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Let's get this thread going nice and early ...

But first things first ... A great result today against Leeds followed by a great Draw for the Quarter Finals in the FA Cup. Barnsley at Home makes it 90 minutes away from Wembley (without any excuses). Barnsley are 22nd (in relegation zone) in the Championship but will be well up for this game. Hopefully another full house at the Etihad.

Now ... time to put the FA Cup aside for a while and see if there is a way back in for us in the League as well. Surely, there's no way or room left for any more losses (or even draws) so Chelsea at home next is a must must win. Especially as the Scum play QPR a day earlier, the gap could be either 15 points already or perhaps if QPR does fight for their lives (which they should, given their position, and how they played against us) and get a result against the Scum, this could give us a chance to reduce the points difference. We'll know a day before the game anyway ...

We can now rest and prepare nicely for the game for a whole week, while Chelsea has the second leg of their Europa League tie against Sparta Prague on Thursday night at 8pm, which'll give them just Friday and Saturday in between to recover before Sunday lunchtime kick-off against us. (Chelsea are 1-0 up from the first leg, and play this return tie at Stamford Bridge).

C'mon City ... last season the only time we dropped points in three continuous games was against Stoke, Sunderland and Arsenal ... and we all know what happened after that, we won every game till the end and lifted the Trophy ... this year, we have had that bad run of three games in same order (two draws and a loss) ... time to string together the wins again!

Posted elsewhere.

Looking at our next game I'm wondering how Rafa is going to deal with his upcoming games. Sparta Prague on Thursday, Us on Sunday and then Middlesbrough in the Cup another 3 days later. His priority has surely got to be the PL but you just never know with his rotation policy.

Beefymcfc wrote:Posted elsewhere.

Looking at our next game I'm wondering how Rafa is going to deal with his upcoming games. Sparta Prague on Thursday, Us on Sunday and then Middlesbrough in the Cup another 3 days later. His priority has surely got to be the PL but you just never know with his rotation policy.

I think Benitez ,s Thinks , his future will depend on him winning something The League is out so priority cup games ,

carolina-blue wrote:
I think Benitez ,s Thinks , his future will depend on him winning something The League is out so priority cup games ,

I doubt that ... didn't Roberto Di Matteo win FA Cup AND Champions Fucking League and still got fired? Plus his title remains 'Interim' and he knows it ...

carolina-blue wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Posted elsewhere.

Looking at our next game I'm wondering how Rafa is going to deal with his upcoming games. Sparta Prague on Thursday, Us on Sunday and then Middlesbrough in the Cup another 3 days later. His priority has surely got to be the PL but you just never know with his rotation policy.

I think Benitez ,s Thinks , his future will depend on him winning something The League is out so priority cup games ,

The league may not be his priority but Champions league sure is.

carolina-blue wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Posted elsewhere.

Looking at our next game I'm wondering how Rafa is going to deal with his upcoming games. Sparta Prague on Thursday, Us on Sunday and then Middlesbrough in the Cup another 3 days later. His priority has surely got to be the PL but you just never know with his rotation policy.

I think Benitez ,s Thinks , his future will depend on him winning something The League is out so priority cup games ,

I think Benitez is screwed, the league's gone, the team aren't playing particularly well or seem to be going anywhere. He wants to win something to "secure his legacy", so I sgree the cups are his best option. But, how just much in charge of Chelsea is he? I think that Chelsea's performance next week is going to be down to what the playrs think rather than what Rafa thinks.

Agreed I don't think Benitez thinks he has a cat in hells chance of getting the job long term, he may well have been brought in to get Torres back on form, but as that doesn't like happening I could see the pair of them move on

As for against us we need to put that daylight back in to second place & with Aguero's son over for his 4th birthday it might be the boost he needs

Beefymcfc wrote:

carolina-blue wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:Posted elsewhere.

Looking at our next game I'm wondering how Rafa is going to deal with his upcoming games. Sparta Prague on Thursday, Us on Sunday and then Middlesbrough in the Cup another 3 days later. His priority has surely got to be the PL but you just never know with his rotation policy.

I think Benitez ,s Thinks , his future will depend on him winning something The League is out so priority cup games ,

The league may not be his priority but Champions league sure is.

True But barring a melt down i cant see em finishing outside the top 4 ,

If we show the same intensity and attitude that we did today from the outset then we should beat Chelsea.

Also Kompany will almost certainly return from injury. Will Barry be ready for next week? Also is Richards any closer to a return?

Mark Garrett wrote:If we show the same intensity and attitude that we did today from the outset then we should beat Chelsea.

Also Kompany will almost certainly return from injury. Will Barry be ready for next week? Also is Richards any closer to a return?

I blame todays game on the sun. We always seem to play better when the sun comes out.

Chelsea will play a strong lineup without Terry and with Ba at the top

Good side, Chelsea. They've got some cracking players right through the team. We will need to give everything to win it but if we play at our best, we will.

Andre Marriner
has been appointed the referee!

AG7 wrote:Andre Marriner
has been appointed the referee!

Usually a decent referee

Mark Garrett wrote:

AG7 wrote:Andre Marriner
has been appointed the referee!

Usually a decent referee

We have only lost 1 of our last 9 PL matches with Andre Marriner as the official and are unbeaten in the last 4.

AG7 wrote:

Mark Garrett wrote:

AG7 wrote:Andre Marriner
has been appointed the referee!

Usually a decent referee

We have only lost 1 of our last 9 PL matches with Andre Marriner as the official and are unbeaten in the last 4.

Something fishy about those stats....

I would go with this side for Sunday's game:

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

Zabaleta-------Kompany (c)----Nastasic--------Clichy

-----------------Yaya Toure------Barry

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

----------------------------Aguero

Mark Garrett wrote:I would go with this side for Sunday's game:

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

Zabaleta-------Kompany (c)----Nastasic--------Clichy

-----------------Yaya Toure------Barry

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

----------------------------Aguero

I agree, this is our strongest XI ... although i have a feeling Mancini might play Garcia for Barry and maybe, maybe Nasri for Milner ... we all won't like it but Mancini might!

I'm not sure about Kompany coming back in.

Beefymcfc wrote:I'm not sure about Kompany coming back in.

Guardian: After holding off his return for a couple of weeks, City will welcome back captain Vincent Kompany to the team against Chelsea.