Man City (A) - Sat 25th Nov 2023 (12:30pm)

[Creator Supreme]

1 hour ago, YorkshireRed said:

I used to have something of a soft spot for the team that was formerly Manchester City. I was there when Luton Town relegated them, and for some reason I felt something of an affinity with them, as they played out their role as pathetic losers.  
 

This shower of cheating fucks are not that club though. My dislike for them continues to grow. 
 

We shall win, and do so handsomely. The world is about to turn, good will begin to triumph over evil again. An era of peace, love, respect, and a desire for humanity to ‘do the right thing’ is about to commence. 
 

Historians will look back on this period, centuries from now, and agree it began the day a plucky Liverpool team turned up at the Ethiad and left with a 0-4 victory. 
 

They showed the world that there is another way. From that day, a possibility became a movement, a movement that became a way of life. 
 

On Saturday, Liverpool will beat Manchester City. They will also save the human race. 

Geert Wilders has just won the Dutch election mate, the human race is beyond redemption.

[sir roger]

22 hours ago, Preston Red said:

 

Wasn't it Kavanagh that gave that joke of a penalty to the Blueshite during the Covid season? Was sent to the screen and looked at it for 0.2 of a millisecond?

 

I think they explained later that VAR sent him to check for a sending off for the offence, not to review the penalty, so fair do's to him for not taking the usual way out , and dismissing it as quickly as it deserved.

 

Not saying he is perfect and he will no doubt shaft us on Saturday, but my bowels do not chill when I hear his name which puts him above several others.

[El Rojo]

2 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

A 12:30 Saturday kick off after an international break means neither team will be playing to their best.  I'd happily take an ugly 0-0 and move on.

 

Me and the lads if we get a draw:

 

 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

I'd take a draw, we do that and I reckon we have a very real chance of  a top 4 finish. Who knows next year we could challenge Arsenal to runners up.  

[Preston Red]

47 minutes ago, sir roger said:

 

I think they explained later that VAR sent him to check for a sending off for the offence, not to review the penalty, so fair do's to him for not taking the usual way out , and dismissing it as quickly as it deserved.

 

Not saying he is perfect and he will no doubt shaft us on Saturday, but my bowels do not chill when I hear his name which puts him above several others.

Ah right, I didn't know that. Once I saw him do that, my telly changed channels quickly to avoid a size 10 being put through the screen.

[Lee909]

3 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

A 12:30 Saturday kick off after an international break means neither team will be playing to their best.  I'd happily take an ugly 0-0 and move on.

 

Why won't City?

 

Only Alvarez has travelled to South America. Stones,Edison,Ake Haaland, Nunez,Kovacivic all didn't travel or pulled out of squads a week ago. Unless we are believing the injuries and Pep saying we don't know when they are back  

 

Other than Alvarez all City players played by Monday night in Europe. We have Alisson,Mac Callister, Nunez and Diaz all getting back probably today

[Sparky]

 

[Dave D]

Realism/Negativity alert

 

I look forward to wildly celebrating us taking a 1-0 lead only to hear Neville muttering "I think it will be checked" as our players gather in celebration.......leading to the inevitable toe offside which in turn changes the dynamic in an instant as the delight the City fans feel wakes up the stadium and their team respond by upping the tempo when in fact they should be 1-0 down early in the game with the prospect of a real entertaining football match about to break out being extinguished by some guys sat in a room nowhere near the ground.....

 

      

[TheHowieLama]

23 minutes ago, Dave D said:

the prospect of a real entertaining football match about to break out being extinguished by some guys sat in a room nowhere near the ground.....

 

      

 

Harsh on the telly clappers - harsh but fair.

[an tha]

I look forward to this impacting us on saturday only to then be ditched within the month....

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/22/howard-webb-var-advice-penalties-referees-premier-league

[DalyanPete]

2 hours ago, Creator Supreme said:

Geert Wilders has just won the Dutch election mate, the human race is beyond redemption.

Spoiler alert ??thanks, I was going to watch later!

[JohnnyH]

It's my dads 90th birthday on Saturday so the sister is coming over with her Scottish husband, so him, his oldest son, me and my dad are playing 18 holes of golf and I'll be on the golf course for the whole match, and I'm more than happy about that.

[Pidge]

18 holes at 90? Fair play.

[El Rojo]

1 hour ago, Dave D said:

Realism/Negativity alert

 

I look forward to wildly celebrating us taking a 1-0 lead only to hear Neville muttering "Ooooooooooh...Aaaaaaaaaaaaah......I think it will be checked" as our players gather in celebration.......

      

Fixed it for you. 

[El Rojo]

2 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

I'd take a draw, we do that and I reckon we have a very real chance of  a top 4 finish. Who knows next year we could challenge Arsenal to runners up.  

 

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but it's a title season for me if we're still only a point behind City by Saturday evening. 

39 minutes ago, JohnnyH said:

It's my dads 90th birthday on Saturday so the sister is coming over with her Scottish husband, so him, his oldest son, me and my dad are playing 18 holes of golf and I'll be on the golf course for the whole match, and I'm more than happy about that.

 

Big match beaut. 

 

(Congrats to your dad and enjoy the celebrations). 

[YorkshireRed]

1 hour ago, JohnnyH said:

It's my dads 90th birthday on Saturday so the sister is coming over with her Scottish husband, so him, his oldest son, me and my dad are playing 18 holes of golf and I'll be on the golf course for the whole match, and I'm more than happy about that.

18 holes at 90! I could just about manage that at 51, but only if it was a crazy golf course. Even then I’d need a breather at the turn. 
 

Happy Birthday to your Dad. Hope all of you have a great day. 

[JohnnyH]

1 hour ago, YorkshireRed said:

18 holes at 90! I could just about manage that at 51, but only if it was a crazy golf course. Even then I’d need a breather at the turn. 
 

Happy Birthday to your Dad. Hope all of you have a great day. 

He’s ridiculously fit. Plays golf 3 times a week.  Golf and then grandkids family party on Saturday, and then Sunday he’ll head down to visit his three OLDER sisters and OLDER brother for that party. Some genes on that side of the family

 

[Carra_is_legend]

26 minutes ago, JohnnyH said:

He’s ridiculously fit. Plays golf 3 times a week.  Golf and then grandkids family party on Saturday, and then Sunday he’ll head down to visit his three OLDER sisters and OLDER brother for that party. Some genes on that side of the family

 

That is outstanding and a gift. Happy birthday to him.

[Scott_M]

Carra writing us off on Saturday…

 

 

…basically says we don’t have a proper #6 and he’s worried about Doku v TAA.

 

Doesn't mention what we can do to them though.

 

I do get his point though. I have wondered if we’d be better playing Gomez at right back, Trent & Mac Allister as double #6’s and Szoboszlai on the left of the front 3. I doubt we’ve had enough time to work at it this week.

[TheHowieLama]

20 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

I have wondered if we’d be better playing Gomez at right back, Trent & Mac Allister as double #6’s and Szoboszlai on the left of the front 3. I doubt we’ve had enough time to work at it this week.

 

Like in a 4213?

[Rushies tash]

27 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

I do get his point though. I have wondered if we’d be better playing Gomez at right back, Trent & Mac Allister as double #6’s and Szoboszlai on the left of the front 3. I doubt we’ve had enough time to work at it this week.

 

I'm inclined to agree - especially since this allows us to slot Trent at right back in a back 5 out of possession if we need to. I'd have it as a 4231 though, with Darwin up front on his own.

[an tha]

33 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Carra writing us off on Saturday…

 

 

…basically says we don’t have a proper #6 and he’s worried about Doku v TAA.

 

Doesn't mention what we can do to them though.

 

I do get his point though. I have wondered if we’d be better playing Gomez at right back, Trent & Mac Allister as double #6’s and Szoboszlai on the left of the front 3. I doubt we’ve had enough time to work at it this week.

Yeah i'd be amazed if we went for a pretty major formation/tactical change in a game we will have had barely one session as a full squad ahead of.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

These lads and Mac Allister are a useful addition to the last match squad.

[Scott_M]

22 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

 

Like in a 4213?

 

14 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

 

I'm inclined to agree - especially since this allows us to slot Trent at right back in a back 5 out of possession if we need to. I'd have it as a 4231 though, with Darwin up front on his own.

More a 4-2-2-2 or a very narrow 4-4-2. 
 

Gravenberch and Szoboszlai ahead of Trent & Mac Allister, Nunez and Salah up front, under the instructions wherever possible, they stay up front and ensure they keep at least 2 back.
 

Let City have the balls in those wide areas, stop them playing through the centre and those intricate little passes they work before playing in the Norwegian Troll. 
 

In theory, it should protect the centre backs and the extra body in midfield helps not having a natural #6. Szoboszlai will likely give Tsmiskas more support than Diaz or Jota, Trent and Gomez should be able to double up as well. 
 

With Szoboszlai’s pace & energy, we should still carry a threat from the left to Trent’s normal gravitation wide right means we should still carry a threat there. 
 

I’d back Salah and Nunez to win most foot races in the channels as well. 
 

I think it’s defensive and still carrying a big threat, although I appreciate that threat is mostly on the break. If we get camped in their half, it will need more flexibility but knowing if we lose the ball, we need to get back into shape promptly. 

 

[Scott_M]

20 minutes ago, an tha said:

Yeah i'd be amazed if we went for a pretty major formation/tactical change in a game we will have had barely one session as a full squad ahead of.

Only the South Americans really.

 

Gravenberch & Gomez weren’t away. Mo, Szbozolai & Mo were back Monday. Trent was back Tuesday. We wouldn’t be asking VVD, Konate or Tsmiskas to do anything differently.
 

We did parts of this at Luton (Gomez at full back, Trent in the middle). Obviously if we play like we did at Luton, we’ll get absolutely bumholed !

Technically, we’re not asking players to do anything they aren’t used to doing at previous clubs or internationals, they’ve just never done it successfully all at once for us. 
 

I do agree we won’t make sweeping changes though. IMO, it’ll be a tweaked version of a 4-3-3.