The first game of the season and the first ‘free hit’ comment, nothing changes. Overall, these comments are fairly well balanced, basically no one is sure what to expect. If I am honest, I feel the exact same way after the last two games. Three points on our first game of the season would be nice though especially as it looks like the dippers are the only ones of the top four to drop points so far this weekend (I don’t include the rags in this anymore).
COME ON CITY!!!
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Stuart Attwell
VAR: Mike Dean
Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart
Team Selection
Areola
Coufal Dawson Zouma Johnson
Rice Soucek
Bowen Lanzini Fornals
Scamacca
And the rest…
It'll be interesting to see if we play 4 or 5 at the back. With two defensively strong centre mids in Rice and Soucek, plus Fornals and Bowen offering support, I think we can play with 4… Scamacca has played no pre season for us though, I'd be surprised if he starts, I think it'll be Antonio up top.
Gonna stick this on page 1, so that everyone can point and laugh when it (hopefully) gets proven wrong, but I reckon we're gonna get beat by 3, 4 or 5 in a way that generally hasn't happened under Moyes since his first spell in charge.
Curveball, I didn’t think Man City look particularly “ready” for the new season. However, I’m sure we’ll set up to not lose and then lose late. I think they’re beatable this early in the campaign.
Get the new players in and start them. By Christ, we're gonna need 'em against this lot. We'vd done it before, with Coufal.
I think we'll start OK and hold our own first half. But will eventuslly lose 1-3, or 1-4.
We might bemoan the lack of options for Sunday but I do think it’s worth getting this lot out the way now and try to catch out any cobwebs from them. Once he gets going, I think Haaland is going to be scoring goals with his eyes closed.
I’d play Antonio and Scamacca together up top because why not…For the first game of the season that is not the kind of handful city would want to deal with.
Mike Dean on VAR for this game. Opening weekend on the TV, against the champions…You know he is going to make it about himself somehow.
And the useless Michael Oliver is the ref.
£75 even for Band 4 tickets for this fixture. Not surprised to see so many seats still available. Shame given the cost of living and this being during the school holidays.
I don't think it will be indicative of our prospects for the season as a whole, but i think we are going to get a bit of a tonking this weekend…1-4.
That's always the fear with Man City, they have the ability to hit their stride and batter anyone. Before we played them last they'd scored 19 in 4 league games. Hopefully we do alright, we often do against them recently, under Moyes at least.
I’d say Oliver is probably the best ref in the prem. Certainly a lot of other refs I’d worry far more about.
Obviously a win would be amazing, but that Grealish/Halland connection is looking grim for us. I think pep wanted Grealish/Kane last season, obviously didn't happen but those two look good together lads. A man can dream I suppose.
Hoping we catch them at the right time for us as they've not played much preseason football.
With Aguerd out injured there is not a chance Scamacca is not on the bench on Sunday. No way we start that game with the same squad as last season plus a kid from the Championship. No way!
Hope we’re doing everything in our power to get Cornet signed in time to play in Sunday’s game!
To be honest I'm not worried about this game its a free hit. What I'm worried about is the rest of August. With the players we have signed not ready until the end of August probably. I think we could well be near the bottom of the league come 1st September. I hope not but can see it.
I can see an upset here - 1-0 West Ham.
Pretty sure we can get something out of this match, 1st game of the season at home , and Moyes predictable 11 behind the ball . 1-1.
They are possibly the best club side ever, so who gives a fuck? we get anything and its a bonus…More interested in our starting line up, see how we have moved on from last season.
Strange line from Moyes “we have lots of concerns” ahead of Sunday. Not like him to say something like that, proves people right saying should of had business done early though.
Does not matter who we play city were always beating us. Like I said before our season don't start until we play forest and if we have trouble fielding a team against them I will then be unhappy.
Stop Haaland getting a debut hat-trick, job done.
Unbeaten in our last three at home against this lot.I expect us to score but lose, mostly because we don't look ready. No impact yet from the new signings.
Is this going to be virtually the same line up as last season's 2 - 2 draw? If so I can't see a win or draw at all. Hope I'm wrong obviously!
Difficult to see anything except a solid West Ham United win today.Our cunning ploy of not introducing any new signings means we have our usual settled side, that being, the only fit players available. If that doesn't confuse City, nothing will.The bench will include three lucky spectators who will be asked to go "full kit" so we don't look like we can only afford to order half a lobster.We may be working class, but we have standards.
Not the most positive start to the day on here.
Just please don’t get spanked.
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