Stoke vs. City Pre-Match Discussion Thread

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Re: Your Team vs Stoke

I would try to batter them first half by having whipping balls into Mario, Yaya and Edin. They may cope ok with it and it so we could change it by bringing on the "smallies" but it may also cause choas in the box. The more hectic it is the more likely they'll slip up and we'll score.

We need to force the game. Patience is not our friend. Patience has been killing us away from home. Once we score we can be patient.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Richards . . . Kompnay . . . Kolo . . . Kolarov
. . Barry . . . . . . . . NDJ . . . . . . Milner . .
. . . . . Balotelli . . . Yaya . . . Dzeko . . . . .

Subs: Pantilimon, Zabba, Savic, Silva, Nasri, Tevez, Aguero

(Presuming Lescott is still out)
 
Where's everyone going for a drink before hand? First time going to Stoke don't know where to go
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

For me playing Dzeko is not the answer. We just end up playing high to him and play straight into Stokes hands. The way to beat stoke is fast and on the floor. FWIW my team for saturday is this:

Hart

Richards
Kompany
Kolo
Clichy

Barry
Yaya
Silva
Nasri
Balotelli

Aguero
 
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Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Silva and Balo to take time out.

Hart
Richards Toure Kompany Kolarov
Barry
Milner Yaya Nasri
Aguero Dzeko
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Echo the comments about whatever we do not starting one striker. If we start with just Dzeko or Aguero up top with 5 in midfield I'l pull my hair out.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

robbieh said:
Silva and Balo to take time out.

Hart
Richards Toure Kompany Kolarov
Barry
Milner Yaya Nasri
Aguero Dzeko
Click to expand...

same for me - maybe clichy for kolarov - need to stop the crosses coming in - also think Dzeko will give some extra height defending set pieces
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

I do find it interesting that some people,not many,still would select Mario even though he is so blatantly out of form and along with that not putting a stint it.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

-------------------------Hart--------------------------

Zabaleta-----Kolo Toure----------Richards------Kolarov

----------------------Yaya-----Milner-------------------------

-------------Nasri--------Aguero-------Johnson-----------------------

--------------------------Dzeko-----------------------------

If having Dzeko doesn't work, then bring on Tevez at half time.

The only bad thing I could say about last night was that there were too many occasions where we just crossed it to Aguero and I think we need to probably beat Stoke with skill rather than power and aerial threat.

I think some people will underestimate how difficult and frustrating this game could get. As long as Mancini and the players don't do this, I think we will win and keep a clean sheet.

2-0 I reckon.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

adrianr said:
Echo the comments about whatever we do not starting one striker. If we start with just Dzeko or Aguero up top with 5 in midfield I'l pull my hair out.
Click to expand...

The more attacking players you have on the pitch does not mean the team is more attacking.

If we put on every striker we've got, every time we lose the ball, Stoke will be blitzing through our midfield. You've got to win the midfield battle first and De Jong did exactly that in the cup final. Put him, Barry and Yaya in the middle - our strongest midfield, and if we're still drawing at half time, take De Jong off.

And Silva should play. He's been below his best but he's still one of the best players on the pitch.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Kompany may be fit but Lescott not. Loved the energy of Barry and Nasri last night. Would play:

Hart

Richards Kompany Kolo T. Zabba

Barry YaYa T Nasri

Aguerro Edin Silva


CRM to dictate the team only allowed a few back passes throughout the game. Each member needs to take a Valium before the game as nerves seemed to be taking over in the Chelsea game (just kidding)
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

This is how Mancini will line-up IMO:

-------Hart
Richards-Kompany-Kolo-Kolarov
------Yaya--Barry
Milner--Aguero---Nasri
--------Dzeko

It's the britannia. He will want to use tall players. Not sure if he will rest Silva or Nasri. I think 1 of them.
 
Hart
Richards-Kolo-Kompany-Clichy
Milner-Yaya-Barry
Aguero-Dzeko-Nasri
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

BlueCityfan said:
This is how Mancini will line-up IMO:

-------Hart
Richards-Kompany-Kolo-Kolarov
------Yaya--Barry
Milner--Aguero---Nasri
--------Dzeko

It's the britannia. He will want to use tall players. Not sure if he will rest Silva or Nasri. I think 1 of them.
Click to expand...

I agree that that is the team that is most likely to play.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Need our tallest players out for this one.

Hart
Richards/Zab
Kompany/Toure
Lescott/Richards
Kolorov

Barry
Milner
Yaya

Nasri (can't drop him after performance the other night)
Aguero (paradox but he will cause the big stoke defenders problems)
Dzeko (need his height at set pieces)


Tevez on for another 30 mins in second half, rest Silva.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Hart

Zabaleta
Richards
Toure
Kolarov

Barry
de Jong
Yaya

Nasri
Dzeko
Aguero
 
Kolarov, Milner, Dzeko should start as the Chelsea game will have been very draining on the players
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Alright boys, still browse since I joined before the cup final, like to see how you guys are doing as you seem (in the majority) a decent lot

I'm amazed you have 9 pages of how to beat Stoke :-)
Does that mean we have arrived? lol

Home form hasnt been what it was, surprisingly our away form this season hasnt been too bad (we had more away than home before the recent Norwich/Swansea games!) - not that the pundits seem to have noticed, its still fortress Britannia and our away form is apparently shit - good research chaps! (Lazy journalism)

Last night and Sunday saw a different approach from Pulis, now we are pretty much safe, the 10 men behind the ball attitude seems to have disappated, we attacked Spurs last night with high tempo and some decent football, were really unlucky not to take all 3 points

One of the OP commented on our game against you in December, to be fair I think Pulis just wrote that game off completely, played a second XI virtually as we had been on a bit of a stretch with Europa League and Sunday fixtures building up to it - after beating Spuds at home I think he just took that as a bonus and let you win! :-)

I'm hopeful of a good performance from us, get in your faces, and see the return of our 2 wingers in tandem (as they havent played together much lately)

Expecting Stoke

Begovich
Wilko Shawcross Huth Wilson
Pennant Whelan Whitehead Etherington
Walters Crouch

Ethers may miss out to Jerome who played OK last night - ME form not been good this season at all.

Walters not pulling up trees either but seems undroppable.


Be interesting to see if Henry Mancini plays small and skillful or tries to outmuscle us with your bigger lads - when teams come down to our level we tend to win, when they play around us or cut off the ammo from the wings we struggle for ideas - we only have plan A :-)

(Although the 4-3-3 in Valencia, although not the first team, were excellent and nearly pulled off a shock!)

I fancy a draw to be honest, a win would be great, but would take a point.

Will be a good atmosphere though, 5.30pm kick off so plenty of time for a beer first

If any of you are coming from Macc/Congleton way, you should pop into the Stoke supporters branch in Biddulph (about 10-12 miles away from the ground) - its at Knypersley Sports Club, at 2pm Biddulph Town FC are playing at the venue, you can have a beer and watch that game (finishes about 4pm) then get off to the game in peace!

We run 6 coaches from there (so about 350 of us), no room on the coaches alas but good ale and some TV football on in the bar or Staffs County League footy outside - Bidd Town are top of the league, playing 5th placed Abbey Hulton so should be a good game

No mither there, and 2 games of footy in the day.

Good luck after Sat, have a peaceful day out.
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

Robo10 said:
Alright boys, still browse since I joined before the cup final, like to see how you guys are doing as you seem (in the majority) a decent lot

I'm amazed you have 9 pages of how to beat Stoke :-)
Does that mean we have arrived? lol

Home form hasnt been what it was, surprisingly our away form this season hasnt been too bad (we had more away than home before the recent Norwich/Swansea games!) - not that the pundits seem to have noticed, its still fortress Britannia and our away form is apparently shit - good research chaps! (Lazy journalism)

Last night and Sunday saw a different approach from Pulis, now we are pretty much safe, the 10 men behind the ball attitude seems to have disappated, we attacked Spurs last night with high tempo and some decent football, were really unlucky not to take all 3 points

One of the OP commented on our game against you in December, to be fair I think Pulis just wrote that game off completely, played a second XI virtually as we had been on a bit of a stretch with Europa League and Sunday fixtures building up to it - after beating Spuds at home I think he just took that as a bonus and let you win! :-)

I'm hopeful of a good performance from us, get in your faces, and see the return of our 2 wingers in tandem (as they havent played together much lately)

Expecting Stoke

Begovich
Wilko Shawcross Huth Wilson
Pennant Whelan Whitehead Etherington
Walters Crouch

Ethers may miss out to Jerome who played OK last night - ME form not been good this season at all.

Walters not pulling up trees either but seems undroppable.


Be interesting to see if Henry Mancini plays small and skillful or tries to outmuscle us with your bigger lads - when teams come down to our level we tend to win, when they play around us or cut off the ammo from the wings we struggle for ideas - we only have plan A :-)

(Although the 4-3-3 in Valencia, although not the first team, were excellent and nearly pulled off a shock!)

I fancy a draw to be honest, a win would be great, but would take a point.

Will be a good atmosphere though, 5.30pm kick off so plenty of time for a beer first

If any of you are coming from Macc/Congleton way, you should pop into the Stoke supporters branch in Biddulph (about 10-12 miles away from the ground) - its at Knypersley Sports Club, at 2pm Biddulph Town FC are playing at the venue, you can have a beer and watch that game (finishes about 4pm) then get off to the game in peace!

We run 6 coaches from there (so about 350 of us), no room on the coaches alas but good ale and some TV football on in the bar or Staffs County League footy outside - Bidd Town are top of the league, playing 5th placed Abbey Hulton so should be a good game

No mither there, and 2 games of footy in the day.

Good luck after Sat, have a peaceful day out.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info.

I think MCFC might change the players around a bit as Weds night was very draining.

I think every football fan sees Stoke away as a very tough game. Looking at our remaining fixtures, after Arsenal away and Utd at home, it's about our toughest fixture.

City have been missing both central defenders but the replacements played very well against Chelsea. They weren't tested much though.

Man City have to go to Stoke and dominate possession, that way we can cut down on the balls going into our box, and surely at some time we will score. City have been a but unlucky in recent away games. Away performances have been much criticised but I don't think we have deserved to lose any of the games at Sunderland, Everton, Chelsea or Swansea. And in each one refereeing decisions have cost us (maybe the Richards goal that was ruled out at Swansea was an inch offside)
 
Re: Your Team vs Stoke

i think we should go for it . my team.

hart

vinnie lescott
richards kolarov
yaya
nasri silva

aguero balo dzeko
 
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