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Was thinking of who should play mid-week against Newcastle which is a knockout and if gone into with an attitude that it'll be a walk in the park could turn it into a long long night with extra time and pens (so unnecessary tiredness for those on, and it's not like we'll be fielding a completely different XI there) ... Do we go full strength, win the game early and rest key guys or start with second string team and keep options on the bench if they need to come in late?

Anyway, then there is the small matter of the derby on the weekend, before another must win game against CSKA Moscow just two days later ...

Considering the three games coming up so quickly (after the three we just played, with not very good results in the last two) was trying to figure out how Pelligrini will line up here, and am left wondering which our strongest XI is (which surely should start on Sunday against the Scum) and then work out the other two line-ups ...

This is what I think our strongest XI right now is (and should start on the weekend):

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Ferna - Yaya
Navas - Silva - Milner
Aguero

Keeping that in mind, this should start against Newcastle:

Caballero
Sagna - Boyata (or Nasti) - Mangala - Clichy
Nando - Lampard
Navas - Pozo - Jovetic
Dzeko

If Lampard is still out then give Yaya and Ferna half a game each.

Against CSKA then go with this:

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Silva - Nando - Yaya - Milner
Aguero - Dzeko (or Jovetic)

Whichever XI Pelligrini puts out, one thing is for sure ... all three are must-win games!

Strongest 11 imo;

----------------Joe--------------------

Zaba----Vinnie---Mangala---Clichy

---Fernando---Fernandinho---

---Milner---Yaya---Silva---

------------Aguero-------------

Yaya is not a Dm while hes got a hole in his a**e, not mobile enough defensively. Hes much more effective in the oppositions half and can drop in when needed. Could argue Demi for Mangala but neither has hit the ground running so far this season, same with Kola and Clichy.

Certainly wont be that team for Newcastle and fully expect Demi, Sagna, Lampard, Jovetic etc to come in for that. But the team above is the side id start in the derby. We need to get back to winning midfield battles. With Ferna, Nando and Yaya in there, im confident we could pretty much match anyone.

horlock2000 wrote:Strongest 11 imo;

----------------Joe--------------------

Zaba----Vinnie---Mangala---Clichy

---Fernando---Fernandinho---

---Milner---Yaya---Silva---

------------Aguero-------------

Yaya is not a Dm while hes got a hole in his a**e, not mobile enough defensively. Hes much more effective in the oppositions half and can drop in when needed. Could argue Demi for Mangala but neither has hit the ground running so far this season, same with Kola and Clichy.

Certainly wont be that team for Newcastle and fully expect Demi, Sagna, Lampard, Jovetic etc to come in for that. But the team above is the side id start in the derby. We need to get back to winning midfield battles. With Ferna, Nando and Yaya in there, im confident we could pretty much match anyone.

You are spot on Horlock2000. This team gives protection to an over worked back four and also allows Aguero, Silva and Yaya to get the ball in the last third, without relying too much on their defensive skills.
Occasionally Fernando out and Nasri/Jovetic in depending on the opposition.

anyone who puts clichy in their strongest xi needs their head reading

4-1-2-2-1 to plug those gaping holes we have between midfield/defence/attack


hart

zabs vk mdm kola

fernando

fernandinho milner

silva yaya

kun

On form, rather than reputation, transfer fee or novelty:

Hart
Zabaleta - Kompany - MDM - Kolarov
Fernandinho - Lampard
Milner - Silva - Jovetic
Aguero

I've been disappointed in Clichy, Toure, Fernando and Mangala. Early days yet and the latter two will adapt soon enough - injuries and being in and out of the team can't have helped.

Nigels Tackle wrote:anyone who puts clichy in their strongest xi needs their head reading

4-1-2-2-1 to plug those gaping holes we have between midfield/defence/attack


hart

zabs vk mdm kola

fernando

fernandinho milner

silva yaya

kun

This would be my 11 too but in a 4-2-3-1 with Yaya behind Aguero. When French Sami is fit then he swaps with Milner who takes over from Fern2

It is laughable yaya is even being mention.

My opinion of what our strongest XI is, and Manuels opinion of what it is, would differ greatly.

For the record - if I had every squad member fit and City were playing a game to save my life, this is what Id go with.

Hart

Zabaleta
Kompany
Mangala
Kolarov

Fernandinho
Milner

Silva
Ya Ya
Nasri

Aguero

That's a 4-2-3-1 - not 4-4-2 - and yes I know there are no wingers, that's why the full backs are who they are, and why Im not relying on Toure to track back. Milner should have been playing Cent midf for us a long time ago but gets parked on the wing or the bench; hes a better all round footballer than Fernando hence he gets the nod. Ferna is also a better all round player, so that's why Fernando's omitted in the middle.

For the record Jovetic would be first off the bench.

"Nigels Tackle".... Your telling me Kolarov has been much better this season?. Talk to me about the Stoke goal, The penalty he "allowed" the ref in Russia to give by making a ridiculous challenge he didn't have to make.... that's just 2 games that hes made big clangers in.

No doubt Kolarov is better going forward but for me... id rather see Clichy up against Sterling, Hazard etc.

Like I said though, Neither have been great this season. One or the other needs to be played consistently.

For the Newcastle game -

-----------Caballero
Sagna-Komps-Mangala-Clichy
Navas--Fernando--Dinho--Milner
---------Dzeko--Jovetic

For Sunday -

-------------Hart
Zaba-Komps-Demichelis-Kolarov
Milner--Yaya--Dinho--Silva
-------Aguero--Dzeko

Our best XI with everyone fit -

-------------Hart
Zaba-Komps-Mangala-Kolarov
Silva--Yaya--Dinho--Nasri
-------Aguero--Dzeko

I've given my best 11 above but I think the team for Wednesday will be:
Big Willy
Sagna Boyata MDM Clichy
Fern 2 milner
Navas Jovetic sinclair
Edin

Team for Wednesday should be stronger than the one for CSKA next week. We have fuck all chance of winning Champs league and qualification is looking debatable. Plus CSKA don't travel well. I still think a second string will beat CSKA. Treat the Capital1 cup and Newcastle with respect or it will bite us. A pot is a pot and we are far more likely to retain it than win in Europe.

Hart
Sagna Kompany Mdm Kolarov
Milner Fernandinho
Silva Yaya
Jovetic Dzeko

Like to see Pozo get more game time if result is going well. Maybe give Nasri a run if back from injury. This is a very big week for us, make no mistake. Worse case scenario is we are out of one domestic cup, 9 points behind Chelsea and looking at elimination from Europe. Lets start these games the way we mean to go on. Set a precedent, lay down a marker, call it what you will, but winning is a habit and one which we could do with getting back into. Start by beating Newcastle. If they see a strong team sheet and we start with purpose, the match is half won.

Jovetic needs to play Wednesday, when he came on Saturday his ball retention was muck.

MilnersJaw wrote:It is laughable yaya is even being mention.

Absolutely.

Unless, in playing one up front, we were to consider 'resting' Aguero and put Yaya at centre-forward, with no other responsibities than to score the odd goal or two.

Just a daft suggestion........

Hart
Zaba Kompo Martin Kolarov
Fernandinho Lampard
Milner Silva Jovetic
Aguero

Everyone fit and playing at their best, this would take some beating...yet again everyone fit and at their best how often does that happen?

Joe

Zabs
Vinny
Mangler
Kola

Fern
Dhino

Silva
Yaya
Nasri

Sergio

that would be it in a 4-2-3-1.

On last nights performance we haven't got one!

shortagain wrote:On last nights performance we haven't got one!

we have

the eds

Based on the emerging mireshite, the best XI wont include much of what Pellers has bought, or the Spafia who seal the deals. Mangala, Fernando, Jovetic and Cabellero look mainly dreadul, as does Sagna.

I am genuinely mystified as to why it is starting to fall apart but I suspect that the evident decline of the once imperious Yaya is part of it. Persisting with a player like Milner is also wrong. I don't know, I really don't.

If it's 4-4-2 of 4-2-2-2, then it has to include Negredo. If it doesn't, the system needs to change.

We got away with it at the end of last season when Negredo was poor/dropped, as we were confident and the opposition were generally terrified of us. As happened with the rags under Moyles, once teams realise you're not that good, the whole facade falls down. I'd take top 3 and above the rags right now, as I'm getting more and more concerned with every game of where we are heading