MAN CITY v Wigan – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
8 Mar
Costel Pantilimon is set to retain his position in net after featuring in the Capital One Cup final, whilst Micah Richards a likely to step into the side to provide Pablo Zabaleta with a rest ahead of the trip to Barcelona on Wednesday. Vincent Kompany is another who may benefit from a rest but is likely to partner Joleon Lescott at the back with Matija Nastasic still on the sidelines.
Manuel Pellegrini will be tempted to rest at least of Yaya Touré and Fernandinho ahead of the midweek encounter in Spain, so there may be an opportunity for Javi Garcia and Jack Rodwell in the centre of midfield. Further forward, it has been reported that Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo will renew their partnership for the first time since January as they both search for full fitness.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Anthony Taylor.
Prediction: MAN CITY 3 – 1 Wigan – The visitors, lead by firm City favourite Uwe Rosler, are in the midst of an impressive run of form at the moment and have the ability to pose more than the occasional problem but having secured one trophy last weekend, there will be the hunger to add to that collection from a City perspective. Goals to be scored by Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas and Jordi Gomez.
William Hill are offering the generous odds of 11/1 for a 3-1 City victory. Bet with them here!
You seem to have got it about right for me.
The only change would be resting Silva for Nasri
As much as I’d like to see it; I don’t think Milner will play centre mid. I agree that resting Silva and giving Samir more match time would also be a good idea.
I would pair Rodwell with Garcia and move Milner into more advanced role and then play with one striker Aguero or Negredo. I would also rest captain fantastic as he is too important to be risked in such game. Within the next 30 days, we are going to play Barcelona, United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Saints. Out best 11 should get as much as rest as possible esp in a game like this one.
I’d love to see Rodwell come back into the reckoning Siamack, and if he does it should mean that he’s proved an aceptable level of fitness and the manager has a degree of confidence that he can move forward for us. I’ve always thought that he had everything, vision, passing, acceleration, drive a good engine and a great physical presence but he also has a body that has failed to take the strain continuously.
If he doesn’t get games this season it will be nothing to do with any agenda against our English players, as is often floated by the media and various fans and non fans out there in the ether (I hasten to add not you. City have spent a lot of money on English players, overpaying for most of these including the younger talent evidenced by:
Bridge £12m, Barry £10m, Lescott £24m, Milner £22m, Sinclair £6m, Johnson £6m, Rodwell £12m. That’s a total of £92m for a group of players worth much less than that.
Lescott and Milner have been good servants but only Barry was worth the money spent if we are going to be realistic. The problem is the paucity of quality in the ranks of English 18-22 year olds and the ludicrous fees bandied around for the few that look as though they might be good enough. Figures of £25m or more for each of of Ross Barklay and Luke Shaw are simply ridiculous. They both look very promising but very few players show that level of promise and become a Gareth Bale. Micah Richards and Stephen Ireland both had that level of hype and ability, or near it, and both are useful PL professionals when fit, and both in their prime age wise could be acquired for around £12m the pair of them!
Alph
Back down to earth, hard one to call, we haven’t demolished anyone for a while so this game could be interesting, I hope milner gets a game his world cup place & city future don’t look great unfortunately- he deserves game time that lad, if im been very fussey I’d play him next week against barca too, I love Silva but I haven’t been impressed with him lately, why does he never shoot outside the box when its on for him??? Always the extra pass bah humbug, I’d have milner outside left with nasri- milner can be a big f***** nightmare for barca when he’s on his mojo, before anybody says anything about Silva we all know what a magnificent talent he is, elegant, I just feel that j.m gives us that drive & bigballs attitude we’ll need next week, 4-2 tomorrow, negredo overdue 2.
Can anyone tell me why we haven’t played well for two months? Anyone please?
Tiredness? Complacency?
One thing’s for sure- it’s the league from now on and no chance for slip ups.
If anyone thinks that MD is good enough then please give up. City have been crying out for a CB for 3 years.
And as for Clichy, he fucked up because of no right foot. How the fuck can a professional/Sunday league footballer do that?!?!