Manchester City (Away) Pre-Match Thread

[Gazza M]

37 minutes ago, Thracian said:

I'd be surprised if Shakespeare turns cavalier. He might experiment to some extent but he'll have a game plan and try to make it work, the same as any other match.

 

I don't even see him making wholesale changes. His approach seems to be one of including people naturally and to serve a purpose, rather than just giving people games for the sake of it.

 

The more changes the more it becomes like one of our cup outings with too many variables and mostly disappointing.

Shakespeare seems to want fringe players fitting into - or complimenting - our regular personnel and natural style. That way he knows he can trust them when he needs to - like Benalouane in the main and Chilwell/Gray before him.     

  

for me that's always the way to go rather than to have aspiring fringe players trying to make an impression in a much changed team with all the risk of misunderstandings that encourages. 

 

And seeing as random "free-flowing" football will rarely achieve anything in Premiership football what's the point in adopting such an approach when the reality of "pressure" football will always require a plan and the discipline that plan requires.    

 

That doesn't for an instance mean the plan needs to be negative. It simply needs to combat opposition strengths while enhancing our own and to do exactly the same with our own and opposition weaknesses so that, in the end, even a perhaps technically more gifted side can be beaten and beaten consistently if they don't adjust.

 

But, without a plan, you're likely to be left with a mess against organised opposition. And that's the last thing an aspiring  fringe player needs or wants to be involved in.

 

For them, as much as any regular, the result is what matters and a fringe player will usually get far more chances if they come through as winners rather than losers. And if they compliment the plan in doing so. "Free-flowing" might seem exciting but there's nothing romantic or exciting about a "free-flowing" defeat when it counts, so why waste games preparing for, or pretending, such a game will come about on any day when the pressure's on? .       

 

I see what you are saying, so fair play with your comments. I guess what I was trying to say is that they may be less nervous and have a better chance of putting together a strong performance. There will be lots of defending to do and we can't go there and be cavalier as we will get spanked. We do always create chances, so if we get the defending right, there is a high chance we will score at least one goal and maybe win it. Their defence and keeper beeing so poor will also help with that!

[Tuna]

They'll be nervous in view of our last 2 encounters, and it's a massive banana skin for them.

 

They'll think we're now on the beach; they'll be wrong.

 

Think we can take them.

[boots60]

Last season spent feckin hours on the M6, went to the worst pub in Manchester, it pissed it down all day long but the football..........title winning stuff

 

I'll take a repeat of last year 

[gerrytaggart]

Winit

[foxy boxing]

it will be an extremely tough game but if we play with the same pressure and intensity we have a very good chance. goes without saying we have to be defensively on it and have a balance between defending and getting the ball in attacking areas for the front players to exploit. if they take us lightly we can punish them, it is certainly not a nothing game as we would all like to finish as high as possible

[AmarteyAndChill]

2 hours ago, foxy boxing said:

it will be an extremely tough game but if we play with the same pressure and intensity we have a very good chance. goes without saying we have to be defensively on it and have a balance between defending and getting the ball in attacking areas for the front players to exploit. if they take us lightly we can punish them, it is certainly not a nothing game as we would all like to finish as high as possible

Doubt pep won't take us seriously, we sh mashed them 6 months ago

[Mickyblueeyes]

We either win this by over running them or lose one bill. Against these, sit back and counter with pace. They just don't seem to be able to adapt to that.

[Detroit Blues]

If Morgan is fit and available, it will be interesting to see the squad selection. We really have not had the dilemma of picking between Benny and Morgan. Given that we have a midweek fixture coming up, we could probably just rotate between them (for example Morgan vs City, Benny vs Tottenham, Morgan vs Bournemouth). Good problem to have I guess.

[davieG]

How Man City's traumatic day at Leicester has changed Pep Guardiola and his team

Only two players from the starting line-up in Manchester City's 4-2 thrashing in December are expected to be in the team on Saturday

 

BYSTUART BRENNAN

13:15, 10 MAY 2017

SPORT

 

 

 

The hammering that Manchester City took at Leicester in December was a pivotal moment in their season.

And make no mistake, it was a hammering. A 6-0 scoreline would not have flattered the Foxes against a Blues team which was an utter shambles.

 

The fall-out from that game is still being felt, to the extent that when the return fixture takes place on Saturday, it is likely there will be only two survivors from the starting line-up at the King Power Stadium.

Of course, injury has claimed Claudio Bravo and Ilkay Gundogan , who were both in the team, and John Stones is also probably out.

But the shockwaves have fashioned not only Guardiola's outlook on the English game, but also his view of some of his players.

If looks could kill .. Pep Guardiola watches his team fall apart at Leicester

He spoke in the aftermath of that traumatic defeat his need to adapt his philosophy to the English game, especially pointing out: “Here you have to control the second balls. You have to control that, without that you cannot survive.”

Sergio Aguero was suspended on that fateful day, and he will also be unable to play in the return due to injury.

Fernandinho was also suspended, he and Aguero suffering from the fall-out at the end of their previous game, both red-carded as the 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea ended in frustrated violence.

 

Kevin De Bruyne had a dismal day at Leicester but should be one of two players who will take part in the return game

City will look like an entirely different team on Saturday – and in effect they will be, but for Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva .

The return of Vincent Kompany from injury has had a huge effect, but the challenge of facing Jamie Vardy's pace will be another test for him.

Then there has been the blossoming of Leroy Sane , whose unconvincing start to life at City meant he watched the debacle from the bench at the King Power Stadium – he seized his chance against Arsenal the following week and has been a fixture ever since.

Leicester will face Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus this time

The arrival of Gabriel Jesus has changed things too, and Leicester's back four will find him a formidable first line of defence.

Yaya Toure and Raheem Sterling managed to restore some respectability from the bench at Leicester, and are both set to start on Saturday as well.

But what was the effect of that day on the other players who took part?

De Bruyne and Silva both had stinkers that day, along with the rest, but have emerged unscathed and will be key men on Saturday.

The Leicester defeat was part of a steep learning curve for John Stones

But the lessons of Leicester have had far-reaching consequences for some players, and have been educational for others.

Claudio Bravo – may well have played on Saturday but for injury, but his unconvincing flap at Andy King's opener was one in a series of moments which finally saw him dropped a month later.

Pablo Zabaleta – partly to blame for King's opener and, while not one of the main culprits, he only lasted a short while as first choice right back.

READ MORE

Man City star Gabriel Jesus tipped by Vincent Kompany to join the elite world strikers

John Stones – the low point of his City career, summed up by his disastrous back-pass to allow Vardy to make it 4-0. Has slowly rebuilt since then, and is likely to be absent through injury this time.

Aleks Kolarov – didn't quite spell the end of the experiment of playing him at centre back, but should have. With Vincent Kompany back he has been sidelined in recent games.

Bacary Sagna – asked to play on the left in a bizarre set-up and he paid the price by being dropped for the next two games. Has never quite regained his early-season status as first choice and likely to be released this summer.

 

Sergio Aguero

Fernando – the game that sealed his fate with Pep Guardiola. Had shown improvement early in the season but he spent this game in a blind funk. Has only made one league start since – when Fernandinho was suspended and Ilkay Gundogan injured.

Jesus Navas – was hauled off on the hour mark and only made two league starts in the next three months, until his re-invention as a right back.

Kelechi Iheanacho – it might be odd for a striker to be punished on a day of defensive chaos, but the Nigerian has made just one start since that day, and he was dragged off at half time in that one.

[UPinCarolina]

Kompany may well pop a hammy again.

[Farrington fox]

I hope we leather these ****ers. 

[brucey]

Man City's recent results haven't really been much different than early season when they played us. We'll see if Pep has learned anything...

[Danny Clender]

In light of Arsene Wenger's opinion, for this game I could see us playing a more possession based game.....yeah right.....what a cock. 

 

It will be the in form squad, formation and tactics until the end of the season. 

I was impressed with Slimani on saturday, he really tried and looked dangerous, so for me I think we start him instead of Okazaki this week. 

[HybridFox]

I really hope we go for this. Their defence is utterly shocking.

But give them too much respect and we'll get run over

[Stadt]

They've got some quality players still, the consensus on here seems to underestimating them. They're obviously pretty vulnerable and they've had some terrible results at home but they're equally as capable as blowing us away as we are of grabbing a result.  

[NotTheMarketLeader]

On 06/05/2017 at 21:25, Monsell1976 said:

A nothing game for us, so I hope they go out with a bit of freedom, and not so defensive as we were at arsenal, we cannot defend that deep for 90 minutes, just go out and enjoy it.

This.

 

Lets show them how good we are at attacking, not playing for a 1-0 defeat.

[brucey]

31 minutes ago, Wookie said:

They've got some quality players still, the consensus on here seems to underestimating them. They're obviously pretty vulnerable and they've had some terrible results at home but they're equally as capable as blowing us away as we are of grabbing a result.  

They are obviously more than capable of beating us, especially now that Pep's seen what Vardy can do and got rid of the bombscare in goal.

And we've shown some signs of perhaps being 'on the beach' a bit in the past few games, while they obviously need top 4 points and just destroyed Palace.

But if anything I think we are the ones being underestimated. Bookies say we are 11/1 to win this. Really?

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, brucey said:

They are obviously more than capable of beating us, especially now that Pep's seen what Vardy can do and got rid of the bombscare in goal.

And we've shown some signs of perhaps being 'on the beach' a bit in the past few games, while they obviously need top 4 points and just destroyed Palace.

But if anything I think we are the ones being underestimated. Bookies say we are 11/1 to win this. Really?

I said "the consensus on here" 

[Suzie the Fox]

Of the remaining games this season, this is the one i'm least looking forward too (in the sence of results.) Would be happy with a draw here, but ofc remaining optimistic. I mean we done it once this season so why not!

 

 

 

 

[Koke]

We are 11/1 in the bookies. I normally never bet on my own team but those odds are tempting. 

[fuchsntf]

Pick our form team....whoops we aint had one this season...mmmm

Then for Leicester...we simply  let loose the mongrels of war, throw in a few rag n bone men !!!

 

Wheyyyyyyheyyy   Simples games ours. Why worry  .

[ZeGuy]

Very interesting but also very difficult game.

 

Some seem to underestimate Kompany's return and the huge effect both on the pitch and morale it had. Their defense might be a bit shaky it isn't, by far, the one in December.

 

In the midfield they still have Yaya who's frankly having a great season. Fernandinho ain't bad either. I'm expecting De Bruynes to go missing but not Silva.

 

Two notable threats weren't on the pitch last time: Jesus and Sané. The former is still adapting to the league but he already showed that he's a world class forward and one of the best players to come. I saw him with the Brazilian team and he's a monster in the making. The latter is now an indispensable member of the team and his impact on the wing is not to be underestimated.

 

2-2 if we score first.

3-1 ManCity if they do.

[Stevosevic]

Fuchs is still in NYC as of 3 hours ago...could we be seeing Chilwell on Saturday?

[Devonfox1884]

18 minutes ago, Stevosevic said:

Fuchs is still in NYC as of 3 hours ago...could we be seeing Chilwell on Saturday?

Perhaps, it would be a good test of his progress at least.

[ajthefox]

First goal will be massive imo. If they concede there's a good chance they'll play into our hands but I think if they score first we will struggle to get anything out of the game.