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No doubt a crucial crucial game for us ... this is make or break time.

Super Sunday Ref Appointments

Mike Dean has been appointed referee for Arsenal v Manchester City on Sunday 13th January ... and wait till you hear this (and no I am not joking) ... Howard Webb has been appointed referee for Manchester United v Liverpool which is played a few hours prior to our game.

Arf.

Suarez red card.

Put 200 quid on this trifecta ...Fergiescum to harass the officials for 80 mins..then 10 mins calling his pet dog webb if things arnt going well..then a sending off for scouse...you might only get even money from ladbrokes but its still a good bet.

Ted,

If you were Mancini for the day on Sunday, how would your team line up?

Straight up question.

johnnyondioline wrote:Ted,

If you were Mancini for the day on Sunday, how would your team line up?

Straight up question.

Imo, this game is a lot different to last season, where we were absolutely dangling over the edge of a cliff & Arsenal had no pressure.

For that reason, as was just mentioned in the other thread, I'd be tempted to pack the midfield either by playing Tevez deeper or putting another man in there, try to get possession of the ball & just kill Arsenal off, draw them out and hit them on the break. I'd probably go for Dzeko as a lone striker with Tevez & Silva just behind making a 4-5-1 but then a 4-3-3 with Silva & Tevez either side. Milner also coming up behind.

In the league game, we totally left the midfield wide open & almost played 4-2-4, as we did at times v Dortmund. Both of them had 3 or 4 players goal side of our midfield, in empty space on many occasions whilst our players were pushed right up next to their defenders & marked.

If we do that, we will get mullered.

What did you have in mind ?

I'd take two away team wins this Sunday please ... but now with this ref appointment am not so sure if that'll be 'allowed' in the first game ... and for the second one, our game, it all depends on how Mancini sets it up and if he has learnt anything from his past games against Wenger.

One thing's for sure, if they win and we lose ... game over!

So Mr. Mancini, pay attention and go for it ... no more defensive setup please!

Hope Mancini changes the way we play at the Emirates this time round...Our league forms been dire...Attack with pace please and fuck the safely approach.

There is no doubt that Webb will work his magic, so we have to go for it, if we loose were going 10 behind and it's game over.

On this occasion I'm not sure I agree with that. I usually would, but imo we should get the ball & keep it. If that also allows us to storm forward then of course go for it, but I think we should dictate the game, keep the ball, keep players covering in front of our back 4 and sooner or later, one of those fucking clowns in Arsenal's defence will trip over his own feet & leave Dzeko* or Tevez* 1v1 with the keeper.

*(if picked )

We can increase the pressure as the game goes on if still 0-0 & throw in the kitchen sink at the death. Always a decent chance of a goal from a corner too.

Given Yaya's on his hols I'll go for a 4-3-2-1, with Mario up top.

Peter Doherty (AGAIG) wrote:Given Yaya's on his hols I'll go for a 4-3-2-1, with Mario up top.

If I had to bet on it, I'd say that's what you will get.

Ted Hughes wrote:

johnnyondioline wrote:Ted,

If you were Mancini for the day on Sunday, how would your team line up?

Straight up question.

Imo, this game is a lot different to last season, where we were absolutely dangling over the edge of a cliff & Arsenal had no pressure.

For that reason, as was just mentioned in the other thread, I'd be tempted to pack the midfield either by playing Tevez deeper or putting another man in there, try to get possession of the ball & just kill Arsenal off, draw them out and hit them on the break. I'd probably go for Dzeko as a lone striker with Tevez & Silva just behind making a 4-5-1 but then a 4-3-3 with Silva & Tevez either side. Milner also coming up behind.

In the league game, we totally left the midfield wide open & almost played 4-2-4, as we did at times v Dortmund. Both of them had 3 or 4 players goal side of our midfield, in empty space on many occasions whilst our players were pushed right up next to their defenders & marked.

If we do that, we will get mullered.

What did you have in mind ?

Thanks for the reply.

I think we will get some answers to Mancini`s mindset on Sunday, as given injuries & ANC I dont think we have a great deal of choice;but the choices we have are interesting.

I think there are 9 names on the sheet already, which are:

----------------------------------------Hart
Zabaleta----------------Kompany----------Lescott-----------------Clichy
-------------------------Milner--------------Barry-----------------------------
--------???????????-------------------Tevez-------------------Silva--------------
-------------------------------------???????????????----------------------------

I'd be surprised, but not dismayed, if Balotelli got the nod over Dzeko. I can't imagine a bigger motivational opportunity for Mario to radically improve on last years showing in the same game (Pressure differences noted), but it would be a risk.

The others candidates seem to be Kolarov, Sinclair & the U21's, so it looks like at least one of Dzeko/Mario & then either Garcia in the middle or Mario from the left & Dzeko up top.

I think i'd go for the latter, though I'd really like to see Mario up top as I think its his best position.

As an aside, having looked at the OS for the squad, we really are down to the bare bones.

johnnyondioline wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:

johnnyondioline wrote:Ted,

If you were Mancini for the day on Sunday, how would your team line up?

Straight up question.

Imo, this game is a lot different to last season, where we were absolutely dangling over the edge of a cliff & Arsenal had no pressure.

For that reason, as was just mentioned in the other thread, I'd be tempted to pack the midfield either by playing Tevez deeper or putting another man in there, try to get possession of the ball & just kill Arsenal off, draw them out and hit them on the break. I'd probably go for Dzeko as a lone striker with Tevez & Silva just behind making a 4-5-1 but then a 4-3-3 with Silva & Tevez either side. Milner also coming up behind.

In the league game, we totally left the midfield wide open & almost played 4-2-4, as we did at times v Dortmund. Both of them had 3 or 4 players goal side of our midfield, in empty space on many occasions whilst our players were pushed right up next to their defenders & marked.

If we do that, we will get mullered.

What did you have in mind ?

Thanks for the reply.

I think we will get some answers to Mancini`s mindset on Sunday, as given injuries & ANC I dont think we have a great deal of choice;but the choices we have are interesting.

I think there are 9 names on the sheet already, which are:

----------------------------------------Hart
Zabaleta----------------Kompany----------Lescott-----------------Clichy
-------------------------Milner--------------Barry-----------------------------
--------???????????-------------------Tevez-------------------Silva--------------
-------------------------------------???????????????----------------------------

I'd be surprised, but not dismayed, if Balotelli got the nod over Dzeko. I can't imagine a bigger motivational opportunity for Mario to radically improve on last years showing in the same game (Pressure differences noted), but it would be a risk.

The others candidates seem to be Kolarov, Sinclair & the U21's, so it looks like at least one of Dzeko/Mario & then either Garcia in the middle or Mario from the left & Dzeko up top.

I think i'd go for the latter, though I'd really like to see Mario up top as I think its his best position.

As an aside, having looked at the OS for the squad, we really are down to the bare bones.

Love to hear Bob use that one in an interview, with a mock cockney accent.

I would imagine it will be Garcia in front of the defence with Barry & Milner breaking off. Then Silva, Tevez & probably Mario. I would go for Dzeko, but if Mario suddenly looks like the dog's bollocks in training etc then I think he'll get the nod & that's fair enough if they see him every day & he's up for it. As I said in the other thread; that's what Bob gets paid for. It could be a move which wins us the title if it comes off.

If he goes nuclear though, Mancini MUST take him off immediately.

Peter Doherty (AGAIG) wrote:Given Yaya's on his hols I'll go for a 4-3-2-1, with Mario up top.

I'll be very interested to see how this goes for Mario IF this what ends up happening. I think this formation is what he needs to thrive. We'll see how it ends up.

Hart
Zab-kompany-nasty-clichy
Milner-Garcia-Barry
Tevez-silva
Mario

Not sure exactly the formation but I'd go with Ted and win the midfield battle. The rest should take care of itself.

C & C wrote:

Peter Doherty (AGAIG) wrote:Given Yaya's on his hols I'll go for a 4-3-2-1, with Mario up top.

I'll be very interested to see how this goes for Mario IF this what ends up happening. I think this formation is what he needs to thrive. We'll see how it ends up.

I think most of us would agree that Mario's best position is up front as the focal point of a team. If he plays, I'd expect him to bang in a couple (that probably makes me as daft as he is). Big DECISION for Mancini and our season.

london blue 2 wrote:Hart
Zab-kompany-nasty-clichy
Milner-Garcia-Barry
Tevez-silva
Mario

Not sure exactly the formation but I'd go with Ted and win the midfield battle. The rest should take care of itself.

I agree, this is exactly the team we'll see ... although I'd like Dzeko instead of Mario up front. I don't like Dzeko starting anything for us and love seeing him come on as a sub later on ... but that's when Aguero and Tevez are first options. With Aguero missing, I'd rather Mancini puts in the tall one instead of the don't know which Mario's personality will turn up ...

Aguero injury isn't confirmed as a 'torn' muscle with some reports saying as originally thought, he could recover by next Sunday just in time for the Arsenal game ... I really hope that is true as I frankly don't like either of Dzeko or Balo up front against Arsenal.

Nasti/Lescott is also a debatable spot. I think Nasti will get a nod ahead of Lescott on Sunday, and that's my preference too anyway.

This is a very big game, though the league title will not be decided this weekend even if worse came to worse and we went 10 points behind them.

However, that aside we've played some really good football in last 5 weeks and there should be a lot of confidence within the team.
Obviously the absentee list is long - Aguero, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, Nasri, Rodwell, Richards, Maicon, Kolarov and Razak so in that context and away to Arsenal a draw would not be a bad result at all. A win would be a massive win because if we are to win the league again this season then we are going to have win a couple of the big away games - so far we've drawn at Chelsea and Liverpool to go with a hard-earned point at notoriously difficult to beat Stoke.

Given that we have 9 out, Mancini's options are limited. I certainly would not be starting Balotelli. I'm sorry but we cannot be starting him in this match, given his form and behaviour over the season and also that we might have to take him off before he gets sent off. He has to earn another starting line-up and he has to do alot of convincing from the bench in my view. Even if we were to start him again soon, do it at Eastlands and not away to Arsenal.

I would go with:

------------------Hart

Zabaleta------Kompany---Lescott----Clichy

----------------Garcia---Barry

Milner-----------Tevez-------------Silva

------------------Dzeko

I am not fussed really if it is Nastasic or Lescott, both are good defenders and both have good partnerships with Kompany.

almost agree with Ted [difficult not to. usually].
But I'd stick with the recent blend of 4-2-3-1, certainly with Dzeko CF and Tevez roaming deep. only puzzlement [and HUGE regret] is that ineligibility of Nasri. I suspect that Bob will use Jimmy Jaw to fill that void, with Javi Garcia alongside Bazza on the holding... but I much hope not. Fluidity and speed of circulation, directness on our passing and move, as recently seen, will be the key.... and definitely Garcia is not great at it, so far.

What about betting on Mario for one of the roaming three position, for the sake of keeping Milner alongside Barry?
Thoughts, please?

just to help the understanding of my language barrier.... :-)

----------------------------------------Hart
Zabaleta----------------Kompany---------Nasti-----------------Clichy
-------------------------Milner--------------Barry-----------------------------
Balotelli-----------------------------Tevez-------------------------------Silva
-------------------------------------Dzeko----------------------------

I hope Nasty plays.