…another opportunity for humiliation? It’s an away fixture to a lower league club in the F.A. Cup. 🍌
That was ‘orrible last Sunday…
Terrible passing, appalling decision making and, just generally, so many awful individual errors and performances from our players last Sunday. And to think, at one stage we looked to have stemmed the Arsenal tide and even took control for a period of time early in the second half before we imploded…again!
But in the end, worst still, for me least, was watching our side UTTERLY torn apart in the final 20-25 minutes – it was like watching City of old under our current manager; the way we used to toy with the opposition to the point of it being almost embarrassing. Ole! Ole! Ole!
I mean, I’ve watched City for over 40 years and I was very accustom to a hammering on quite a regular basis. Well, having not been used to that feeling for some considerable time it really stung me last weekend the way Arsenal looked far stronger, sharper, quicker and WAY more assured.
After a period where we appeared to have steadied the ship in terms of results, as I begin to put this piece together ‘the morning after’ (personal therapy) it felt like we’d hit an iceberg and what makes me shiver is the fixture list ahead from now until 8th March; all seven fixtures included. Look ‘em up… 😨
At least we’ve since signed someone, in Nico Gonzalez, who looks like he’ll add some robustness to our midfield core. 🤞
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| Gaughan Group Stadium (Brisbane Road) |
For all sorts of reasons and not just because it’s the 4th-round of the F.A. Cup against lower league opposition, there are plenty of choices (and ‘motives for’) our manager could make for this fixture and, therefore, plenty of room for error in my predicted 11 and subs.
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:
___________________Marmoush___________________
Savinho____________________________________Doku
________Grealish_______________McAtee__________
___________________Gonzalez____________________
Gvardiol___________________________________Lewis
___________Akanji_____________Khusanov_________
____________________Ortega____________________
Subs: Ederson, Reis, Stones, Kovacic, Gundogan, Foden, Nunes, Silva and Haaland.
Stefan in goal for this one, despite being one of the players who didn’t exactly cover himself in glory last Sunday.
A back-4 I’m going for Josko, Manuel, Abdukodir and Rico, who was-apparently the subject of a late bid from Chelsea last Monday.
Nico to start? I’m saying, “Why not?”…and I think he’ll get the nod from his manager to make his Manchester City debut right from the very start.
Ahead of our new and latest signing I’m thinking Savinho, Jack, in a more central role, James could get a very, very rare start and although Jeremy is in a similar position to both Nathan and Ruben in that he’s been out (again) for almost 3 weeks; reading Pep’s mind as the subject came up yesterday, I just get the feeling that the Belgium international could return and start this afternoon.
Omar in his more-central position of main striker today.
Is Ederson back fit after a small issue last weekend? There was no mention of him in the pre-match press conference and so I’m just guessing that he’s back to provide keeper insurance in a few hours’ time. Vitor and John are two defenders on the side; Mateo, Ilkay, Phil, Matheus and Bernardo make up five very, very experienced midfielders in ‘the 9’ waiting for their turn. Erling is back-up striker today, although he could be rested / protected completely to make way for Divin Mubama, I suppose.
Notable absences:
- Nathan Ake – Close to a return and Pep said yesterday that there’s a chance Nathan could play a part this afternoon. I’m guessing that, ahead of a very tough six-game period starting with Real Madrid on Tuesday night, we won’t be seeing the Dutch international in the squad today.
- Ruben Dias – For Ruben, read Nathan.
- Rodri – Out for the season with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury. Surgery was completed months ago and the slow road to recovery continues.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Rested / protected.
- Oscar Bobb – For Oscar, read Nathan also.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Yep.
Result?
A quick reminder for fans about to watch this one: There is no V.A.R. today, as it now doesn’t come in until the 5th round; something Leicester City were ruing last night…
Our East London hosts’ first third of the season most certainly contained a mixed bag of results – win, draw, lose, repeat was their tune from the start of the season until around the end of November.
December was most definitely their turnaround month and they’ve carried that steady, positive form right up to this weekend…well, aside from their last game which ended in a 0-1 home defeat to in-form, 4th-place Stockport County. Other than that, W W W D W W W W W D D L W W L looks bloody good since landing on the supercharged springboard in the month of Christmas.
From my brief research earlier in the week, ‘The O’s’ don’t necessarily have a standout goalscorer or an assist king so having scored 40-league goals in 28-league encounters this campaign, I have to assume that they carry several goal threats throughout their side. Defence wise they look very solid, it has to be said. 28 league games played, as I’ve mentioned; just 25 conceded. Oh for a record like that for us, once again…
In this competition, they beat Oldham Athletic at home 2-1 in the 2nd round and after ending their 3rd-round match at home to Derby County 1-1, Orient won that one 6-5 on penalties to set up this 4th-round fixture.
As for us, a rare full week off has helped ease the physical aches and strains but an extra day’s rest which their manager allowed before training resumed might have given some of our players more time to reflect on and ‘stew over’ last weekend’s performance and result. Still, it’s good to see a much-fuller squad now with more lining up on the verge of a return.
Will our hosts score? Well, with home advantage and with us-possibly fielding a debutant defensive midfielder and possibly a very young defender with just 50-odd minutes of play in a City shirt under his belt then, yeah; that is a distinct possibility.
But whether they do or they don’t, I think we’ll have too much for ‘em over ‘the 90’. It’s a City win for me.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: N/A
Result: N/A
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| Solidarity |
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