Manchester City
26 Jul 2009, 03:58 PM
I was just looking over our fixtures list and finally came around to the realisation that we are playing a supposed pre-season friendly against Barca a mere four days after our first proper league match against Rovers. This seems odd as I cannot seem to recall another time in recent history we have willingly clogged the first week of the season with unnecessary ties, adding--albeit a smaller one--further risk of injury or fatigue just three days prior to our second tricky league match against Wolves. Perhaps I am forgetting something, though.
Now, I am very much aware of the business strategy involved with this last minute addition. Although, given the extremely lukewarm reception we received in South Africa after our performance and unfortunate team selection (which I by no means fault Hughes for), it may not meet Cook's high hopes. I suspect we will not field our prominent side in the clash, as that would mean the majority of our starting squad would play around 270 minutes in a matter of a week. This would be taxing even with only very light training sessions between. This leads me to conclude Sparky will likely name a squad of bench and reserve players, as not even I, a less than full-hearted supporter of him, believes he so inept as to play fringe players for either of our first two league ties in order to save them for a meaningless marketing game. We would lose far more business wise in falling or drawing in our first two Premiership meetings than losing to Barca.
This begs the question: why? Are the owners or the admin office going to attempt to influence Hughes into choosing a side not in our best performance interest? Or will we logically play a diminished side, which seems not to fulfill the most basic functions of a friendly (those being fitness improvement, form assessment, and, in modern times, a positive marketing outcome). Perhaps I am looking at this with too focused a mindset and am missing another helpful purpose of the match.
What do you lads think?
Now, I am very much aware of the business strategy involved with this last minute addition. Although, given the extremely lukewarm reception we received in South Africa after our performance and unfortunate team selection (which I by no means fault Hughes for), it may not meet Cook's high hopes. I suspect we will not field our prominent side in the clash, as that would mean the majority of our starting squad would play around 270 minutes in a matter of a week. This would be taxing even with only very light training sessions between. This leads me to conclude Sparky will likely name a squad of bench and reserve players, as not even I, a less than full-hearted supporter of him, believes he so inept as to play fringe players for either of our first two league ties in order to save them for a meaningless marketing game. We would lose far more business wise in falling or drawing in our first two Premiership meetings than losing to Barca.
This begs the question: why? Are the owners or the admin office going to attempt to influence Hughes into choosing a side not in our best performance interest? Or will we logically play a diminished side, which seems not to fulfill the most basic functions of a friendly (those being fitness improvement, form assessment, and, in modern times, a positive marketing outcome). Perhaps I am looking at this with too focused a mindset and am missing another helpful purpose of the match.
What do you lads think?