This is where it’s time for REAL heroes and players
with hunger stand up and make it count. As
for the fans, it’s another finger-chewing weekend in prospect…
Sorry for the delay…
Just a quick apology – I would normally like to get a
pre-match blog-posting on a couple of days before a game; at least one day
before at the very latest. Simply put, I’ve just not quite had the time
at home (I must join the 21st
Centaury and invest in a laptop device in order to do stuff when I’m not at
home…)
There was also no pre-match press conference released up
to me leaving home for work on Friday, which makes any pre-match personnel &
formation difficult to predict [with no news of who’s fit and who’s not].
I also now appear to have caught the
dreaded lurgy that’s been going around for weeks – I can’t speak too well and
have a rasping cough that, I’m sure, next door can feel through the foundations
of the adjoining house!
Be mindful of THEM or play to OUR strengths?
 |
| Goodison |
That’s often the dilemma for a any manager, especially when
playing a team which has obvious strengths that have proven affective time and
time again throughout the season. Manyoo
recently visited Goodison Park and I’ve since heard a dozen
or so reds bemoan how the now-departed David Moyes
just didn’t set his side up with the right personnel to cope with the attacking
full-back qualities of both Leighton Baines and
Seamus Coleman.
But although I’m sure Manuel Pellegrini will be fully ‘clued up’ and completely aware of just where
and how Everton can damage us; it’s just not in
his nature to be overly focused on the opposition in a way that shapes
his entire team selection. Instead, Manuel will be looking at how WE can damage
THEM – dare I say an old Manyoo attitude
of ‘let them worry about us’; let’s be a goal-threat to them first and
foremost…
However, for a bit of “fun”,
let’s first just see how we COULD set up this evening if Manuel suddenly got an
attack of cautiousness.
4-4-2…with a twist:
____________________Dzeko__________
__________Aguero___________________
________________Hart________________
Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Garcia, Fernandinho, Nasri, Jovetic, Negredo.
Huh…to be honest, that’s pretty potent! For starters that’s
probably the strongest defensive back-4 line-up we could possibly pitch.
And - and here’s the
key - slightly advanced attacking wing-backs sitting ahead of Clichy &
Zabaleta in the form of Kolarov and Milner. Plenty of overlapping, plenty of
strength in defensive duties but with the added fluidity and attacking support
when required also.
Lying slightly ahead of those would be the fully supportive
[in attack] David Silva and Yaya Toure, with the most likely pairing of
Sergio and Edin up front.
Okay, so perhaps the middle of midfield is a little soft in
terms of defensive qualities but, as I say, Kolarov and Milner would be quite
fluid in this set up and would 'nip in' and help to 'break up'. And, crucially, this
would certainly be a set up that would put them on the back foot in many ways.
But I very much doubt
‘The Engineer’ will go for anything like this, so let’s get on with my
predicted line-up for tonight’s truly monstrous fixture…
4-4-2…with NO twist:
____________________Dzeko__________
__________Aguero___________________
Nasri_______________Toure_______Silva
________Fernandinho_________________
Clichy__Demichelis___Kompany__Zabaleta
________________Hart________________
Subs: Pantilimon,
Kolarov, Lescott, Garcia, Milner, Jovetic,
Negredo.
Hart, Demichelis, Kompany and Zabaleta of course. Although I
was wrong in predicting Clichy starting instead of Kolarov away at Palace last weekend I think he’ll go for the more defensive qualities of the Frenchman on
this occasion.
Navas is the only injury
[with Nastasic only training with the squad throughout
the week but not yet fit to take part] and so with the (surprise?) inclusion of David Silva; I’ve gone for him to start in
a ‘middle 4’ that’s about as strong as it gets too.
Aguero and Dzeko to ‘carry on’ up front.
Strong bench too – cover in most positions with an
impressive duo who would make most Premier League
team’s starting line-up in Jovetic and Negredo.
Result? We’re not
only looking VERY strong personnel-wise but we have our tails well ‘n’ truly up
now; not to mention having the biggest incentive to go out and ‘own’ this game.
As for Everton? Still a danger of course but as well as
‘wobbling’ of late; they have injuries to key players in all departments.
Even a weakened Toffees side will be a threat – and they have a canny young manager in Roberto Martinez – but this one is all 3-points
to City!
Rather than ‘settee & beer’ I rather think this one will
be ‘bed & cough medicine’ for me this evening. A win, though, would be a
huge tonic…and I might just then attempt
to celebrate with something stronger than a cough bottle…
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