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Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:31 am**

Wayne Bridge is battling to feature again this season for the Blues after undergoing a hernia operation this afternoon.

The Blues defender is not long back from a knee injury that kept him out of the side for 13 matches between the beginning of December and beginning of February.

This time the luckless 29-year-old is expected to be sidelined for around a month just when the race for the Champions League places hots up.

A heavily strapped Bridge came off in the first half of the dramatic 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday and his extended absence will now lead to a scramble for the left back berth in the remaining ten games.

Roberto Mancini has specialist, experienced left backs in Spaniard Javier Garrido and Brazilian Sylvinho and also has the emerging Greg Cunningham in his armoury - the youngster having recently been boosted by a call up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

The manager could also deploy either Gareth Barry or Joleon Lescott on the flank in an emergency so has plenty of cover for England international Bridge.

mcfc.co.k

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:02 am**

WORSE POSSIBLE NEWS IMO....HE WAS PLAYING LIKE A STAR FFS !!!!!

VILLA WON AS WELL TODAY....MORE BOLLOKS.

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:00 am**

Barry to LB for me. We look better with him there, and he looks better there!

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:08 am**

Agreed....he may not have the pace of Bridge but he's got just as much pace as Garrido (and is a much better footballer) and miles more pace than Sly

Barry for LB,

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:45 am**

Maybe Barry but more likely Zaba which allows Mancini to bring in Vieira in midfield and keep playing the 3 playmakers!!

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:21 am**

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Maybe Barry but more likely Zaba which allows Mancini to bring in Vieira in midfield and keep playing the 3 playmakers!!

ah joga bonita indeed!

actually I forgot about Zab....yeah I'm happy for him to go there. Or Jolene and bring Dedryk/Kolo into CB....or Micah to CB and some other schmuck to RB

Or give Richie Cunningham another rinse at LB for a half

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:23 am**

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Maybe Barry but more likely Zaba which allows Mancini to bring in Vieira in midfield and keep playing the 3 playmakers!!

It's what'll happen.

Given
Richards-Kompany-Lescott-Zabaleta
Vieira-De Jong-Barry
Johnson/SWP - Bellamy
Tevez

Only other alternative I can see him going with would be to push Lescott out to the left, bring Toure back into the side and then go with one of Vieira/Zabs through the middle.

Even though Lescott and Vinnie are clearly the way forward as our CB pairing, the pressure will come to reintroduce Kolo at some point. Impressed that Mancini's had the balls to keep him out as long as he has.

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:28 am**

ant london wrote:Agreed....he may not have the pace of Bridge but he's got just as much pace as Garrido (and is a much better footballer) and miles more pace than Sly

Barry for LB,

No, no and no. You might even be right Gareth is the most quality replacement but is NOW, definitely, top important to have him in the midfield. There will be decided the City season and there will be sorted or not all the right and spotted puzzlements You are arguing on various topics.
As You well see and know, out of a 30-45 minutes fm Vieira, which we cannot rely on for all the run when we are gonna play 3 game in a week, GB is the ONLY MIDFIELDER of ours, who holds a certain seniority and has a clear idea that midfielder is a job for multi-dimensional minders, aimed to go forward...

Pls Ant, You are doing quite a great job in analising and debating possible developments of our weaknesses... pls, delete this option fm season scenario... :-)

Posted: **Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:04 pm**

Shame, left back is the area of our squad with least depth after attacking central midfielders!!

Id go for Zabs there. He's done well the last few times hes gone out there

I think Mancini will go for Garrido, he had a good run there when Bridge was out injured.

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