Big Bad Stoke

[blues-clues]

Something wierd has happened... best sit down for this one.. Lawro says..

Judging by their results in the first month of the season, Stoke probably thought they were destined for relegation.
However, Tony Pulis has turned the season around. They have had a really great run of results. They are big, strong and cause plenty of problems.

But City are a very, very good side - they are Champions League material. Another win for City.

Prediction: Stoke 1-2 City

I dont like Mr Lawrenson. Based on results he is poor at his job, his comments seem to be inaccurate on a regular basis and he appears over eager to voice his opinion, perhaps he is trying to compensate for something? I would like to do his appraisal or at least be present at it.

[john68]

This "Oooooh! Let's all worry about Stoke" thing worries me. It will worry me more if Mancini makes too much of it too.
There has got to be a point where we stop mitherin about the other team and stop trying to adjust our game plan to combat theirs.
It's about time we had our own gameplan that we imposed on other teams from the outset.

"WE'RE MANCHESTER CITY...LET THEM WORRY ABOUT US.

By rights, we should be far too strong for them as long as we play our football.

[brite blu sky]

This "Oooooh! Let's all worry about Stoke" thing worries me. It will worry me more if Mancini makes too much of it too.
There has got to be a point where we stop mitherin about the other team and stop trying to adjust our game plan to combat theirs.
It's about time we had our own gameplan that we imposed on other teams from the outset.

"WE'RE MANCHESTER CITY...LET THEM WORRY ABOUT US.

By rights, we should be far too strong for them as long as we play our football.

Yeah spot on, i was being ironic with the OP.. as in the big bad wolf. But then as i say Mancini has history with Stoke which cranks up the ante some. As we still dont know our consistent form and are coming up against a team that generally gives trouble to even decent teams at home, it is going to be interesting. I actually think Mancini will make a special effort to make sure we get it right. If we come out and perform and take the game to Stoke then in a lot of ways it puts us on a track of some consistency and rather than just being happy with the odd game as at Fulham it will show that we can have expectations about our form.
Stoke are regarded as a difficult team to go to and get a win and by achieving that we would be sending a big signal to the other teams who all know this. So in a way it is not just about the points, which if the Arse fucl up at Villa could see us in 3rd at least, it is imo one of the bigger games... as much in significance as anything.

If you take away the Fulham game, then a lot of us would be concerned to say the least going into this, so last week has allayed the fears, but they will be back if we dont perform.

My only concern is that we do perform, i would even take a draw if it is a very difficult game as i think we can cope with it. i think we will perform though and hopefully take them apart in a way that few teams have done.

[brite blu sky]

Out of interest this is the team that drew 1-1 at the Britannia in the prem last season.

Given, Richards (Zabaleta 81), Garrido (Wright-Phillips 59), Toure, Lescott, Vieira, de Jong, Barry, A Johnson (Petrov 86), Santa Cruz, Adebayor

Unused subs:
Taylor, Bridge, Onuoha, Ireland

[Wooders]

I am not sure I agree with all the battle cry talk from players saying we will match stoke for brute strength
I said earlier in the post that the exact thing we shouldn't do is play them at their own game - what we should do is fulham it i.e. play to our strengths and go for the humiliation - we have the quality to use this approach against the stokes of this league

[Brad]

http://mcfc.co.uk/Video/Interviews/Stok ... -Mancini-1

Nice colours on the hat Bobby!

[brite blu sky]

I am not sure I agree with all the battle cry talk from players saying we will match stoke for brute strength
I said earlier in the post that the exact thing we shouldn't do is play them at their own game - what we should do is fulham it i.e. play to our strengths and go for the humiliation - we have the quality to use this approach against the stokes of this league

Stoke wont sit off and oblige us like Fulham did though. At least not at until we can get into rhythm and play the ball around them, then our quality will take its toll on them playing catch up. I would have thought the comments are more about being prepared for ball winning challenges and matching the commitment to that. It is a bit like Everton and Chelsea.. in some ways you have to play the game of toughing it out to win the right to play the way you want to, if you dont win that battle it kind of puts you on the back foot.
Maybe im talking sh*t dunno, but in a wider sense it is one of the reasons im not convinced by a traditional playmaker set up, as the opponents know if you quieten the playmaker you stop the rhythm. I quite like what looks like the way we are going where the play can come from anywhere including Tevez coming deep, long term when we get that totally in the blood we will be very difficult to play against, our one weakness is us not getting into rhythm to begin with, but it think we are getting better at dealing with that, at least in defensive coherence, so we are still difficult to beat even on a off day.

[Lees Alter Ego]

We out muscled Chelsea who are one of the toughest teams around, there is no reason why we cant do the same tomorrow. If we win the battle our quality will win the day. Come on city lets not go backwards after a tremendous display against fulham.