What's Your Team?

[ant london]

As I have said before it's not that I dislike him and the Italians bit is ludicrous as you clearly know. I actually think the biggest problem I have concerning Mario isn't with him at all but with the fans who idolise him ,put him on a pedestal even though he has done so little for the club.I do not think it is justified as simple as that. Zaba yes but Mario no.

He has talent of course he does but nothing like the mercurial magical talent that some would have it.I have no doubt that there has been the odd moment of pure quality on the pitch but the special status that he has with some fans is really more to do with his alledged off the field antics which in reality are almost all the figment of this strange world we now live in.

haha I liked the Italians part!!

Do any fans really put him on a pedestal in terms of saying he's a fantastic player? I don't really know whether I can guage that being so far from home. I know that my own circle of City fan mates (in the real world and in this virtual world) are pretty divided. Some love him and some are like you.

In terms of those who love him, I don't really agree that it is more to do with his off-field antics. It certainly isn't from my perspective. I liked him from the moment we signed him, it's the fact that he is a bit non-standard and unpredictable that is his charm to me. Yes, he has been a liability way too often for us but like someone else said earlier (or it may have been another thread) the natural ability which I think is quite easy to see latent within him does NOT come around all that often. For me, he is worth the risk, the effort and the time. I would hate to see him come good elsewhere.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

As I have said before it's not that I dislike him and the Italians bit is ludicrous as you clearly know. I actually think the biggest problem I have concerning Mario isn't with him at all but with the fans who idolise him ,put him on a pedestal even though he has done so little for the club.I do not think it is justified as simple as that. Zaba yes but Mario no.

He has talent of course he does but nothing like the mercurial magical talent that some would have it.I have no doubt that there has been the odd moment of pure quality on the pitch but the special status that he has with some fans is really more to do with his alledged off the field antics which in reality are almost all the figment of this strange world we now live in.

haha I liked the Italians part!!

Do any fans really put him on a pedestal in terms of saying he's a fantastic player? I don't really know whether I can guage that being so far from home. I know that my own circle of City fan mates (in the real world and in this virtual world) are pretty divided. Some love him and some are like you.

In terms of those who love him, I don't really agree that it is more to do with his off-field antics. It certainly isn't from my perspective. I liked him from the moment we signed him, it's the fact that he is a bit non-standard and unpredictable that is his charm to me. Yes, he has been a liability way too often for us but like someone else said earlier (or it may have been another thread) the natural ability which I think is quite easy to see latent within him does NOT come around all that often. For me, he is worth the risk, the effort and the time. I would hate to see him come good elsewhere.

Absolutely right I would hate to see him come good elsewhere but at least if he did it would not be in this country.Nobody would take him here I feel certain.Mancini is the right man to be handling him and it may well be he will fully tame him in the context of getting the best from him on a more consistent basis on the pitch.

As for the pedestal I do believe that is the case.It's certainly not universal amongst fans but it's there and a blind belief that there is a special talent there even though unable to quote more than the odd occasion when we have seen it.

[Hazy2]

I just think that there is a clear pattern to how Mancini handles him and usually his response. He'll yank him off and/or publicly slate him and then...when people think he's going to be out of the team he starts.

I fully get why people tear their hair out about Balotelli but honestly, give me Mario on a bad day over Edin on a bad day...any day. There is still a chance that when Mario is out of sorts he will pop up and score or create something. When Edin is poor it is worse than playing with 10 men as ultimately you have one of the team almost actively assisting the opposition

Sorry Ant Current form is shite,Mario can do one for me until he stops his own show. I am sick of the T Shirts, Sergio does not need him as he proved second half on Wed, Yaya get's pissed off with the switched off/ sorry I did not read that. Against Bolton and Sporting he could have had 8 against Chelsea first 15 he was way of the level and Yaya fucked him off in the end because of that.

[Ted Hughes]

I'm worried about Micah & Kolo v the rugby tactics, so I would like a tall striker in the team as extra set piece insurance. Yaya is the only tall player & he is fucking pathetic at defending anything at set pieces, as his unaceptably poncey turning his back on Cahill's shot showed once again midweek. No excuse for that in such an important game. He could do it, but usually he won't.

I would like to be able to trust Dzeko for this one but I watched a recording of the Chelsea game & his 20 mins at the end was one of the worst performances I've ever seen from a City striker at any level. I thought it was bad at the time but having watched it again, it was way way worse than I'd imagined. Disgusting. Mario was poor but compared to Dzeko he was Alan Shearer.

I'd be tempted to start Dzeko even though he doesn't deserve it & see if he responds by putting a shift in, because if we could get him playing well & scoring, he could score the goals which win us the title during the run in. If he's in ponce mode & doesn't try though, take him off & never start him again.

The rest of the side would be the same for me, minus Silva who needs a rest, Maybe AJ or Milner for him, and poss Barry for De Jong .

If we don't score 1st half, I would just throw on more & more forwards as the game went on & just go for it.

[john@staustell]

The last 3 times we have played Stoke we have absolutely pissed all over them. Cup final, the league game just after and this season's league game.

We will do that again, all we have to do is score. We are too good for this dreadful cliche 'Stoke is a hard place to go blah blah blah).

My biggest worry, and Mancini's I suspect, is that we aren't taking our chances.

[Ted Hughes]

The last 3 times we have played Stoke we have absolutely pissed all over them. Cup final, the league game just after and this season's league game.

We will do that again, all we have to do is score. We are too good for this dreadful cliche 'Stoke is a hard place to go blah blah blah).

My biggest worry, and Mancini's I suspect, is that we aren't taking our chances.

We have missed a few but all 4 strikers are too good at finishing for that to continue imo. We just have to unleash everything. I'll be surprised & delighted if we keep a clean sheet in this game so we have to score a couple imo.

[PeterParker]

I really don't care what the first line-up will be, i am fully convinced that we have the best squad and we can manage just fine.

My only hope is that Bob won't think "Hei, let's give Savic another chance" in front of the best arial team in the league. That will be suicidal.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Potentially a very tricky game. Stoke at the Britannia is no given for anyone. We need to start at a high tempo. Play the first 30 like we played the last 30 against Chelsea, get a couple of goals up and cruise it. That's what we're capable of if Bob gets it right.

[mcfc1632]

Haha ^^^

Anyway

.......Hart

Zab Micah Kolo Clichy (presuming Lescott and VK arent fit)

......NDJ - GB ----

Aguero - Yaya - Nasri

---------Dzeko

That front four can rotate fluidly. Just got a feeling that Dzeko would do well against Stoke for some reason. Wanna rest Silva and Balo as well. Think we need the solid base of NDJ and GB to win the middle and we need Yaya driving at Stoke.

This aprt from AK at LB - we need to whip balls in for Dzeko - I am sure that he would prefer AK in the team

And I think that Silva needs to rest that ankle

[Swales4ever]

The last 3 times we have played Stoke we have absolutely pissed all over them. Cup final, the league game just after and this season's league game.

We will do that again, all we have to do is score. We are too good for this dreadful cliche 'Stoke is a hard place to go blah blah blah).

My biggest worry, and Mancini's I suspect, is that we aren't taking our chances.

We have missed a few but all 4 strikers are too good at finishing for that to continue imo. We just have to unleash everything. I'll be surprised & delighted if we keep a clean sheet in this game so we have to score a couple imo.

I rationally agree with You both, but I cant help myself to sense a gut anxiety while this ko come closer. Since january I felt worried about the 2 trips to Swans and Potters, for different reasons and I really hope I can feel myself a naive idiot by dinner time tonight.
the presence of 6 ft 7' Crouch at set pieces along with us having only one great jumper at the back get me nervous while reminding the pletora of recent unlucky circumstances such as Chelsky scoring by a fucking deflection by the almost first shot from inside and after that the inner face of the bar had prevented City to get a truly deserved lead (just to say the most striking chance).
An early first chance taken will have me totally relaxed for the proceedings, tho.

and @ Ant: while I generally stand by You re. Mario, I totes agree with DH at taking him as impact player at the Britannia. I mean if Pulis shall set them to fight for their lives (that I'm not sure of) by using their tradional ammunitions, I dont think Mario can safely considered up to face Howie Webb... going down to 10 at theirs is not my fave perspective, You know

[Blackadder]

Hart

Zaba Micah Kolo Clichy

Nasri Milner Yaya Silva

Aguero Tevez

is what we should play, but probably...

Hart

Zaba Micah Kolo Kolarov

Yaya NDJ Barry

Nasri Milner

Aguero

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Hart
Zaba,Micah,Kolo,Aleks
NDJ
Silva,Milner,Yaya,Nasri
Mario

[Beefymcfc]

Hart
Zaba,Micah,Kolo,Aleks
NDJ
Silva,Milner,Yaya,Nasri
Mario

Well, I don't think that can be far out.

[FA cup winners 2006]

...................hart

zabba..micah....kolo.....kolorov

..............ndj......barry

..johnson....yaya.......milner

...................dzeko