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Big match on Wednesday but IMO not as important as qualification for the Champions League.

It will not be easy on the eye but Mancini has seen City play against Stoke twice and should know enough about his own players and their strengths to put a good performance in and one that will be enough to win.

Pity Adam Johnson is cup-tied as he has been our main threat over the past few matches. This does give the opportunity to others to produce a performance and help to extend their stay at City as the 'project' moves forward.

I want to see Mancini play attacking in his thinking and delivery. When we concede a corner have at least one player on the half-way line. SWP would be a good option as he is quick, can score and would probably not win too many headers against Stoke. When Given has the ball players need to make themselves available and this goes for all, not just the defenders. We need to attack with pace. If we concede a corner/free-kick and Given gets the ball what is to stop two or three of our quick players running at pace towards the opposition's half and Given release the ball in their direction quickly. We would still have 6 or 7 players back and this tactic could surprise Stoke. It certainly would provide attacking threat.

I'm not a defensive coach so don't know the answer to stopping Delap's throw except to say do everything you can to not give needless thrown-ins away in our half. Coming from Italy I would have thought Mancini would take pride in coming up with a system that would reduce Stoke's attacking threat and make the most of our talent not just replicate what Stoke do and hope to be better at it than them.

I'd be very surprised if we play like Stoke do that we win. Is Mancini expecting us all of a sudden to be the best at that type of football? Or is it a cunning plan??

Bojinov's left foot wrote:Big match on Wednesday but IMO not as important as qualification for the Champions League.

It will not be easy on the eye but Mancini has seen City play against Stoke twice and should know enough about his own players and their strengths to put a good performance in and one that will be enough to win.

Pity Adam Johnson is cup-tied as he has been our main threat over the past few matches. This does give the opportunity to others to produce a performance and help to extend their stay at City as the 'project' moves forward.

I want to see Mancini play attacking in his thinking and delivery. When we concede a corner have at least one player on the half-way line. SWP would be a good option as he is quick, can score and would probably not win too many headers against Stoke. When Given has the ball players need to make themselves available and this goes for all, not just the defenders. We need to attack with pace. If we concede a corner/free-kick and Given gets the ball what is to stop two or three of our quick players running at pace towards the opposition's half and Given release the ball in their direction quickly. We would still have 6 or 7 players back and this tactic could surprise Stoke. It certainly would provide attacking threat.

I'm not a defensive coach so don't know the answer to stopping Delap's throw except to say do everything you can to not give needless thrown-ins away in our half. Coming from Italy I would have thought Mancini would take pride in coming up with a system that would reduce Stoke's attacking threat and make the most of our talent not just replicate what Stoke do and hope to be better at it than them.

I'd be very surprised if we play like Stoke do that we win. Is Mancini expecting us all of a sudden to be the best at that type of football? Or is it a cunning plan??

Saw something from when Liverpool played them last season that Stoke only had 1 or 2 throws in the Liverpool half all game. Their full backs would rather let the winger past, knowing they weren't good enough to cross it, than knock the ball out for a throw in.

They've got one main tactic, so the best resort is not to let them use it. Failing that, try defending it, it's only a fecking throw in

will be interesting to see if he picks our strongest side, or a team with saturday in mind.

I'm hopeful we will come through the tie but for christ's sake lets go there and be positive and go forward and aim to score a goal or two. You never know, a win might restore a bit of confidence about the place.

Quarter Finals in the FA Cup, Semi Finals in the Carling Cup and 4th place is a good ask for such a strong and expensively assembled Squad, IMHO.

I believe that our best chance of beating Stoke was wasted recently - but we CAN'T let them intimidate us out of the FA Cup before a ball has been kicked. That's exactly what those Scrubbers want.

btajim wrote:Quarter Finals in the FA Cup, Semi Finals in the Carling Cup and 4th place is a good ask for such a strong and expensively assembled Squad, IMHO.

I believe that our best chance of beating Stoke was wasted recently - but we CAN'T let them intimidate us out of the FA Cup before a ball has been kicked. That's exactly what those Scrubbers want.

Spot on, weve missed our easy chance here. I wonder will the fact winners away to chelsea alter his thinking cos lets be honest it aint pretty. If we had of had a handy quarter at home we would of gone hell for leather to win this but now he may concentrate on 4th.

I assume micah will come in for zabba based on his aerial ability for the throw ins but what about johnson?what are our options there? do we have any?! Tricky one this and i can see it going to penos, not going to be easy on the eye!

ps is it on the box?

Dubciteh wrote:Spot on, weve missed our easy chance here. I wonder will the fact winners away to chelsea alter his thinking cos lets be honest it aint pretty. If we had of had a handy quarter at home we would of gone hell for leather to win this but now he may concentrate on 4th.

I assume micah will come in for zabba based on his aerial ability for the throw ins but what about johnson?what are our options there? do we have any?! Tricky one this and i can see it going to penos, not going to be easy on the eye!

ps is it on the box?

We've had little difficulty in beating Stoke at Home in recent times (3-0 Robinho Robinho Robinho and 2-0 "welcome" to Bobbeh Manceh) alongside less joy playing there (2 defeats) - so I fully expect a tough battle at The Britannia.

Micah in for Zabaleta as a more physical presence to defend against throw ins? Meh... I don't think Zabaleta has done anything wrong to warrant being dropped. But if it's Horses for Courses then you're right.

p.s. I don't *think* it's on TV. All Chumpions League this week.

btajim wrote:p.s. I don't *think* it's on TV. All Chumpions League this week.

Just highlights on ITV1 at 2235.

TV here in America is all CL too. I doubt we'll be able to find many streams on Wednesday- if any at all.

Not on as yet. Keep checking this to see if it appears on any foreign channels to go in the pub and watch. Sometimes those channels dont decide until the day to show it.

http://liveonsat.com/sport_today.php?st ... _yyyy=2010

Al Jazeera Sport have 10 channels and show almost everything ! But this match is not listed.They will though show Spud V Bolton and Villa V Palace. So it does not bode well for a stream to be available.

Are we not being a bit disrespectful to keep trotting out the line that they "only have one tactic?"

Delap didnt start either match at our place this season iirc. They can harldy be accused of setting out to beat us with his throw-ins, and the fact that we werent out of sight before he made an appearance in both games is testament to our lack of foresight. If we are worried about our defence's ability to deal with the throw ins, surely any decent team should be aiming to be out of reach before he can influence the game if you are lucky enough to find that he starts the game on the bench.

If he doesnt start on the bench, you should attack him all game, because he is frankly not premier league standard.

Delaps throwings are just a weapon. They dont necessarily win or lose games by them. They all go out there and work their bollox off every game. Its the only way Stoke can play but its 100 per cent effective and thats why teams hate to play them and why their still in this league. We need to out work them particularly in midfield as thats where most battles are won and lost. I kind of see Stoke as a poor mans Everton.

superkev8705 wrote:Delaps throwings are just a weapon. They dont necessarily win or lose games by them. They all go out there and work their bollox off every game. Its the only way Stoke can play but its 100 per cent effective and thats why teams hate to play them and why their still in this league. We need to out work them particularly in midfield as thats where most battles are won and lost. I kind of see Stoke as a poor mans Everton.

I can't back my point up with any kind of statistic - but Rory Delap throws do regularly seem to cause a problem for opposition defences. It's such an usual thing to have to worry about that it works in their favour.