Ajax v MAN CITY: The PREVIEW – City’s Probable Team
23 Oct
After the terrific victory away to West Brom and a performance which highlighted the character, togetherness and self-belief of the squad, this encounter with Ajax in the Champions League poses a different threat, but it’s a must-win game if the Blues are to have any realistic chance of advancing to the next stage. Just one point acquired from the opening two fixtures in the group has left City with a tough task if they are to improve upon last season’s effort but progression is still possible. For that to happen, they need to defeat the Dutch champions twice. Starting with Wednesday night.
The win away at the Hawthorns was an uplifting one and the momentum and confidence gleaned from Saturday must be carried forward to tomorrow. Ajax have lost both of their matches in the Champions League so far and were held 3-3 at the weekend so will, no doubt, be nervous. The Blues must capitalise on that anxiety and exert their own authority and control on the game, something they have failed to do so far in Europe during this campaign.
William Hill have some excellent odds for this match: Edin Dzeko to score the first goal and City to win 2-1 is hugely tempting at 41/1 whilst Vincent Kompany to score the only goal of the game is 101/1.
In terms of team selection, Roberto Mancini is devoid of the services of injured quartet of Maicon, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell and David Silva. Matija Nastasic and Pablo Zabaleta are vying for places at the back, whilst James Milner is expected to continue in his holding midfield role and should be fresh after only playing for twenty minutes against West Brom!
After scoring a brace on Saturday, Edin Dzeko is pushing to start and could be given an opportunity to lead the line. Sergio Aguero is likely to be restored to the line-up after being rested for the trip to the Hawthorns, but Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tévez both performed well and may be handed another chance.
Here is the side Mancini could select:
Ajax were hugely impressive last season in winning the Eredivisie but their form in the Champions League so far has been poor. Their squad includes Ryan Babel, the former Liverpool winger/striker whose pace may cause City’s backline the odd problem, whilst Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen is a supremely talented youngster who has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past.
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen – He’s a 33 year old Norwegian who officiated Arsenal’s meeting with Olympiakos on the previous matchday.
Prediction: Ajax 1 – 2 MAN CITY – It promises to be a tight, tense affair but the Blues’ extra quality should reign supreme. Goals to be scored by Sergio Aguero, Yaya Touré and Tobias Sana.
Paddy Power are offering new customers a FREE £25 bet. They have plenty of specials for City’s fixture against Ajax, with Yaya Touré to score the final goal of the game tempting at 9/1. Click here to open an account and claim your FREE £25 bet!
Would go for Lescott personally, it could be argued that the chop and change is partly whats affecting Kompany’s form. Tough on Dzeko if he doesnt start, but as the saying goes ‘if its not broke dont fix it’, as we all know he is proving to be supreme off the bench
It depends on how you would look at it. It is actually broken and needs to be fixed. Against Southhampton, Fullam and West Brom, had it not been for Dezko, City would have lost at least 8 points. With the amount of talent we have, we should never be in that situation and have the game in the bag much earlier during the game.
with that thinking we should 38 games a season but it doesnt work like that. In the games you mentioned it was a bad pen decision, poor defending and a sending off, not a lack of goals. In terms of not broke dont fix it, i meant Dzeko’s influence at the moment, as we have seen how he is not always as effective when he starts
win 38 games i meant, (if it was always based on talent)
I thought Kompany was banned but i must have that wrong .
Some reports say he is, some say he isn’t. I don’t think he is but then I’m not often right according to the Missus
I’d play matija every week if we want the same defence every week we shud play r best and matija is twice the player jolean looking at the points lost ther mainly down to mistakes lescott has made even last weekend he was the one who kept long onside southampton he got lucky wiv a wreckless challenge in the box he got away wiv against stoke he failed to clear and didn’t play to the whistle crouch scored and v arsenal he set koscielny up wiv a poor header he’s poor on the ball he’s clumsy and his mistakes are starting to cost us
Would be very tough to leave Micah out of the starting 11 after how he’s played of late. Been great since coming back from his injury.
I’m also one of the people who would rather see Edin come off the bench. Would rather see Mario in there than Carlos (based on the past couple games), but we also don’t want a repeat of Munich last year…
i think that dzeko should start as well as richards and i think dzeko isnt a super sub he can play straight away and get goals 4 us the only reason why we have won last few games is because of mancini tactics because he is a great manager
Like this line up except I would like to see us try Tevez swapped for Nasri and Richards alongside Kompany.