Predictions v Spurs

Following yesterday’s ‘technical issues’ announcement I managed to temporarily fix some of the issues. Both of my devices will be going into A&E sometime this week but I would hope to have them back in plenty of time before the Chelsea F.A. Cup fixture. 

 

Brief one then, is this one…

v Tottenham Hotspur

Predicted line-up, subs & outcome…

4-5-1:

____________________Aguero____________________

___Sterling______________________________Silva___

_____________________Toure_____________________

___________________________Fernandinho_________

_____________Fernando__________________________

Clichy______Kompany_______Otamendi_____Zabaleta

______________________Hart_____________________

Subs: Caballero, Kolarov, Demichelis, Bytyqi, Barker, Celina, Iheanacho.

Decimated…utterly decimated! I’ve said it before (several times) and SINCE I last said it, it’s gotten much worse. This is – without doubt – ‘the’ worst season I have ever known for injuries in the 30+ years I have been following Manchester City.

Right…

Joe in net before he steps aside for Willy for 2 out of the next 3 fixtures; as we then embark on a cup run of F.A. Cup, Champions League and then a League Cup final (got our tickets last week).

A back-line that is likely to include one MASSIVE return from injury (I just pray that he can not only last more than 9 minutes this time but can stay fit for the remainder of the season…as obvious as that plea might sound). And so joining Vinny is likely to be Gael, Nicholas & Pablo.

Huh…and now we come onto the midfield / wing department – an area of the team that literally picks itself. Why? Because they are the only 5, remaining first-team midfielders / wingers fit to take part in a football match! Fernando & Fernandinho (I hope) to be the slightly-deeper ‘grafters’ in there; Yaya (I hope) to form an attacking trio with Raheem & David.

Ahead of them is the Premier League & Etihad ‘Player of the Month’ for January, Sergio Aguero; who we all hope can continue his goal-scoring run not just ‘in general’ but also against a side he seems to enjoy playing against.

It’s a bench packed with youngsters, including a good bunch of EDS players. The experience all comes at the back and in the form of Willy, Aleks & Martin; the midfielders / wings / forwards are all 18 & 19 in the form of Sinan, Brandon, Bersant & Kelechi.

(Other EDS players could be chosen instead in the form of box-to-box youngster Rodney Kongolo, livewire Aleix Garcia or the classy Manu Garcia, although I do recall that Manu himself has only just returned from injury).

Notable absences: Here we go…

• Eliaquim Mangala – out for another 2 to 3 weeks as announced on (from) 05.02.2016
• Bacary Sagna – out for about 2 weeks as announced on (from) 12.02.2016
• Kevin De Bruyne – out for 2-½ months as announced on (from) 28.01.2016
• Fabian Delph – out for 6 to 7 weeks as announced on (from) 12.02.2016
• Samir Nasri – out for 4 to 5 months as announced on (from) 19.11.2015
• Jesus Navas – out for 3 to 4 weeks as announced on (from) 05.02.2016
• Wilfried Bony – Unknown return date at this time…

Do I agree with Pellegrini’s (predicted) line-up?

Absolutely on this occasion – there’s very little choice!

Result? In my last piece I stated how gutted I was after the way we set-up, played and were completely OUTplayed against Leicester City. I suggested that it might take me until the following Tuesday to get over both such a huge blow and insipid display. In truth, I was coming out of that particular darkness on Monday afternoon…that was until a few blokes ‘down the pub’ then wanted to talk to me about it. Every word spoken hurt…

I don’t think I even looked at the Premier League table until about Thursday and looking at my own ‘prediction table’, I had gone form a pre-season prediction of a home win for this one and must have decided (at some point that I can’t recall) to a pre-match prediction of a draw.

I’m changing it again…

Despite the devastating list of injuries, I’m hoping the players & management team are hurting just as much as I (and indeed we as City fans are in general) following that title-challenge blow last weekend. We’ve had over a week’s rest, our ‘skip’ might be back and I’m looking for a ‘reaction’. There’s also, should they be needed / used, the ‘surprise factor’ in our attacking youth threat, which could take the Londoners by surprise.

Spurs are a very good outfit, with good / dangerous players and coached by a good manager. And they’re in a decent moment too with a fairly consistent run of positive results. It’ll be a close one but if Vinny DOES start, DOES last and the rest CAN ‘react’ as I would hope…then I’m going for a very much needed home win in the cold, evening, February air of Manchester.