Swansea first game. Predict the line-up.

[Alioune DVToure]

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

---------------Kompany(c)----Lescott----------------
Richards-----------------------------------------Clichy

---------------De Jong-----------Milner
---------------------------Yaya

---------Silva--------------------------Balotelli
---------------------------Dzeko

SUBS: A.Keeper, Zabaleta, Savic, Barry, A.Johnson, Nasri, Agüero.

I'd be well happy with that to be honest.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

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

---------------Kompany(c)----Lescott----------------
Richards-----------------------------------------Clichy

---------------De Jong-----------Milner
---------------------------Yaya

---------Silva--------------------------Balotelli
---------------------------Dzeko

SUBS: A.Keeper, Zabaleta, Savic, Barry, A.Johnson, Nasri, Agüero.

I'd be well happy with that to be honest.

Having Aguero on the bench if we have signed him is just wrong.

However forgetting the subs, I think that's the starting line up we'll have when the season kicks off.

[Alioune DVToure]

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

---------------Kompany(c)----Lescott----------------
Richards-----------------------------------------Clichy

---------------De Jong-----------Milner
---------------------------Yaya

---------Silva--------------------------Balotelli
---------------------------Dzeko

SUBS: A.Keeper, Zabaleta, Savic, Barry, A.Johnson, Nasri, Agüero.

I'd be well happy with that to be honest.

[highlight]Having Aguero on the bench if we have signed him is just wrong.[/highlight]

However forgetting the subs, I think that's the starting line up we'll have when the season kicks off.

You may be right, but don't forget that Balotelli, Tevez, Dzeko, Silva and most other attacking players we've bought in recent years were benched first and phased into the side. (Well, Silva played at Spurs but was benched for a few weeks after that.) You need to start the season with the players that have got good pre-seasons under their belts, not just in terms of fitness but in terms of game time with the other players.

[Mike J]

-------------------------------- hart

richards--------- kompany-----------lescott---------clichy


--------------------- de jong--------barry-------------------


balo----------------------- toure-------------------------- silva

-------------------------- aguero

[Dubciteh]

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

---------------Kompany(c)----Lescott----------------
Richards-----------------------------------------Clichy

---------------De Jong-----------Milner
---------------------------Yaya

---------Silva--------------------------Balotelli
---------------------------Dzeko

SUBS: A.Keeper, Zabaleta, Savic, Barry, A.Johnson, Nasri, Agüero.

I'd be well happy with that to be honest.

Is this what i want the line up to be or what i think it will be? I think barry starts ahead of milner everytime for mancini and prob for me too....

[Moonchesteri]

My current prediction
[center]Hart
Richards - Kompany - Savic - Clichy
de Jong
Yaya - Barry
Balotelli - Tevez - Silva[/center]

what I'd like to see
[center]Hart
Richards - Kompany - Lescott - Clichy
de Jong
Yaya - Nasri/Sneijder
Balotelli - Agüero - Silva[/center]

[the_georgian_genius]

----------------Hart--------------------
Richards - Kompany - Lescott - Clichy
---------------de Jong-----------------
-----------Yaya-------Barry------------
---Balotelli----Dzeko-----Silva--------

[Goaters 103]

Id agree with Alioude DVT''s team at the top.

Milner has to be a better bet to play alongside NDJ than Gaz Baz. Milner is far more mobile, and just a better player there - cent midf is where he should be for us.

[the_georgian_genius]

Id agree with KK's team at the top.

Milner has to be a better bet to play alongside NDJ than Gaz Baz. Milner is far more mobile, and just a better player there - cent midf is where he should be for us.

I rate Milner but if it's a choice between Gaz Baz and Milner it would be Gaz Baz at the moment, he is vastly underrated by football fans, he is a really intelligent player, the only problem is that he isn't as mobile as others.

[Bingo Lewis]

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

---------------Kompany(c)----Lescott----------------
Richards-----------------------------------------Clichy

---------------De Jong-----------Yaya

---------------------------Silva
---------Nasri--------------------------Balotelli
---------------------------Dzeko

SUBS: A.Keeper, Zabaleta, Savic, Barry, A.Johnson, Milner, Agüero.

[Dubciteh]

Id agree with KK's team at the top.

Milner has to be a better bet to play alongside NDJ than Gaz Baz. Milner is far more mobile, and just a better player there - cent midf is where he should be for us.

I rate Milner but if it's a choice between Gaz Baz and Milner it would be Gaz Baz at the moment, he is vastly underrated by football fans, he is a really intelligent player, the only problem is that he isn't as mobile as others.

I agree....for once!

On our current squad its pretty easy to predict:

MR-VK-JL-CG
NDJ-GB
YYT
DS-MB
CT

Come opening day of the season i want our team to be this prob a pipedream but meh:

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

Richards-----Kompany(C)-----Lescott------Clichy

--------De Jong----------------Yaya-----------------

Nasri----------------Sneigder------------------Silva

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

Subs A.keeper, Savic, Zabaletta, Aj, barry, Dzecko and balotelli

[Renato_CTID]

-------------------------------- hart

richards--------- kompany-----------lescott---------clichy


--------------------- de jong--------barry-------------------


balo----------------------- toure-------------------------- silva

-------------------------- aguero

The same for me and I'll be at Eastlands to watch the Boys in Blue against the Welsh!

[avoidconfusion]

Don't think I would play Aguero as the main striker, I think he is used to playing OFF the striker.

Hence my formation would be :

-------------------------------- hart

richards--------- kompany-----------lescott---------clichy


------------------------------de jong---------------------------

------------------Yaya------------------------Silva

------------------------Nasri/Sneijder

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

------------------------Dzeko/Balotelli

[Mark Garrett]

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

Richards----------Kompany---Lescott---------Clichy

--------------------De Jong-----Milner

A. Johnson-------------Yaya Toure----------Silva

-------------------------Tevez

[Cityfan]

I reckon Aguero/Tevez and Zab will be given a bit of extra time to recover after the Copa and won't start our first couple of matches, so I will guess.

Hart
Richards Kompany Lescott Clichy
deJong Milner
?Yaya
Balotelli Dzeko Silva

Yaya could be an injury doubt, other question is who will we buy, with the games that Vieira played last season and Yaya going to ACON I would think we will buy another central midfielder as we usually field three and only have four which does not allow much reserve for injury, suspension and rest when the matches come thick and fast. So someone in the Yaya role and him dropping back would not suprise me.

[john@staustell]

I wouldn't be surprised if Cooky has a trick up his sleeve signing-wise. And it's a good point about Aguero, Zaba, Tevez and post-Copa leave.

My understanding is that Savic is basically right-sided and can fill in at RB, so I'm going to guess/assume that Richards is injured again for the first match, as he was hobbling around again the other night. I also reckon Bobby may go with his plan B of leaving out either DeJong or Barry against what he perceives as shite opposition at home. The AJ position could be him, SWP (the rate he's going) or Milner.

So:

Hart
Savic Komps Lescott Clichy
DeJong
AJ? Silva Yaya Balotelli
Dzeko

[halnone]

Does anyone think AJ is worth a starting place?

I think he's better used as an impact sub.

[avoidconfusion]

Does anyone think AJ is worth a starting place?

I think he's better used as an impact sub.

No chance in hell AJ will be a starter if we get Nasri/Sneijder and Aguero.... cannot see it.

[twosips]

AJ's still not proved himself. Even Weiss has looked a better prospect in pre-season.

I think if we get Aguero he'll play on the right.

.................. Hart ....................
MR2.........VK........JL.......Clichy
.............Yaya.......De Jong..........
..... Aguero......Silva.......Balo........
.................Tevez......................

That's how i'd start the season (presuming Tevez stays for now - if not Dzeko in his place)

It'll probs be AlouneToure's though.

[CityGer]

---------------------Hart-------------------
Richards - Kompany - Lescott - Clichy
-----------Yaya-------Nige------------
---Aguero------Nasri------Silva--------
-----------------Dzeko

Yes please.