Pre Match Thread - Man City (A)

[Guest]

This match will come down to who scores the first goal and when. If they score an early goal, it's all over, we lose. If we can stop them scoring for at least 60 minutes and take the lead, it'll be a fun game.

 

I think we'll attack anyway but the problem is if they score first then they just hold onto the ball and getting it from them is very very difficult.

 

I'll go for a 1-3 Leicester Victory. Vardy to bag another 2 on his way to challenging for the golden boot.

 

As for the team:

 

Hamza is a must

Evans is a must.

 

I'd replace Albrighton with Barnes in the starting lineup but I don't think that Rodgers will.

 

Will Mahrez be trusted with a match given all the Manc's injuries?

[Ric Flair]

13 minutes ago, FIF said:

This match will come down to who scores the first goal and when. If they score an early goal, it's all over, we lose. If we can stop them scoring for at least 60 minutes and take the lead, it'll be a fun game.

 

I think we'll attack anyway but the problem is if they score first then they just hold onto the ball and getting it from them is very very difficult.

 

I'll go for a 1-3 Leicester Victory. Vardy to bag another 2 on his way to challenging for the golden boot.

 

As for the team:

 

Hamza is a must

Evans is a must.

 

I'd replace Albrighton with Barnes in the starting lineup but I don't think that Rodgers will.

 

Will Mahrez be trusted with a match given all the Manc's injuries?

Albrighton is 2 in 2 vs Man City this season, but he looked way off the pace vs Arsenal even with a few very good through balls. Man City's all action game will be too much for him unless he improves.

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Albrighton is 2 in 2 vs Man City this season, but he looked way off the pace vs Arsenal even with a few very good through balls. Man City's all action game will be too much for him unless he improves.

If we're relying on Marc to score for us to beat Mancs then I won't be holding my breath.

[Dames]

I really can see us winning this. Man City haven't liked playing us over the past few years at all.

[Ted Maul]

Had a glance at their forum- they really are quite a strange fanbase aren't they? Really paranoid about media, FA & referee bias, players diving against them (despite it taking a stiff breeze to knock Sterling off his feet).

 

I'd put it down to title run-in stress but I've heard it from them before- I'm sure they think UEFA have an agenda against them as well.

 

This is the fanbase who still have a pop at us for (correctly) sacking Ranieri when they sacked their first title-winning manager for 50 years after finishing 2nd the following season, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

 

I'd hate to see Liverpool win it but this lot ending up without the Champions League or Premier League when going for the treble would be amusing. Weirdos. 

[OntarioFox]

37 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Had a glance at their forum- they really are quite a strange fanbase aren't they? Really paranoid about media, FA & referee bias, players diving against them (despite it taking a stiff breeze to knock Sterling off his feet).

 

I'd put it down to title run-in stress but I've heard it from them before- I'm sure they think UEFA have an agenda against them as well.

 

This is the fanbase who still have a pop at us for (correctly) sacking Ranieri when they sacked their first title-winning manager for 50 years after finishing 2nd the following season, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

 

I'd hate to see Liverpool win it but this lot ending up without the Champions League or Premier League when going for the treble would be amusing. Weirdos. 

Well they have it right on one count - the way the media have been talking since Christmas, you'd think it was Liverpool's god-given right to win the title and week-in-week-out reiterating their will that Man City are the ones that are going to slip up. It's blatant. Cringeworthy. Toe-curling. 

 

The ridiculous, shoehorned claims that their win against Chelsea somehow exorcised the demons of Gerrard's slip and proved they were destined to win the league were the last straw for me. While I hope we get something at Man City, I also sincerely hope that Newcastle shaft the Scousers, if only to put the likes of Alan Hansen, Phil McNulty and Jamie Carragher back in their box for another year.

 

Honestly, I don't think I'd be able to stop laughing if Benitez is able to execute the same game plan he did against us, condemning Liverpool to a s**thouse 1-0 loss and rendering the result of our match practically irrelevant.

 

Edit - timelines and wrong Jamie 

[Ted Maul]

1 minute ago, OntarioFox said:

Well they have it right on one count - the way the media have been talking since Christmas, you'd think it was Liverpool's god-given right to win the title and week-in-week-out reiterating their will that Man City are the ones that are going to slip up. It's blatant. Cringeworthy. Toe-curling. 

 

The ridiculous, shoehorned claims that their win against Chelsea somehow exorcised the demons of Gerrard's slip and proved they were destined to win the league were the last straw for me. While I hope we get something at Man City, I also sincerely hope that Newcastle shaft the Scousers, if only to put the likes of Alan Hansen, Phil McNulty and Jamie Redknapp back in their box for another year.

Oh don't get me wrong, there's so many biased Liverpool pundits and I can't be doing with them. Carragher celebrating on commentary when Salah scored the other week was disgusting.

 

It's stuff like Chilwell and Maguire being linked with them in the lead up to the game to motivate them to play better that I was talking about- literally no logic behind it at all.

[BirminghamFox]

Let’s win this..I have a feeling we can definitely beat them... especially after the Manc twat that offered to knock my lights out for smiling after we beat them on Boxing Day 

[dayday]

What midfield would people favour? 

 

Choudhury/ Ndidi/ Tielemans/ Maddison/ Albrighton 

 

Ndidi/ Barnes/ Gray/ Tielemans/ Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Choudhury/ Barnes /

/Tielemans/Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Albrighton/ Barnes/ Tielemans/ Maddison.

 

or something else?

 

I personally would love us to go toe to toe with them, play Barnes and Gray on the flanks with Tielemans, Maddison and Ndidi.

 

 

 

[rachhere]

43 minutes ago, dayday said:

What midfield would people favour? 

 

Choudhury/ Ndidi/ Tielemans/ Maddison/ Albrighton 

 

Ndidi/ Barnes/ Gray/ Tielemans/ Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Choudhury/ Barnes /

/Tielemans/Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Albrighton/ Barnes/ Tielemans/ Maddison.

 

or something else?

 

I personally would love us to go toe to toe with them, play Barnes and Gray on the flanks with Tielemans, Maddison and Ndidi.

  

 

 

I would start with the same side as we started with last week. We will benefit from Marc's defensive qualities, plus his experience of playing matches like this. 

[woddyuk]

On 28/04/2019 at 17:29, Sir Shep said:

Can see us gaining a point so I’m just hoping Newcastle do the pool. 

Hope the toon do them too. 

Can't stand man city,, can't stand Liverpool. But City winning title would be my preferred choice out of the two as that's already been done. If scousers win we'll never hear the end of it for years. Anyone that grew up through late 70s and the 80s knows that, and won't want a resurgent Liverpool. 

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, dayday said:

What midfield would people favour? 

 

Choudhury/ Ndidi/ Tielemans/ Maddison/ Albrighton 

 

Ndidi/ Barnes/ Gray/ Tielemans/ Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Choudhury/ Barnes /

/Tielemans/Maddison 

 

Ndidi/ Albrighton/ Barnes/ Tielemans/ Maddison.

 

or something else?

 

I personally would love us to go toe to toe with them, play Barnes and Gray on the flanks with Tielemans, Maddison and Ndidi.

 

 

 

All of them

[Tuna]

Liverpool beat Newcastle and we take something from The Etihad, Foxestalk will become Scousetalk.

[HybridFox]

Hamza should 100% start this game. Let the football do the talking, instead of a few sad Arsenal fans.

 

Given this b***s*** charge by the FA, he might not even be available for Chelsea so let's make the most of it.

 

I'm genuinely optimistic about our chances, don't think I've been this positive about a trip to the Etihad since THAT game .

 

Barnes in for Albrighton and Vardy to spearhead up top. Let the battle commence 

[Guest seanfox778]

Don’t want Liverpool to win the title but I could never, not root for Leicester. Would be ecstatic if we got something here.

[Ashley]

Newcastle will get something against Liverpool and we will beat Man City.

 

Just watch.

[PaulW]

3 hours ago, Ashley said:

Newcastle will get something against Liverpool and we will beat Man City.

 

Just watch.

This.

[Koke]

14 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

Had a glance at their forum- they really are quite a strange fanbase aren't they? Really paranoid about media, FA & referee bias, players diving against them (despite it taking a stiff breeze to knock Sterling off his feet).

 

I'd put it down to title run-in stress but I've heard it from them before- I'm sure they think UEFA have an agenda against them as well.

 

This is the fanbase who still have a pop at us for (correctly) sacking Ranieri when they sacked their first title-winning manager for 50 years after finishing 2nd the following season, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

 

I'd hate to see Liverpool win it but this lot ending up without the Champions League or Premier League when going for the treble would be amusing. Weirdos. 

 

They've always been like that. Very cringe worthy fan base. Very insecure and small time mentality. I guess that's the result of decades of being bullied relentlessly by their vastly more successful neighbour.

 

Man City are a small club tbat nobody actually cares about. Man City are barely an afterthought to the FA, refs, other fans, UEFA etc. 

[st albans fox]

3 hours ago, Ashley said:

Newcastle will get something against Liverpool and we will beat Man City.

 

Just watch.

Which would mean liverpool probably winning the league .... unless both lose this weekend ....... I would take a point at the Etihad if the geordies take one on Saturday.  Everyone would assume Monday evening to be Man City’s coronation though GD would prevent technical win. A draw for us would shove one up everyone’s ***** whilst ensuring the insufferable scouse reds don’t win it. .......

[car1os]

Hope Mahrez doesn’t start, he’ll grab a couple against us if he does, I’m sure of it (the ever obliging Leicester City of course!!).

 

Still, I think it’ll be an entertaining 2-2 draw, which could make the title race interesting. 

[Guest Markyblue]

1 hour ago, Koke said:

 

They've always been like that. Very cringe worthy fan base. Very insecure and small time mentality. I guess that's the result of decades of being bullied relentlessly by their vastly more successful neighbour.

 

Man City are a small club tbat nobody actually cares about. Man City are barely an afterthought to the FA, refs, other fans, UEFA etc. 

Strangely enough before the money men and trophies arrived i had a lot of time for man city fans, they were allways very vocal and loyal now they are entitled pricks. Still prefer them to win the league but only because of the large plastic pool local fan base and the media love in.

[lgfualol]

The fact Liverpool fans are annoying and 90% of the media rim the club makes me hope man city win the league.

 

Saying that I can see Wolves slipping up and a win would take us closer to 7th. Kept Vardy in my fpl team so hoping he does the business.

[shailen]

Man City were a similar club to us before they had their investment - yo-yoing between the top two divisions in the league.

 

They did nothing of any note really until the billions came pouring in. At least Chelsea had won some domestic cups in recent times and were an established top division side before their takeover. 

 

I think Man City are lucky because of their neighbours success. The name Manchester is football royalty given what their neighbours have done and that is half the marketing work right there done. 

 

It feels as though Man City are only relevant because someone wanted to challenge their neighbours success. They have spent more in the premier league era then most clubs which has all come in the last 10 years really - somehow getting away with FFP as well.

[Nick]

On 28/04/2019 at 14:18, urban.spaceman said:

We could potentially be Kingmakers for Liverpool here. 

 

I’d ****ing love that personally.  

 

There are some parallels with our title win - team chasing their maiden Premier League title, a former manager who’d just fallen short of winning it himself...

 

Let’s ****ing do it.

Brendan will sooo want to do this for Liverpool.

[RumbleFox]

11 hours ago, woddyuk said:

Hope the toon do them too. 

Can't stand man city,, can't stand Liverpool. But City winning title would be my preferred choice out of the two as that's already been done. If scousers win we'll never hear the end of it for years. Anyone that grew up through late 70s and the 80s knows that, and won't want a resurgent Liverpool. 

I think that last bit nails it. I went to school in late 80s/90s and although I'm too young to remember Liverpool in their pomp the hangover from their success was still in effect and everybody my age and slightly older seemed to support them. I want us to beat Man City but I really don't want Liverpool to win even though I'm fully aware my dislike for them is unfounded and irrational in the main. X