Every cloud has a Silva lining…unfortunately

Actually I’m not too down about David Silva being added to our list of injuries (mostly defenders). It doesn’t sounds too bad and I’d rather him miss (the cloggers?) of Stoke away and have him rested for a possible return in the Derby on Sunday 22nd September. Clichy too gets added to the ‘sick list’ but, like David; it doesn’t sound too bad.

So many options!

Struggling for midfield and attacking options is just not going to be an issue for us this season, not unless flu hits the whole Club and, in particular, the first team. So many options, in fact, I could drive myself nuts putting ‘on paper’ the possibilities for our trip to the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.

I’ll simply say this; across the middle away at Stoke we could go more solid and stick Milner and Rodwell in there somewhere to protect the back 4 a little…or we could simply give Stoke something additional to worry about and go for an attacking 5 across the middle in support of 1 striker in the form of Nasri, Fernandinho, Toure, Navas and Jovetic (as a deep-lying attacking midfielder/forward). With other personnel and formations I just could just go on and on and on…

And who do we play up front?

 

Alvaro Negredo

Sergio Aguero

 

Edin Dzeko

I’ve got a feeling Negredo will get a start today but I’m just not sure whether he will be alone or will partner Aguero in a 4-4-2. It’s not that I think Dzeko will be dropped for his inconsistent performances in the short season so far; rather Edin may not fair too well against a big, strong, brutal and often mean (at home) Stoke defence.

But, as I say…SO many options!

Result?

Well we all know we never do too well there and although most Stoke fans appear to be welcoming their team’s change to better ‘on the floor’ play that Mark Hughes appears to have brought to the Club; that change might just work in our favour today. I’m going for a fairly comfortable win.

Looking forward

“Looking forward” is actually an interesting phrase for me to use when we look at our next league game after our trip to The Potteries. I’m not dismissing the Champions League game away at Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday 17^th September but it does rather sit in the shadow of the Derby just 5 days later.

“Looking forward” to Derbies isn’t something my work colleague and LONG-standing Manchester City fan does whatsoever – he positively hates them in fact!

I have another City-fan mate too who doesn’t much care for them either and I can fully appreciate that sentiment very much indeed. They’re not my favourite games either to be honest. I certainly don’t fear or loath them and I certainly never go as far as not watching a game; whether that be at the Etihad or on TV. But there is a certain negativity, hostility and anxiety that does tend to ruin a good (or otherwise) game of football.

Strangely – as much as I’ll get my (clenched) teeth into the game against Manyoo and scream my head off; urging the lads to play ‘them’ off the park and, hopefully, out of sight – I’m looking forward to the Wigan Athletic game in the League Cup just 48 hours later. BEING, as it is, just 48 hours later; I’m looking forward to the inclusion of some of our fringe players [as ‘first teamers’ will be rested I’m sure].

Pantilimon will surely get a run out and I’m guessing Zabaleta will get a rest; allowing Richards to gain some vital fitness. Rodwell too should get a start and I’m looking forward to see him prove that all his hard work is finally paying off – he looked sharp at the back-end of last season for both the EDS and first team. Milner too will be hopeful of a showing against the Championship team from the East Lancs.

Boyata should get the nod and if he doesn’t get much of a go in the next 3 fixtures, Steven Jovetic might just get his first start. Lopes too might even get a go!

John Guidetti

Stevan Jovetic

But I’m really keen and will be interested to see if John Guidetti will get his first start. City deflected a late, summer-transfer bid from Trabzonspor for the Swede and I just hope that it was because Pellegrini is willing to give him his chance…and not because John has broken down again and they want to assess more worrying fitness/injury issues.

I wonder whether, if Kompany does miss the Derby, they’ll ease him back in with this home game against lower-league opposition?

So I will do a projected starting 11 for the Wigan game (rather than the many, MANY possibilities we could go for at The Britannia Stadium).

v Wigan Athletic:

4-4-2:

________________Guidetti__________

_________Jovetic__________________

 

 

Nasri______________________Milner

_________Lopes__________________

________________Rodwell_________

 

Kolarov__Boyata__Kompany__Richards

 

 

____________Pantilimon____________

 

Probably won’t look anything like…  J