…one half against Liverpool, like we have failed to do in our last four outings, then we’ll get buried this afternoon (4:30pm KO GMT).
A look back at the Spurs’ game…
I’m not currently covering midweek games and just felt the need to get off my chest another unnecessary disappointment from our team last Sunday.
“…as we’ve seen all too often, one half performance was better than the other; with us being wasteful and just not killing the opposition off with an extra goal once again”. Quote: Blue Chews-daze - 1st February 2026.
Those weren’t my words following our trip to Tottenham but rather post Galatasaray / pre-Spurs, but they could easily have been written also after our trip to North London.
Even Pep admitted after last weekend’s game that for 20 minutes, or even more on occasions, after the break we generally struggle to have the same sort of control as we often have in the first half of matches. The Catalonian born manager suggested that if a first half has gone well, it’s questionable as to whether you, as the manger, make changes. In other words, it isn’t broken so there’s nothing to fix at that moment in time.
Fair enough, in some ways, but I want to flip that on it’s head.
If it’s gone well for us in the first half then that must mean that it’s not gone all that well for the opposition. Therefore, Pep surely has to expect that his opposite number might change things at half time and, therefore, HE has to be ready from the very first second to see those alterations…and act on ‘em before it’s too late. Have a readymade Plan B and Plan C but put one of them into effect sooner rather than later if the opposing team has been successfully tweaked; something he all too often fails to do in my opinion.
🤔 Yes…I’m actually questioning Guardiola’s ability to sometimes observe and then react accordingly in good time.
Could I suggest that this is part of the problem whenever we find ourselves in a position where, yeah okay, things don’t necessarily need changing - or changing much - during the interval if it's gone swimmingly well in the first 45; but that we then appear to carry on regardless of the opposition’s changes and don’t react until it’s too late? Sound familiar, Blues?
We simply can’t afford to do that this afternoon.
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Since that visit to the country’s capital, there’s was Newcastle at home last Wednesday, where we secured another trip to Wembley. 👏👏👏👏…
Some excellent pressing and build up play saw us 3-0 up at half time; 5-0 on aggregate. However, not wishing to pour cold water on the night nor the achievement, it could easily have been 3-2 or even 3-3 at half time (well done James Trafford!) and the second half was far less convincing once again. 🙄
Suicidal defending by us at times and, once more, a number of really good opportunities to score more goals wasted, although their keeper deserves some credit too for saves later on in the match.
I understand that we didn’t need to ‘bust a gut’ in the second half against Newcastle and risk injuries ahead of a very important league fixture, such as today’s, but I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that all of our goals in the last four games have come in the first half, and that we’ve drawn a blank in each of those matches following the half-time break.
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I say again, we can’t keep doing these things at both ends of the pitch, especially against better opposition.
v Liverpool
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| Anfield |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog wise, was our 2-2 draw at Tottenham: 10/11).
A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Haaland(VC)__________________
__Marmoush__________________________Samenyo__
_______________________________Cherki__________
__________Gonzalez_____________________________
_____________________Rodri(C)___________________
O’Reilly___________________________________Nunes
____________Ake_________________Guehi__________
__________________Donnarumma__________________
Subs: Trafford, Ait-Nouri, Lewis, Alleyne, Dias, Khusanov, Foden, Reijnders and McAidoo.
Gigi continues in goal and is in terrific form at the moment.
I’m going for a back-4 of Nico-O-, Nathan, Marc and Matheus.
With Barnardo a doubt, at Anfield and with our defence not quite how our manager would like, I can honestly see Guardiola pitching both Rodders and Nico-G- in the middle; possibly as a ‘twin pivot’ ahead of the defence but with licence for Gonzalez to bomb forward on occasions.
Ahead of that pairing would be three midfielders / wingers with instructions to attack-attack-attack all in support of Erling up front.
James, who had a good night himself last Wednesday, continues as reserve keeper; Rayan-A-, Rico, Max, Ruben and Abdukodir make up FIVE defenders on the side; with the ability to deploy Rayan on the left-wing if required and shift Matheus further forward also with the right substitutions. Phil, Tijjani and Ryan complete ‘the 9’ in the form of replacement midfielders and wide men.
Notable absences:
- Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.
- John Stones – Back in training following a thigh injury that he received two months ago. 👍🤞
- Josko Gvardiol – Out with a fractured tibia, for which he has had surgery. On 23rd January, we were informed that it will be at least 2 more months before the Croatian international might be ready to return, which takes him up to the end of March.
- Bernardo Silva – Although nothing was confirmed in Friday’s pre-match press conference other than the Portuguese international was to be assessed in training on Saturday; I’m guessing that a hamstring issue, albeit possibly a minor one, which only occurred about a week ago, won’t be risked in a game where high intensity is likely needed.
- Mateo Kovacic – There’s been no update on Mateo’s condition for a good while now but it was expected that the Croatian international midfielder would be back sometime in the month of February. Unless we are surprised with some news in the next week or so, I’m guessing that the soon-to-be 32-year-old is behind schedule with his recovery.
- Jeremy Doku – Out with another unspecified leg injury. On 30th January we were told that the Belgian international will be out for around 2 weeks, which gives him a chance of being in contention next weekend.
- Savinho – Out with an unspecified leg injury. It was said on 7th January that it will be 6 to 8-weeks before we could see the Brazilian international winger back in contention to be part of a matchday squad. On 23rd January, we were given an update and that was that the young Brazilian had started back with some light training / running the day before (Thursday 22nd January).
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Yeah, I’d definitely go with that.
Result?
😒🚫💪
I’ve already said that if we don’t show up in one half at Anfield then we’ll get buried but, equally, I keep hearing and reading the same words from different City fans and it’s something I both don’t like but, sadly, agree with for the most part. This team doesn’t seem to have much fight in it a lot of the time. I’ve heard some frustrated City fans say, “NO fight”. 😟
Last season I mentioned how lightweight we were in midfield – all too easily ‘muscled off’ and bypassed in the centre. We improved that situation slightly by getting cover for the long-term-injured, Rodri, in the form of Nico Gonzalez in January 2025 but Tijjani Reijnders certainly wasn’t brough in for his robustness the following summer.
And, of course, Matteo Kovacic has been out for ages with both an Achillies tendon injury and, later, ankle calcification issues. I doubt we’ll see much of him this season if ever again in a City shirt, following the 2026 summer transfer window.
But I do know what those City fans mean – when was the last time you saw us go nose to nose with a team that was really ‘up for it’, and / or, how often do we outfight a side; one of those chest-thumping performances that has you, the City fan, bristling with pride at the end of an enthralling clash? For the most part these days, we simply don’t. Instead, we tiptoe around the opposition hoping to eventually wear ‘em down…or hypnotise ‘em.
Now, that’s all well and good when we’re completely outclassing our opponents but for a long while now, on and off at least, we’re no longer completely outclassing a lot of sides, are we? That’s brings me to this afternoon.
Do we expect this Manchester City side to outclass our Liverpudlian hosts? If I was asked that question I think my answer would be, maybe in small, 10-minute spells but that’ll be about all we can expect in such a fixture and venue.
So what else can we rely on?
Well…steel and fight would be my suggestion. Do you, a Manchester City, believe that this current team has enough steel and fight within them should it become necessary?
Are we capable or grabbing a point at Anfield? Yeah, I’d say that if we have a very good game we are. Do I think we will? Well it’s a no from me, I’m sorry to say, and that’s despite our hosts’ indifferent season so far.
I just can’t see us getting anything today, it pains me to admit, as I go with my gut feeling and call this one a win for Liverpool. 🙁
Fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed that I’m wrong, of course, but I wasn’t last time. And it would be a shame because after a wobbly period, Arsenal have hit a three-game winning run in all competitions; Aston Villa keep failing to nudge past us but, worst still, THEY are now somehow right on our heals. 😲
C’mon Blues – prove me wrong! 💪
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: Lose
Result: Lost
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: Sunshine and showers all morning and throughout the afternoon turns into just showers as the sun disappears for the night. On the bright side, after a freezin’ cold week it’s a bit milder for the game at around 7 or 8C. 🧥🌦️🥧🍺⚽
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| Solidarity |
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