Derby week! Any time now the United media (Sky, Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror, etc.) will roll out a finely aged selection of United "legends" to tell the world how City have no team spirit, have just mercenaries who don't play for the love of the game unlike United's low paid local lads such as Rooney, Vidic, and Nani, and of course how City have no history despite being 130 years old. Derby week! Hope we give them a good kicking but never confident going to the swamp. We've yet to find out who the referee is, whether it'll be the oh so familiar 12th man for them (Webb, Clattenberg, and co.) or one of the few half-decent referees like Halsey or Dean. Before then Villarreal but with Mario serving out his European suspension on Tuesday night, will he start against United with Aguero, with Dzeko the man up front against Villarreal?
I will be happy with a point. But hoping for more. I think their defense can be beat. Liverpool should have had more yesterday.
Should be an interesting game. I hope its not like last years game at the Ethiad where neither team came out to win, just to not lose. Derby games should be fun. on a side note, how hard is it for a journalist to look up that Balotelli is suspended in Europe and can't play tomorrow? I've read no less than 5 stories about how he should play against Villarreal instead of Aguero/Dzeko.
Official for the derby is Mark Clattenberg, one of their favourite referees, who has made some crazy decisions in their favour in the past such as the infamous Roy Carroll incident. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-8dOjeVC80"]Roy Carroll drops Mendes' shot over the line. - YouTube[/ame] Howard Webb 4th official too. Was nice being top.
right on. One point is all I am expecting. Remember guys, the league is not won at old trafford. Obviously, the rags will have more possession. So if we focus more on attacking, there's a risk that our back line will be thin. I'd say we play defensive and wait for the opportunity to counter attack, exploiting their defense when they are caught off guard. Getting a point is considered a victory for me against the rags at old trafford. that will keep our spirits high and our undefeated season alive.
I'm looking forward to this derby more than usual. I will take a point happily but the vibe this week is already different. The local rags are so quiet, not a peep so far. This time even they know they can be had and that we are the team to take them. Not happy with Mark Clattenrag getting the game. I am sure he will try to help them at least a few times. Correctly said the league is not won at Old Trafford we shall see. Would love to stomp the twats though would be nice.
Point taken but if today is any indication that won't be a problem anymore. Even with the extra 20 minutes of Fergie time you lot will get.
Milner is in brilliant form, I think I'd start him ahead of Nasri. Nasri is more creative but almost everything United do goes through their wingers so we need Milner/De Jong/Yaya (harsh on Barry though) there with two doubling up on Nani and Young with Micah and Clichy. Those three with Silva, Aguero, and Mario up front would provide a very good balance I think.
I find it hard to leave Barry out of this game. De jong not entirely himself yet. Hargraeves on the bench?
Good Buildup to Sunday from a Journalist I quite like at the Guardian Daniel Taylor (neither a City fan, or a Utd fan, he supports Forrest). He is comparing the teams side by side. if you have feedback tweet him at @DTguardian, he's generally pretty receptive. Goal Keepers Defense
Zaba won't start on the left as Clichy and Kolarov are our main left-backs. Clichy has to start before Kolarov as he is a much better defender and you need good full-backs against United because they are always using Nani and Young. That would be my team in midfield and up front except I'd start Balotelli over Dzeko. You can only go on form and Balotelli has 4 goals in his last 4 games while Dzeko is in a blue patch and was very poor against Villarreal so is likely to start on the bench. Plus with Mancini's rotation, Balotelli has had a full week of rest having served the last match of his European suspension on Tuesday. Milner definitely deserves to start on current form although it is harsh on Barry who is very underrated by a lot of people but someone has to give way and if De Jong is 100% he should probably start.
If De Jong isn't 100% my lineup would be: Hart Richards Kompany(c) Lescott Clichy Barry(De Jong) Yaya(he hasn't been as good in this role this season) Silva Milner Nasri Balo Aguero Bench: De Jong(or Barry), Dzeko, Toure, Zaba, Johnson, Kolarov, Hargreaves
This is City's Clichy we're talking about, anyone can look shaky in Arsenal's poor defence. I sit near Clichy when we're attacking the South Stand so watch him closely - he has been basically flawless at left-back this season for us, I've counted only one winger who has gotten past him and that was just once. Kolarov OTOH backs off from players, he is indecisive and doesn't *attack* them, he watches them and backs away, giving them the chance to get around him and get a cross in, which they do far too often. Kolarov is better than Clichy going forward for sure but Clichy is much more defensively solid and that is what we need against United I think. Kolarov is also too slow to handle Nani and that is really why Mancini plays him more in the Champions League where the tempo is often slower and more technical.
I think the wildcard here is Nasri. He's been shaky quite often this year, but when he's on, he's been brilliant. I expect a good game by Silva regardless, but if Nasri can play like he did against Tottenham, I can see City scoring more than 2. Balotelli probably gets the start ahead of Dzeko, although I think Dzeko will be introduced relatively early due to his stellar scoring record against United.
Balotelli scored for Man City!!! MU 0-1 MC After seeing him score, he showed a shirt underneath that said "Why Always Me?" in BPL font (the same font as the letters used for the names of all players on every Premier League shirt) I want to get a replica Balotelli "Why Always Me?" shirt!!! I hope they'll be on sale soon on eBay!!! Someone's gonna hit the jackpot on this deal of marketing!!!
1-0 Man City at halftime... United looked the more active from kickoff but confident display from City and the blues actually look the more dangerous team so far.
Heart is racing here, beautiful finish by Mario but the rags always score at home so we have a lot of work to do.