Fulham v MAN CITY – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
20 Dec
Heading into a busy festive period, confidence is high after a string of victories and some thrilling performances. Manuel Pellegrini faces a selection dilemma in goal with Joe Hart competing with Costel Pantilimon for the nod. The Romanian’s handling and command of his area was iffy against Arsenal and that could hand the England number one a way back into the side, but the manager has shown faith in Pantilimon and I’d expect him to get the nod on Saturday.
Dedryck Boyata is a likely starter on the right of defence with Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards on the sidelines. Martin Demichelis and Gael Clichy should no doubt return to the side having been rested for the midweek win away to Leicester. Sergio Aguero’s injury means that Jesus Navas, James Milner and Edin Dzeko are competing for the one remaining attacking berth.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Kevin Friend.
Prediction: Fulham 1 – 3 MAN CITY – Matters just seem to be starting to click on the road for the Blues, so I’d back our extra quality and speed when on the attack in the final third to drive us to victory. Goals to be scored by Alvaro Negredo, Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko and Dimitar Berbatov.
Cant decide how many we will rack up tomorrow but it could be a few
Read somewhere that Hart will be recalled to the sticks against Fulham. Boyata is not a RB but a CB. He looked edgy when he played a RB in our last game. So i expect Milner to be deployed to RB. Finally, i expect Dzeko to start the game and be substituted after 45 minutes or thereabout.
Prediction: Not sure how the match will flow but i’ll say 2:0. At worst 2:1 to City, with Hart striving to maintain a clean sheet
I’m never keen to see CH’s playing at full back, they rarely do better than OK. However, many FB’s can swap sides very adequately, witness Zaba. With that in mind I’d go for Clichy on the right and tell him to just do the defending, slip the ball to Zeus and let him do the rest. I’d play AK on the left where he has developed a great understanding with Samir, some of those overlaps and 1.2′s are wicked. It’s Vinnie and Demichelis at CH of course, tough on Les but he’s rapidly becoming yesterday’s man, he is a solid English CH but hasn’t enough football in his feet or his brain for a Pellegrini team.
I suspect he will start Merlin and then do pretty much what he did against the Foxes, take him off after 60/70 minutes, shift Naz into the hole and bring on Milner.
Personally I’d rest Merlin with an eye on next Thursday and ‘Pool and start Edin and Neggers in a 442. That would give Fernie and Yaya opportunity to provide more of the same that they provided midweek.
It won’t happen though, I’m rarely right
Alph
Blimey!
Pellers must have read my piece
Alph