Blown away! Let’s do likewise to Chelsea.

Double layers on, soup flask filled, rucksack packed. We had the radio & TV on and I was phoning City’s automated line every 10 minutes or so. All indications were that the Sunderland game was on and so we set off in the car…and got 4 streets away before turning back. The radio EVENTUALLY informed us that the game had been called off; Kompany’s own Tweet confirmed it seconds later. Just glad I hadn’t travelled from Sunderland…

Two ways of looking at it

It was APPALLING conditions; the worse winds I’d experienced since my hill / mountain walking days...

 

I said to my wife at 5:15pm that they’d be crazy to let the game go ahead – why DID they leave it until 6:40pm? I have a work colleague whose husband works at Manchester City and although the roofs of the stands are designed to ‘flex’ and move to some degree; apparently the roof of the East stand was being lifted a whole 6-feet during the extraordinary gusts of winds!

The already-bleak prognosis that I’ve heard from both football pundits and Manyoo fans alike simply goes like this, “Oh they’ll be a fixture pile-up for Manchester City now!”

Frazer - We're doomed!

Really? A one-game rearrangement? Huh…they must be more confident than I am of winning over the 2 legs against Barcelona and progressing, therefore, still fighting on 3 fronts come March / April…

Me? I just see it as some relief really; even a well-timed break! Firstly, the extra rest ahead of another tough clash against Chelsea this evening (I don’t believe Jose one bit when he ‘bleats on’ about leaving so many of his star players out for this one). Secondly, hopefully whenever the rearranged Sunderland game is played we’ll have a fully fit squad to choose from – bad news for them more like…

What’s not to be positive about this postponement?

V Chelsea

I’m not going to change it TOO much from the prediction that I made ahead of the postponed Sunderland fixture and so here goes…

Formation: 4-1-4-1 / 4-1-3-2

 

_______________Dzeko_______________

 

 
______________Jovetic________________

 

Silva___________Toure___________Navas

 

 

_______________Garcia________________

Kolarov__Demichelis___Kompany___Zabaleta

 

 

_________________Hart_________________

 

Subs: Pantilimon, Clichy, Richards, Lescott, Milner, Nasri, Negredo.

From the cancelled midweek fixture those who I think will remain the same are…

Hart, Kolarov, Kompany, Zabaleta, Silva, Toure, Navas, Jovetic & Dzeko.

Those who are in / out from that predicted line-up & subs are…

Lescott drops to the bench for Demichelis; Garcia comes in for Milner (who drops to the bench and replaces Lopes who doesn’t now get in the squad of 18), and Rodwell also loses his place in the squad to the returning Nasri, who might get some kind of run-out depending on how the game is running. Samir MIGHT actually start but I’m guessing not.

Fresher in the mind after the Norwich game might have been the (not-so-good) performance of Demichelis. But now? Well having “experienced” Chelsea recently – and being played in his stronger position tonight – I think he’ll stick with Martin at the back [as opposed to switching to Lescott].

Although just returning from injury; I think he’ll go for Garcia ahead of the slightly more attack-minded Milner. This decision may also ‘unleash’ Yaya a little more to maraud forward from time to time.

I still think he’ll start with Jovetic & Dzeko, although I do this by assuming that Negredo might still be recovering from that now frustrating, very niggley and somewhat lengthy shoulder injury.

I’ll repeat what I said ahead of the Norwich game; the attacking combo of Silva, Yaya, Navas and Jovetic behind a striker SOUNDS like an exciting and effective force. It didn’t work at Carrow Road; hopefully it will at home this evening.

Result? A City win.

Transfer rumours linger after the window closes…

Although we’re now at a level where, of course, we’re naturally going to be linked with almost everyone under the sun, I didn’t think I’d be paying any attention to it so soon after the January transfer window closed. But a couple of things caught my eye enough stare at them a little longer.

Sky Sports claim that Argentinean side Racing Club have stated that they have agreed a deal to sell Bruno Zuculini to us in the summer. Never heard of him; can’t say I know how Racing’s Interim President Victor Blanco normally conducts his business but it does seem to be getting some serious coverage from a lot of sources.

And the bizarre Fernando / Porto story just won’t…go…away! Apparently, having…apparently…signed a new contract with the Portuguese side to 2017, he STILL might be moving to the Premier League and, possibly, Manchester City! Why would we want to sign a player for X-million when we could have got him for nothing not long beforehand?! Oh hang on, Atlético Madrid / Martin Demichelis springs to mind…

Stadium expansion plans approved

Great news. Not sure how long the work will take to complete; I’m guessing that both the North (Family) & South Stands stands will be open for the start of the 2015/2016 season.

I think all I’ll say on this is that we will, I’m sure, not quite fill the whole stadium for Premier League games week in & week out at first. But, as with everything connected with Manchester City F.C., our owners are thinking ‘long term’ and if our ‘upwards curve’ continues; I’ve absolutely no doubt that we’ll fill the 62,000+ stadium for most league games in about 6 to 8 years time.

 

 

The empire grows…