Manchester City v Newcastle United
Monday 19th August 2013
8pm KO Live on Sky Sports 1HD
Referee: Andre Marriner
Oh, competitive domestic football how I have missed you. This summer has felt ridiculously long with a lack of an international tournament to subject football widows to and, with City jetting to all corners of the globe for pre-season, it has felt more than the three months it has actually been since the capitulation at home to Norwich in May.
New Manager
So despite the press reporting that Pellegrini was hanging on for the Barcelona job he was finally appointed with the aim of playing a more attractive style, win every single competition and as he’s nicknamed ‘the engineer’ will probably don his hard hat and oversee the expansion of the South Stand. The detractors will be the first to point out that despite the signing of Kaka, Benzema and Ronaldo he failed to win La Liga rather than the club record 96 points they acquired to finish second to one of the greatest Barcelona teams in the history of the game. Although he may not have won anything in La Liga the fact that he not only took Villarreal to the Champions League and lead them to within a penalty kick of the final is up there just ahead of his ability to turn Diego Forlan, Juan Riquelme and Marco Senna into top class players.
Pre-Season
A long for the days of away days at Port Vale and Tranmere if for nothing more than to be able to run your eyes over the team the trips to South Africa and Hong Kong told us very little about the team and what we could expect this season. However it was Germany where we really raised expectations as against AC Milan we were simply sublime for 30 minutes with quite simply some of the best football I have ever seen. The next night with more of a second string we withstood heavy pressure to the point of frustration and hit them clinically on the break with a terrific goal from Negredo. The ludicrous penalty decision was just a reminder that its rude to win someone else’s tournament.
New Signings
Just for a change City were ruthless and efficient in the transfer window, reminding us that when City do a deal they do it immediately, catching the press off guard and sending a real statement of intent.
Fernandinho
The man I can’t but help to call Gelson Fernandinho as he reminds me so much of Gelson in his build, the snipers have told us that we’ve overpaid for him, like that would question his quality, but from what we’ve seen so far is that we’ve got a mobile and technically gifted footballer with the ability to go from box to box.
Jesus Navas
Personally this is the most exciting transfer of the window as we’ve finally added some much needed width and pace to the line up. I saw him in the Confederations Cup and the ease with which he beat his man over and over to put a cross in means that our frontline may actually receive some service this year.
Alvaro Negredo
Another Seville man who looks similar ilk to Dzeko, unfortunately another man I’ve seen very little of but if the way he skinned Javi Martinez in the Audi Cup final is what we can expect than we should be in for an exciting season.
Stevan Jovetic
Another creative addition to the attacking line up and sure to create competition for Nasri and Silva to put pressure on their places. Showed some real class touches in the Adui Cup.
Starting Line up
We are a bit thin on the ground defence wise with Nastasic injured and the departures of Kolo Toure and Maicon. We are a little thin on the ground at the back so the back five will probably pick itself with Hart, Clichy, Lescott and Kompany being four of the back five. The only question mark will be who is selected at right back now that Micah Richards is fit again and whether he will go with the attacking option or a defensive option. Zabaleta is as solid as ever but Micah was impressive in pre-season.
In midfield will depend on whether we field one striker or two but I imagine it will be Fernandinho and Yaya with Silva, Nasri and Jesus Navas playing into either Dzeko or Negredo. If they go two up front then I imagine it will be Nasri who makes way for Nergredo. What will be interesting is where Gareth Barry and James Milner fit into the new team, GB has featured little in pre-season and rumours persist of a move.
Opposition
Newcastle have had an interesting summer with the re-appointment of Joe Kinnear as director of football as something that smacks so much of jobs for the boys its untrue. Unfortunately it seems as the man has been gagged in recent weeks as the increasingly delusional tales he’s told the media threaten to de-rail Newcastle.
Transfer wise the only player they have brought in is Loic Remy who’s joined on loan from QPR which means he’ll be familiar with a club in crisis.
Prediction
Every side who is expected to be up and around has won over the weekend, it’s a little early to start worrying about other results, so a victory tonight would be good for some early momentum. The way we can play we know that we can go out and make a real statement of intent.
3-0
A massive thanks to Bobby Brows of www.mancityfans.net for writing yet another quality match preview