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----------Given----------
-Zabba-Toure-Ned-Sylvinho-
----------De Jong----------
-Weiss---Ireland---Barry-
-----Tevez-----Bellers-----

Really do think some of our subs need a run out and get some game time under there belts.
Hope RSC plays a small part in this one.
What would your team be?

I still can't see Weiss starting ahead of Shauny.. But maybe he'll come on as a sub.

Zabba defo should play ahead of Micah in this match and maybe Sylvinho as well. Centre-back pair imo needs to play. We need them to gel as quickly as possible so no changes there.
Bellamy with his current for ís one of the first names out there and Tevez, Barry will probably play as well.
I also hope MH still has faith in Stevie who I believe also needs to know we believe he will get better again.

Moonchesteri wrote:I still can't see Weiss starting ahead of Shauny.. But maybe he'll come on as a sub.

Zabba defo should play ahead of Micah in this match and maybe Sylvinho as well. Centre-back pair imo needs to play. We need them to gel as quickly as possible so no changes there.
Bellamy with his current for ís one of the first names out there and Tevez, Barry will probably play as well.
I also hope MH still has faith in Stevie who I believe also needs to know we believe he will get better again.

Agreed.If it was a Prem game Shauny plays everytime.Just think we still have the ammo to pull off a comfortable home win.

He should pick the strongest team available and I think he will.

If everyone that played yesterday is fit I'd expect to see the same line up.

Be very surprised if Tevez plays. Didn't look fit to me & I'd imagine they'd want to rest him & get him fit for the PL now. If he doesn't play then presumably Petrov will start on the left with Bellamy CF.

Don't know what side Hodgeson will put out but Fulham are usually good in the air & we could have the same problem as we did v rags with our dwarf & non heading quota unable to match up man for man in the air if they put out their strongest team. Need to make shure we put a few in at the other end to avoid a banana skin.

Im glad weve got another game so soon the worst thing for us would be an international break.

Come on City,lift your heads up and lets get at Fulham.

lets all have a disco wrote:Im glad weve got another game so soon the worst thing for us would be an international break.

Come on City,lift your heads up and lets get at Fulham.

Agree, we are fortunate that we have a match so soon.
I also think the lads want to put this one behind them and they'll come with all guns blazing on wednesday. Fulham need to be careful or they'll be hammered!

Weiss, Zabaleta and Sylvinho will start I reckon. If Onouha is fit he too will play.

Strikers it has to be Tevez and Bellamy as they are all we've got.

Given

Zabba Onouha (Toure if Ned not fit) Lescott Sylvinho

Weiss Ireland De Jong Petrov

Tevez Bellamy

Subs - Taylor, SWP, Garrido, Richards, Barry, Santa Cruz

Barry gets a break after the internationals hes played too, Bridge too getting a break. Zabba more than deserves a chance as does Petrov.

He will play our strongest possible side, he did at Palace and he did last year in the WAFFA. His major priority is top 4 and to win a trophy and you dont often do that with reserves.

Not sure whether Tevez being unfit might actually mean he does get another game John, depends whether it's his knee still sore or just lack of match fitness.

Same 11 if all fit, though it might be Bellers and Tevez up front and 4 in midfield as it's a home game.

we should play the strongest team (maybe rest tevez though).

I worry about Bellers playing another midweek game and wouldnt be surprised if he was rested but the difficulty is who for?? Tevezay be availble to play but apart from him it's David Ball if we go for 2 up front.

In a way I would like to see Ball play as he is a good finisher but I reckon it's more likley with Tevez playing that a front 3 is given freedom to attack and Stevie will do the same.

One cap Whitey wrote:He should pick the strongest team available and I think he will.

If everyone that played yesterday is fit I'd expect to see the same line up.

I am with you - I think that he will play the strongest possible team - he wants to win on all fronts - get 2 ahead then bring on subs - but strongest should mean Zab not Micah - I would expect that change and if he foes well then he gets retained

Why fiddle about with the back four? Is it not screamingly obvious to everyone else that they need to develop the kind of understanding that will only come from playing together?

Tokyo Blue wrote:Why fiddle about with the back four? Is it not screamingly obvious to everyone else that they need to develop the kind of understanding that will only come from playing together?

Bang on. Its all well and good to talk about playing these competitions using fringe players, but we are NOT a top four side yet and this competition is very important to us, as was shown against Palace who aren't half the side Fulham are...

We need the team, and especially the back four, to get to play as a unit asap and the only thing that will bring that is game time.

Unless Tevez had a reaction to the knee problem he should also start because he needs game time even more than the rest.

So I'll go for the same team that played United... to a man.

I also think Tevez needs game time. He did anyway, even before the injury. Obviously we don't know how his knee has stood up to the game at the weekend, but all being well Tevez to start.
Hopefully RSC couls get an introduction from the bench if it's going well and/or we're desperate. Similarly, Weiss or Petrov could get a run. I deffo want to win this game, so as strong as poss please Lezzer.

I think Petrov will come in for Bellamy just to give his knees a break and blow Martin's cobwebs off. Otherwise the same team.

I'm pretty sure as our only fit striker and most effective left sided player available, Bellamy will be playing in one role or the other.
Let's not forget he is the 'form man' at the mo. An absolute must.

I would go with...

- - - - - - - - - - - - Given

- - Zaba - - Toure - - Lescott - - Slyvinho

- - - - - - - - - - - - de Jong

- - - - - - - - - - Ireland - - Barry

- - - - - - SWP - - - Tevez - - - Bellamy

Bring Weiss on at half time for SWP to give him a good run out.

-------------------Given
Micah-----Kolo------Lescott----Bridge
------------------De Jong
----------Ireland---------Barry
SWP---------------------------Bellamy
-----------------Tevez

Bring Petrov on for Bellamy, Weiss for SWP, Zabs either in midfield or at RB.

Honestly I'd prefer Zabs to Micah at this point, but I expect Hughes will stick with Richards as to not affect his confidence.

Zab and Petrov have to start and we really need to try and get Weiss involved as early as we can.

Maybe drop ireland and play one of SWP/Weiss in the hole with the other out wide