Team for Bolton

[Bingo Lewis]

Even though I put Bridge in my team, I still feel Garrido is the best left back at the club.
Just thought I'd point that out.

[avoidconfusion]

My team would be:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
-------------De Jong
Johnson-----Vieira------Petrov
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

[Original Dub]

My team would be:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
-------------De Jong
Johnson-----Vieira------Petrov
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

Yeah that's more like it.

Although I'd have SWP instead of Petrov and switch flanks with Johnson.

However, if we go with a diamond, I want Ireland at the top of it and Vieira behind.

[avoidconfusion]

My team would be:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
-------------De Jong
Johnson-----Vieira------Petrov
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

Yeah that's more like it.

Although I'd have SWP instead of Petrov and switch flanks with Johnson.

However, if we go with a diamond, I want Ireland at the top of it and Vieira behind.

Actually you are right and even before I read your post I wanted to edit my post because I changed my mind, this is how I would play:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
--------------Vieira
-----SWP-------------Johnson
-------------Ireland
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

However I fear Mancini won't start with SWP or Ireland. :(

[Original Dub]

My team would be:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
-------------De Jong
Johnson-----Vieira------Petrov
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

Yeah that's more like it.

Although I'd have SWP instead of Petrov and switch flanks with Johnson.

However, if we go with a diamond, I want Ireland at the top of it and Vieira behind.

Actually you are right and even before I read your post I wanted to edit my post because I changed my mind, this is how I would play:

--------------Given
Onouha Toure Lescott Bridge
--------------Vieira
-----SWP-------------Johnson
-------------Ireland
--------Tevez-----Adebayor

However I fear Mancini won't start with SWP or Ireland. :(

Thats the one for me!

[btajim]

^
I'd actually go along with that - although I don't think Ireland will start tomorrow evening.

[Dingus McDouchey]

----------Given
Zab---Ned---Toure---Garrido
----------Vieira
AJ---SWP---Ireland---Petrov
-----------Ade

Bridge
Boyata
Lescott
Barry
Tevez
De Jong
Taylor

[Dingus McDouchey]

with those 4 behind him, I think Ade would be well serviced. (no homo)
if it's not working bring Tevez on. But I'd like to see us get some crosses in for Ade, and no doubt Superman would be in the box aswell.

[Bojinov's left foot]

Given
Zabaleta Toure Lescott Bridge
Vieira
A.Johnson Ireland Petrov
Tevez Adebayor

Team v Bolton but not my choice for the remainder of the season.

[john@staustell]

i get yr point john, but even though he's got a couple of goals i have not been impressed with ade at all. maybe it has something to do with the ACN tragedy, but he was pretty gash for months before that.

RSC gives the team a lot more. hopefully he'll last more than five minutes this time.

would not have barry at LB, bridge is a good player imo.

Agree Ade is not impressive as such, but football is about scoring as Arsene Wenger is finding out. So as I say a man who scores 2 in 2 is in the side mate. 38 tap-ins per season should do it.

Not comparing him with them, but 2 of the best strikers ever were pretty unimpressive in the general match - Garry Lineker and Gerd Muller. You wonder if they would actually get in the side nowadays. In fact we actually had another in Clive Allen, but Peter Reid wouldn't pick him because his all round game was crap. When he played, he scored.

[Dubaimancityfan]

I have a feeling that Toure is going to be cntre half when he is fit but personally I would prefer Lescott if fit plus Vinnie if fit and either of them with Toure if only 1 is fit.

Barry for left back scares me as he is so slow. Bridge is the man there. Not sure what role Mancini sees for Vieira either. We desperately need some real link from midfield to attack which is missing at the mo.Plus we have Tevez and Ade who seem to be struggling to hit it off.I still feel our best formation is 4.3.3 but Mancini doesnt seem to like it.

As for Boyata I saw plenty of posts praising him and righlty so to a point. He did ok for his lack of experience and youth but the praise did go a little too far and now we start to see the critcism going a bit too far the other way. I thik he will be at his best witrh a a strong attacking partner like Vinnie much more than a sweeper type quiet center back like Kolo.Good prospect and good cover but not quite ready yet.

Fully agree with you Doug on barry at LB (no way!). However I still have confidence in Toure. Vinnie would be my first choice to partner him when fit but for time being, I guess it will have to be Lescott (let's see if he can regain his Everton form).
As for Boyata, I think the lad has done well considering he was thrown in at the deep end (the 2 Rags matches) but it is undertandable that he is not mentally mature enough to do it week in week out and will make costly mistakes. This will come with age and more playtime. For now Bobby Manc has to rest him before irreparable damage is done.

[avoidconfusion]

I must say I am surprised by the amount of stick Boyata is getting from some people on here as well.

I thought for a young lad like him who has only played 4-5 games now in the senior team he has done very well.

He is obviously still very nervous, something that will go away with experience, but I still think he did well. It didn't help him that the ref against Hull was a complete dickhead and showing cards to City players left right and center for ridiculous things, whereas Hull's players got away with murder (especially that pikey scum Hunt).

Getting a yellow card so early in the game for something so ridiculously harmless probably made him even more nervous.

Still, I do not understand why Nedum is not picked now that he is fit.

[Mike J]

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

Richards-----Toure---Lescott---Bridge

-----------------De Jong-----------------

SWP------------Ireland---------Johnson

-----------Tevez-----Adebayor---------

exactly the team i would pick

[Mike J]

------------Shay-----------

Zaba--Nedum---Toure---Bridge

SWP---Vieira---NDJ-----AJ

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


really i would like toure out of the side. Vinnie should be first chioce CB but obv injured.

RSC for Ade if fit.

2 defensive midfielders at home to bolton!?

you see i think this is the sort of mentality we have to get rid of. we should be rolling over teams like this, especially at home.

[john@staustell]

I must say I am surprised by the amount of stick Boyata is getting from some people on here as well.

I thought for a young lad like him who has only played 4-5 games now in the senior team he has done very well.

He is obviously still very nervous, something that will go away with experience, but I still think he did well. It didn't help him that the ref against Hull was a complete dickhead and showing cards to City players left right and center for ridiculous things, whereas Hull's players got away with murder (especially that pikey scum Hunt).

Getting a yellow card so early in the game for something so ridiculously harmless probably made him even more nervous.

Still, I do not understand why Nedum is not picked now that he is fit.

It's not 'stick' mate. It's just pointing out that if we are/wannabee a top team, we wont get there having an untried, nervous youngster there in the thick of it, however 'promising'. You answer your own point with the bits I have highlighted. Look on him as Joe Bloggs bought from Belgium, not good old Dedryck the academy bloke. As Dr Meade said in 'Gone With The Wind' - 'THIS IS WAR ... NOT A GARDEN PARTY' (for schooling promising youngsters).

[Slim]

Given
Zabs--Toure--Nedum--Gaz
SWP--Viera--Ireland--AJ
Tevez--Ade

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I have a feeling Mancini will stick with a cautious approach and play to control the game in midfield and look for 3 front men to do enough to win the game
Given
Zabba,Vinnie,Boyata,Bridge
Johnson,Vieira,NDJ,Barry
Tevez
Ade

Subs Taylor,Boyata,Garrido,Petrov,SWP,Ireland,Lescott

[carl_feedthegoat]

I have a feeling Mancini will stick with a cautious approach and play to control the game in midfield and look for 3 front men to do enough to win the game
Given
Zabba,Vinnie,Boyata,Bridge
Johnson,Vieira,NDJ,Barry
Tevez
Ade

Subs Taylor,Boyata,Garrido,Petrov,SWP,Ireland,Lescott

CHANGE BOYATA TO TOURE IN THE STARTING 11(YOU HAVE HIM DOWN TWICE) AND SWP MUST PLAY IN THIS GAME.

[Beefymcfc]

Don't give 2 fecks about the team selection anymore, we play the same way regardless of who is chosen. I am only interested in a win tonight!

[dikdik]

THere's some truth in that
Doesn't matter what the formation if the team isn't up for it.