…pays off against Liverpool because, despite saying he wasn’t going to underestimate Bristol City, for me he weakened the side a little too much last Tuesday night and should have, in my opinion, picked a side to try to almost kill the 2-legged tie at the first attempt [with 5-days rest before our trip to Merseyside]. His decision NOT to do that almost backfired.
Indeed, that tie now hangs in a situation that is a little too close for comfort as we await the away leg.
But having rested some key personnel in midweek, we should now be heading to Anfield with virtually a full-strength 11 & subs, which will be needed against such a strong attacking team and at a stadium that hasn’t proven the best hunting ground for us, even in recent times.
v Liverpool
 |
| Anfield |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct
from starting line-up in the last game, which for me, Blog-wise, was the Premier League, Watford match: 8/11).
Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3
____________________Aguero____________________
__________________Fernandinho__________________
____________________Ederson____________________
Ederson back in net after stepping aside in midweek.
Fabian, John, the returning Nicholas and Kyle likely to make up the back-4.
Fernandinho resumes his position inbetween the defence and the more-attacking midfielders / wingers, which is likely to look like Leroy, David, Kevin & Raheem, who is sure to be booed by some home morons.
Sergio heads up all of those.
Jittery Claudio back on the side; Danilo, Zinchenko & Eliaquim provide various defensive cover. Yaya likely to make 'the 7', despite a sluggish-looking performance on Tuesday, along with the quality of Ilkay, and still-settling-in to some degree, Bernardo.
Notable absences: Benjamin Mendy (continues
rehab following injury / surgery), Vincent Kompany (on way back from injury but quite likely still not ready for this game)
& Gabriel Jesus (injured for another 2 to 3 weeks, which is far better
than first thought).
I sure do.
Result? I think they'll be goals both ends. Of course, for their many attacking players to become a threat, they'll have to get the ball off us but, at home and over the 90+ minutes of course, I think that'll happen.
However - and despite me leaning for a while towards this one being a 'points shared' - having rested a few key players over the last 8 days I think we'll see a City team able to chip away at the home side for so very long, that I can see us edging this one and coming back to Manchester with all 3 points. Could be a very good game, could this...
Last season’s,
corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Draw
Result: Lost
Expected weather conditions during
the game: Quite a strong, Southerly breeze and certainly cool at 5C. But other than that, nothing to affect the game or fans as it’ll be overcast but dry.
A few words on transfer links.
Have Manyoo
‘done a number on us’ by sticking their mucky hat in the ring for the Arsenal forward? Yes…I’d have to they have indeed.
Are we right, as has been reported, not to
want to go higher than £20M for a player who has less than 6-month left on his
contract and who would then, of course, be a free agent? Well yeah…but I’d
still push it to somewhere between 25-to-£30M for a player who would fit into
our set up and Pep’s style of football, which is very familiar to a player who
has played under the Spanish boss many times.
But yeah, there’s no doubt that Manyoo’s apparent,
vastly improved offer of £25M plus Henrikh Mkhitaryan is going to appear to the North London
club far more than a straight £20M, or there abouts, from us.
For me it’s really in the balance now and is
all down to the player’s own desire to join Manchester City / Pep or not. He
might want to now hang on until July and be in a stronger position to decide himself
where he goes next. Over to you fella…
This one really splits City fans. Some don’t
want him simply ‘cause he’s an ex-Manyoo player (very silly); some
actually believe that just turning 30 means that he’s ‘over the hill’ (utter nonsense) or believe we should be looking for longer-term targets (fair enough but you’re less
likely to get the younger quality you want in January)…whilst
others just don’t believe it’s necessary to get another central defender, as we
have enough cover, one way or another, within the squad (I agree to some degree).
Here’s where I stand on the Jonny Evans
thing. Just go and get him. Why?
-
Vastly experienced at both Premier League and in Europe for both club &
country.
-
A central defender who can –
and has – covered at left-back if needed (and we often do), albeit not an
attacking left-wing-back type player.
-
Although we have Fernandinho (33-years of age can I add, for those
who believe that 30 is “past it”) who can cover in defence if needed on
occasions; I think the Brazilian has enough on his hands being virtually the
only REAL defensive midfield option we have, as Fabian
Delph has found himself having to be full time left-back cover (what a
great job he’s doing!) for the season-long injured Benjamin
Mendy. Therefore, I see Jonny Evans as a much needed player to swell the
ranks of our central defensive unit when I look at Vincent
Kompany (injured
far more than he is fit these days), John Stones (brilliant before his injury this season; wobbly
moments since his return and he too has a record of breaking down for a few
weeks a couple of times per season), Nervous Nelliaquim Mangala (who looks to have no self-belief
whatsoever and far too often creates carnage in our defence and actively
encourages opposition to ‘have a go at him’) and Nicholas Otamendi (a VASTLY improved player but who, let’s not
forget, has got it in him to pick up yellow & red
cards). Do we need an experienced ‘steady Eddie’ in
amongst that lot to take us through, at least, another 4 months of football in 4 competitions, as it stands at the moment? I would certainly say so.
-
He has less than 18 months left
on his contract and, therefore, should
cost us no more than £25M (with possible ‘add-ons’). Other interested parties?
Arsenal and now, of course, Manyoo
apparently.
From what I’ve seen on-line, this fella is
definitely a Pep-type defender. Yes, he can tackle but more importantly, for
what Pep likes, he’s very mobile and likes to pass / set up attacks.
As I say, I have seen plenty of footage of
him on-line and the only thing that concerns me is that he likes to do a lot of
his tackling by sliding in on the floor, Fernando “The Octopus” style. Fine…if he times it right. But in the Prem - and the way footy is going these days with
more & more players simulating fouls – that style of tacking could be a
risk.
I think I’m right in saying this fella
would cost closer to the £40M mark and I was told yesterday that he’d picked up
an injury but I just can’t find anything about that on-line.
Yeah why not? Good age too at 27-years of
age in May. I’ve got a feeling this could be a summer signing.
And don’t be surprised, if we do sign Evans
in the next couple of weeks, if we then go out and get Martinez too; as I can
see both Mangala being sold in the summer and Kompany finally accepting after
the season that he can no longer perform at this level.
Hadn’t heard of the Brazilian, central midfielder until recently and
so, yep, another YouTube viewing was
required, amongst other bits of research of course.
Looks very good indeed – a worker, a
box-to-boxer, has a very good shot on him, a menace in the opposition area and has pace
with the ball / good at breaking from deep at speed.
Although not nearly the height of
Fernandinho or Yaya Toure at a mere 5’ 6.5’’,
I think we might be looking at him as a defensive midfielder, although he does
have one hell of a shot on him, as I say, and has scored 9 in 90 league
appearances for Fernandinho’s old club, Shakhtar Donetsk.
Heavily contracted to June 2023 and, so,
might be a £50M+’er. A summer signing if anything I would think.
Gone out so far…
23-year old, central defender, Shay Facey has signed for Northampton Town for an undisclosed fee and on a contract to
June 2019.
19-year old, Right-sided forward, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts has gone to Oxford United on loan for the rest of the season.
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