Viktoria Plzen pre match discussion

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Four games in ten days and Pellegrini sees tomorrow's game and Sunday's as the most important. We have to beat Plzen. They are seen, rightly or wrongly, as the weakest team in the group, and, I think, most would expect Munich and Moscow to win there, so if we drop any points there we're under pressure right from the start. The rags are potentially the most difficult of the four games. Pellegrini "rested" players on Saturday and I think tomorrow and Sunday we'll see his best available eleven. If Kompany is fit, I think he'll partner Nastasic in Plzen and Lescott in the derby because they are likely to be a very different type of game. I think Silva will play in both (if fit) and I think Dzeko will play against Plzen and, probably on Sunday, with Sergio in both matches.

 

[adrianr]

We also need the win to start getting our coefficient points up.

We've seen nothing in the league so far to say Pellegrini is an upgrade on Mancini, but Europe is supposedly what this man excels at. Away from home we've looked pretty inept, away from home in Europe even worse.

Tbh if we continue to look like a lost child in the CL I'll start believing the manager isn't the problem at all, and lay more blame at the feet of the players. We frequently wax lyrical about Aguero, Silva, Kompany, Yaya etc, but I wonder how many managers they'd have to fail away from home under before we consider the possibility they just don't have the stones for it, at least not at City.

This is where building an identity to fight for is really important. A common purpose or idea the team can get behind that's not just trying to win football matches. If we've still got players thinking, even subconsciously, they're doing us a favour by being here, when the going gets tough they'll not do enough.

No excuses this campaign. Kompany out? Too bad, we've still got more talent in defence than most of the team's we'll be facing. No Silva? Not many teams have Nasri as backup, or Jovetic. No Aguero? Oh no, only Negredo and Dzeko to chose from then.

Out of the groups minimum. Or consider making a few more changes than just a new manager and DOF.

 

[waspish]

Didn't travel Richards(no surprise there) silva and Clichy

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Don't know much about Plzen but they've had better results than us in Europe the past few years.

Hart

Zaba
Nastasic
Lescott
Kolarov (if Clichy isn't fit)

Fernandinho
Rodwell

Yaya

Navas
Dzeko
Aguero

Would personally have Negredo but I cant see him playing two games in the 4 days.

 

[Eccles Blue]

On paper we may have a 'better' side than last season but paper players are not what we need, we need players who play FOOTBALL.

It is time to win, win, win, no more draws. We had enough of them under Pearce and Hughes. It is now time to start winning. Why did we let Barry go?? Watching him in that horrible shade of blue on Saturday was heartbreaking especially when you realise that he could have been MOTM.

This time tomorrow I, with many fellow Blues, will be on my way to Plzen and I do not want to come back feeling that I have wasted my money.

IMHO

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS WITH MANCHESTER CITY ..................... SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THIS 'NEW' TEAM THAT THE BOYS IN BLUE NEVER GIVE IN!!!

He was MOTM

Sorry, I thought he was but as I wasn't sure and didn't have time to check just hedged my bets!! :-)

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Four games in ten days and Pellegrini sees tomorrow's game and Sunday's as the most important. We have to beat Plzen. They are seen, rightly or wrongly, as the weakest team in the group, and, I think, most would expect Munich and Moscow to win there, so if we drop any points there we're under pressure right from the start. The rags are potentially the most difficult of the four games. Pellegrini "rested" players on Saturday and I think tomorrow and Sunday we'll see his best available eleven. If Kompany is fit, I think he'll partner Nastasic in Plzen and Lescott in the derby because they are likely to be a very different type of game. I think Silva will play in both (if fit) and I think Dzeko will play against Plzen and, probably on Sunday, with Sergio in both matches.

Silva hasn't even got on the plane unfortunately, which doesn't augur well for Sunday. It's crazy, but tomorrow night is almost career defining (in terms of City) for Pellegrini already, and given, as you say, that Munich, certainly, and Moscow, probably, will go there and win, we can't afford to come away empty handed. Sadly, I think that's exactly what will happen though, because Plzen will play to our weaknesses the same way Hull and Stoke did. They're an attacking side, they'll get in our faces, and unlike Stoke and Hull, they have the requisite technical ability to punish us. This is a team that drew 2-2 in the San Siro last year and later battered Napoli 5-0 on aggregate in the Europa League. Pellegrini may have European pedigree, but he clearly doesn't know his best team yet at City, nor what system best accentuates our strengths, and I think that combined with our habitual lack of pace, will make for a long and difficult evening. I'm praying for a victory, as much for the sake of morale on and off the pitch as anything else, but in all honesty, I will be surprised if we manage to even come away with a draw.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Four games in ten days and Pellegrini sees tomorrow's game and Sunday's as the most important. We have to beat Plzen. They are seen, rightly or wrongly, as the weakest team in the group, and, I think, most would expect Munich and Moscow to win there, so if we drop any points there we're under pressure right from the start. The rags are potentially the most difficult of the four games. Pellegrini "rested" players on Saturday and I think tomorrow and Sunday we'll see his best available eleven. If Kompany is fit, I think he'll partner Nastasic in Plzen and Lescott in the derby because they are likely to be a very different type of game. I think Silva will play in both (if fit) and I think Dzeko will play against Plzen and, probably on Sunday, with Sergio in both matches.

Silva hasn't even got on the plane unfortunately, which doesn't augur well for Sunday. It's crazy, but tomorrow night is almost career defining (in terms of City) for Pellegrini already, and given, as you say, that Munich, certainly, and Moscow, probably, will go there and win, we can't afford to come away empty handed. Sadly, I think that's exactly what will happen though, because Plzen will play to our weaknesses the same way Hull and Stoke did. They're an attacking side, they'll get in our faces, and unlike Stoke and Hull, they have the requisite technical ability to punish us. This is a team that drew 2-2 in the San Siro last year and later battered Napoli 5-0 on aggregate in the Europa League. Pellegrini may have European pedigree, but he clearly doesn't know his best team yet at City, nor what system best accentuates our strengths, and I think that combined with our habitual lack of pace, will make for a long and difficult evening. I'm praying for a victory, as much for the sake of morale on and off the pitch as anything else, but in all honesty, I will be surprised if we manage to even come away with a draw.

Is it certain Silva hasn't travelled? I heard this but haven't been able to find any confirmation.

 

[Airbags Optional]

I would like us to move back to last years formation. Too much being changed at the same time - the high back line, pressing and formation. Would play 4-2-3-1. Back four as Saturday, Ferdy and Yaya in the holding, Nasri (middle), Milner and Navas with Nergredo upfront on his own. Would like to rest Kun for the Derby.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Four games in ten days and Pellegrini sees tomorrow's game and Sunday's as the most important. We have to beat Plzen. They are seen, rightly or wrongly, as the weakest team in the group, and, I think, most would expect Munich and Moscow to win there, so if we drop any points there we're under pressure right from the start. The rags are potentially the most difficult of the four games. Pellegrini "rested" players on Saturday and I think tomorrow and Sunday we'll see his best available eleven. If Kompany is fit, I think he'll partner Nastasic in Plzen and Lescott in the derby because they are likely to be a very different type of game. I think Silva will play in both (if fit) and I think Dzeko will play against Plzen and, probably on Sunday, with Sergio in both matches.

Silva hasn't even got on the plane unfortunately, which doesn't augur well for Sunday. It's crazy, but tomorrow night is almost career defining (in terms of City) for Pellegrini already, and given, as you say, that Munich, certainly, and Moscow, probably, will go there and win, we can't afford to come away empty handed. Sadly, I think that's exactly what will happen though, because Plzen will play to our weaknesses the same way Hull and Stoke did. They're an attacking side, they'll get in our faces, and unlike Stoke and Hull, they have the requisite technical ability to punish us. This is a team that drew 2-2 in the San Siro last year and later battered Napoli 5-0 on aggregate in the Europa League. Pellegrini may have European pedigree, but he clearly doesn't know his best team yet at City, nor what system best accentuates our strengths, and I think that combined with our habitual lack of pace, will make for a long and difficult evening. I'm praying for a victory, as much for the sake of morale on and off the pitch as anything else, but in all honesty, I will be surprised if we manage to even come away with a draw.

Is it certain Silva hasn't travelled? I heard this but haven't been able to find any confirmation.

No. I was going by what someone said on another thread unfortunately........

 

[teddykgb]

I would like us to move back to last years formation. Too much being changed at the same time - the high back line, pressing and formation. Would play 4-2-3-1. Back four as Saturday, Ferdy and Yaya in the holding, Nasri (middle), Milner and Navas with Nergredo upfront on his own. Would like to rest Kun for the Derby.

I'm all for the idea of dropping a striker for a midfielder, but I'm not sure 4-2-3-1 will improve a lot. yaya is already playing so deep he's practically a 3rd CB. Holding Fernandinho back isn't going to help much, I don't think.

I also think Jovetic is going to be incredibly important for us, would love to see a 4-3-3 with Jovetic, Dzeko, Aguero up front at some point this season, maybe with Fernandinho, Yaya, and Milner/Rodwell behind them. To me, Nasri still takes too many touches with the ball when we get into danger, fizzling the attack, don't know why so many people think this will be different if he's in the middle.

That said, i wouldn't go 4-3-3 in this match, we haven't played the formation. I think we have to hope that Yaya's been under bad instructions to sit so deep because of the poor CB availability or that Fernandinho is able to boss the actual midfield by himself, which seems a tall order. Absolutely imperative we get 3 points and start to build some confidence here.