***Official City v Chelsea*** Thread

[Beefymcfc]

The Mods might have me here, but excuse the earliness - I couldn't wait. I love City I do!!!

Anyway, what a game to look forward to, top of the league against the pretenders; we'll enjoy ourselves regardless.

Did I tell you, I love City I do!

;-)

[The Man In Blue]

the lads can do one - i sent the bloody preview i've been slaving over for [strike]ten minutes[/strike] hours ages ago and the bar stewards havn't had the decency to put it up yet? i mean what other things would they be doing on a friday night?

[Beefymcfc]

the lads can do one - i sent the bloody preview i've been slaving over for [strike]ten minutes[/strike] hours ages ago and the bar stewards havn't had the decency to put it up yet? i mean what other things would they be doing on a friday night?

Errrrrrrrr, same as me, Stella is wonderful ;-)

[Beefymcfc]

Shaun Wright-Phillips and Pablo Zabaleta believe City have to be at their very best in order to claim maximum points against Chelsea this weekend.

Despite the visitors’ Carling Cup home defeat to Newcastle in midweek, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have started the season in sparkling form and Wright-Phillips reckons the Londoners will be hungry to play City after last season’s double loss.

“I don’t think they will be looking to prove a point as they are in great form at the minute,” said SWP. “I’ve no doubt they will be coming looking for revenge and we need to be wary of that.

“We have the players to do it and we have the talent to win, too, so won’t need to sit back and should just go for it.”

Wright-Phillips also added that Chelsea’s impressive 100% start to the campaign – albeit against teams they were expected to beat – is proof his former club are firing on all cylinders in the league.

“You can’t say they’ve not played anybody as good as us,” he said. “There are certain teams that do turn over top teams as has been proved on many occasions, but Chelsea have played really well and had their wits about them.”

While Shaun misses out playing his old club with a foot injury, Pablo Zabaleta is almost certain to take part and the versatile Argentinian is relishing the prospect of facing Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba and the like.

“When you play against someone like Chelsea it’s a different game to other matches,” said Zabaleta. “We are at home and will have our supporters behind us, which is an advantage.

I think it will be a good game, as both teams have great players. Last season we had two great matches and, hopefully, we can beat them again

“We have a great chance to go up the table and if we want to stay in the race we need to win these games. We have a number of players out with injury, but I can adapt to different positions.

“I have to be ready, when the manager decides to play me.”

[Ted Hughes]

“We have the players to do it and we have the talent to win, too, so won’t need to sit back and should just go for it.”

Oops, expressing a tactical opinion= disruptive influence. On loan to Crystal Palace in Jan.

[Beefymcfc]

“We have the players to do it and we have the talent to win, too, so won’t need to sit back and should just go for it.”

Oops, expressing a tactical opinion= disruptive influence. On loan to Crystal Palace in Jan.

Come on Ted, We are City, WE are City, Super City, from Maine Road...........

[Mark (Blue Army)]

“We have the players to do it and we have the talent to win, too, so won’t need to sit back and should just go for it.”

Oops, expressing a tactical opinion= disruptive influence. On loan to Crystal Palace in Jan.

Come on Ted, We are City, WE are City, Super City, from Maine Road...........

Think someones had a few beers tonight ;)

[Green & Blue]

Tevez aiming to maintain jinx on chelsea(mcfc.co.uk)

The defending champions have swept all before them in the Barclays Premier League so far this season, but facing Chelsea holds no fears for Carlos Tevez.
The Blues' skipper has scored five times against Saturday's visitors since arriving in England, but it's the three he knocked in as part of last season's memorable double over the London club that linger longest in the memory.

A brilliant free kick at home last December gave City a lead that they hung onto thanks to some penalty heroics from Shay Given and in the return fixture Tevez chipped in with half of the goals in one the more remarkable results of 2009/10.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are unbeaten in the league so far this season, but Tevez is relishing the prospect of ending that run on Saturday lunchtime.

"It's funny, I think a lot of players have a team that they like to play against, who things turn out well against sometimes,” he smiled.

“I've played against Chelsea many times, managed to convert a few goals and played well.


For some reason they suit me and they're a lucky side for me, or they certainly have been in the past


...Carlos Tevez on Chelsea

"What's important now is that we remain calm and focussed in the lead-up to the game. We have to turn a good performance into three points."

The captain's arm-band seems to suit the striker, who has lead by example in every aspect of the role of City skipper.

"Being made captain has brought me a lot more responsibility on and off the field. It's important for me to be working hard and help the rest of the lads keep working hard, and I want to try to help grow this team from a very good one into something even bigger. I'm working hard, but I have to say that I love the responsibility," he concluded

[Beefymcfc]

“We have the players to do it and we have the talent to win, too, so won’t need to sit back and should just go for it.”

Oops, expressing a tactical opinion= disruptive influence. On loan to Crystal Palace in Jan.

Come on Ted, We are City, WE are City, Super City, from Maine Road...........

Think someones had a few beers tonight ;)

Ooooohhhhhhh yeaghhhhhhhh.........

[brite blu sky]

We have nothing to fear going into this game.. and every chance of sticking it to em.

Cmon City they are here for the taking.. lets get into the race for the title

[dikdik]

What he said.
Come on the blues...
And I do mean sky blue!

[The Man In Blue]

off to the townley then!

[Beefymcfc]

From the Beeb.

TEAM NEWS
Manchester City's Micah Richards is ruled out with a hamstring injury, leaving manager Roberto Mancini short of options at the back.

Defenders Joleon Lescott and Jerome Boateng are doubts, while winger Shaun Wright-Phillips (knee) is sidelined.

Chelsea midfielder Frank 'The Gimp' Lampard is again unavailable as he continues his recovery from a hernia operation.

Striker Salomon Kalou (thigh) as well as midfielders Yossi Benayoun (calf) and Gael Kakunta (back) are also out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manchester City

Doubtful: Boateng (knee), Lescott (groin)

Injured: Balotelli & Wright-Phillips (both knee), Bridge (thigh), Kolarov & Nimely (both ankle), Richards (hamstring)

Chelsea

Doubtful: Benayoun (calf), Kalou (thigh), Kakuta (back), Lampard (groin)

Injured: Bosingwa (knee)

MATCH PREVIEW
For Chelsea, the hard work begins now. Carlo Ancelotti's champions travel to Manchester City on Saturday having waltzed their way through an opening set of fixtures which proved as straightforward as they appeared on paper.

It is an important test for us, but it is also an important test for them. We have not played against the top teams but we are playing well. It is necessary for us to do it against the top teams

It says much for the supposed competitiveness of the Premier League that victories so far over West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham (all the shit teams) and Sunday's 4-0 hammering of Blackpool (eveb shitter) have hardly stretched the champions. Ancelotti's side have plundered an average of 4.2 goals per game and conceded just once in a perfect start.

The marker laid down, now comes the first real test. Roberto Mancini's City side are yet to gel, but Ancelotti knows better than to underestimate his compatriot. The two managers know each other well from their playing days in Serie A and the Italian national team. Their subsequent moves into management also saw them cross swords in the Milan derby, where Mancini had the edge over Ancelotti with four wins to two in the league as Inter claimed three successive Serie A crowns.

Both clubs suffered Carling Cup disappointments in midweek, but their team selections confirmed that priorities lie elsewhere. For City, a top-four finish is the minimum requirement. A victory over Chelsea would move them to within four points of the London club and confirm their progress under Mancini.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• City had only won two out of 24 Premier League meetings with Chelsea before beating the Blues home and away last season.

• No other team has won more Premier League games at Manchester City than Chelsea (10 wins).

Manchester City

• City have only won three of their last 10 Premier League matches.

• They have failed to score in five of their last 10 league games.

• Carlos Tevez has scored 24 goals in his last 28 Premier League outings and five in his last four against Chelsea.

Cheslea

• Chelsea have scored 54 goals in their last 13 Premier League games, and have conceded just five.

• Salomon Kalou has scored eight goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, despite starting just five of those matches.

• Didier Drogba has assisted five goals this season, a league high, and scored five.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Manchester City

Tevez: 3 goals (3 league); Jo: 2 goals (0 league)

Chelsea

Malouda: 6 goals (6 league); Anelka: 6 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Andre Marriner

Assistant referees: Phil Sharp & Martin Yerby

Fourth official: Chris Foy

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Manchester City (W2-0 v Wigan, a): Hart, Richards, Kompany, Toure, Zabaleta, De Jong, Toure Yaya (Jo 74), Barry, Silva (Adam Johnson 72), Milner, Tevez (Wright-Phillips 88). Subs Not Used: Given, Santa Cruz, Vieira, Boyata.

Chelsea (W4-0 v Blackpool, h): Cech, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Alex (Bruma 71), Cole, Essien, Mikel (Benayoun 77), Ramires (Zhirkov 74), Kalou, Drogba, Malouda. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta.

[Beefymcfc]

Right boys and girls, off to the match and really looking forward to it. I'm not anticipating anything from this but you never know; remember last year?

COME ON CITY!!!!

[colonel_muck]

it's going to be so hard to get anything out of them today they're scoring goals for fun which means they've got momentum and great team spirit, plus we did the double over them last year so there's a bit of extra motivation. i don't care though COME ON CITY!!!!!

[Blue Blood]

Looks like we have quite a number of defensive injuries going into today but i have a solution!

K. Toure - Y. Toure - Kompany - Zabba

Yaya did a fine job at center half in his time at barca, so stick him in there, with kolo at rb, zabba on the left and that should just about be enough to contain chelsea.

Also it gives us a chance to line up a little more attack minded... nudge nudge bobby.

[razor400]

i'm stuck up near the clyde, which is a river but not my favorite. can anyone pm me they're fav river. preferably a fast flowing one.
cheers

[Grob]

Boyata at right back is a bit of a gamble.

Would rather switch Toure out there.

The rest is predictable

[CityGer]

Boyata at right back is a bit of a gamble.

Would rather switch Toure out there.

The rest is predictable

Especialy with the form of Malouda.

Just wonder whether risking Boateng might have been the lesser gamble.

[Crossie]

I KNOW WE HAVE INJURIES. But that line up is poor. Fuck knows how we are going to line up. The ball needs to be kept on the ground - no doubt.