Stoke vs. City Pre Match Thread

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Shawcross took his suspension in the cup game so he will play in this unfortunately

glad kun isnt playing then , let Bony soften them up for the first hour and bring Nacho on to score the winner , plan B

 

[cibaman]

ive put KDB in a 4-5-1 , we need his creativity , didnt know Mangala was suspended though , Demichelis is a shadow of the player from last season , so thats a big worry , but clichy is a must , kolarov is a bit suspect defensively , just hope we get a strong ref and Merlin & KDB get some protection

We're short of height, especially at the back. I expect Kolarov will be preferred to Clichy if only to help defend set pieces.

 

[MadchesterCity]

To be honest, I don't think referees dishing out a few more yellow cards is going to result in him being "lumped in the air" any less often. I just think it's his style of play. Anyone that runs at you relentlessly and can change direction so rapidly, is going to attract more mistimed tackles, since his talent makes it more difficult to be well-timed. It's a drawback of being too good. It's not just Aguero, it's all the top players. Messi, Ronaldo, Hazard, Silva, etc etc all get cropped regularly. And they always will do until the day football becomes a non-contact sport! The difference is just that Aguero's body seemingly isn't as resilient as other players'.

So these stats show he is only fouled on average once or twice a game, seems very strange that and I don't think they can be accurate.

What I do know is that he has been on the end of several very heavy tackles this season and last and the perpetrator hasn't been punished for the late heavy tackles. He is having a hard time of it with injuries but this is continuously occurring due to the heavy tackles going unpunished. You can't blame the opponent either as why wouldn't they do it if they aren't going to get penalised.

 

[Mike N]

We have to start Iheanacho over Bony if Aguero is injured. We can't continue saying Bony "needs time" or "he's getting there", this is football, you play your best possible hand
whenever you can, and at this moment in time that means Iheanacho over Bony.

We have to start Iheanacho over Bony if Aguero is injured. We can't continue saying Bony "needs time" or "he's getting there", this is football, you play your best possible hand whenever you can, and at this moment in time that means Iheanacho over Bony.

I have to agree with you on this point.

 

[MadchesterCity]

For the record I would definitely start Iheanacheo

He isn't available for Monchengladbach and he deserves his chance to shine again away at Stoke

 

[Blue Smarties]

Hart
Sagna Otamendi MDM Kolarov
Fernando
Fernandinho Delph
Silva KDB
Sterling

Hart
Sagna Otamendi MDM Kolarov
Fernandinho Delph
Sterling Silva KDB
Kelechi


Anything but fucking Bony.

 

[john@staustell]

Bony will play no doubt. Pellegrini has already said Ian is a number 10

 

[Blue Smarties]

Bony will play no doubt. Pellegrini has already said Ian is a number 10

Really would not shock me if Manuel persists with playing Bony, despite the fact that Kelechi himself has now felt the need to publicly state that he can indeed play as a striker (as we all know!).

 

[LadislavMplmx]

Hart

Sagna Otamendi Demichellis Kolorov

Fernandinho Fernando

Navas Silva KDB

Bony

 

[ninjamonkey]

Are people really expecting Kelechi to play or is it just faint hope? Our manager doesn't take into account form, his selections are based upon his rotation policy and the pecking order he establishes at the start of the season and sticks by both religiously. Kelechi could come off the bench and score in ten games in a row with Bony failing to find the net once and he'd still be behind Bony.