The First Game of the Season City vs Newcastle Pre Match

[tjmill]

So important we get off to a good start this season to keep pace with the leaders from day one as think there will be at least 3 or 4 teams looking to win the title this year. Man Utd will have a new manager and wil hopefully have new manager issues!!!!

 

[jollylescott]

Pellegrini's first team sheet is very difficult to predict.

On the one hand, he's a pragmatist who may be hesitant to play all four new signings at once just in case they need time to adapt to the pace of the Premiership.

On the other, I imagine he's keen to get them bedded in early and make a strong start to the campaign.

Difficult to call, and the pre-season friendlies so far haven't really given a hint either way. I imagine the line-up against Arsenal on Saturday may give more clues.

At a push, I'd go for:

Hart
Zabaleta
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy
Yaya Toure
Fernandinho
Silva
Navas
Jovetic
Dzeko

Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Milner, Rodwell, Nasri, Negredo

I agree with Ric's team.

It's very similar to the team that wreaked havoc on Milan in the first half. I have been very impressed by Jovetic so I would definitely play both he and Navas. I think Ed has first dibs on the striker role at the moment although Alvaro is going to push him very hard while Kun is out.

We are simply an incredible attacking force with that team. Even with Nasty out we can get away with conceding goals because we are going to score more than the opposition.

This really is going to be a thrilling season. I think the atmosphere at the Etihad is going to be so much more energy charged than last season.

 

[MCFC BOB]

Pellegrini's first team sheet is very difficult to predict.

On the one hand, he's a pragmatist who may be hesitant to play all four new signings at once just in case they need time to adapt to the pace of the Premiership.

On the other, I imagine he's keen to get them bedded in early and make a strong start to the campaign.

Difficult to call, and the pre-season friendlies so far haven't really given a hint either way. I imagine the line-up against Arsenal on Saturday may give more clues.

At a push, I'd go for:

Hart
Zabaleta
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy
Yaya Toure
Fernandinho
Silva
Navas
Jovetic
Dzeko

Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Milner, Rodwell, Nasri, Negredo

You don't think Serge will get any minutes towards the end of the game?

 

[Pigeonho]

I see nothing but a convincing win with a convincing performance to boot. 4-0 City.

 

[Ric]

Pellegrini's first team sheet is very difficult to predict.

On the one hand, he's a pragmatist who may be hesitant to play all four new signings at once just in case they need time to adapt to the pace of the Premiership.

On the other, I imagine he's keen to get them bedded in early and make a strong start to the campaign.

Difficult to call, and the pre-season friendlies so far haven't really given a hint either way. I imagine the line-up against Arsenal on Saturday may give more clues.

At a push, I'd go for:

Hart
Zabaleta
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy
Yaya Toure
Fernandinho
Silva
Navas
Jovetic
Dzeko

Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Milner, Rodwell, Nasri, Negredo

You don't think Serge will get any minutes towards the end of the game?

Can't see it, unless he makes an appearance against Arsenal on Saturday which is unlikely. He's well behind the rest of the squad in terms of fitness at the moment, and they won't rush him back unnecessarily.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Hart

Richards
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy

Fernandinho
Yaya

Navas
Silva
Jovetic

Dzeko

 

[Bewar3them00n]

Apparently Aguero is back in full training, so should make a subs appearance Vs Arsenal, and if that goes well, I reckon 15-20mins or so against Newcastle might be on the cards.

If we start the same way we did against AC Milan, then it could be all over by half time, not to downplay Newcastle's chances, even if they man mark Navas with 2 players, we have plenty others to utilise the space. Yaya and Fernand will run the midfield.
WIth some of our new players a totally unknown entity in the Prem, it might take a half for Newcastle to get a grip on the game, and as I said, if we hit the ground running we should win comfortably, but I'll go for a conservative 3-0.

 

[citymad]

It should be a comfortable home win. The advantage is we've had 3-4 games to bed in all the new players and get players like Richards and Rodwell playing again. Im hoping we hit the ground running. The defense should be solid once again and I cant see us leaking any more than maybe 1 goal. At the other end it could be a hatful but then again we may have to tackle our first bus.

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Can't wait. Wish it was tonight. Can't see Aguero being fit but we should still have enough to beat the horse punchers.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Pellegrini's first team sheet is very difficult to predict.

On the one hand, he's a pragmatist who may be hesitant to play all four new signings at once just in case they need time to adapt to the pace of the Premiership.

On the other, I imagine he's keen to get them bedded in early and make a strong start to the campaign.

Difficult to call, and the pre-season friendlies so far haven't really given a hint either way. I imagine the line-up against Arsenal on Saturday may give more clues.

At a push, I'd go for:

Hart
Zabaleta
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy
Yaya Toure
Fernandinho
Silva
Navas
Jovetic
Dzeko

Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Milner, Rodwell, Nasri, Negredo

I agree with Ric's team.

I'd go with it apart from Richards instead of Zaba.

WIth my tin hat on, I am not Zaba's biggest fan. Yes, he's a fantastic bloke and a model professional and works his socks off etc etc. But makes some howling defensive mistakes and the quality going forward (not his enthusiasm, the actual end product) is not great. I think Richards offers more, personally. Yes he is positionally all over the place sometimes, but he has great pace to recover and he is dangerous going forward in a way that Zaba rarely is.