A Spurs side away…

 …that appears to have finally found some form is, for us and our record there, a daunting-sounding prospect.

There’s a blog announcement at the end of this piece.

v Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Haaland____________________

 

 

Marmoush_________________________________Doku

___________Grealish____________Foden___________

 

____________________Gonzalez___________________

Gvardiol_______________________________Khusanov

_____________Ake_______________Dias____________

 

 

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Ortega, Lewis, Reis, Kovacic, Gundogan, McAtee, Silva, De Bruyne and Savinho.

Ederson retains the gloves.

My predicted back-4 is Josko, Nathan, Ruben and Abdukodir, despite Rico Lewis being selected last time out and had one of his better games in an otherwise below-par season.

Nico just ahead of those and slightly more advanced, I’m actually suggesting that Pep might give Jack a rare go in central midfield alongside Phil. Either side of those I’m going for Omar and Jeremy to ‘get the nod’.

Erling might not even make the bench but although Guardiola wanted to watch one more training session before making any final decisions, he did sound quite optimistic and, therefore, I’m actually sticking him in the starting 11. 🤷‍♂️

Stefan continues to provide keeper insurance; Rico and Vitor are two very young defenders on the side. Mateo, Ilkay, James, Bernardo and Kevin are five back-up midfielders in ‘the 9’ who are all 30+ years of age aside from James, while Savinho provides an attacking wing change-option.

Notable absences:

-       John Stones – Out with a thigh injury for 8 to 10 weeks.

-       Manuel Akanji – Possibly out for the rest of the season after badly damaging his abductor muscle, for which he had surgery on 15^th February. Best case scenario is that he could be back around the end of April / beginning of May.

-       Rodri – Out for the season with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury. Surgery was completed months ago and the slow road to recovery continues.

-       Matheus Nunes – Not selected.

-       Oscar Bobb – Struggling with niggles, mainly in the ankle and metatarsal areas, as he makes his long comeback from a fractured leg that he suffered last August. In an update on 25^th February, his manager informed us that after speaking with the club doctors he was feeling much better. It is hoped that the Norwegian international will be involved in the final part of the season which, of course, isn’t that far away now.

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

Should our manager go with it and the introduction of Jack in central midfield works then yeah, why not?

Result?

I’ve said that our hosts have found some form and that’s true in the league, at least. They were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions in the space of three days but it didn’t stop them from winning three, back-to-back Premier League outings and in those three matches they even managed to arrest a season-long problem of conceding too many goals; managing two clean sheets and conceding just one in that little run.

Of course we City fans know what a torrid time we’ve had at the still-new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but we did manage a win in our last away fixture of the campaign last season; a victory that helped us secure another league title.

And as a certain ‘doom and gloom’ feeling still swirls around in the air from a lot of City fans, do you know what? I don’t know about you, the reader, but I thought we played quite well against Liverpool last Sunday…it’s just that they were – and are – a much better side than we are at the moment.

We all know our problems now – we’ve got a defence that needs an overhaul in the summer; Kevin has lost his powers, Bernardo too in some ways and why Phil continues to be a shadow of himself from last season I think only the player himself knows. That’s basically the whole of our attacking, central midfield I’ve mentioned there!

But I thought Khusanov had a good game, we definitely look better for having Gonzalez in the side and even when they’re not producing ‘end product’; a lively Doku and Savinho definitely keep the opposition very busy. Marmoush too has added extra pace and threat to our attack.

It’s been a short, partial winter rebuild and one that should have started last summer AT LEAST but there are positive signs to grasp a hold of there.

And if you want another slice of midweek positivity before tonight’s game; we may have lost at the weekend but aside from a Newcastle win, there were defeats for Forest, Bournemouth and Chelsea in the pursuit for a top-4 (or 5) finish. Last night was good for us too, with only Chelsea gaining three points while Villa and Bournemouth (again) both lost. We need to take advantage of these priceless gifts…

Of course this one is going to be tough, it always is. I predicted a draw last Sunday and we lost. I’m predicting a draw once more for this game…🤞

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:

Prediction: Win

Result: Won

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a soggy day in the region, the weather dries up for the 7:30pm (GMT) kick-off. With the pitch nicely watered prior to the match, we’re left with a light westerly breeze and a rather chilly temperature of around 6C, which will feel more like 3C so wrapping-up warm would-be good advice. 🧥🧣☕🥧🍺⚽

From around early March to the end of the season, I may not be able to produce the odd pre-match blog posting due to new time constraints. This will be especially so should we have any midweek fixtures (I’ve haven’t looked ahead but, of course, dates can change depending team involvement in cup competitions).

Now that we’re no longer participating in a European competition, we may well only be playing at the weekends and, if so, I should be okay to continue to deliver my words of City wisdom, such as they are 😁.

I just wanted to mention it now just in case.

 

Solidarity

Predictions v Liverpool

Not long back from a week’s holiday so straight to it…

v Liverpool

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog wise, was WAY back during our F.A. Cup clash at Leyton Orient: 7/11).

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Marmoush____________________

 

 

Savinho______________________________________Silva

__________De Bruyne____________Foden_____________

 

_____________________Gonzalez____________________

Gvardiol_________________________________Khusanov

______________Ake_______________Dias_____________

 

 

_____________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Ortega, Lewis, Reis, Kovacic, Gundogan, McAtee, Grealish, Doku and Haaland.

Ederson in goal.

A back four of Josko, Nathan, Ruben and Abdukodir.

Nico in the holding midfield position and I’m going for an advanced four of Savinho, Kevin, Phil and Bernardo all ahead of the Spaniard.

With some doubts and late fitness tests still to be made on Erling Haaland following Pep’s pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, I’m going for Omar to take up the ‘number 9’ position later today.

Stefan is reserve stopper; Rico and Vitor provide defensive cover. Mateo, Ilkay and James are three midfielders on the side; Jack and Jeremy make up two wide options from ‘the 9’ and Erling may, at least, be fit enough to give us a change of striker option.

Notable absences:

-       John Stones – Out with a thigh injury that might require surgery. Should he need to ‘go under the knife’, that could well be his season over.

-       Manuel Akanji – Possibly out for the rest of the season after badly damaging his abductor muscle, for which he had surgery on 15^th February. Best case scenario is that he could be back around the end of April / beginning of May.

-       Rodri – Out for the season with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury. Surgery was completed months ago and the slow road to recovery continues.

-       Matheus Nunes – Even with four players definitely out injured, it leaves us with ten players vying for nine places on the bench. My guess is that it’ll be Matheus who misses out.

-       Oscar Bobb – Struggling with both ankle and fitness issues as he makes his long comeback from a fractured leg that he suffered last August.

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

Yeah.

I mean, there’s a good argument to suggest that our midfield workhorse, Bernardo Silva, would suit us better in the middle instead of Kevin De Bruyne and that putting Jeremy Doku on the opposite flank to Savinho would really stretch Liverpool and provide extra crossing ammo for Omar Marmoush. I’d go with that too, no problem.

However, at home and having been rested for a full-12 days; if Kevin can bring something close to his ‘A game’ then that could cause our visitors a lot of issues too and I can see Pep thinking that way as well.

Result?

There are so many reasons to give this one to the Merseyside reds. An attacking threat that has scored 62 league goals in 26 games against a side who has been self-destructing at the back for most of the season is one obvious suggestion. Less injuries and a younger, sharper team generally would be another one to chuck into the mix, I would say. It’s gonna be a tough afternoon for sure.

But at home, with a bit more muscle and security in midfield through recent signing Nico Gonzalez and with the attacking threat we carry; I can genuinely see us having a chance of getting something from this one.

We’re still filling defensive holes with players who will be playing out of position but as we’ve seen in recent weeks, Liverpool too haven’t exactly been rock solid at the back either; shipping in 6 goals in their last 4 outings (a 1-0 defeat, a 2-2 draw, a 2-1 win and another 2-2 draw).

I’m going for an entertaining score draw this afternoon…and I’ll definitely take that during this difficult run of fixtures.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:

Prediction: Win

Result: Drew

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: Wet ‘n’ windy to say the least. Although the VERY strong, gusty winds will start to ease a little just before the 4:30pm kick off, we’re still left with a stiff, southerly breeze and, as I say, continued wet stuff. 11C is the official temperature with a ‘feels like’ of 9. 🌧🌬🧥🧣🥧☕🍺⚽

Solidarity