Team & Tactics v rags

[brite blu sky]

the MEN is running a story on the options available and possible tactics
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1216741_mancini_ponders_derby_tactics

Something that is seriously in our favour is that the rags have to go for a win for any realistic chance of salvaging their season. Perhaps normally that might be a concern, but it plays into our hands if we field that front 4.
Baconface has a problem cos i rekon he would want to go against the accepted wisdom of a 5 man mid, and play 2 up front in a 4-4-2. But that would play into City's hands imo. So i can see him accepting the 4-5-1 as the only option.

That leaves City with the disadvantage in the midfield if we stick to the 4-4-2.

Can Barry and DeJong cope with that with a lot of help from AJ, Bellers and Tevez ?
I think it is a gamble, but also a gamble that is worth it for a couple of reasons.
1. to be able to keep that front 4, for all its potential fear inducing danger
2. to allow both the front4 and the 2 mids another chance to show that they can deal with it against a better side than Brum. DeJong is good at upping his game and Barry is getting into form, so imo they both deserve the chance to have a go.
Both Aj and Barry are very accurate with longer passes out of defensive areas.. we saw that against Brum to good effect. So if AJ helps out defensively in midfield more than he might if it wasn't the rags.. he can still be devastating from a deeper position.

If we go ahead and then frustrate them, they will be just as vunerable as any other team who are trying to push forward.. and we all know what City can do in those situations.
If we fail to make an impact due to the midfield losing the attackers, we can bring on Vieira and go for a different approach.
If we go goals down i dont think it matters, as the rags will concede space, and wont be able to hold us out all game, so imo we will get back in and then have too much momentum for them.

Personally i dont think we have to show any fear of what may happen, we should go all out for a couple of goals and then they really are in a trap.. trying to get back in the game with Tevez, Ade, Bellers, AJ or SWP at some point all running at them.. Cheerio u***d

[Vhero]

He no doubt gonna play 5 in the middle and we gonna get tore a new one I don't think we can expect anything less so our main tactic should be cut the head off the team. If Shrek plays then cut him off or whomever plays in his place and that should contain them pretty much most the game. He is a doubt for tomorrow but I reckon he will chance him for 20-30 minutes.

[avoidconfusion]

I personally hope we are going 4-4-2... that will push a lot of pressure on United:

-----------------Given
Onouha Toure Kompany Bridge
---------De Jong----Barry
Johnson--------------------Bellamy
-----------------Tevez
---------------Adebayor

[simon12]

I personally hope we are going 4-4-2... that will push a lot of pressure on U***d:

-----------------Given
Onouha Toure Kompany Bridge
---------De Jong----Barry
Johnson--------------------Bellamy
-----------------Tevez
---------------Adebayor

I`d be very happy with that.

[Ted Hughes]

It's a hard one to call. Bacon's method v City has tended to be power & athleticism in midfield & rely on Rooney/Giggs to cause enough shit up front to win it. In the league cup game at COMS we tried to match their midfield but were negative. Even though we won, the rags knew from their European games that they were favourites with an away goal so took no risks.

In a one off game which the rags HAVE to win though, if we can keep them at arms length for a while, we'll get lots of opportunities to hit them on the break so long as we have the right attitude; that even when we've got 10 men behind the ball we're trying to sucker them in & score, not just keep them out.

I can see equally good reasons for both being more cautious or for all out attacking so I'll just leave it to Mancini & back whichever one he chooses. He got it wrong in the league cup game but in this game it's 50/50 which way to go imo & we'll only know by the result. I have a feeling he may just go for it with 4-4-2 but we'll see.

[Slim]

Where they could trouble us is....

Right side, Johnson and Onuoha/Zabaleta will have their hands full with Evra and Nani, very talented pairing and enough to give us nightmares.
Centre, Rooney is obvious, but the one we will tend to miss as he ghosts in is Fletcher who is constantly underrated and can punish us.

On the upside, where we will win this game....
Left side, Bellamy could possibly be opposed by O'Shea, Rafael or Neville(Brown?) and he will destroy whoever he comes up against, if he switches to the right Jinky will turn them inside out and possibly allow more protection for the right against Evra.
Forwards, Adebayor and Tevez will be opposed by the mighty mighty pairing of Evans and Vidic. Evans I think is completely overrated or at the very least not fulfilling his supposed potential and Vidic is more than likely favourite to be sent off if one of our boys gets past him.

[Renato_CTID]

I'd confirm the 4-2-3-1 we watched recently with Zab replacing Nigel:

-----------------Given
Onouha Toure Kompany Bridge
---------Zabaleta----Barry
Johnson--------Carlitos------------Bellamy
---------------Adebayor