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We are at the bare bones in midfield for sundays huge game v Arsenal . Gundogan almost certainly out for a long time after suffering a serious looking knee injury last night and Fernandinho still suspended that's our "engine" and "tackling" duo missing leaving a huge hole in our midfield . Arsenal have pace in abundance and can pass for fun so it looks like we will be stretched to the extreme on sunday . Question is now how on earth does Pep set up our midfield for this hugely important game ??? Just Yaya and Fernando "sitting in" and anyone from Silva , Sterling , Nolito ,Navas and KDB playing wide or a false number nine ??? and how do we get the ball to move forward ??? Massive problem for me , any thoughts on formation / tactics ???

Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

The thoughts of F2 in there send a chill through my spine, rather see Stones play there than him.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

So would Wenger I suspect, that midfield would be suicidal.

I would say Fernando is 100% nailed on and it's just a question of who plays there with him. I don't have the same misgivings as the rest of you.

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

So would Wenger I suspect, that midfield would be suicidal.

Exactly , huge huge problem . It is sort of anyone but Arsenal with the players we have available in midfield for sunday . Maybe we should park the bus and try and hit them on the break type scenario ? cant see Pep going there though with his stubborn ways to be honest .

Add in a yaya who has played 90 mins just three days before, we know he doesnt perform optimally when games are so close, its going to be extremely difficult.

Id imagine we will will flood the midfield probably play all 6 there:

Sterling Fernando Yaya Nolito
Silva KDB

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:I would say Fernando is 100% nailed on and it's just a question of who plays there with him. I don't have the same misgivings as the rest of you.

Fernando the only "tackler" and "ball winner" we have available Doug so has to start .

Throw Kongolo in.

As with other games this season where we have dropped points, it is our players and not the opposition that have caused us problems.... and the Refs .

We are more than capable of beating the Arse and we need to hold back on the stupid errors.

Btw , the second Leicester goal from a long throw took so long to execute that it almost looked like it was planned by both teams .

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

So would Wenger I suspect, that midfield would be suicidal.

I disagree and think they'd boss it if they're al hungry and fit.

If not I'd have navas or zaba in there before Fernando. I'd have Garcia next, then kolarov etc etc

Probably explains why he's not in contention.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

So would Wenger I suspect, that midfield would be suicidal.

I disagree and think they'd boss it if they're al hungry and fit.

If not I'd have navas or zaba in there before Fernando. I'd have Garcia next, then kolarov etc etc

There's very little tenacity in that trio mate, fair enough on the ball they could play fancy little neat triangles but if it becomes a battle for possession in the middle we'll be found wanting.

I am no fan of Fernando but I reckon he's gone alright in the past two games. Not great, but better than average.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:I would say Fernando is 100% nailed on and it's just a question of who plays there with him. I don't have the same misgivings as the rest of you.

I'm the same Doug. Thought Fernando did a decent job when he came on and has done for the majority of the season. I'm fairly certain we've won the majority when he's played from the start and only the likes of Spurs and Leicester, where they were a collective failure, could be considered poor performances.

Beefymcfc wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:I would say Fernando is 100% nailed on and it's just a question of who plays there with him. I don't have the same misgivings as the rest of you.

I'm the same Doug. Thought Fernando did a decent job when he came on and has done for the majority of the season. I'm fairly certain we've won the majority when he's played from the start and only the likes of Spurs and Leicester, where they were a collective failure, could be considered poor performances.

I'd love a goals comparison for when he plays for and against. I've lost count of how many times we've brought him in and been far worse than the game prior.

----------------------Bravo--------------

Sagna Stones Demichelis Kolarov

Navas Silva Fernando Yaya de Bruyne

-------------------Sterling-----------

Bench: Willy, Zabaleta, Clichy, Garcia, Sane, Nolito, Iheanacho

Nailed on, mark my words

johnny crossan wrote:----------------------Bravo--------------

Sagna Stones Demichelis Kolarov

Navas Silva Fernando Yaya de Bruyne

-------------------Sterling-----------

Bench: Willy, Zabaleta, Clichy, Garcia, Sane, Nolito, Iheanacho

Nailed on, mark my words

never thought i'd see the day when i'd welcome mdm back into the team.

Garcia should be getting games he is great on the ball, Arsenal are Hardly the crazy gang, that aside he is a quality player.

City64 wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Fernando doesn't work, he's a self fulfilling prophecy. Bring him on to defend and we do more defending. Don't concede less goals tho.

I'd have yaya, silva and kdb all in there with Sterling and nolito wide and nacho up top.

With all those attacking players Ian won't get so isolated and with all the ball players we'll have plenty of ball.

So would Wenger I suspect, that midfield would be suicidal.

Exactly , huge huge problem . It is sort of anyone but Arsenal with the players we have available in midfield for sunday . Maybe we should park the bus and try and hit them on the break type scenario ? cant see Pep going there though with his stubborn ways to be honest .

City park the bus!! That has to be a joke doesn't it?