United (h) pre-match thread

[the_game_161]

not scored in 2 games..need a good win for confidence alone.

 

[Neville Kneville]

From the far side it looked like Kompany kicked the ball into touch because he felt his leg go and then sat down before hobbling off. Given Vinnie's history Mangala and Demichelis should have been immediately out for some limited warm up but no.....

Otamendi was clearly having problems trying to run off his injury but again there were no subs warming up just in case. As I recall both subs came right off the bench on to the field without any warm up which given our history could have caused muscle injuries to them.

No one else seems to have mentioned this but what do you reckon?

Kompany's sub seemed like a rush job but I assumed in the case of Otamendi that the sub was prepared but I wasn't watching the bench closely tbh.

 

[MillisleBlue]

Place your bets now on who 'elbows' first victim is going to be.

or how many red-cards we get, how many penalties they get, how much influence the Officials have etc etc. Just hope we lift ourselves and put in a decent performance but fear the worst come Sunday tea-time.

 

[Bluep*ss]

this has got 0-0 or 1-1 written all over it

I would take that.
IF , we lose I can imagine the Media will go into meltdown on how the Rags youth overcame money bags City.......etc....etc....etc

 

[sh249]

I'd like to see us line up like this:

..................................Hart................................

Sagna.............Ota...................Mangala..........Clichy

......................Toure................Fernando...............

Fernandinho..................Silva.......................Sterling

..................................Kun.................................

I'd probably go with that. Although I might be tempted to stick Sterling behind/up alongside Aguero - we have to try and find a way of getting bodies closer to him much more quickly than we have done in the past few games. Might also give Silva an extra option ahead of the ball.

At any rate, I think the equation is fairly straightforward. If we produce any kind of high-tempo display, with a bit of intent and urgency, we'll twat them. If we put in the 'usual' slow, laboured, half-assed performance, it could go either way.

 

[IanBishopsHaircut]

We will smash these shower of rag cunts

 

[Neville Kneville]

If we score first I imagine we will win, possibly by a few. If they score first then I imagine we may be in big trouble, unless that is, Silva etc have an upturn in form. Then it's different.

If we play anywhere near our capabilities they can't live with us. But that would also be true of Leicester, Spurs, Liverpool, Norwich, West Ham, etc, etc.

At least the rags are likely to be in as physically poor shape as us after tomorrow.

 

[doctor whites]

these colours don't run ....!!!!!!!!

All wear black to confuse the cnuts.

 

[bluetonium]

We need this one. Oh, how I'd love to see KDB's name on the team sheet this Sunday. Would perk us right up, and put doubt into rag minds too.

Sterling should start, his ability on the ball can cause panic if we get him in to the right areas, the issue is more Silva having to move to the right to accommodate him. I think we got it close to the right balance pushing fernandinho out there recently, so that would be my choice. Understand Sagna might play due to being rested yesterday, but Zaba has the heart you need for a derby game and would make my 11.

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

Zaba---Otamendi---Mangala-----Clichy

----------------Fernando--------------

Fernandinho----Toure--------Sterling

--------------Silva-------------------------

---------------------Aguero--------------

Subs: Willy, MDM, Kolarov, Sanga, Ihenacho, Navas, M. Garcia or Bony

I think that gives us the ability to compete when we don't have the ball and drop to a 5 in midfield, play keepball centrally and try to stretch them on the flanks with overlapping runs. Fernando needs to be aware to drop back though as a centreback, both Ota and Magnala have positional brainfarts on a regular basis so if they get pulled wide on the counter then Fernando has to be there to cover it. Shame Bony is not in form or confidence as I think he could really boss their back two, a good plan would be Kolarov + Bony and more direct balls into the box, but as it is I won't even have him on the bench. Might change my mind on Bony before Sunday but doubt it, would rather Ihenacho had a shot should we need firepower.

C'mon Blues! This is our stadium, our City, lets be at them from the off and show them why we're Champions League and they're yesterday's news!

 

[Deleted member 58678]

I'd like to see us line up like this:

..................................Hart................................

Sagna.............Ota...................Mangala..........Clichy

......................Toure................Fernando...............

Fernandinho..................Silva.......................Sterling

..................................Kun.................................

That's what i'd go for.