The Late One - City v Chelsea (5.30pm)

Xavi6

Could be a decent game.

From the Beeb -

Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips faces a fitness test after picking up an ankle knock against Arsenal.

Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland are rated as extremely doubful with knee injuries and Vladimir Weiss has been laid low by tonsillitis.

Salomon Kalou joins Jose Bosingwa and Alex on Chelsea's injury list after the forward suffered a thigh strain against Blackburn in the Carling Cup.

Those injuries aside, Carlo Ancelotti has a fully-fit squad.

If we lose SWP, Bellers and Superman I think we're essentially fucked.

Worst case scenario line up -

---

Given

---

Richards

---

Toure

---

Lescott

---

Bridge

---

De Jong

---

Kompany

---

---

Barry

---

Tevez

---

Robinho

---

Adebayor

---

Subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Johnson, Santa Cruz, Sylvinho, Zabaleta, A N Other

curry-muff

I fear for city, could be another embarrassment.

Daysha

Surely City have to go 4-3-3 for this one. One of their main downfalls has been Hughes persisting with 2 at the top, because with the wingers getting as far forward as they were they were just too exposed in midfield, especially when Ireland was playing deeper than normal.

mayordenis

curry-muff wrote: »

I fear for city, could be another embarrassment.

I can't see that myself.
Not sure how it's going to go, score draw, or if it goes either way it'll be close.

DazMarz

Man City's only hope is to keep Chelsea scoreless, and that they will not do. They are far too porous at the back and with Drogba and Anelka in the form they are in, to try and keep them quiet will be a Herculean effort.

Man City will have to play top drawer football to be even in with a shout tomorrow.

Chelsea are too strong in all areas for Man City.

Man City are only strong in going forward. Even if they take a lead, they will not hold it. A draw is the best result Man City could hope for here.

And I realise I'm being very confident going into this game, but form for both sides dictates I've every right to be.

2-0 Chelsea.

KittyeeTrix

Jeez, there's nothing embarrasing about being beaten by Chelsea.
8-1 against Middlesborough>>>>now, THAT was embarrasing. Unless they beat us by an extraordinary amount of goals, I wouldn't be too put out!!

Obviously, I hope we are not beaten but feeling confident and looking forward to the game.

Have to agree that we do find it damn near impossible to hold onto a lead and that is awful frustrating!!:mad:.

Please god, let me have not put a hex on the game now and get trashed by them:eek:

That_Guy

If City can frustrate Chelsea then I think City could sneak a 1-0 win.


Off Topic: Did anyone see that Man City skit on Soccer AM a few mins ago?

everdead.ie

A draw or Chelsea to edge it

Headshot

iv a feeling we'll see Ivanovic scoring today

we know city cant defend from crosses so I see chelsea getting a lot of success from that avenue unfortunately

mike65

138th draw 2-2.

Reginald P. DuM

Chelsea in a canter.. City defense very suspect, Chelsea defence anything but.

MagicMarker

That_Guy wrote: »

If City can frustrate Chelsea then I think City could sneak a 1-0 win.


Off Topic: Did anyone see that Man City skit on Soccer AM a few mins ago?

That was brilliant, can't believed I actually lol'd at something on Soccer AM.

Xavi6

01 Given
02 Richards
03 Bridge
19 Lescott
28 Toure
08 Wright-Phillips
18 Barry
34 De Jong
10 Robinho
25 Adebayor
32 Tevez

Substitutes
12 Taylor, 04 Onuoha, 05 Zabaleta, 33 Kompany, 06 Johnson, 17 Petrov, 14 Santa Cruz

No Ireland or Bellers

CantGetNoSleep

Any Chelsea team yet?

Xavi6

1 Petr Cech
2 Branislav Ivanovic
6 Ricardo Carvalho
26 John Terry ©
3 Ashley Cole
5 Michael Essien
13 Michael Ballack
8 Frank Lampard
20 Deco
39 Nicolas Anelka
11 Didier Drogba

Subs: Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Zhirkov, Mikel Obi, Malouda, Joe Cole.

Eire-Dearg

Bellamy is a huge loss, he was Citeh's best player during the week and has been up there over the last few games.

I can see this being a tough one for Chelsea but they should win it out, 1-0 or 2-1.

JPA

Chelsea 4-0.

redout

Poor aul Roque cant seem to get a game.

redout

Man City: Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, De Jong, Barry, Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Robinho, Adebayor. Subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Johnson, Santa Cruz, Petrov, Kompany.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Deco, Drogba, Anelka. Subs: Hilario, Joe Cole, Mikel, Malouda, Zhirkov, Paulo Ferreira, Belletti.

Xavi6

redout wrote: »

Poor aul Roque cant seem to get a game.

There's a reason for that

JPA

01 Given
02 Richards
03 Bridge
19 Lescott
28 Toure
08 Wright-Phillips
18 Barry
34 De Jong
10 Robinho
25 Adebayor
32 Tevez

Why does Hughes always play 4 out and out attacking players? Does it drive City fans mad? The team has no shape because of it IMO, loses the ball too much and puts a dodgy defence under a lot more pressure then it needs to be.

MagicMarker

Come on citeh!!

mike65

I love Chelsea today.

Xavi6

JPA wrote: »

Why does Hughes always play 4 out and out attacking players? Does it drive City fans mad? The team has no shape because of it IMO, loses the ball too much and puts a dodgy defence under a lot more pressure then it needs to be.

Who would you play today instead?

redout

Is Bellamy injured ?

Xavi6

redout wrote: »

Is Bellamy injured ?

Yes. Himself and Ireland have knee injuries. Weiss has tonsilitis.

JPA

Xavi6 wrote: »

Who would you play today instead?

What is the formation? I would try to get another CM in there. Even Kompany today and Ireland when fit. It's just too open.

redout

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yes. Himself and Ireland have knee injuries. Weiss has tonsilitis.

Bad form.

I cant see past a Chelsea victory to be honest. Would love for City to take something but cant see it.

Xavi6

JPA wrote: »

What is the formation? I would try to get another CM in there. Even Kompany today and Ireland when fit. It's just too open.

No idea. Likely to be a 4-4-2 with Tevez playing off Ade but could be a 4-3-3 as well.

The last couple of games have seen Ireland play in the middle but he's not fit. If you pick Kompany we'd essentially have 3 defensive midfielders in the team at home. No thanks.

Bobalicious93

Wow that was cringeworthy

wicklowdub

pretty much

redout

LoL @ Wilkens telling Ancelotti about Blue Moon

redout

Terry skinned by Tevez

Go on............

MagicMarker

Fair play Tevez, Terry was no where near that!!

RasTa

four figure payout if Chelsea win but c'mon City!

Frisbee

Can't see City winning this...

redout

Given 2 the rescue.

City defence looks muck.

Le King

Hope it's a draw!

redout

Goal.........

1 - 0

OG

MagicMarker

That was unfortunate.

PHB

That is an utterly bizzare goal, really weird.

PHB

Really gotta ask what Adebayour is even doing there.

Xavi6

Lol lovely

MagicMarker

PHB wrote: »

Really gotta ask what Adebayour is even doing there.

Player get's back on his line in defensive shocker.

Hardly his fault in fairness!!

LOL :pac:

redout

Poor aul shay does brilliant to keep it out twice and Adebayor of all people 2 yards out!

Xavi6

Funny thing is it should never have been a corner in the first place.

OPENROAD

Adebayor :D:D

Xavi6

Good last ten minutes from us.

I love De Jong.

MagicMarker

Brilliant!!!

redout

Goal.........

1 - 1

Redemption brother