Chelsea v MAN CITY – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
26 Oct
Vincent Kompany remains sidelined for this encounter, leaving Manuel Pellegrini with a tough decision as to who will be Matija Nastasic’s central defensive partner. The likelihood is that the Chilean will keep faith with the shambolic Javi Garcia, whose lack of mobility and inability to anticipate danger will delight Chelsea’s attacking quartet. Summer signing Martin Demichelis is back fit but this game could come a few days too soon for him. Joleon Lescott seems out of favour with the manager, but surely Micah Richards or Dedryck Boyata, if Pellegrini is so desperate for a right/left-foot partnership, would be better options.
Matija Nastasic is a teasing 40/1 to score the first goal with William Hill!
Further forward, Jesus Navas started against CSKA Moscow, but this fixture carries the air of James Milner and his greater defensive awareness and work ethic. Alvaro Negredo should see off competition from Edin Dzeko to continue his fine link-up with Sergio Aguero.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Howard Webb
Prediction: Chelsea 2 – 2 MAN CITY – We look far more comfortable going forward as our talented creators and strikers find their form than we do at the back without our inspirational captain. The home side are an efficient unit and have the quality to pose problems. Goals to be scored by Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, Fernando Torres and Oscar.
Yaya Touré, such a goalscoring threat, is a cracking 11/1 to score the final goal of the game!
Sergio Aguero to score first and City to win 2-1 is a huge 60/1. Bet with William Hill here!
With your comments and maybe Pellers selections VfaB, but I’d counsel against Micah as a CB despite liking and valueing him. He lacks both concentration and positional awareness, essential for a CB. He has power, drive and pace and adequate defensive awareness, all attributes that scream out ‘wing back.’ So if Micah plays, please let it be as an FB!
I desperately hope that Garcia is not picked for this game unless we are intneding to play it tight at the back, no high line, looking for the break. Garcia can handle that. If we are looking to play the high line – poor b*st8rd hasn’t a hope, he doesnt have the pace or the experience in that role, with the opposition pace and speed of thought he’d be toast.
Personally I’d be tempted to play Boy Otter. He actually is a right sided CH. It won’t happen, he lacks matches and seems to be yesterday’s also man. That leaves Jolion Lescott, the man who has twice from thrice been toast in this role. Homever this is a big one and he has the balls and a load of physical strength and experience to do the job and on this occasion demands selection.
As for the rest – we have the players;if we play our game they will struggle with theirs. I’d take a point – there’s a long way to go untl it becomes nail biting. I fancy we will get all three.
Alph
in that
Damn, I thought I’d proof read that – I’m getting old and atrophied, that’s my excuse.
I agree with you Vfab and the bits at the end of mine? Could have sworn I’d deleted that
Alph
We can’t play Garcia at CB again, he’s awful
Cfc is the club. Luv it or hate it cfc is rtaining it three point. 90minute can tell.
Someone needs to. Might as well be God.
At least re: the goal by CSKA, Look at the positions of the players just before the long ball from CSKA was punted forward. Honda was positioned towards the right flank being marked by Zab but then Honda checks back diagonally towards the centerjust as the ball is played forward. Zab failed to track him leaving a backpedaling Garcia to try & win a header that Zab should of been contesting. At the very least Zab should been retreating diagonally behind Garcia but he stayed in no man’s land which allowed Tosic to nip in between them. From my POV it was Zab who was at fault.
I think Richards will get the nod at RB. If he pinches in toward the center it gives the CB’S better protection. In fact I expect Richards to essentially play as essentially a third CB as Kolorav is proving to be very effective providing width on the left, leaving Richards, Garcia, & Nasty to hold the fort with Fernandinho screening. Navas or Milner provide the width & workrate on the right.
Lescot is ‘out of favour’ with the coach. But, dear me, please, for the sake of our hearts and fingernails, do not play Garcia at all today. We can tolerate Lescott a lot more than the awful Garcia
Methinks Milner should be given a nod ahead of Navas today, given the defensive requirements of the game.
I’d wager for a draw. But a win would make my evening. Been long i saw a City Poznan
Well, when no one to play there, I believe we can still use Garcia than Lescott, not to think of error in Moscow…..is doin great on behave of Kompany absent…I believe we goin to win it, I love u #mcfc
Oh dear. Time for a well needed rest Joe. Casillas anyone?
We nearly got away with it. Whenever the defence were stretched we looked wanting. Clichy has regressed.
Why oh why not Milner ahead of Garcia? Faster; technically better; more of a threat going forward; more stamina; more experience; better at shooting; better at crossing; never say die; but I suppose Garcia might be better in the air?!?! Give me strength. People may say he did ok but I believe we would have been better with Milner.
Overall we were the better team. Patently obvious. However they had the better chances. Auguero is just so hot right now.
I just fear our away results have already consigned us to also rans.
A wake up call is that we’re one place above Utd……
Sorry crispy but I respectfully disagree with your assessment of Garcia. You need carthorses as well as thoroughbreds & Garcia had a solid no frills game, winning the ball and recycling possession. Unfortunately I get the feeling that if Garcia and Kolarov (another player unfairly maligned by too many City fans) could walk on water, many fans would bitch about him not being able to swim. I don’t have the stats handy but I’d be willing to wager he won more tackles & made more interceptions than any other City mf on the pitch.
If there is any player who culpable today it was Clichy who was grossly at fault not only on the first goal but needlessly gave the ball away countless times in the first half alone Don’t get me wrong, I rate Clichy highly but right now Kolarov is in better form and it shows…
City have regressed from last year – I totally blame the manager. All English players (apart from Hart) seem out of favour. GC another nightmare! Garcia gave the ball away time and again! Nasty more errors. If you want to know the real reason for City’s away form then look at the first goal, apart from GC. Look how Fern. gave up and provided no cover and look at the pathetic attempt of Nasty to stop the cross. Time for a big change,Mr Pel! Garcia out! CG out! Nasty out! Milner needed back asap. Play Richards as RB and Zab at LB. Maybe time for a rest for Hart until he has a sound defence. He clearly has no confidence in what is in front of him. Kompany may make some difference but his absence is not the only problem.Everton must be laughing their socks off at getting Barry – now everyone should realise just how good he was at covering the left side.
Jesus what an overreaction. Pellegrinis tactics weren’t the reason for Hart and Nastasic phukking up. And Barry on the field wouldn’t have changed anything there either. Fernandinho had another solid game.
I see two big issues:
1 defense can’t deal with long balls( even when kompany was healthy it was a problem)
2 we suck at taking corners and never clear the first man
After re-reading your post, I assume you mean GC and Nastasic just out of the lineup, not that they should all be sold. So not as big an overreaction as I first thought. My apologies