*** MATCHDAY 1: Build up and official match day thread ***

[Ted Hughes]

I hope dzeko gets a good run in the side now. I thought he played well in the shield but had no help from mario. Bobby should have put carlos in tonight and got as many goals out of him as we can before he goes, if he goes which i doubt.

If he does not play, it's because they are not risking an injury, IMHO. Same with Nasri last week. A broken toe and a lot of money gets pissed away, or Sneijder, or whatever bullshit player is linked, etc, blah, blah, blah.

I don't think Tevez is going, like you. No-one can afford him. I expect him to come on or start. I hope so, far and away our best player and looked excellent in training, apparently. He should, he's a fucking brilliant footballer.

If he stays, it should be til the end of the season. We don't want him & Aguero firing on all cylinders, displacing Mario & Dzeko in the 'A' team, with possible ensuing sulking from Mario, then suddenly we're one short for the run in & we need Mario/Dzeko again. It would be better to just keep him as a squad player for emergencies & try to get D\zeko & Balotelli working properly in the team.

As I've said before, we should tell Tevez he either goes now or he's here til next summer.

[Kladze]

I hope dzeko gets a good run in the side now. I thought he played well in the shield but had no help from mario. Bobby should have put carlos in tonight and got as many goals out of him as we can before he goes, if he goes which i doubt.

If he does not play, it's because they are not risking an injury, IMHO. Same with Nasri last week. A broken toe and a lot of money gets pissed away, or Sneijder, or whatever bullshit player is linked, etc, blah, blah, blah.

I don't think Tevez is going, like you. No-one can afford him. I expect him to come on or start. I hope so, far and away our best player and looked excellent in training, apparently. He should, he's a fucking brilliant footballer.

If he stays, it should be til the end of the season. We don't want him & Aguero firing on all cylinders, displacing Mario & Dzeko in the 'A' team, with possible ensuing sulking from Mario, then suddenly we're one short for the run in & we need Mario/Dzeko again. It would be better to just keep him as a squad player for emergencies & try to get D\zeko & Balotelli working properly in the team.

As I've said before, we should tell Tevez he either goes now or he's here til next summer.

Totally agree with you Ted, it has to be all or nothing.

Maybe Zabaletta (who already has) or Aguero (who seems to be) could be enlisted to teach the mardaresd fucker how to embrace England, its culture AND its language.

As for tonight's game, confidence can cover a multitude of sins for teams like Swansea. We must be at them from start to finish to make sure it's a commodity they can't draw on.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I hope dzeko gets a good run in the side now. I thought he played well in the shield but had no help from mario. Bobby should have put carlos in tonight and got as many goals out of him as we can before he goes, if he goes which i doubt.

If he does not play, it's because they are not risking an injury, IMHO. Same with Nasri last week. A broken toe and a lot of money gets pissed away, or Sneijder, or whatever bullshit player is linked, etc, blah, blah, blah.

I don't think Tevez is going, like you. No-one can afford him. I expect him to come on or start. I hope so, far and away our best player and looked excellent in training, apparently. He should, he's a fucking brilliant footballer.

If he stays, it should be til the end of the season. We don't want him & Aguero firing on all cylinders, displacing Mario & Dzeko in the 'A' team, with possible ensuing sulking from Mario, then suddenly we're one short for the run in & we need Mario/Dzeko again. It would be better to just keep him as a squad player for emergencies & try to get D\zeko & Balotelli working properly in the team.

As I've said before, we should tell Tevez he either goes now or he's here til next summer.

Totally agree with you Ted, it has to be all or nothing.

Maybe Zabaletta (who already has) or Aguero (who seems to be) could be enlisted to teach the mardaresd fucker how to embrace England, its culture AND its language.
As for tonight's game, confidence can cover a multitude of sins for teams like Swansea. We must be at them from start to finish to make sure it's a commodity they can't draw on.

Tevez is just an ignorant thicket with a talent...nothing more , nothing less, so I would not hold your breath expecting him to suddenly come out with an English phrase or start saying nice things about where he lives ect...its just not going to happen.

AGUERO is 4 or 5 years younger than Tevez and he was brought up in virtually the same surroundings as the thick cunt but the difference in attitude between the 2 of them is startling.......Aguero is doing what anyone with half a brain would do.......enjoy the experience and make the most out of it.

[Beefymcfc]

One thing, all eyes will be on us tonight. Every Blue will obviously want a win whilst everyone else will be hoping we fail.

I'm going for a 3-0 myself.

[Beefymcfc]

The ritual begins once more with the pilgrimage to see the Best Team in the World and All the Land; and I can't fucking wait.

Come On City, let's give the Sheep Shaggers a proper 'Welcome to Manchester' and the Premier League.

[Moonchesteri]

Already had my first beer at the office, soon a few more while killing time by watching the Blue Moon Rising DVD (haven't seen it yet).

My prediction is a nervous 1-0 win but obviously hoping for better.
Come on City!

[phips]

If our management team is good enough, Balo, Dzeko, Tevez, Aguero, Silva, Nasri, Yaya, AJ should be knocking the ball around like that this season but producing better because they are better players. Any of the top PL managers would get them doing that (even Harry). That's the test imo; not neccessarily to win anything this year but to go up a level & play the kind of football that makes us look like we are becoming the kind of team our owner aspires for us to be.

If Bob's up to the task, we will start to become that team this season & BE that team next season. If we don't, he's not up to the task & needs to go. The 'gelling' time is over; the players largely know what he wants now. This season is when it should all start to come together. I think it will & am quite excited about it.

I completely agree....Mancini's challenge will be do get this current crop of players to play smoothly together on the pitch and producing as a unit....not just Tevez pulling some wondermove out of thin air to get a goal and bail us out of some slack play.

[Slim]

Real banana skin, even moreso in that QPR and Norwich failed to win and there is always one of those bastid promoted teams that causes a shock.

[Wonderwall]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

[Wonderwall]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

NO MARIO!

[Green & Blue]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

NO MARIO!

SUPER

[Blue Man Dan.]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

[Wooders]

Pleased to see silva n jonno - fantasy league points on the table

[Dameerto]

Would have liked to see Milner in instead of Barry, but that will do me. Fingers crossed we tonk them into the middle of next week.

[Dameerto]

Thinking about it, Mario could be a useful impact sub for the second half - I'm guessing AJ wont last the full match. Let's hope there's no injuries and he can use his full subs as he wants.

[Green & Blue]

Pisses me off how SSN spell Dzeko.

Sky sports news understands Dzeko is spelt Dzecko.

[s1ty m]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

Groan. 1 striker and it's the iffy one. FFS.

I've had the shits all weekend, so I haven't travelled.

On a bright note, at least he sees Clichy as better than Kolarov, which anyone can surely see.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

City team to face Swansea: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson

Strong team, nothing but 3 points today City.

[Green & Blue]

Happy to see Clichy starting over Kolarov.Hopefully get to see Aguero in action at some stage tonight.

[Vantage]

Why have sky hired that goblin Neville? Does he buy his suits at Bury Market? I think I preferred Andy Grey who despite being a raging bell end I never wanted to smash my own telly whenever he appeared. Should be exhibition football with Chuckletard choking on his cunting goatee.