Derby lineup

[trout man]

Thinking about it from the psychological perspective in respect of Tevez and Balo, would you rather be facing a fresh Tevez coming on at 60mins in a tight derby or Balo? I feel Mancini will see this game going to the wire and if a substitution is to be made to win the game then Tevez ( for a whole range of reasons) is the one player that would instill a sense of fear into the scum. It's a gamble I know, but I feel that if Balo is a plausible option for Mancini he will start with him and unleash Tevez on a tired scum team as they will have been chasing the ball for the majority of the previous 60 mins.

No way should Balo start ahead of Tevez. A bench with some of Milner/Johnson/Nasri/Balo/Dzeko should be more than enough to change the game if we need to.

Tevez and Aguero have been great. It's our biggest ever Premiership game - no time to be messing with what's been working.

(Also, while I get your point, Mancini left Tevez on the bench until the 85th minute against Arsenal. The site will crash if something like that happens again).

I wasn't trying to imply that he should and I agree that Tevez would start but stranger things have gone through eeez mind

[Esky]

To be fair, Balo played brilliantly in the FA semi/final and in the 6-1. He also scored 4 times through March before the Arsenal disaster.

[Wooders]

harty
richards komps lescott clichy
yaya barry
silva nasri
tevez aguero
subs: - Pants Toure Kolorov zabba De Jong Johnno Balla

don't mess with a winning team

[Diggerman]

hart
richards kompany lescott clichy

johnson yaya dejong silva

aguero tevez


The way we have been playing with Aguero and Tevez up top, not only would it be risky to start balo because of his attitude, it would be stupid to change the system that has seen us back into the title race.

If balo comes on it should be as a sub to replace johnson when he fades after 60 minutes. And honestly if we aren't losing/tied, I would rather bring on Nasri. Balo needs to sit and think awhile about what he wants to do at city. II firmly believe that balo is a big game player, but it's too much of a gamble right now.

No chance Johnson will start, Bob doesn't start him in the big games. He starts against the likes of Stoke when we're expected to get a few anyway, and in the cups. He never has the same impact when he starts games as he does when coming on for the last 20

[avoidconfusion]

Balotelli does not even deserve to be in the squad at all to be honest. I would not risk it.

[Nigels Tackle]

01 Fielding
02 Brayford
03 Roberts
06 Shackell
17 Buxton
04 Bryson
23 Hendrick
07 S Davies Booked
09 Tyson
10 Ward
21 Robinson




(i'll get my coat)

[ruralblue]

Balotelli does not even deserve to be in the squad at all to be honest. I would not risk it.

10 minutes to go, drawing 1 - 1, crying out for a sub to change things. Who'd you rather come on? Dzeko or Balotelli? Non brainer for me. Yup the guys not all there but he's the kind of guy who can pull a goal out of nothing. :-)

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Tevez and Sergio must start. You've got to fancy them to give Evans and Rhombus Gob a torrid time.
Yaya to start as they are frightened of him.
Richards over Mad Frank if possible. He gives an extra attacking option.
If Nasri plays I'd start Nige before Gaz.
Personally I'd leave Nasri on the bench.

[Ted Hughes]

I don't think it's very likely he'l leave Balotelli out of the squad. I'll be surprised if he's not on the pitch at some point but I don't think he'll be scared to put Dzeko on either.

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Put out a weaker team and save our better players for the Newcastle game, which will be a tougher test.

[ashton287]

Put out a weaker team and save our better players for the Newcastle game, which will be a tougher test.

Newcastle
Wigan away 28th
Chelsea away 2nd
City home 6th

Spurs have
Blackburn home 29th
Bolton away 2nd
Villa away 6th

Chelsea have
QPR home 29th
Newcastle home 2nd
Liverpool away 8th

From those I think if Newcastle can beat chelsea (they battered stoke which is the same thing now), spurs will drop points at Bolton with them looking to stay up, they will have 4th all wrapped up BUT if they get greedy and look to arsenal in third that could fuck us over abit. Hopefully they will be settling for fourth and we will be looking to win the league which should see us through. Plus they wont be playing at the usual level after 2 away games and us in 8 days.

[Wonderwall]

I would normally agree and put richards in for zaba but after hia recent games I would leave it as it is. Zaba has been fantastic of late and deserves the starting place. I also disagree about richards being more attacking as zaba has almost been a right winger recently. Richards has the edge in the air at set pieces but zaba is better positionally at the moment.

[Surrey Sky Blue]

Balotelli...he has a lot to prove and will do something special.

Even more reason to have him on the bench and bring him on (if we need him) Kun and Carlos as previously stated will tear Rio & Co apart.

[Swales4ever]

Hart
Richards - Komps - Lescott - Clichy
Barry - NDJ
Silva - Yaya - Aguero
Tevez

bench: Panty Zabba Kolorov (or Pizza?) Milner AJ Balo Dzeko

Sir Squeaky bum time will set them for the counter, 4-5-1, plenty of legs including Park if available, I suspect.
so first:stronghold of midpark and

I'd love to see City play like they did v (i think) BB. Very high line challenging like barca as soon as we lost the ball. Do that to the rags and we would be putting the pressure on their most vunerable players. They would crack up within 15 - 20mins. Coincidently about the time they lasted v barca. ha ha

Should Tevez fail [but he won't] to fire a screamer from the edge up to DeGay arse, I'll seriously consider Mario as a worth adddition at around 60'

can't wait!....

edit: no harm intended/deemed to homosexuals' rights.

[trout man]

Tin hat on here, but I think Tevez sitting back off the front and mario up front might just work. I know, I know but I think if Balo is to get a run I think he would be better matched with Tevez rather than Aguero as the stats have clearly shown. I am not saying he should start with the them but if it is a case of bringing Balo on and replacing one of our front men then bringing off Aguero makes more sense... In my humble opinion of course

[Luke11993]

I personally think it should be
Hart
Richards kompany lescott clichy
De jong Milner
Nasri toure
Aguero tevez
I think that team has the power to ruin man u again!

[Beefymcfc]

Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Jeffries, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Marsh and Towers.

[Swales4ever]

Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Jeffries, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Marsh and Towers.

ha ha, not a bad one, there.

I was a kid then, but I have memories told by my grandad...
I'd go with those who hammered the Spur away, then:
Corrigan, Book , Pardoe, Booth, Doyle, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Lee, Young, Bowyer.
just kidding... in loving memory.

[Beefymcfc]

Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Jeffries, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Marsh and Towers.

ha ha, not a bad one, there.

I was a kid then, but I have memories told by my grandad...
I'd go with those who hammered the Spur away, then:
Corrigan, Book , Pardoe, Booth, Doyle, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Lee, Young, Bowyer.
just kidding... in loving memory.

Last game of the season in my 1st year of life. I remember it well :)

[Grob]

Balo can fuck off and come on later on, don't give him the opportunity tonfuck us over.

Pretty sure if zabs starts they will get a penalty or he will just get skinned in open play and they will score. It has to be Richards and he has to stay on for the whole 90.

De gea is shit and tevez will fire a few shots at him which will unsettle his shaky hands aswell.

I agree.

Don't change that attacking quartet unless for some reason it stops working. Nasri, silva, tevez and aguero have all assisted and scored in the last 3 games.

I can't see any team living with them.

Richards for zabba is obvious and toure further foward is too. I'm pretty sure mancini won't start toure holding again because he's better off on the bench than there imo.

So we play the 4 attackers from the last 3 games and also push Toure up which gives us 5 attackers, and 1 DM and 4 defenders presumably.

Bit unbalanced maybe?