Mancini will change the team for Liverpool

[Im_Spartacus]

fair do's mate - but let's not forget that sunderland were absolute shite and we really shouldn't base anything on that performance.

lets not forget that boyata faced sessegnon who looked like dogshit, and anton ferdinand who is shite. bobby was so concerned about the right side he brought on a player i've never heard of to make his debut.

I'm with you mate. People seem to think it was just all "Super City" on Sunday but they were SHIT.

They were, but you can only beat what is in front of you.

Typical City fan reaction though - not even a consideration that our approach to the game made them rush into losing posession and make mistakes.

We have proved often enough this season that the opposition being shit does not necessarily mean we even win the game, let alone score 5

oh ffs. "typical city reaction". you've contradicted yourself so much there it's unbelieveable.

read the context of the thread - and then tell me that sunderland were actually ace. they were shite and we won - am pleased about that. but this thread is about whether we should keep this team for waht is currently an infinitely (currently) a better team. jesus.

Are you only reading every 2nd word of what I write. Could have sworn it was a "typical city fan reaction"

For a long time now, either we are either shite, or the opposition are shite. It's a rare day when we win because we actually play well according to many city fans. Its like when United lose - they always say that they played shit, rather than give any credit to the opposition. Their response is borne out of arrogance, our response is borne out of years of frustrations.

The difference is in perception of the football we play. For example, how many of the times in the Championship under Keegan did you dismiss a 4.0 win as being because the opposition were shit. I'd wager you didnt hear a single city fan saying we only won by such deficits because the opposition were shit - when in fact, that is precisely what it was. It just so happened that we played pretty football when we put them to the sword.

I am Mancini's biggest critic, I have wanted the cunt out since about 3 weeks in, but lets have credit where its due. We played exceptionally well on Sunday, did not allow them time on the ball and played as a home team should. Had we done that against the equally "shit" blackburn, fulham at home, and countless teams away, we would have been out of sight at the top of the league.

The point of the thread is that you just know that Mancini will fuck about with it after finally seemingly having found the formula to comprehensively batter a team that comes to park the bus, in the way United do week in week out (hence why they are almost out of sight at the top) - and whilst we have been discussing Boyata, that to me is not the biggest issue - as someone has already pointed out, it is the inclusion of Barry at the expense of a player who has an attacking bone in his body that will see us revert to the shite we have seen all season.

And lets not be getting excited about Liverpool. They are on a new manager bounce, and have spent most of the season below the team we just beat 5.0. They are still a collection of largely average players who just got comprehensively beat by West Brom

[Arjan Van Schotte]

Are you only reading every 2nd word of what I write. Could have sworn it was a "typical city fan reaction"

oh, i apologise - i missed out the "fan" bit. ffs.

grind on - grind on.

other than that i mainly agree - which is what i was saying earlier - he'll bring barry in for johnson or balotelli.

i hope i'm proved wrong.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Mancini could be bluffing. Why tell the dippers what your team is going to be? Might just be keeping them guessing.

[BlueinBosnia]

I don't know if it's been brought up on here, but Bosnia-Herzegovina have been suspended from international competition until further notice, unless FIFA/UEFA bring in an interim governing body that is allowed to field representative teams. So Dzeko won't be on international duty for a while, it seems.

I was surprised you'd not brought this up before. It all seems like (surprise surprise) a bit of a farce.

My understanding is that Bosnia and Herzegovina have been suspended from all international competition because they failed to elect a single head of their domestic football federation (in line with FIFA regulations).

The current situation is that they have a three man leadership (one Bosnian, one Serbian and one Croat) and attempts to elect a single leader of the federation (who would clearly ultimately come from one of the three groups, likely the Bosnian one) have been stymied due to concerns of the two minorities that their interests would be prejudiced.

The three man thing comes about from pretty obvious (and pragmatic IMO) reasons as the overall football federation is made up of two individual associations: "one a Bosnian Serb and another shared by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats, headed by a Bosniak, a Croat and a Serb to reflect the country's ethnic division after the 1992-1995 war".

Why the fuck FIFA cannot find a way to provide an exception to their rule in light of the above dumbfounds me personally. Morons. Again.

Or am I misinterpreting this Andrew?

There's many, many sides to the argument. I agree that FIFA should have provided an exception, but, politically, Bosnia isn't looking too good at the moment. Cracks are really starting to show in the Dayton Agreement, and people are becoming increasingly unhappy with the political limbo that's been forced on them for the past 15 years, on all sides, but wanting a huge variety of outcomes. The suspension of the international football team (largely supported by Muslims and city-dwellers), is something that will make a lot of people very, very unhappy. However, the corruption that has gone on within it for the past decade was so bad, that even people who are opposed to the ban begrudgingly admit that, in the long run, this may be exactly what Bosnian football needs. It's just a shame it didn't happen 4 or 5 years ago, before the current generation started to come through the ranks.

However, on the other side, you could say it isn't FIFA's fault. Other less-followed sports don't have three-way presidencies, and nobody has ever kicked up a fuss about that. As the power is shared equally three ways (compared to approximate populations of 45% Muslim, 35% Serb and 20% Croat) it could be argued that the minorities get massive over-representation in the current system. Then take into account that a large proportion of Serbs and Croats support (and represent) Serbia and Croatia respectively, and it's the Bosniak/Muslim population who are really receiving this kick in the teeth as fans.

Republika Srpska (the Serb entity of BiH) have been making motions towards establishing their own national football team in the past 18 months, and a few misplaced words by the High Representative (an EU appointed overlord of the country) about a year ago gave them a lot of confidence that this may go ahead. Holding out for a ban on Bosnia and its club teams has been in their interests to this end.

My personal view is that, although it's massively unfair, and out of the hands of those it punishes, something like this was inevitably going to happen. Depending on FIFA's next move, the coming month or two may even prove to be the touch-paper for something bigger on the political stage. After all, Dayton was supposed to be a temporary measure, it's just that everyone's interest had moved on before the cracks that are being seen now had started to show.

[brite blu sky]

He should make changes on the basis that we have players that are capable of playing well and beat Liverpool on their own patch. A few players need game time.. Dzeko, Milner, Balotelli, Lescott, AJ, Kolarov. We have a top squad and players should be thrown together imo so that they get playing time with each other in different formations.
The point about players rested for Scouce are more likely to play in the semi is also a good point. Rest Yaya, put Tevez and Silva on the bench and start with Dzeko and AJ, Balotelli.. Milner and probs Barry. Zabba or Boyata dont matter too much tbh.

[Ted Hughes]

He should make changes on the basis that we have players that are capable of playing well and beat Liverpool on their own patch. A few players need game time.. Dzeko, Milner, Balotelli, Lescott, AJ, Kolarov. We have a top squad and players should be thrown together imo so that they get playing time with each other in different formations.
The point about players rested for Scouce are more likely to play in the semi is also a good point. Rest Yaya, put Tevez and Silva on the bench and start with Dzeko and AJ, Balotelli.. Milner and probs Barry. Zabba or Boyata dont matter too much tbh.

Liverpool game is almost as important as the Semi imo. No need to rest anyone. If they can't play Monday/Saturday, they should give it up.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Rest noone for fucks sake !!! we have not played every 3 days since we got beaten a couple of weeks ago.....everyone should be fit enough to play with a weeks fuckign rest........christ on a bike man !!!

I dont want Barry playing...that fat slow bastid will just slow play down...fuck that..the tactics we had last game were spot on and the same should be for the Bindipping game........its a defining moment for us imo....win against them and I reckon 4th at worst will be ours.

[brite blu sky]

He should make changes on the basis that we have players that are capable of playing well and beat Liverpool on their own patch. A few players need game time.. Dzeko, Milner, Balotelli, Lescott, AJ, Kolarov. We have a top squad and players should be thrown together imo so that they get playing time with each other in different formations.
The point about players rested for Scouce are more likely to play in the semi is also a good point. Rest Yaya, put Tevez and Silva on the bench and start with Dzeko and AJ, Balotelli.. Milner and probs Barry. Zabba or Boyata dont matter too much tbh.

Liverpool game is almost as important as the Semi imo. No need to rest anyone. If they can't play Monday/Saturday, they should give it up.

Yaya is the only one who seems to need resting.. and the only one i mentioned to rest. The other i would rotate on the basis that they need playing time together and are good enough to beat Liverpool. IMO

[Douglas Higginbottom]

He should make changes on the basis that we have players that are capable of playing well and beat Liverpool on their own patch. A few players need game time.. Dzeko, Milner, Balotelli, Lescott, AJ, Kolarov. We have a top squad and players should be thrown together imo so that they get playing time with each other in different formations.
The point about players rested for Scouce are more likely to play in the semi is also a good point. Rest Yaya, put Tevez and Silva on the bench and start with Dzeko and AJ, Balotelli.. Milner and probs Barry. Zabba or Boyata dont matter too much tbh.

Liverpool game is almost as important as the Semi imo. No need to rest anyone. If they can't play Monday/Saturday, they should give it up.

Yaya is the only one who seems to need resting.. and the only one i mentioned to rest. The other i would rotate on the basis that they need playing time together and are good enough to beat Liverpool. IMO

here we go again! Yaya does NOT need resting.

[the_georgian_genius]

We stand more of a chance of winning the game with Milner or Barry drafted in than sticking with the same team from Sunday.

[carl_feedthegoat]

He should make changes on the basis that we have players that are capable of playing well and beat Liverpool on their own patch. A few players need game time.. Dzeko, Milner, Balotelli, Lescott, AJ, Kolarov. We have a top squad and players should be thrown together imo so that they get playing time with each other in different formations.
The point about players rested for Scouce are more likely to play in the semi is also a good point. Rest Yaya, put Tevez and Silva on the bench and start with Dzeko and AJ, Balotelli.. Milner and probs Barry. Zabba or Boyata dont matter too much tbh.

Liverpool game is almost as important as the Semi imo. No need to rest anyone. If they can't play Monday/Saturday, they should give it up.

Yaya is the only one who seems to need resting.. and the only one i mentioned to rest. The other i would rotate on the basis that they need playing time together and are good enough to beat Liverpool. IMO

here we go again! Yaya does NOT need resting.

pmsl - Your probably right mate but his fucking body language says otherwise.......he sweats like a pig after 5 minutes pmsl.

[Im_Spartacus]

We stand more of a chance of winning the game with Milner or Barry drafted in than sticking with the same team from Sunday.

No, we stand less chance of losing with Milner or Barry in - there is a crucial difference

With the team from Sunday we stand a much higher chance of winning by a couple of clear goals. With Barry in the side we would either get a narrow defeat or a draw.

We need to go out to win, draws are as bad as defeats at this stage of the season. That was what fucked us up at this stage last season. If he wants 2nd, he will have to go out and get it. On the basis that he said he wanted to win the league but chose not to go and win it, I find it hard to believe he will not revert back to type.

[carl_feedthegoat]

We stand more of a chance of winning the game with Milner or Barry drafted in than sticking with the same team from Sunday.

No, we stand less chance of losing with Milner or Barry in - there is a crucial difference

With the team from Sunday we stand a much higher chance of winning by a couple of clear goals. With Barry in the side we would either get a narrow defeat or a draw.

We need to go out to win, draws are as bad as defeats at this stage of the season. That was what fucked us up at this stage last season. If he wants 2nd, he will have to go out and get it. On the basis that he said he wanted to win the league but chose not to go and win it, I find it hard to believe he will not revert back to type.

Spot on - if we labour to a draw because Mancini reverts to his defensive formula I will go fucking mental ! There is absolutely no need to be so defensive when we play them...go on any Scouse web site and they are all bricking it as their defence is a shambles.........

Playing Zabba will come back to haunt us imo as he must be completely match unfit for this game as apart from the obvious 2 week by the side of his father mentally he will not be there either....we should stick with Boyata and play the exact same team as Sunday.

[Original Dub]

We stand more of a chance of winning the game with Milner or Barry drafted in than sticking with the same team from Sunday.

No, we stand less chance of losing with Milner or Barry in - there is a crucial difference

With the team from Sunday we stand a much higher chance of winning by a couple of clear goals. With Barry in the side we would either get a narrow defeat or a draw.

We need to go out to win, draws are as bad as defeats at this stage of the season. That was what fucked us up at this stage last season. If he wants 2nd, he will have to go out and get it. On the basis that he said he wanted to win the league but chose not to go and win it, I find it hard to believe he will not revert back to type.

Spot on - if we labour to a draw because Mancini reverts to his defensive formula I will go fucking mental ! There is absolutely no need to be so defensive when we play them...go on any Scouse web site and they are all bricking it as their defence is a shambles.........

Playing Zabba will come back to haunt us imo as he must be completely match unfit for this game as apart from the obvious 2 week by the side of his father mentally he will not be there either....we should stick with Boyata and play the exact same team as Sunday.

Exactly.

Changing the team back to normal MAY work (please God no!). Sticking with the same personnel that just beat a mid table side FIVE NIL will work against a poor Liverpool team who just got beaten convincingly by relegation fodder.

[bluej]

Didn't West Brom have 2 penalties? from what I saw of the highlights it didn't look a 'convincing' victory. I think we should keep the same team though (although I personally would prefer zabs to be back at right back) as I can't see Liverpool trying to play it through us, I'm more worried about Andy Carroll.

[Im_Spartacus]

Didn't West Brom have 2 penalties? from what I saw of the highlights it didn't look a 'convincing' victory. I think we should keep the same team though (although I personally would prefer zabs to be back at right back) as I can't see Liverpool trying to play it through us, I'm more worried about Andy Carroll.

I watched the whole game live, it was dreadful. Liverpool had around 4/5 shots all game. Even the scousers I was watching with stopped watching after about half an hour

I have no worries about Liverpool's left wing, more what Kuyt will do to Kolarov as I think he will run him into the ground.

[bluej]

Didn't West Brom have 2 penalties? from what I saw of the highlights it didn't look a 'convincing' victory. I think we should keep the same team though (although I personally would prefer zabs to be back at right back) as I can't see Liverpool trying to play it through us, I'm more worried about Andy Carroll.

I watched the whole game live, it was dreadful. Liverpool had around 4/5 shots all game. Even the scousers I was watching with stopped watching after about half an hour

I have no worries about Liverpool's left wing, more what Kuyt will do to Kolarov as I think he will run him into the ground.

Ah fair enough. Yeah that's true, could even maybe put zabs left back then.

[avoidconfusion]

Fact is we don't NEED to play De Jong AND Barry/ Milner in the same team when Yaya is also playing, the game against Sunderland proved that.

In fact the more attacking we play, the more cautious Liverpool will have to be, so I say play exactly the same team. The fact that we have SIlva and AJ pushing up front together with Tevez and Balotelli will worry the Scousers.

The only threat I see is that diving shit Suarez and maybe Mereiles... at a stretch perhaps that ugly twat Kuyt too.

Fact is they should have to worry more about us then we need to worry about them and that's how we should set up. Put them under pressure from the get go.

But like I said I can see Mancini falling back into the same old over cautious routine... but there is still a glimmer of hope in me that he will have realized in the Sunderland game what this team is actually capable of if unshackled just a little bit.

[Dameerto]

I think we should go with the same team, reward them for success rather than making them think it was all for nothing. The fixture list is uncluttered 'til we have a three-games-in-a-week blip but that's not for a while yet. Zabs can do a McGivern and come on for the last 20 or 30 mins to get some time at full intensity.

[BobKowalski]

It is very likely Mancini will change the team with Mario or AJ giving way to either Barry or Milner. Keeping the same team as a vote of confidence (or whatever) is so 1970's unless you have MoN as your manager so yes you do change a winning team these days. Taggart changed the team for what 150 odd consecutive games until recently? Which is ironic consdering the stick Benetiz used to get for changing the team every game.

Dippers smacked taggarts mob when he played 2 up front with zero cover for a makeshift back four. For the big games dippers tend to show up so our line up will be a shade more conservative than Sunday. That said its not just about formation and personnel its as much about attitude and showing up with a more conservative line up does not preclude us from showing a more attacking intent given dippers have some injury problems of their own which we should be looking to exploit

We are in good shape at the moment, morale seems high and the sun is shining so lets enjoy it while we can :)