City v Stoke

[Bojinov's left foot]

Mancini's 1st match in charge. Lots of injuries. What can we expect from our new manager?

IMO we will keep the ball on the floor more than under Hughes. Mancini will be passionate on the touch line.

What formation will Mancini go for? Will Robinho play from the start. Press articles indicate that Mancini wants him to stay, if this is the case then surely he starts v Stoke.

IMO the team v Stoke will be:

Given
Zabaleta Kompany Toure Sylvinho
Ireland De Jong
Bellamy Tevez Robinho
Santa Cruz

It will be interesting to see how Mancini resolves the role of Robinho and that of the defensive left side in particular.

Any thoughts...

[Paul Lakes Knee]

For all the Irish City fans on here- the game is being shown on Setanta Ireland, and for one day only they are doing a free to air thing on St Stephen's Day.

Channel 423 on Sky

[pepsi_dave]

Only thought I have, is that, no-one I have seen so far has mentioned Weiss...... I honestly think it is entirely possible Weiss might flourish under Mancini..... I undersatnd the qualitites SWP brought to the side and why his qualities were needed, but is it not within the realms of possibility that Bob may see him as the ideal player to play on the opposite side of Robi, Imagine how many defences will run scared if you have players of the ilk of Robi and (potentially, based on the glimpses we have seen so far of the lad) Weiss attacking each side......

My team - and this is purely based on a comment from dougs training report about us training with two left backs playing in defence, I wonder if we will play a 5-4-1 with the full backs getting forward but still leaving 3 defenders at the back and still leaving two in Midfield.... Ireland should be given the reign to go forward while I expect barry to sit back more (of course NDJ could play aswell - I was going for left and Right footed balance) and I expect to see one of SWP/Tevez/Weiss on the Right, and either Robi/Bellers on the left with Either Tevez/Santa up front.

There is a reason I am not a football manager and fully expect some of you lot on here to rip holes through the below!

------------------Given----------------------

---------Toure--Kompany--Sylvinho--------

Zabba-------------------------------Garrido

---------------Ireland---Barry---------------

Weiss/Tevez--------------------------Robi/Bellamy

----------------Santa/Tevez--------------

[Douglas Higginbottom]

We smacked them 3 nil last year but they are a tough side to play against and it won't be a walkover. They should have at least drawn against Villa last week by all accounts. We were going to win this one anyway and still will but I don't think it will be easy at all.

[Mark Garrett]

Not sure if SWP is injured or not, but if he is available he plays, it's as simple as that. Setup so many of our goals this season, is always a threat going forward, scores goals and unlike others, neglects his defensive duties.

Given

Zabaleta Toure Kompany Sylvinho

SWP Ireland De Jong Bellamy

--------Tevez Santa Cruz


If Shaun is injured, then play Barry instead,

[Kiss_The_Goat]

Its a tough one isn't it? I have no idea. Lewis' competition will be low scoring this week.
For me, these are big questions for this one;

What formation will he play and will he start Robinho and if so where?

Surely he cant drop Tevez or Bellers on their current form, and after the way RSC played against Sunderland, he's got to be starting as well. So where will Robbie play? Will Bellamy drop into a midfield role?

This is a total guess but I think we may line up like this. I dont like our left side though? Not exactly solid defensively.

Given

Zabba Toure Kompany Sylvinho


Bellamy De Jong Ireland Robinho

RSC Tevez

[Kiss_The_Goat]

Its a tough one isn't it? I have no idea. Lewis' competition will be low scoring this week.
For me, these are big questions for this one;

What formation will he play and will he start Robinho and if so where?

Surely he cant drop Tevez or Bellers on their current form, and after the way RSC played against Sunderland, he's got to be starting as well. So where will Robbie play? Will Bellamy drop into a midfield role?

This is a total guess but I think we may line up like this. I dont like our left side though? Not exactly solid defensively.

Given

Zabba Toure Kompany Sylvinho


Bellamy De Jong Ireland Robinho

RSC Tevez

If SWP is fit. Then I have absolutely no idea what he'll do. But i'm not paid to be a football manager. If I was i'd play Bellers ahead of Robbie without a doubt and keep the same team that beat Sunderland, with Zabba for Richards if hes injured. I have a feeling the owners are not happy with Robinho not being in the starting 11 though.

[Robert]

maybe hughes left robinho and ade out to prove a point, i expect both of them to play against stoke maybe a surprise at left back?!

if SWP injured Weiss to play?

maybe he will play a balanced side rather than the 'best' players.

-------Given-------
Zab--Kompany--Toure---Slyvinho( or a surprise! Mee?)
SWP-barry--NDJ
Bellamy--Ade--Robinho

[Mark (Blue Army)]

For all the Irish City fans on here- the game is being shown on Setanta Ireland, and for one day only they are doing a free to air thing on St Stephen's Day.

Channel 423 on Sky

I was gonna post this lol, should be a really good game i'm glad i aint gotta rely on a stream for this one.

[CitizenYank]

The thing that worries me most is the amount of defenders on the training table.
The rest is totally up to Mancini....

[Colin the King]

Sylvinho has been an absolute nightmare in the last couple of games, not just in his lack of pace but in possession he's been very sloppy. This is my team given injuries etc.

Given

Zabaleta
Touré
Kompany
Barry

Bellamy
de Jong
Ireland
Petrov

Santa Cruz
Tevez

I really want to see how Petrov and RSC work together. I remember we played Blackburn a few years ago when he scored twice at our place and thinking 'imagine him playing for city with Petrov whipping balls into him'. So I've been curious ever since he signed. Robinho to come on at some point if we need a different option.

Substitutes- Taylor, Sylvinho, Richards (is he fit?), Weiss, SWP (?), Adebayor, Robinho.

We're really stretched at the back- one more injury and it's panic time.

[10.Goater_Legend]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - Given

- - Richards - - Toure - - Kompany - - Sylvinho

- - - - - - - - - - - - de Jong

- - - SWP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bellamy

- - - - - - - - - - - - Robinho

- - - - - - - Tevez - - - - - - - RSC

City 4
Stoke 0

(I can dream)

[10.Goater_Legend]

Or...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - Given

- - Richards - - Toure - - Kompany - - Sylvinho

- - - - - Ireland - - de Jong - - Barry

- - - - - - - - - - - - Robinho

- - - - - - - - - Tevez - - - Ade

It's gonna be an interesting one, I can't fucking wait.

[King Kev]

Not many people seem to think Adebayor will play. I'm assuming this is because he was dropped (and rightly so) by our previous manager.

I reckon Mancini will start with a blank piece of paper and will pick his team on who impresses him rather than who failed to impress hughes.

[Martinez]

Only thought I have, is that, no-one I have seen so far has mentioned Weiss...... I honestly think it is entirely possible Weiss might flourish under Mancini..... I undersatnd the qualitites SWP brought to the side and why his qualities were needed, but is it not within the realms of possibility that Bob may see him as the ideal player to play on the opposite side of Robi, Imagine how many defences will run scared if you have players of the ilk of Robi and (potentially, based on the glimpses we have seen so far of the lad) Weiss attacking each side......

My team - and this is purely based on a comment from dougs training report about us training with two left backs playing in defence, I wonder if we will play a 5-4-1 with the full backs getting forward but still leaving 3 defenders at the back and still leaving two in Midfield.... Ireland should be given the reign to go forward while I expect barry to sit back more (of course NDJ could play aswell - I was going for left and Right footed balance) and I expect to see one of SWP/Tevez/Weiss on the Right, and either Robi/Bellers on the left with Either Tevez/Santa up front.

There is a reason I am not a football manager and fully expect some of you lot on here to rip holes through the below!

------------------Given----------------------

---------Toure--Kompany--Sylvinho--------

Zabba-------------------------------Garrido

---------------Ireland---Barry---------------

Weiss/Tevez--------------------------Robi/Bellamy

----------------Santa/Tevez--------------

I read the report as well, and I like the idea of actually adressing the defensive problem by changing the team rather than just telling the defenders and midfielders to defend better.

It looks quite negative though, doesn't it? We will leave a lot of talent on the bench if we apply a system like this, but it could just be to get that clean sheet and some peace and quiet back to the defense.
Ade is injured right? he wasn't training yesterday for sure, does no-one read Dougs posts anymore?

[Redna]

I'm feeling very dodgy about this game. Stoke got all to win and we basicly all to lose in this game.
How will the players react to the recent events?
Here's hoping for a win afterall.
City 2 Stoke 1
CTID!!

[eastlandsblue]

positive result for me, would be to leave Robinho and Adebayor on the bench. Simple reason being, it would how both players their not guaranteed their places and it will also show the other players like Bellamy, that they have a big future at the club.

I'd go with

Given

Zabba
Toure
Kompany
Barry

Ireland
Dejong

Weiss/SWP
Tevez
Bellamy

Santa

[avoidconfusion]

I really really hope we win this one.... and I hope the "New Manager Syndrome" gets Adebayor and Robinho firing on all cylinders (if they are picked which I believe they will be).

My Team:

-------------Given
Zabs Toure Kompany Barry
----De Jong-----Ireland
Bellamy--Tevez---Robinho
----------Adebayor


De Jong being DMF as usual with Ireland being more of a CMF and Tevez playing AMF right behind Adebayor.

[john@staustell]

Not many people seem to think Adebayor will play. I'm assuming this is because he was dropped (and rightly so) by our previous manager.

I reckon Mancini will start with a blank piece of paper and will pick his team on who impresses him rather than who failed to impress hughes.

Ade is widely reported as struggling with a knock. Just as well really especially as Santa is on form for Xmas!

Im sure Robbie Manc has been watching us for weeks, studying videos etc, and Kidd was on the inside of course. They may have spotted a couple of glaring horrors, but otherwise a bit of continuity is called for.

Anyone leaving Gareth Barry out in this thread is living on another planet. He may not appear in the best of form under Les but he is a top England midfield player and had a good game last time out. He may play at LB or CB for a while though, which he is more than capable of.

[irblinx]

I would put Barry or even Garrido at LB before Silvinho, he's been awful in the Prem.

As a side note a change of manager might be just what GazBaz needs to give him the kick up the arse and get him back to his early season levels.