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Manchester City v Stoke City
City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester

Saturday 22 February 2014
Kickoff: 1500 GMT

Referee: Chris Foy
Assistants: G Beswick & R West
Fourth Official: James Adcock

TV Coverage in UK: No LIVE Coverage

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So just as I am starting this Next thread, I notice a funny tweet in my timeline pop-up ... it says: "Kompany to play through the pain for Manchester City" ... I open the link and it's a GOAL.com article ... essentially saying, actually let me just paste it below:

The Belgian picked up a hamstring tweak during his side's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday but has resumed full training ahead of the visit of Stoke this weekend.

Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany is set to play through the pain barrier and face Stoke City on Saturday despite picking up a hamstring injury, Goal can reveal.

The City captain felt a tweak after executing a superb challenge on Lionel Messi during his side's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday, but played on for the full 90 minutes with centre-back partner Martin Demichelis sent off before the hour mark.

Kompany has worn heavy strapping on what has been a problem area for him in the past and was monitored closely by City's medical staff during training on Thursday morning.

However, the Belgian came through the session at Carrington unscathed and is now set to start when his side host Mark Hughes' men at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

City are still without Serb Matija Nastasic due to an ongoing knee injury but Micah Richards, who has not played in the league since the loss to Sunderland in November, is being considered as potential cover as well as Martin Demichelis and Joleon Lescott.

Nastasic has not been able to return to training despite initial hopes that he could be fit for the visit of the Potters, while Sergio Aguero is still recovering from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the loss to Barca.

Well, IF this is true, then why would we risk him against Stoke with the Cup Final coming up next? My first reaction was oh, here we go again ... just yesterday I commented in the other thread (and got some upset) where everyone was so gung-ho about how we can turn the Champions League tie around at Nou Camp because we'll have Aguero back and Nasri and Ferdy back (to full fitness) ... and all I said was this, wait till the tie comes around, no guarantees who'll be fit and who won't. We are having way too many of these injuries this season ... and now at the business end it's a major concern.

Back to Stoke ...

I hope it's a reaction we will see this weekend (like in Chelsea cup tie) and not a hangover (like Norwich game) after what was a frustrating and disappointing night mid-week.

Given that the next game (the Cup Final) is not for another eiight days after this, we can afford to start the strongest XI, but at the same time perhaps should ease players back in after injury, the likes of Nasri, Ferdy and Aguero (if he makes the bench) ... and please please please don't risk Kompany if he has this hamstring injury as the above article say.

Starting XI Prediction

Hart
Richards - Komps (or Lescott) - Demi - Kola
Ferdy - Yaya
Nasri - Jovetic - Silva
Dzeko

Score Prediction

Manchester City: 4+
Stoke City: 0

A team that was averaging 4 goals at home and 3 plus overall, has scored just the two in last four fixtures across all competitions (all in February). With this being the last fixture of the month, time to fix the average and get things back on track!

Other Games

Chelsea takes on Everton at home in the Saturday early kickoff. Arsenal then takes on Sunderland, also at home at the same time as us. Scum go away to Crystal Palace in Sat evening slot and finally Sunday will see Liverpool host Villa and Spurs go to Norwich.

Wonder if he'll rest Yaya and Silva. Am sure he will want to give Garcia some game time and might take Nasri's return as the opportunity to rest Dave?

this is probably going to be one of Pellegrini's toughest tasks, motivating the team for this match after the crushing defeat midweek.

I think id opt for

Hart
Micah VK Lescott Kolarov
Garcia Yaya
Milner Jovetic Nasri
Dzeko

Side note to this weekend, Duncan Ferguson has joined the 1st team in a coaching role, That might see the deluded 1 stay firmly in his seat this weekend !

phips wrote:this is probably going to be one of Pellegrini's toughest tasks, motivating the team for this match after the crushing defeat midweek.

I think id opt for

Hart
Micah VK Lescott Kolarov
Garcia Yaya
Milner Jovetic Nasri
Dzeko

WTF are you talking about?? "Crushing defeat".
I don't think you understand this club, or the game in general.

Original Dub wrote:

phips wrote:this is probably going to be one of Pellegrini's toughest tasks, motivating the team for this match after the crushing defeat midweek.

I think id opt for

Hart
Micah VK Lescott Kolarov
Garcia Yaya
Milner Jovetic Nasri
Dzeko

WTF are you talking about?? "Crushing defeat".
I don't think you understand this club, or the game in general.

Agreed.

We weren't outplayed and it wasn't a "crushing defeat".

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:Agreed.

We weren't outplayed and it wasn't a "crushing defeat".

Relax it was not a crushing defeat, but it was the defeat that crushed us, am sure that's what he meant.

Thanks for the next match thread AG7

Bleed_Blue wrote:

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:Agreed.

We weren't outplayed and it wasn't a "crushing defeat".

Relax it was not a crushing defeat, but it was the defeat that crushed us, am sure that's what he meant.

Thanks for the next match thread AG7

I'm not sure how/why it could be described as "the defeat that crushed us".

We've had some setbacks this season (Bayern at home, Sunderland, Chelsea twice etc) but we've rolled our sleeves up afterwards and, seemingly, learned the lessons from them.

Perhaps it's now a case of 'only time will tell', but I'm confident (as well as relaxed) we'll manage to bounce back.

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:

Bleed_Blue wrote:

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:Agreed.

We weren't outplayed and it wasn't a "crushing defeat".

Relax it was not a crushing defeat, but it was the defeat that crushed us, am sure that's what he meant.

Thanks for the next match thread AG7

I'm not sure how/why it could be described as "the defeat that crushed us".

We've had some setbacks this season (Bayern at home, Sunderland, Chelsea twice etc) but we've rolled our sleeves up afterwards and, seemingly, learned the lessons from them.

Perhaps it's now a case of 'only time will tell', but I'm confident (as well as relaxed) we'll manage to bounce back.

Of course.

There was nothing crushing about it. Luck wasn't with us on the night. If you get crushed when your luck is against you, you're gonna spend a lot of time crushed.

That "crushing" feeling would be what I imagine those rag cunts felt in those final seconds at Sunderland.
Ouch.

We've got depth to cover injuries but no club can cover their world class stars injuries. It concerns me than Vinny is so fucking 'ard that he himself denies not being quite fit to play. He should be rested for Stoke if he isn't absolutely 100% fit.

Crossie wrote:We've got depth to cover injuries but no club can cover their world class stars injuries. It concerns me than Vinny is so fucking 'ard that he himself denies not being quite fit to play. He should be rested for Stoke if he isn't absolutely 100% fit.

It's goal.com, but I agree - we can do without Vinny for Stoke if he is, in any way, not 100%.

Missing him for that Barca tie and beyond is unthinkable.

Thanks for the intro. Vinny can't play if he has hammy trouble. If he is out then daft Martin can partner Joleon at centre back. No problem with that. We will need Yaya tho if VK is out. I know they play in different positions but they are our leaders.

phips wrote:this is probably going to be one of Pellegrini's toughest tasks, motivating the team for this match after the crushing defeat midweek.

I think id opt for

Hart
Micah VK Lescott Kolarov
Garcia Yaya
Milner Jovetic Nasri
Dzeko

Crushing defeat. I only saw two soft goals, did they score another 5 in extra time

Bleed_Blue wrote:

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:Agreed.

We weren't outplayed and it wasn't a "crushing defeat".

Relax it was not a crushing defeat, but it was the defeat that crushed us, am sure that's what he meant.

thank you. youre the only one that can read. i didnt say "we got crushed". i said it was a "crushing defeat".

and anyone who says it wasnt that big of a loss is crazy. the squad was so up for this and were doing well and, basically, shut down Barca until the red card. and then we go down to 10 men and then concede a huge 2nd very late on. thats a crushing defeat. demoralizing.

phips wrote:thank you. youre the only one that can read. i didnt say "we got crushed". i said it was a "crushing defeat".

and anyone who says it wasnt that big of a loss is crazy. the squad was so up for this and were doing well and, basically, shut down Barca until the red card. and then we go down to 10 men and then concede a huge 2nd very late on. thats a crushing defeat. demoralizing.

We're down two goals halfway through our Round of 16 tie against a club that's won 3 of the last 8 European Cups.

We're right in the mix for three domestic trophies.

Neither the players nor the manager appeared to be waiving the white flag in their post-match interviews.

If it was a "crushing" defeat, what the fuck exactly was crushed? Apart from any hopes Demichelis's friends and family had of seeing him at the Camp Nou?

Have a word with yourself.

Michigan Blue wrote:

phips wrote:thank you. youre the only one that can read. i didnt say "we got crushed". i said it was a "crushing defeat".

and anyone who says it wasnt that big of a loss is crazy. the squad was so up for this and were doing well and, basically, shut down Barca until the red card. and then we go down to 10 men and then concede a huge 2nd very late on. thats a crushing defeat. demoralizing.

If it was a "crushing" defeat, what the fuck exactly was crushed?

progressing in the Champions league.

Original Dub wrote:
It's goal.com, but I agree - we can do without Vinny for Stoke if he is, in any way, not 100%.

Missing him for that Barca tie and beyond is unthinkable.

I agree, we can leave him out for this one. I would be gutted if he played then fucked himself up in the process.

Pellegrini has just said in his press conference that Komps has no problem at all ... that's good news then. And with Nasti still out, it's gonna be Vinny with Demi (unless Demi is rested for the final and Lescott starts here), IMO should be the other way around.

The manager confirmed no Aguero this week, he starts training next week.

AG7 wrote:Pellegrini has just said in his press conference that Komps has no problem at all ... that's good news then. And with Nasti still out, it's gonna be Vinny with Demi (unless Demi is rested for the final and Lescott starts here), IMO should be the other way around.

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