Kickoff in about four-and-a-half hours from this posting, thought I'd get the thread going... TV-wise, I think it's delayed back in the U.S. on Fox Sports World, but I've got it live here this evening (Melbourne time) via free-to-air on SBS at midnight local time. So I'd be more than happy to handle the PbP duties. It's anybody's guess as to whether Claudio's starting. He had a really good outing in the Sky Blues' 6-2 win over Bolton last weekend, but that was six days ago, and with City having a midweek game in the Carling Cup away to QPR, and bearing in mind manager Kevin Keegan's "squad system" m.o. of picking players from one game to the next, it's anybody's guess as to whether Claudio plays. News roundup coming up....
From Man City's official site... "Injury sidelines Berkovic": http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=169352&Title=INJURY+SIDELINES+BERKOVIC Same source, "Play our own game", feature with insight from Trevor Sinclair: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=169369&Title=PLAY+OUR+OWN+GAME Same source, "Boss believes side is stronger": http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=169454&Title=BOSS+BELIEVES+SIDE+IS+STRONGER From the BBC's site... Match preview, with facts and figures: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/3206850.stm From Soccernet... "Reyna defends rotation": http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=281228&cc=3436 Also from Soccernet, the match preview: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=108110&cc=3436 From sportinglife.com, team news: http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...3/10/24/manual_082933.html&TEAMHD=premiership From skysports.com... Match preview: http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,52-1108512,00.html From the Manchester Evening News... Match preview: http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/sport/football/manchestercity/stories/Detail_LinkStory=71069.html Some of the above have been already noted, on a related thread on this forum. Feel free to add to this list as needed...
Interesting comments from the match preview here... Keegan could stick to the same 11 that performed so well last week, though Antonie Sibierski and Danny Tiatto both did well as subs and will be hoping to start. Keegan must also decide how attacking a team he wants to put out against the Premiership big spenders. If he decides to build a solid defensive platform in midfield, Paul Bosvelt could start alongside Joey Barton, with Steve McManaman and Shaun Wright-Phillips likely to get the wide berths. However Claudio Reyna's performance against Bolton could be rewarded with an extended run in the first team, while the experience of Sinclair could be useful.
If someone can pop a tape into the VCR for this one for me in the case that it turns out to be a cracker, I'd appreciate it. I'm not getting this one on SkyItalia today.
I think Reyna will be starting. SWP is out due to suspension. Keegan cannot afford to rest too many midfielders.
Good point, and I had a hunch about that this afternoon myself. Wright-Phillips' suspension and Berkovich being out, as well as McManaman being less than ready, only brings more credence to a theory that Claudio will start. I think he's bound to start, anyway, based on form and merit alone.
Since when do Red Cards = suspension the next match in England? Usually they have a hearing or something to that effect do they not?
You might be right. I thought that I read that SWP is out, but I just checked with soccerage.... he seemed to be starting. Sh55, I just made my wager.
The verdict is in... Reyna starts, according to sportinglife.com. CHELSEA 23. Carlo Cudicini 15. Mario Melchiot 13. William Gallas 26. John Terry 18. Wayne Bridge 10. Joe Cole 4. Claude Makelele 8. Frank Lampard 30. Jesper Gronkjaer 7. Adrian Mutu 9. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Subs 31. Marco Ambrosio (GK) 11. Damien Duff 14. Njitap Geremi 22. Eidur Gudjohnsen 21. Hernan Crespo MANCHESTER CITY 1. David Seaman 17. Sun Jihai 2. David Sommeil 5. Sylvain Distin 18. Michael Tarnat 29. Shaun Wright-Phillips 24. Joey Barton 6. Claudio Reyna 28. Trevor Sinclair 8. Robbie Fowler 39. Nicolas Anelka Subs 32. Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard (GK) 10. Antoine Sibierski 22. Richard Dunne 26. Paul Bosvelt 9. Paulo Wanchope Should be a ripper!!
6th min. -- Someill rips the ball just over Cudicini's crossbar, after Tarnat had corssed well from the right. Very close call, Cudicini looked beaten.
8th min. -- Hasselbaink shoots wide left, from Lampard's through-ball... middle left wide open for the pass and the run. Early let-off for City.
15th min. -- Reyna positioned in the center of City's midfield scheme, organizing matters with the short pass here and there, but hasn't made the spectacular play yet.
23rd min. -- Seaman saves well from Mutu, after nice approach work from JFH and Lampard. Chelsea with an edge in the attacking play so far, with that opportunity by Mutu and a couple of others by JFH their main chances. City have yet to offer up anything threatening. They're passing the ball well through the midfield, but things are breaking down once they approach Chelsea's back line.
29th min. -- Reyna winning a challenge and starting a counter-attack, but not much came of that after a couple of passes upfield. Back in City's box, an apparent goal from Lampard called back for offside on the former West Ham player-- let-off again for Man City.
33rd min. -- 1-0, Chelsea. JFH scores right out in front, after Seaman could only parry Mutu's cross from the left right into the Dutchman's path. Slack defending by City. And Mutu nearly made it two, but the City defence clears.