Next: Hull (Away)

[AG7]

Hull City v Manchester City
KC Stadium, Hull

Saturday 15 March 2014
Kickoff: 1245 GMT

Referee: Lee Mason
Assistants : A Halliday & A Holmes
Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor

TV Coverage in UK: BT Sports 1 HD (Sky 413) and BT Sports 1 (Sky 426)
Coverage starts at 1200 GMT
--

Is it the end of a bad week ... or is it about to get worse?

Well, no one can fault going out to Barca in Champions League but the game two days prior to that, a home loss to Wigan still hurts and is the reason why all of a sudden the Quadruple chase is down to a Double ... and something that will surely add pressure on us now (given that the first Cup that we have already bagged is the smallest of the four pots).

No one (at least not us here) started the Quadruple talk (yes, secretly we all wished for it to come true ... but then who wishes their team to lose any game or competition, hunh?) We have kind of handed Arsenal the FA Cup on a platter (whether they can take it is still to be seen) ... and now the Premier League is in the same situation ... only we can gift it to Chelsea, its all in our hands ... just!
--

The Opposition

Well, they are are headed to Wembley in the FA Cup semi final and we are not ... enough said. This is kind of a reflection of the recent forms of the two teams as well. Hull has been pretty good lately. When they were promoted, it was widely regarded that Cardiff might be the promoted team that'll do well in the Premier League and Hull won't ... but it's been an opposite of that exactly. Hull are not only pretty safe in the PL but also find themselves going to Wembley in a semi-final (against a League 1 side, so very likely they'll find themselves playing the final as well ... in fact, they are our only hope here if Arsenal are to go trophy-less again) ...

They have been hard to beat at home, have taken big scalps (like Liverpool) and have held some others to draws (incl. Spurs) ... and their win on the last weekend in the FA Cup QF will surely lift them up ... they'll be well up for it ... question is, will we be up for it after two straight losses and two cup exists in the last two games?

It's not just the last two losses that worry me ... it's now 4 in last 8, and that includes a draw as well. Our recent form reads: LDWLWWLL ... plus getting out of two competitions will take its own toll on the minds.
--

Team Selection

Squad rotation will be minimal from here on in ... with all else over and done, it's just the twelve league games left now ... so Panti can start packing his bags, and so can Richards, Rodwell and Lescott ... yes, Lescott too ... last night's showing will see the ponytail gladiator back at the back ... whether we like it or not.

We will still see some rotation of strikers and midfield players shuffled depending on who we are playing and when we have to play midweek as well, to get those three pending games in ... (off the top of my head I can think of playing the Scum away and Arsenal away in the same week etc.) ... but largely expect Hart, Komps, Zaba, Kola, Yaya and Ferdy to feature regularly here on in ...

Silva was taken off, Navas played only a little and Nasri played full ... should also be reflected in the team selection on Saturday ...

Aguero is a concern right now ... and we can safely assume won't be involved against Hull (even if nothing is wrong with him and just as a precaution). And since it will still be a 4-4-2 (I am pretty sure), both the Beast and Dzonkey will start up front.
--

Starting XI Prediction

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Navas - Ferdy - Yaya - Silva
Dzeko - Negredo
--

Score Prediction

I will take 1-0 wins for the remaining 12 games please ... forget breaking goal scoring records, forget paying the champagne football ... just give me a run of good 7-8 wins on the trot here on in and then we'll see towards the end how Chelsea has coped with our run ... My prediction however for this game is that it will be a tight and close game ... we will win (more hope and wish than confidence to be frank) but won't be keeping a clean sheet either so:

Hull City 1 - The City 2
--

Other Games

Big premier league weekend for the TV companies ... we kick off first on BT Sport (Saturday lunchtime game), then everyone else (bottom half of the table mostly) play at Saturday 3pm ... and finally the big boys are all on TV again. Chelsea takes on Villa (away) in Saturday evening game on Sky ... kind of a game where they should drop points. I am hoping if not all three, they drop at least two here ... Sky's Super Sunday then sees Scum host Liverpool followed by the North London derby (Spurs hosting Arsenal) ... Here's hoping that we do the business on Saturday and take care of all three points ... then Villa rally at home and send Chelsea boys back with nothing and on Sunday, Scum can take some points and hold Liverpool back (with the 7th spot likely gone for Europa, if we really want Scum tied on Thursday nights next season, then they probably need to finish 6th and that means they need to win here), although I don't really care what either of Scum or Liverpool do ... and then on to the North London derby, I guess keeping Arsenal interested in the league would be better given they might take the FA Cup Semi (against Wigan) lightly, but if they are out of the league soon, then that (FA Cup) is all they'll be left with to fight for and I really don't want them winning a pot ...

Seriously ... Chelsea: Premier League winners, Arsenal: FA Cup Winners and City: League Cup ... is NOT the way I want this season to end ... so C'mon City ... let's sort this!

Sunday is my birthday ... so here, let me share my birthday wish with you all: May our this Saturday's fixture also be the season opener (Community Shield) next season :)

[RodneyRodney]

Any promising kids we can give a run up front ? Cole perhaps ? Kun needs a complete rest and Dzeko / Beast short of goals recently - Beast especially doesn't even look like scoring last few games. Time for a change ? Lopes / Pozo / Ideas ?

[Sideshow Bob]

pretty deflated after last night. finding it hard to get excited about this one, and i suspect the players may feel the same, unfortunately.

[sheblue]

we just need the three points. the details dont matter just need to win.

[CuteMancs]

Enjoyed reading that, wel done :)

I agree that its all about the points now, and it doesnt matter how we get them. No matter how exhausted the players are I hope they are hyped up by the thought that we are now only in one competition - they know what it means to everyone to win it.

Happy Birthday AG, I really hope you have an early celebration on Saturday night

[Goaters 103]

On Saturday we will find out a lot about the character and heart of this squad.

Its been a shite week - we pissed away one game we plainly had no business losing, and then lost to a team we weren't going to beat anyway.

Time to man up, show up, show some bollocks and dig out a result. I don't care how its achieved, I don't care who plays to achieve it so long as we get it. We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and show some bloody fight.

[AG7]

Enjoyed reading that, wel done :)

I agree that its all about the points now, and it doesnt matter how we get them. No matter how exhausted the players are I hope they are hyped up by the thought that we are now only in one competition - they know what it means to everyone to win it.

Happy Birthday AG, I really hope you have an early celebration on Saturday night

Cheers mate, I hope so too ... it's a test of character of the squad this Saturday ...

They'd only be coming back today to Manchester then tomorrow they'd be travelling to Hull as Sat its early kick off (I don't like these early games on Sat) ... or does anyone know if they've just gone straight to Hull from Barcelona today and tomorrow will just train there instead of travelling today and then traveling tomorrow again? Or are they just travelling early on game day itself?

[South Stand Balti]

I believe Demichelis will play and would have done if Lescott was MOM against Barca. Dzeko and the Beast is not effective but MP will play them. I would sooner have one up front with Yaya just behind. This may be a stupid question but will Jovetic appear again this season? He did claim he may be ready for Barca

[nottsblue]

Interesting comments by Vinny after game last night.

He said they had given everything in the tank and when asked if it would affect league form he catagorically said no, if anything the Barca defeat will spur them on.

This now is one of those must win games. Like the next half dozen. Any win will do and it will help that Hull are in semi as they will have one eye on that.

City to win 2-0

[tc6828]

Interesting comments by Vinny after game last night.

He said they had given everything in the tank and when asked if it would affect league form he catagorically said no, if anything the Barca defeat will spur them on.

This now is one of those must win games. Like the next half dozen. Any win will do and it will help that Hull are in semi as they will have one eye on that.

City to win 2-0

Its funny how the press put their own spin on Vinny's comments as they interpret that as we will now fail miserably against Hull, whilst we all knew he meant they tried their hardest for 90 mins. Tossers the lot of them.

[phips]

Hart
Zaba VK Demich Clichy
Garcia Fern
Navas Yaya
Dzeko Negredo


i know there will be rotation but i dont know if we'll see that. Silva and Nasri could use a rest.
obviously this is a must win so we should bring those guys on in the 2nd half to close it out.

[Goaters 103]

Hart
Zaba VK Demich Clichy
Garcia Fern
Navas Yaya
Dzeko Negredo

i know there will be rotation but i dont know if we'll see that. Silva and Nasri could use a rest.
obviously this is a must win so we should bring those guys on in the 2nd half to close it out.

Pick that team and we'd get beat. Zero creativity there without Nasri and Silva.

[Hazy2]

5 in Midfield and forget using Negredo, he is on current form not worthy of a shirt. Cardiff type home fans will be 100mph, we need the 1st goal or the season and Pellers will be bang in the shit. We need a win.

[Ted Hughes]

5 in Midfield and forget using Negredo, he is on current form not worthy of a shirt. Cardiff type home fans will be 100mph, we need the 1st goal or the season and Pellers will be bang in the shit. We need a win.

Bigger game than the Cup final for me this one.

If we lose or draw this, & Liverpool win at the Swamp, they are easily Chelsea's main contenders, not us.

Win it & I think we are right back on course for the title.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

We have to get a result plain and simple and how we do it is of no importance.A disgusting display and a one nil win would be fine.Not convinced we have that in us though.

[Moonchesteri]

5 in Midfield and forget using Negredo, he is on current form not worthy of a shirt. Cardiff type home fans will be 100mph, we need the 1st goal or the season and Pellers will be bang in the shit. We need a win.

I'd do that. Deffo the way to start tomorrow imo. Bring on Neggers later if we need more firepower

HUGE game for us now

[South Stand Balti]

5 in Midfield and forget using Negredo, he is on current form not worthy of a shirt. Cardiff type home fans will be 100mph, we need the 1st goal or the season and Pellers will be bang in the shit. We need a win.

Yes I'm completely with that. 5 in midfield.
Presser - Jovetic Nastasic and Richards injured. City playing Villa 7th May. Potentially good news- depending on scan results Aguero will be out for more than a week but maybe not too long according to MP

[Tokyo Blue]

Apparently it is 105 years since we won there. But of course we have got no history.

[Ted Hughes]

5 in Midfield and forget using Negredo, he is on current form not worthy of a shirt. Cardiff type home fans will be 100mph, we need the 1st goal or the season and Pellers will be bang in the shit. We need a win.

Yes I'm completely with that. 5 in midfield.
Presser - Jovetic Nastasic and Richards injured. City playing Villa 7th May. Potentially good news- depending on scan results Aguero will be out for more than a week but maybe not too long according to MP

Villa May 7th Sunderland April 16th.

So after the Liverpool game, on 13th April we have:

April:
16th Sunderland H
21st West Brom H
27th Palace A
May:
3rd Everton A
7th Villa H
11th West Ham H
18 points to play for.

As I've said before; it's quite likely Everton & West Ham's seasons have already been decided by then. That doesn't mean they are easy games, but we have seen in recent years the difference between going to Goodison mid season, & going there in the sunshine when they have nothing to play for. It could also be that Palace's fate has been decided by then too.

If we are still within touching distance of Chelsea. after that Liverpool game, I think we are placed perfectly. If both City & Liverpool are still in touch with Chelsea at that time, they may just fuck up the Swansea game that day. They have done it before, with better sides than this one.

The next few weeks may well decide the title, even if it doesn't appear so at the time.

[mancitymark]

I honestly think we will lose 2-0

Don't think we have the team mentality to raise ourselves and I see our season drifting away , don't think we will finish 3rd.

Now Augero is out for a while and probably holding himself back for the World Cup if/when he does return I just don't see where the goals are going to come from. Dzeko and the Beast look like shadows of the players they once were.

Hull with Elephant man will be really up for this and I don't see us coping.