Stepping Up To The Plate

[Beefymcfc]

A bit of an off-spin from the Yaya (African PotY) thread. He's got very big boots to fill so while he's away, who should be covering his role?

Will it be Milner, Garcia, Nasri, Rodwell or do we go with a different set-up and bring the likes of Scott Sinclair in?

[kinkylola]

Im hoping that both milner and garcia will step it up ... but there's also going to be a lot more pressure on little david to create without having yaya to rampage through the middle of the oppo mid/D. I think we may have to see a change and maybe sinclair will get a run out? I'm worried about nasri's fitness and consistency, to be honest.

[mr_nool]

I think we're fucked. I'm hoping for the world to end today.

[Mase]

Garcia will make you all look silly.

[Beefymcfc]

I think we're fucked. I'm hoping for the world to end today.

Don't Panic Mr Noolie!

[Beefymcfc]

Garcia will make you all look silly.

That's who I'm thinking it's going to be but he is mainly a defensive player. Maybe he could sit and the likes of Barry or Milner to push on.

[Dronny]

Im hoping that both milner and garcia will step it up ... but there's also going to be a lot more pressure on little david to create without having yaya to rampage through the middle of the oppo mid/D. I think we may have to see a change and maybe sinclair will get a run out? I'm worried about nasri's fitness and consistency, to be honest.

Agreed Kinky, I think it's a great opportunity for JM and JG to step up although I would like to see Rodder's given his chance as well. Lest we forget this was a lad who was coveted by the rags and a future regular England international when with EFC

[avoidconfusion]

I think Milner has been great recently. Let's hope he can stay injury free.

[Grandad Rosler]

I think Milner has been great recently. Let's hope he can stay injury free.

Agreed I think Milner would have pit himself in the window of undropable, although not always the classiest of players with a hit and miss end product hrs the kind of workhorse that we miss as a team, Yaya is great going forward (when he can actually be arsed) but can't defend for shit

[Mike J]

Is Yaya arounfd tomorrow or has he gone now?

[Dubaimancityfan]

A bit of an off-spin from the Yaya (African PotY) thread. He's got very big boots to fill so while he's away, who should be covering his role?

Will it be Milner, Garcia, Nasri, Rodwell or do we go with a different set-up and bring the likes of Scott Sinclair in?

I don't think that anyone can "replace" Yaya in all his aspects. He is a one off ! So any and all of the above can replace him in part depending on who we play and whether we are playing home or away and how each match progresses.
Obviously Mancini will have to change the formation to compensate for Yaya's absence. It's something that we'll have to live with for 4-5 weeks.

[Mark Garrett]

So Yaya and Kolo leave after the Watford FA Cup game for the African Cup of Nations.

Assuming Ivory Coast get through the group and eventually reach the final, then that is 10 February 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20085024

The games they miss are:

Arsenal (a)
Fulham (h)
QPR (a)
Liverpool (h)
Southampton (a)
Plus any FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. If we progress, they would also miss 4th Round.

Obviously Arsenal away represents the most challenging of those fixtures.

As for replacements, there is no direct replacement but in terms of central midfielders we need Rodwell to either sort his fitness out for then or invest in another central midfielder - which we perhaps need to anyway. Milner and Barry are the key components though as they were last season when Yaya was away, alongside De Jong who we no longer have and is injured for the rest of the season at Milan, before anyone thinks we should buy him back.

Garcia needs to progress and adapt to the league but if he can build on last week's encouraging performance at Newcastle then that would be of great benefit to us.

[Green & Blue]

He's a difficult man to replace.I would hope to see Milner get the opportunity to play regularly.

My major concern is that Garcia will get the knod and from what i have seen so far i don't believe that bodes well fo us.

[aaron bond]

Milner, for me, should start every week anyway, regardless of whether Yaya is here or not (providing Milner is fit!). He has been excellent when he has played this season, and offers far more to us than Nasri.

Milner was also excellent last year when he was in the team until about January when Mancini stopped playing him for no apparent reason.

Hopefully he can stay fit for a while and have a good run in the side.

[Beefymcfc]

So Yay and Kolo leave after the Watford FA Cup game for the African Cup of Nations.

Assuming Ivory Coast get through the group and eventually reach the final, then that is 10 February 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20085024

The games they miss are:

Arsenal (a)
Fulham (h)
QPR (a)
Liverpool (h)
Southampton (a)
Plus any FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. If we progress, they would also miss 4th Round.

Obviously Arsenal away represents the most challenging of those fixtures.

As for replacements, there is no direct replacement but in terms of central midfielders we need Rodwell to either sort his fitness out for then or invest in another central midfielder - which we perhaps need to anyway. Milner and Barry are the key components though as they were last season when Yaya was away, alongside De Jong who we no longer have and is injured for the rest of the season at Milan, before anyone thinks we should buy him back.

Garcia needs to progress and adapt to the league but if he can build on last week's encouraging performance at Newcastle then that would be of great benefit to us.

I'm never convinced of us winning every game but I'd be very weary of a few of them. Arsenal as you say, along with QPR away (not knowing how 'Arry gets them playing) and Liverpool at home.

Would we be able to bring somebody in, of real quality, with them knowing they'd be on the bench when Yaya returns, I'm not sure?

[Dameerto]

Jack the Rod.
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/20 ... -interview

[Beefymcfc]

Jack the Rod.
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/20 ... -interview

Can't we not grow him a new hamstring?

[Mark Garrett]

Beefy - I would agree there are no easy fixtures but as a group of fixtures for him to be missing it could have been a lot worse. Last season we had to go to Everton and play a Tottenham side who were in-form at Eastlands whilst Yaya was away, not to mention three cup-ties and a tricky trip to Wigan in the league.

As for a signing, could do worse than look for Pizarro on loan again! It is difficult, just that Rodwell is so injury prone, Garcia is trying to adapt to the league and so that leaves Milner and Barry. Yes Nasri could play there, but his work-rate would need to increase 50% if he was to play there, so I just think we look a bit short.

Obviously if Rodwell can stay fit for a run of games then happy days but history would suggest otherwise of that happening both here at City and when he was at Everton.

[MilnersJaw]

Not a fan of jack, seems to have been bought for the sake of it and has given away goals or had hardly any touches in the games he has played. Hopefully milner will get the nod when he's injury free

[Beefymcfc]

Pizarro would probably be a good call as he knows the set-up but I can't see Fiorentina lending him to us just so we've got cover.

I think we've got enough in the squad to cover but it will all depend on fitness. We've also got Razak who's had first team football with us. Whether that's enough when we need to be catching up with United, I'm not sure.