Man City (A) - Sun 10th Apr 2022 (4:30pm)

[Chip Butty]

I’ve woken up nervous and thinking about the match. 
Football can be such a cruel mistress at times. 

[Evelyn Tentions]

Something that worries me is that Sadio and Mo as strict Muslims are 1 week into Ramadan. This means they have been fasting from dawn to dusk for a week. I'm sure our nutritional experts have been working on it but no food or water all day for a 4.30 kickoff isn't ideal preparation.

[A_S]

46 minutes ago, Evelyn Tentions said:

Something that worries me is that Sadio and Mo as strict Muslims are 1 week into Ramadan. This means they have been fasting from dawn to dusk for a week. I'm sure our nutritional experts have been working on it but no food or water all day for a 4.30 kickoff isn't ideal preparation.

Worked well for Benzema

[Lee909]

6 minutes ago, A_S said:

Worked well for Benzema

 

He would have taken on fluids pre game against Chelsea

[Bruce Spanner]

3 hours ago, Evelyn Tentions said:

Something that worries me is that Sadio and Mo as strict Muslims are 1 week into Ramadan. This means they have been fasting from dawn to dusk for a week. I'm sure our nutritional experts have been working on it but no food or water all day for a 4.30 kickoff isn't ideal preparation.

 

2 hours ago, A_S said:

Worked well for Benzema

 

There are exemptions and you can make the days up later in the year.

[Kevin D]

Pep is not stupid.

 

A good old fashioned fight against a team with the best gun fighters in the world is a league losing mistake.

 

He’s going to play 10 midfielders and go full Sampson’s Mexico-Portugal***
 

Parking the ball is the smart move against a team with more potent attackers and a ferocious back 3, that need the victory.

 

****

 

I am certain after Man City spend 90 minutes refusing to engage with us that Neville and Tyler will call it the greatest match in football history.

[Oh Buoy]

It'll be another game were Pep changes his entire system to nullify us. 

 

A draw is incoming with 90 minutes of feeling like we're playing Atletico Madrid. 

 

(Kev just repeated what I've said above but my post was delayed so it looks like I've just copied the cunt when we all know that isn't the case) 

[Razoray]

My prediction

Us:

Alisson

Trent Matip Van Dijk Robertson

Henderson Fabinho Thiago

Salah Firmino Mané

 

Subs: Kelleher Gomez Konaté Tsimikas Milner Keita Jones Jota Diaz

 

City:

Ederson

Walker Stones Laporte Cancelo

De Bruyne Rodri Silva

Mahrez Foden Sterling 

 

Subs: Steffen Aké Zinchenko Fernandinho Gündoğan Jesus Grealish kid kid

 

 

Barring injuries, we will bring on Jota Diaz and Keita/Milner depending on whether we need a goal or need to kick a few fellas. 

 

They will bring on Grealish Jesus and Gündoğan

[No2]

2 minutes ago, Razoray said:

My prediction

Us:

Alisson

Trent Matip Van Dijk Robertson

Henderson Fabinho Thiago

Salah Firmino Mané

 

Subs: Kelleher Gomez Konaté Tsimikas Milner Keita Jones Jota Diaz

 

City:

Ederson

Walker Stones Laporte Cancelo

De Bruyne Rodri Silva

Mahrez Foden Sterling 

 

Subs: Steffen Aké Zinchenko Fernandinho Gündoğan Jesus Grealish kid kid

 

 

Barring injuries, we will bring on Jota Diaz and Keita/Milner depending on whether we need a goal or need to kick a few fellas. 

 

They will bring on Grealish Jesus and Gündoğan

I hope our last sub is Gomez.

[Jairzinho]

9 minutes ago, Razoray said:

My prediction

Us:

Alisson

Trent Matip Van Dijk Robertson

Henderson Fabinho Thiago

Salah Firmino Mané

 

Subs: Kelleher Gomez Konaté Tsimikas Milner Keita Jones Jota Diaz

 

City:

Ederson

Walker Stones Laporte Cancelo

De Bruyne Rodri Silva

Mahrez Foden Sterling 

 

Subs: Steffen Aké Zinchenko Fernandinho Gündoğan Jesus Grealish kid kid

 

 

Barring injuries, we will bring on Jota Diaz and Keita/Milner depending on whether we need a goal or need to kick a few fellas. 

 

They will bring on Grealish Jesus and Gündoğan

I'd be surprised if they played two proper wide players. I think I agree with Kevin, Pep will pack the side with midfielders. Maybe not Grealish, but perhaps Gundogan, and he'll find some weird formation to play a central four in midfield, a false nine, and a single winger. 

 

I think we'll win as long as Trent is slightly more defensively disciplined than normal (or they'll do that tedious overload - cutback move all afternoon), and Mane and Salah have decent games. I've got full confidence in that midfield three, the centrebacks and the goalkeeper.

[Kevin D]

2 minutes ago, Jairzinho said:

I'd be surprised if they played two proper wide players. I think I agree with Kevin, Pep will pack the side with midfielders. Maybe not Grealish, but perhaps Gundogan, and he'll find some weird formation to play a central four in midfield, a false nine, and a single winger. 

 

I think we'll win as long as Trent is slightly more defensively disciplined than normal, and Mane and Salah have decent games. I've got full confidence in that midfield three, the centrebacks and the goalkeeper.

A lot of our fans downplay Guardiola’s managerial skill.

 

We’ve seen a lot of managers get sent packing from City, Chelsea and United in the last 5 years.

 

He is very fortunate to have the amount of money he has, but he’s also an outstanding football manager.

 

He realised after the European cup Quarter final that trying to directly take us on, even when he had the better players, was a fools errand.

 

 

Since then he’s decided, “Well if Silva and De Bruyne have the ball, that means Liverpool don’t.”

[Kevin D]

32 minutes ago, Bot said:

It'll be another game were Pep changes his entire system to nullify us. 

 

A draw is incoming with 90 minutes of feeling like we're playing Atletico Madrid. 

 

(Kev just repeated what I've said above but my post was delayed so it looks like I've just copied the cunt when we all know that isn't the case) 

Sickening.

[diamondjoe]

Relatively sanguine about this tbh. We got this. 

[Kevin D]

1 hour ago, Jairzinho said:

I'd be surprised if they played two proper wide players. I think I agree with Kevin, Pep will pack the side with midfielders. Maybe not Grealish, but perhaps Gundogan, and he'll find some weird formation to play a central four in midfield, a false nine, and a single winger. 

 

I think we'll win as long as Trent is slightly more defensively disciplined than normal (or they'll do that tedious overload - cutback move all afternoon), and Mane and Salah have decent games. I've got full confidence in that midfield three, the centrebacks and the goalkeeper.

Again, mate.

 

Pep is not stupid.

 

In a real balls to the wall football match, we will wipe the floor with them.
 

It’s going to be as many midfielders as he can justify to himself without feeling like Dyche.

[Bjornebye]

On 07/04/2022 at 22:30, Jairzinho said:

Thiago v Silva was very difficult, as was leaving out Big Bird. 

 

Fuck off

 

 

Could be Mane or Diaz but Diaz on form. 

 

Apparently they've stopped collecting votes now (you can still have a go) but this was what the final result came out as:

 

 

We have absolutely got the best starting 11. They just don't drop off much with a few injuries whereas we can be hampered badly sometimes. 

[Jairzinho]

13 minutes ago, Kevin D said:

Again, mate.

 

Pep is not stupid.

 

In a real balls to the wall football match, we will wipe the floor with them.
 

It’s going to be as many midfielders as he can justify to himself without feeling like Dyche.

He'll be helped with his tactics immensely by the ref he's hand picked. We can't even get into them early, as Manchester's Anthony Taylor will just send a few of ours off.

[an tha]

5 hours ago, Evelyn Tentions said:

Something that worries me is that Sadio and Mo as strict Muslims are 1 week into Ramadan. This means they have been fasting from dawn to dusk for a week. I'm sure our nutritional experts have been working on it but no food or water all day for a 4.30 kickoff isn't ideal preparation.

Have a read of the below....

 

I don't think it has that much of an effect on them - they seem to have really clever nutritional experts helping them through it.

 

This is lifted from an article about it:

 

Both Salah and Mane’s stats have previously shown no signs of dipping off when playing during the holy month. They will tailor their training around fasting to ensure they remain at peak performance. Muslim Chaplains in Sport (MCS) is a group which offers support to Premier League and EFL clubs ahead of and during Ramadan. Liverpool - and title rivals Manchester City - are two of the leading clubs to work with the group.

 

Clubs involved seek Islamic guidance from MCS on behalf of their Muslim players, including regarding issues such as deferring fasts so their performances in training and during matches are not affected.

 

MCS managing director Ismail Bhamji told BBC Sport : "Although there is no Islamic ruling for athletes, we provide advice on how they can keep their fasts and discuss whether they qualify for exemptions, such as when they are travelling or are ill. Muslim footballers come from a varying array of backgrounds and we have to find solutions that would work for all to practise their faith.

 

The coming month will see some differences during evening games in the Premier League and Champions League. With the UK now in BST, sunset is now after evening games will kick off. So when Liverpool take on Manchester United later in April, expect Salah and Mane to take on fluids once the sun sets.

There is no specific timing for games to be stopped or rule, but captains can request a drinks break at an appropriate moment in the game for players to break their fast. It is an informal agreement which also happened last season. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) are also due to undergo a seminar to better understand Ramadan. Football is ensuring it can be as inclusive as possible but the players themselves are the ones leading by example on the matter.

[Scooby Dudek]

15 minutes ago, Jairzinho said:

He'll be helped with his tactics immensely by the ref he's hand picked. We can't even get into them early, as Manchester's Anthony Taylor will just send a few of ours off.

Can see them getting at least one penalty, especially with Sterling and the most fouled £100 player Geilish (sp)

[Kevin D]

1 minute ago, Scooby Dudek said:

Can see them getting at least one penalty, especially with Sterling and the most fouled £100 player Geilish (sp)

VAR today is:

 

 

[Scooby Dudek]

2 minutes ago, Kevin D said:

VAR today is:

 

 

Yeah, I didn't post but I was including the VAR, non penalty giver, in my comments. One of their players will go down and ref with VAR backing will give a penalty. 

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you 

[Kevin D]

3 minutes ago, Scooby Dudek said:

Yeah, I didn't post but I was including the VAR, non penalty giver, in my comments. One of their players will go down and ref with VAR backing will give a penalty. 

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you 

 

You know how when the ref goes over to the screen they always give the penalty?

 

5/6 today is the first time that the referee doesn’t give it.

 

11/5 it’s on Salah.

[Scooby Dudek]

1 minute ago, Kevin D said:

 

You know how when the ref goes over to the screen they always give the penalty?

 

5/6 today is the first time that the referee doesn’t give it.

 

11/5 it’s on Salah.

After the outcry about Jota last week, I am expecting this also.

[an tha]

Fucking massive isn't it this.

 

Can honestly see any result here.

 

They could twat us badly with our high risk/reward style of play - we do give up a few chances even to shite teams and these have of course loads of quality to punish us.

 

But could also see us twatting them with a blast like we hit them with in the European Cup at Anfield.

 

My gut feel is though it could end up tight and cagey - they may feel with the easy run in they have that a draw is a decent result and back themselves to win all their remaining games.

 

An odd goal either way, a moment of magic or luck is likely to decide this....or of course a fucking shite decision from the incompetent clowns officiating....

 

It's massive, it is likely to be stomach churning and nerve shreddding - but hey this is what it is all about - think about all those years we had to sit and watch the mancs/arsenal or chelsea then these cheats battling for the title in these massive games, whilst we were nowhere - this is what it is all about.

 

Into these, redmen.

[Razoray]

41 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Fuck off

 

 

Could be Mane or Diaz but Diaz on form. 

 

Apparently they've stopped collecting votes now (you can still have a go) but this was what the final result came out as:

 

 

We have absolutely got the best starting 11. They just don't drop off much with a few injuries whereas we can be hampered badly sometimes. 

And Dias is injured so Matip starts

[Scooby Dudek]

I think they will score, but I feel we will get a good few, going 4-2 to us.

 

Obviously this will change during the day as my nerves kick in and out. Will be shitting myself come kick off.