Next : Cardiff (Away)

[Spurge]

I suspect that he will play Garcia at centre back rather than risk Nastasic this early in the campaign.

I don't think we'll see Boyata feature in the first team, I think his confidence is shot, and if he's going to recover he needs to be eased back into games.

Personally I wonder whether of not Milner could do a job at centre back?

Hahaha do you really or are you on something.More likely to play Costel there rather than Milner. OK both just as silly)

I would be surprised if it isn't Garcia until Nasti is fully recovered.

The interesting thing for me will be too see how he varies his tactics and thus team set up.He clearly cannot just have a "best team" and play them whenever they are all fit as that would be stupid.He might well change to one up top,maybe Negredo.Maybe Jesus sits this one out and Milner comes in right side for his defensive qualities,Maybe it's Jovetic time if he is fit.So many options apart from in defence I just can't wait to see what he does.

Nasri also. Played very well when he came on the other night. If he can show that desire every week, we may start to see the player we thought we had signed.

Yes agree about Nasri - he did play well on Monday when he came on and good to see him get on the score sheet. If Pellers is looking to play one up top and one in the hole then Nasri could feature especially as it looks very unlikely that jovetic will be fit.

Aguero is an interesting decision to ponder. Having had no pre season behind him I was sure he wouldn't make it for Newcastle (so much so a couple of weeks earlier I took him out of my fantasy league team and brought in Negredo).

He lasted 67 mins and we all saw his contribution, so does Pellers stick or twist with Sergio? He was devastating whilst not match fit on Monday so perhaps on this basis the sooner we can get him to fully match fit the better - needs to play. With this in mind then he may well start and complete another 60 or 70 mins, but if we go one up top maybe that might be considered too much of a leap for him at this stage in his match fitness

So many options....

[BlueinBosnia]

anyone travelling and aware of CITY pubs?

Easy journey this one for me - half the distance of a home game and good train route from Reading - so seems like arriving before the 1400 kick off and having a good few drinks in order before a stroll to the ground

No away-friendly pubs near the ground as far as I know. If drinking beforehand, the area to the north of the Millennium Stadium is the best area.

The City Arms is my favourite pub in the town (approx. 100m from the NW corner of Millennium Stadium), but not sure if they are welcoming to matchday colours, especially for Cardiff's first home Prem game.

Also, it's advisable to get a taxi to the stadium if you're planning on having more than a couple - routes to the ground from the centre are limited, due to the train line, and if the Cardiff fans want to cause a spot of bother, their options are plentiful. A taxi is about £8, so 2 quid pp.

There's also a hotel near the ground I've heard mentioned for drinking, but it's pricey, but you'll have to google that.

[Twobob]

Best pre-game drinks will be in Bristol. God awful wankers of fans at Cardiff.

[lovecity8utd]

Best pre-game drinks will be in Bristol. God awful wankers of fans at Cardiff.

Very true. I live here. Cardiff fans are either mental cardiff fans or scum worshippers.

On a different note, anyone know where the team are staying overnight? Might go and do a bit of stalking!

[steveo_88]

During preseason Pellegrini mentioned playing different formations to suit the opposition, from time to time, mostly In Europe and mostly 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. But for Cardiff a 3-5-2 couldn't be out of the question with the CB problem.

I hate to drop Clichy but Lescott-Garcia-Zabba could play together in a back three comfortably. Two up top gives you flexibility to play one in the hole or two strikers. The five in midfield also gives you plenty of cover for the defence. Fernandinho can stay back and cover everything just like on Monday. Jesus on the right can track Bellers nullifying his pace when we're defending. Then Samir on the left as Jovetic is not going to be fit enough to start IMO with Silva as the playmaker in the centre and Yaya given more freedom to roam helping Fernandinho to mop up. Milner if started gives you a better defensive option wherever he plays in midfield.

I'd start Dzeko because he's on fire at the moment and he strikes me as a striker you need to ride while he's hot but id pair him with Negredo and use Alvaro to press the Taffs defence like Tevez used to, I don't think Aguero is 100% yet so Negredo grafting might be more useful earlier in the game. Sergio can always play half an hour to kill them off or just rack up our goal difference, you never know come the end of the season!

[steveo_88]

Best pre-game drinks will be in Bristol. God awful wankers of fans at Cardiff.

Very true. I live here. Cardiff fans are either mental cardiff fans or scum worshippers.

On a different note, anyone know where the team are staying overnight? Might go and do a bit of stalking!

Last time we played the BLUEbirds wasn't there trouble at both Maine Road and Ninian Park?

[lovecity8utd]

Best pre-game drinks will be in Bristol. God awful wankers of fans at Cardiff.

Very true. I live here. Cardiff fans are either mental cardiff fans or scum worshippers.

On a different note, anyone know where the team are staying overnight? Might go and do a bit of stalking!

Last time we played the BLUEbirds wasn't there trouble at both Maine Road and Ninian Park?

FA cup defeat when curle missed the pen was pretty unpleasant too. Hopefully we thrash them and all the cardiff fans disappear early.

[stevefromdonny]

anyone travelling and aware of CITY pubs?

Easy journey this one for me - half the distance of a home game and good train route from Reading - so seems like arriving before the 1400 kick off and having a good few drinks in order before a stroll to the ground

go on I bite, ITS A 16-00 KICK OFF

[mr fu]

go on I bite, ITS A 16-00 KICK OFF

He's saying he'll get there in time to watch the 2 o'clock sky game and have a few bevvies... elementary

[Jorgobot]

Agree. Jesus is nailed on to start.

If he doesn't bad things happen...

[mcfc1632]

go on I bite, ITS A 16-00 KICK OFF

He's saying he'll get there in time to watch the 2 o'clock sky game and have a few bevvies... elementary

Actually - whilst that is true - the post made me sensibly check fixtures. I had been 'assuming' that if we are on TV @ 1600 the Tottenham game must be a 1400 K/O - so get into a pub in time to watch that and have a few beers etc.

After reading some of these posts (thanks for the info guys) I might have a few in Reading now and get a taxi from station to ground having got to Cardiff a bit later.