takes.
 
Always a horrible fixture this one. However there is no doubting we now have the ability. Just hope we deliver. 3 points would be amazing.
 
In previous years when we have came off the back of a great performance and result we have never seemed to carry the momentum on, more along the lines of dropping off and expecting just to show up and it will be easy again. This is where it will be different now, we have a manager that wont let that happen, every game is a new game and the intensity has to be as high as possible every game. This reason alone is why I can see us coming away with the 3 points from a venue where we haven't faired well generally in the past.

I know Stoke are not the long ball aerial threat they once were, but defending set plays is one of my only concerns from the games so far. We used to have roughly 5 players who were 6foot plus in the side, depending on whether Kolarov starts we may only have 1 in Stones. Granted Sagna and Ota are decent in the air also but I would still be concerned at this area.

KDB in the two games has been brilliant in my opinion, but id still like to see him further up the field more often. In a Pep side it is a given that you will track back and work hard, but seeing KDB nearer our own goal than the opposition goal at times is not getting the best from him. I know there will be replies that he set up Nolito last night on the edge of the box, but we need to see him in these areas more often.

Bravo/Cabarello
Sagna
Stones
Otamendi
Clichy
Fernandinho
Sterling
KDB
Silva
Nolito
Aguero

3-1 City
 
Hope he's watched videos of our last few away games against them. I'm sure he will have the solution to getting the best out of us against teams like Stoke
 
bobmcfc said:
Hope he's watched videos of our last few away games against them. I'm sure he will have the solution to getting the best out of us against teams like Stoke
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Nah, don't think he will have bothered watching any videos... :-)
Will certainly be much more energy in the performance than previous years that's for sure. Much more confident after last night than after Sunderland.
 
fucking hate this fixture as much as spurs and Liverpool away! :-( always seem to struggle at stoke
 
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