…can use to gather momentum OR will a [predicted] change in personnel, tonight, perhaps disrupt us a little as we look to stabilise ourselves?
There’s no doubting that we’ve not exactly looked our-previous selves in recent games from the side who looked so-very assured and deadly in our play during a fabulous run of victories from early November to mid-January. That being said, we’ve actually not been playing too badly at all, in my opinion; still pressing the opposition very well as well as defending okay, for the most part, too (we still have the best defensive record in the league).
But you’d have to have LARGE blue-tinted glasses on not to see that we have looked a little ‘off colour’ in some respect during a…blip period? where we’ve drawn 1 and lost 1 in our last 5 league outings. Certainly, for me at least, previously in-form players such as Joao Cancelo & Rodri have looked ‘off the boil’ and I am struggling to understand why in-form Riyad Mahrez has not been starting recently.
Chuck into the mix the fact that I’ve noticed our passing has been a little off too, even from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, and it almost sounds like a mini-crisis that we’re experiencing!
But I stop WELL short of some of the panic that I’ve both heard and heard about from some City fans; even though I can half-understand it with-having Liverpool ‘breathing down our necks’ once more.
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| Weston Homes Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me, blog wise was our home game against Spurs: 10/11).
It’s worth noting that our second team played away last night (0-0 was the result) and a good number of players who have seen themselves in & around the first team were in the starting 11. I have no idea how many minutes of ‘the 90’ each of those players played as yet / as I type this and, therefore, there is some considerable doubt as to whether any of them will be involved in the first team squad tonight and, if so, whether they’ll be on the bench or will be asked to start another game in 24-hours.
Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
_____________________Jesus____________________
Grealish_________________________________Mahrez
__________Gundogan___________McAtee__________
___________________Fernandinho_________________
Zinchenko________________________________Walker
_____________Ake______________Stones___________
_____________________Ederson___________________
Subs: Carson, Slicker, Cancelo, Dias, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Silva, Sterling.
Will Pep go with back-up keeper number 3 or 4? I’m going to say, no – Ederson will be a surprise / not-so-surprise inclusion tonight.
An almost completely changed back-4 from our last outing, with only John keeping his place but moving to his more familiar central role. Joining the England international is Oleksandr, Nathan & Kyle, with the latter keen, I’m sure, to put a in a good performance in an effort to get his regular place back; a situation not helped by the fact that he’s still to miss 2 more Champions League fixtures due to being found guilty of violent conduct. I get the feeling that he’s being punished by both UEFA and, in some ways a little, by his manager, following the on-the-field incident in December 2021…
Official Club Captain, Fernandinho, is highly likely to get the defensive midfield job, with a 4-man, attacking midfield ahead of him that looks like Jack, Ilkay, James, who MIGHT be asked to start this one despite playing last night, and Riyad.
And although he’s versatile and will likely interchange, drop deep and go wide; I think we can officially state that we’ll be deploying a striker later on today and that’ll be in the form of Brazilian, Gabriel.
Scott, who may have fancied himself as a starter in Cambridgeshire, is one of two reserve keepers; the other being Cieran, who also featured in last night’s game. Joao & Ruben are the only two defenders on the side; Rodders, Kevin, Phil, Bernardo & Raheem are the midfielders / wingers / attackers in ‘the 9’ (5 subs still allowed in this competition at the moment, as far as I know / understand it at least).
Youth players who may have-otherwise featured – and still could, of course – but I’m guessing won’t, include:
- Kayky
- Liam Delap, who I’m predicting will-definitely not be risked as he is eased back into action following a long injury layoff.
It’s worth noting that exciting prospect, Samuel Edozie, was welcomed back last night after a long absence also following a serious leg injury.
Notable absences:
- Zack Steffen – Still out injured and it’s now been confirmed by our boss that the American is out with a shoulder injury and not, as I suspected it to be at least, a continuation / flare up of a recent back issue.
- Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.
- Aymeric Laporte – Not selected / rested / protected.
- Cole Palmer – STILL no update about the 19-year-old attacking midfielder after his excellent game in the last round of this competition and subsequent foot injury following that fixture. It’s been nearly 2 months now, which suggests to me that the injury is quite serious. I don’t recall seeing him hobbling off when he was substituted on 86 minutes in the match and I wish some journalist would make some enquiries as to the extent of the issue; as I see him as an important asset in ‘the run in’.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result?
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| To me, to you... |
Now I’m not for one second referring to either of these managers as the Chuckle Brothers but, instead, I’m making the reference to how often this football club has employed, parted company with and then re-employed each fella. Unbelievable!
- Darren Ferguson: January 2007 to November 2009
- Darren Ferguson: January 2011 to February 2015
- Grant McCann: (Caretaker Manager) 2015
- Grant McCann: May 2016 to February 2018
- Darren Ferguson: January 2019 to February 2022
- Grant McCann: February 2022 to present…
I mean…WHAT THE HELL?!
I think it’s worth a mention that former Manchester City player, David Oldfield, managed to get 2 separate spells in charge as Caretaker Manager amongst those periods; where he has a record of: Played 2, Won 2. 👍
Our hosts currently sit bottom of the Championship with just 5 wins from 33; drawing 6, losing a whopping 22, scoring just 24 times and conceding 66, which is one less than Reading at least!
As they sit 8 points adrift of safety and with a far worse goal difference, albeit with a game in hand over the team just out of the bottom 3 (Reading again); I think the F.A. Cup is a distraction they could well do without really, apart from being given a financial boost of course.
There are cup upsets…and there are CUP UPSETS. This one would be absolutely enormous, should it happen.
I just can’t see it myself – it’s a City win for me.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: N/A
Result: N/A
Expected weather conditions during the game: A bit mirky and there might be a little drizzle in the air for the 7:15pm KO (GMT). 6C is the official temperature but that could feel considerable colder with a fairly brisk, north easterly breeze blowing across a ground with low roofs and open corners.
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| Solidarity |
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