QPR v MAN CITY – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
7 Nov
Pablo Zabaleta’s poor showing in the midweek Champions League disaster against CSKA Moscow, combined with the amount of games he has played recently, could result in a rare start for Bacary Sagna, whilst Vincent Kompany’s absence means that Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis will form the backbone of the side.
Frank Lampard is available again after injury and since he is the only central midfielder to have performed well this season, it would not be a total surprise to see him thrown straight back into the team. Samir Nasri is fighting for a place, as is Edin Dzeko, most likely at the expense of Stevan Jovetic.
Here is the side Manuel Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Mike Dean.
Prediction: QPR 1 – 2 MAN CITY – The home side have bounced back well, performance wise, after an awful start to the campaign and with City in poor form and with Kompany on the sidelines, there is the propensity for an upset. If City even half-click in attack, you would think they have too much quality to come away with nothing, and so I’ll back a tight, hard-fought victory with goals to be scored by Sergio Aguero, James Milner and Charlie Austin.
Frankly after the last 4 performances and the indifference displayed for many of the previous games, there is a need for a rethink of tactics, starting by stiffening the defence. I’d like to see both Fernie’s starting in a 4231 with Fernando tasked to stiffen the central defence to enable the full backs to still provide some width in attacking situations and Ferenadinho given the midfield engine room work. A three made up of Yaya playing further forward to provide quality ball and possession ability, with 2 from James Milner, Stevan Jovetic along with Kun Aguero completing the attacking unit. Find a way of calling it 442 to keep face for MP, keep a clean sheet and win by a single goal, that would be a change for the better. Once the defence is sorted out he can start to get more expansive again but at the moment we are bobbins.
Oops! Should have read
“2 from James Milner, Stevan Jovetic and Samir Nasri”
I’d go for:
……………Hart…………..
Sagna..Demicelis..Mangala..Clichy
…….Fernando..Fernandinho…..
….Nasri……Yaya……Milner..
…………..Aguero………….
No chance of this happening though, just an Alphonic pipe dream!
Alph
I am totally with you on this one. There is not a single person on the face of this planet except Pellers who disagrees with playing Yaya in advanced role and not CDM. It is about time to start both Frenies as CDMs and push Yaya forward. But knowing how stubborn Pellers is, we would see the line-up posted by VFB. He is going to play 4 – 4 – 2 not matter what, till he gets the boot. very frustrating!
Apart from the obvious inclusion of Silva if he was fit this is exact team I’ve been touting for a few week now
I wouldn’t put fernandhino in the reserves the way he’s playing. Lampard would be better even on one leg. I’d put pozo in for dzeko, & give Sinclair a go to see what he’s got, with milner in the middle or something like that. Some of these boys need to be stung & sent to the stand for a couple of games. We know sinclair & pozo should be very hungry given half a chance. They are fresh & can offer us the badly needed element of surprise, demich can also play d.m if needed, we have room for maneuver with the squad but the manager just open his eyes. I like fernandhino, i don’t like knocking city boys but he looks like his confidence is shot – give him 10 days holiday & he’ll come back strong.
They maybe hungry but not sure they have the ability. Im also not convinced Fernandinho has been quite as bad as people are making out but think he would benefit with Fernando in there with him