vs 
[/center][center]Manchester City vs Newcastle United
Etihad Stadium
Saturday, 30th March Kick Off: 15:00
Referee: Neil Swarbrick[/center]
It may be controversial but if international football were to be binned tomorrow I wouldn’t be worried in the slightest. However some countries take great pride in their national football teams and you can see how much the side means to them as well as to the players. Perhaps it should just be England that gives up the game. With nothing to do on Tuesday night I watched England play Montenegro. Not only was there a distinct lack of passion, there was also a lack of actual footballing ability and a manager who gives the impression he doesn’t know what day of the week it is. With England heavily under the cosh and in need of somebody to keep hold of the ball he looked to the bench and summoned Ashley Young, I’m still trying to work out what he was hoping would happen. Mr Hodgson like all those before him insists on filling his side with Rags and other media darlings who just don’t have what it takes. Gerrard continues to be selected and doesn’t disappoint whacking aimless 40 yard Hollywood passes and getting praise from all quarters. Glen Johnson continues to steal a living as a footballer and I would love someone to explain just what Tom Cleverley does on a pitch. Lescott was left out of the initial squad as he hadn’t played enough football for City (he’s played three times since February) whilst Chris Smalling was included despite playing only once since January. The only positive I was able to draw from the experience was that none of the City players picked up any injuries. On that note, the main farce of international football is the power of the national FA’s to do exactly as they please with players whose wages they don’t pay. We saw recently Aguero fly half way round the world whilst not fit only to be declared not fit and have to fly back. This time it was Belgium and Kompany. Having missed two months of football for his employers I’m sure Mancini would have liked to ease him back into the side, maybe with a turnout for the reserves for 45 minutes. Instead he was sent out for a full 90 minutes for his country. Its utter madness when a player hasn’t played for so long for his club and then is used for a full 90 for his country, it doesn’t matter to Wilmots and Belgium if Kompany has overplayed and suffers a breakdown of his injury, they don’t have another game at the weekend and Mancini was rightly furious about the situation.
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[center]Fellaini pulls out a stunning save from just inside the area.[/center]
[center]Last Match[/center]
Everton at Goodison...... A nightmare every single season, as usual Everton saved their best display of the season for us. I used to have a lot of time for Everton, I felt a slight affinity to them as they were so like us, no money, no prospects and overshadowed by their neighbours, then things changed. Rather than seeing our rise and being happy for us we seem to have become public enemy number one at Goodison. Jealousy is a terrible trait and that’s the only reason I can see that they dislike us so much. Scenes of jubilation at the final whistle would have been more appropriate had that win taken them to Wembley for an FA cup semi-final and a shot at some silverware, sadly for the bitter twisted lot they couldn’t raise themselves to the occasion against Wigan like they do for us and dreams of silverware are gone again. City did nothing to help themselves with their own performance being completely lacklustre and totally lacking in backbone, although that was somewhat understandable given the personnel missing. Mancini set out with a 3-5-2 formation and was castigated for it by fans and pundits alike claiming that 3-5-2 doesn’t work. I don’t understand this view; Italy made it to the finals at Euro 2012 often playing a 3-5-2 so it does work, the problem lies in the execution. For whatever reason some of City’s players have failed to adapt to the new playing style, this leads to a bit of a problem as we have seen on several occasions this year. It’s difficult to decide where the blame for the formation failing to deliver should lie. Managing seasoned professional footballers, Mancini is within his rights to expect them to be flexible in their ability to play in different positions and to different styles, however having seen some struggle to adapt he surely has to take the decision that the personnel available cannot do what he is asking and adapt accordingly. Still City might have nicked a point had Lee Probert not been a total bottler and made the worst decision of the season so far.
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[/center][center]Sergio ready and raring to go.[/center]
[center]City[/center]
With a number of key personnel returning from injury Mancini should have one or two selection decisions to make this weekend. Joe Hart will be in net, and Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy are likely to continue at fullback with Micah Richards probably needing to work up some match fitness before becoming a starting option. At centre back Nastasic is likely to continue and will hopefully be joined by returning captain Kompany providing he is fully fit, if not Kolo Toure is likely to be the stand in. Further forward selection looks a little trickier. I believe Mancini will go with one upfront and start Tevez with Aguero a likely candidate for a late run out to build up some sharpness. Behind Tevez I think we will see a five man midfield with Yaya in his advanced role, Silva and Milner the wide men in the formation and Gareth Barry and Javi Garcia holding the middle of the pitch.
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[/center][center]Newcastle’s Training Ground[/center]
[center]Newcastle[/center]
The Newcastle squad is looking rather depleted at the moment. Physio Room has nine injuries in total and a number are to Pardews key personnel. Tim Krul, Davide Santon, Debuchy, Coloccini, Tiote and Hatem Biscuit Legs are all unavailable. Rob Elliot is likely to continue in net with Steven Taylor and Yanga-Mbiwa at centre back. Fullback looks a little more difficult to predict. James Perch has often been the man to fill in when there have been injuries so he should start, with the other place going to one from, James Tavernier, Vunron Anita or Dan Gosling. In midfield the impressive looking Moussa Sissoko is likely to be partnered by Yohan Cabaye with Gutierrez and Marveaux on the flanks. Up front Papiss Cisse is likely to be accompanied by new recruit Yoan Gouffran.
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[/center]Lineups according to the Guardian
[center]Prediction[/center]
Going for 3 – 0 to City here, I think that the side will want to put aside that poor performance against Everton with a good result and Newcastle may have one eye on their Europa League tie on Thursday.
