Stoke vs. City Pre Match Thread

[bluemoon98]

You might want to cast your mind back to the last time Yaya was away at the African Nations and see how that went. We were joint top going into that period. We were pretty much out of the title race by the time he came back IIRC.

we beat bayern munich and roma away without yaya. Wasnt just him being at AFCON the reason we fell behind.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

You might want to cast your mind back to the last time Yaya was away at the African Nations and see how that went. We were joint top going into that period. We were pretty much out of the title race by the time he came back IIRC.

Yeah, he was better back then. But how that's relevant to now I'm not sure.

 

[PragueBlue]

we beat bayern munich and roma away without yaya. Wasnt just him being at AFCON the reason we fell behind.

I think it was a major reason we fell behind and that we struggle in the league without him. We were flying early on in the season with him in the team so I don't think it's really him that's the problem. He links so much of our play and we often look disjointed without him.

Regardless of the above, I really don't get people rejoicing that one of our most influential players is out.

Anyway, we know he's out for Stoke so we'll see how that goes. I'd personally be more confident if he was playing.

 

[bellsouth]

You might want to cast your mind back to the last time Yaya was away at the African Nations and see how that went. We were joint top going into that period. We were pretty much out of the title race by the time he came back IIRC.

But we have Kevin now as well as Ferna in top form and Delph. So the loss of Yaya is mitigated.

 

[George Hannah]

Looks like Sergio's heel had a big bump then.

 

[PragueBlue]

Yeah, he was better back then. But how that's relevant to now I'm not sure.

As I said above, we were flying with him in the team at the start of the season. I suspect the problems we've had this season have been more due to the absence of Silva (who Toure has an excellent understanding with) rather than the presence of Toure.

 

[stablemcfc]

Heavy list of absentees once again.

Hart
Sagna Demichelis Otamendi Kolarov
Dinho Delph
KdB Silva Sterling
Bony

Bojan & Shaqiri are the types of players we've been experts at making look fantastic recently (Konoplyanka, Lamela, Firmino, Coutinho to name a few..), talented but totally inconsistent players that usually look very average we have a habit of making them shine. Hope we don't do so again.

 

[PragueBlue]

But we have Kevin now as well as Ferna in top form and Delph. So the loss of Yaya is mitigated.

You need someone to get the ball to these creative players though and Yaya is often that player. I wouldn't play him as far forward as he has been played recently though. He's better in a deeper role.

 

[Marvin]

Going to be a very hard slog in very difficult conditions which should suit Stoke more than us

Turns out that Tolmie was right about Aguero then. Hopefully he'll be back for Borussia MGBH

 

[George Hannah]

Heavy list of absentees once again.
Hart
Sagna Demichelis Otamendi Kolarov
Dinho Delph
KdB Silva Sterling
Bony

Bojan & Shaqiri are the types of players we've been experts at making look fantastic recently (Konoplyanka, Lamela, Firmino, Coutinho to name a few..), talented but totally inconsistent players that usually look very average we have a habit of making them shine. Hope we don't do so again.

we're struggling for sure with all those out as well