Next: Arsenal (Away)

[Slim]

Assuming that Silva plays (Peller said he is in the "squad") then i can't see any reason not start with the same 11 that dealt with the rags.

If he goes 4-4-2 then Kolarov instead of Clichy and i think we need to see Negredo up along side Dzeko too, sonner or later the Beast needs to find his form again. I know it's not the ideal pairing but i believe it is a better offering than having Jovetic in the mix at this stage.

Whatever happens i don't want a repeat of two years ago (almost to the day) where they snuck a late goal against us to take the 3 points :-(

That said, this time around i don't see it happening with their depleted squad and with us hopefully continuing to remember where the onion bag is.

I am also glad that they have played Hull since their arse kicking of last weekend, if they had it in them they would properly bounced back against Hull, but they didn't

Luckily they didn't play Swansea, might have ended 2-2.

[CTID Hants]

Assuming that Silva plays (Peller said he is in the "squad") then i can't see any reason not start with the same 11 that dealt with the rags.

If he goes 4-4-2 then Kolarov instead of Clichy and i think we need to see Negredo up along side Dzeko too, sonner or later the Beast needs to find his form again. I know it's not the ideal pairing but i believe it is a better offering than having Jovetic in the mix at this stage.

Whatever happens i don't want a repeat of two years ago (almost to the day) where they snuck a late goal against us to take the 3 points :-(

That said, this time around i don't see it happening with their depleted squad and with us hopefully continuing to remember where the onion bag is.

I am also glad that they have played Hull since their arse kicking of last weekend, if they had it in them they would properly bounced back against Hull, but they didn't

Luckily they didn't play Swansea, might have ended 2-2.

Ha Ha Slim good spot, i knew it was some other mid table team, the point still stands....

[City64]

Cut the flannel .......

Win at the Emirates and we are in the driving seat with huge momentum , COME ON CITY !!!

[patrickblue]

Assuming that Silva plays (Peller said he is in the "squad") then i can't see any reason not start with the same 11 that dealt with the rags.

If he goes 4-4-2 then Kolarov instead of Clichy and i think we need to see Negredo up along side Dzeko too, sonner or later the Beast needs to find his form again. I know it's not the ideal pairing but i believe it is a better offering than having Jovetic in the mix at this stage.

Whatever happens i don't want a repeat of two years ago (almost to the day) where they snuck a late goal against us to take the 3 points :-(

That said, this time around i don't see it happening with their depleted squad and with us hopefully continuing to remember where the onion bag is.

I am also glad that they have played Hull since their arse kicking of last weekend, if they had it in them they would properly bounced back against Hull, but they didn't

Luckily they didn't play Swansea, might have ended 2-2.

Ha Ha Slim good spot, i knew it was some other mid table team, the point still stands....

Lucky it wasn't the scum. Arse would have got three points and a vastly improved goal difference.

[CTID Hants]

Lucky it wasn't the scum. Arse would have got three points and a vastly improved goal difference.

;-)

[Saul Goodman]

I think the squad that played vs United ahould start, but with Kolarov instead of Clichy as Pelle will rotate. Milner has to be on the bench as RB cover.

I don't think 2 up top is optimal vs Arsenal as Chelsea destroyed Arsenal's midfield with a 5 man..even before the sending off

[Beefymcfc]

I'm quietly confident about this one. Shhhhhhhhhhh.

[Twobob]

I think the squad that played vs United ahould start, but with Kolarov instead of Clichy as Pelle will rotate. Milner has to be on the bench as RB cover. I don't think 2 up top is optimal vs Arsenal as Chelsea destroyed Arsenal's midfield with a 5 man..even before the sending off

The 5 man midfield is working well for us so far and give us so much flexibility to change around players too. I'd prefer Cliche to Kola vs the Arse personally as he's better defensively.

[CTID Hants]

The 5 man midfield is working well for us so far and give us so much flexibility to change around players too. I'd prefer Cliche to Kola vs the Arse personally as he's better defensively.

Mentioned it earlier... 5 man midfield = Clichy & I agree 5 man MF, but IF he does go 4-4-2, which I doubt, then Kolarov would be better.

Personally I would love to see the 5 MF as I believe that both Nasri and Clichy will be more than comfortable now playing at the Emirates, no longer a point to prove, they've both moved on mentally.

[South Stand Balti]

The 5 man midfield is working well for us so far and give us so much flexibility to change around players too. I'd prefer Cliche to Kola vs the Arse personally as he's better defensively.

Like

[blues2win]

No Sergio to terrify Mertesacker. Oh well we'll still win.

[AG7]

If we go 4-4-2 then Kola ahead of Clichy ... and JoJo the second striker behind Dzeko ...

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Nasri - Yaya - Ferdy - Silva
Jovetic
Dzeko

If we go 4-2-3-1 then Garcia in with Ferdy and Yaya pushes up (and keeping Milner as cover for RB on bench) ...

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Clichy
Ferdy - Garcia
Nasri - Yaya - Silva
Dzeko

I don't see a third option being picked up so it'll be either/or from the above two ... and in reality whichever formation we use, we'd probably see us playing a 4-2-4 in both cases, given it'll be an open game and we will push then all the time.

[littlebig]

I think the squad that played vs United ahould start, but with Kolarov instead of Clichy as Pelle will rotate. Milner has to be on the bench as RB cover. I don't think 2 up top is optimal vs Arsenal as Chelsea destroyed Arsenal's midfield with a 5 man..even before the sending off

The 5 man midfield is working well for us so far and give us so much flexibility to change around players too. I'd prefer Cliche to Kola vs the Arse personally as he's better defensively.

Agree with all the above. We're going nicely at the moment so no need to tinker too much, Dzeko up front and Yaya, Silva, Nasri running on should be enough to pose them lots of questions.

Also, we're picking up form nicely which makes this game big in terms of increasing momentum for the run in. Heating up.

[phips]

If we go 4-2-3-1 then Garcia in with Ferdy and Yaya pushes up (and keeping Milner as cover for RB on bench) ...

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Clichy
Ferdy - Garcia
Nasri - Yaya - Silva
Dzeko

I don't see a third option being picked up so it'll be either/or from the above two ... and in reality whichever formation we use, we'd probably see us playing a 4-2-4 in both cases, given it'll be an open game and we will push then all the time.

i dont think the 3 CM players will play together..that was special for Barca. itll be a 4-2-3-1 and prob the United lineup

[Cit.revenge]

Today is the day ,slightly-nervous, is Silva fine ?!And Aguero , is it fit at list for 15 min?! I would love Pelle to let Yaya up front with whoever to roam up front.He is amazing player but he really don't like to defend. Against rags he was half running firs period of game and rags did not use that i m afraid Arsenal can and will. Also think Milner would be better today on wing because hes better defensively then .But i expect to see something like this today-
Hart
Zabba Kompany Demi Clichy(Kolarov)
Milner Yaya Ferna Nasri
Silva
Edin (Negredo)

[Cit.revenge]

If we go 4-4-2 then Kola ahead of Clichy ... and JoJo the second striker behind Dzeko ...

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Nasri - Yaya - Ferdy - Silva
Jovetic
Dzeko

If we go 4-2-3-1 then Garcia in with Ferdy and Yaya pushes up (and keeping Milner as cover for RB on bench) ...

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Clichy
Ferdy - Garcia
Nasri - Yaya - Silva
Dzeko


I don't see a third option being picked up so it'll be either/or from the above two ... and in reality whichever formation we use, we'd probably see us playing a 4-2-4 in both cases, given it'll be an open game and we will push then all the time.

Yap this second one i like but it would open us for wingers so i expect Milner or Navas there i would prefer Milner for this one.

[Beefymcfc]

Now that Pellers has inadvertently fallen into a set-up that many were asking for, especially in games like this, then I think we can go on and beat any team, still playing an entertaining game.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I'm with you on this, Beefy. Liked the set-up at the Theatre of Over-Flying Aircraft and am quietly confident that we'll win this one.

[Goaters 103]

Time to man up, show up & put in another strong performance to boost our position and confidence, & also demoralise those around us at the top.

[Ted Hughes]

Without wishing to be pedantic, it's not the setup which is different; just the fact that it's David Silva who is playing there.

If you look how they are lined up from kickoff, they imediately go into a 4-2-2, with Silva/Dzeko up top.

It's the nature of Silva which dictates how he joins the midfield, but as I've mentioned previously; that would have been Isco or Jovetic.

It's not supposed to be Dzeko or Negredo with Aguero every week. Had we signed Isco, it would often have been him with one of those players & he'd drop deep & join the midfield, as would Jovetic if he was fit & playing regularly.

Having two out & out strikers in the system is just one way of doing it, not 'the' way of doing it.

Edit: just to add, we saw Nasri playing that role in some games earlier in the season, even when we had everyone fit. He moved there later in games & was excellent.