Pizy

I'm more worried about West Brom than I was about Spurs. At least we knew what to expect with them. West Brom may play like the old Pulis thugs who park the bus or they may come out and actually try to play football like they have on this little run of theirs. This is a classic trap game where everyone expects us to win comfortably but is very dangerous. They'll likely target Cahill by putting Rondon on him and lumping it up to him at every opportunity. If he isn't switched on the whole time West Brom will find joy.

Huge opportunity tomorrow to put some daylight between ourselves and City. Also could see Spurs fall away from any title talk as well if they lose to United.

This is unreal!

I think he'll play. Looked perfectly fine in a video clip from training I saw yesterday.

I don't know if we'll even sign anyone in January. You see the names were linked with like Nainggolan again and the CB Süle from Germany and they're basically the most important players at their clubs. Don't think there's a chance they would consider selling them midseason. I just hope we don't go for another Cuadrado type who comes in, sits on the bench, and fails to settle and we regret buying him.

Am I the only one who interpreted this second quote as a dig at us? I also remember him almost dismissively calling us a counter attacking side either just before or just after we played them.

All of our best players having shockers. Even Kante. We're being ripped to shreds here...

That's what happens when we repeatedly allow De Bruyne and Navas to cross the ball virtually unopposed. We also can't get Pedro or Costa involved at all so they can't trouble the shaky City defense. This could get ugly if we don't adjust.

Oh no... Kante will have one hell of a job on his hands today.

I'm a generally pessimistic person. Expect the worse, hope for the best kind of guy. Just thinking about how huge it would be to get 3 points here. We'd have to start considering ourselves favorites with our fixtures following this one easing up considerably. We could extend our run of wins to ridiculous lengths if we win this.

Super anxious about Sterling against Alonso especially. Kyle Walker was just all pace and was beating him with ease last weekend. Sterling has pace and fantastic trickery at the same time. Pep will probably use him as his main threat and they'll be looking to get the ball to him at every opportunity. If we manage to get any points at the Etihad it'll be a good result.

Best overall defender in the league for me. Nearly unbeatable 1 on 1 and positionally phenomenal. Great football brain. Only weakness is something he can't control which is his size. Like today a few times when Harry Kane was just too big for him physically. you see opposition manager try to isolate their tall strainer on Azpi nearly every week but so far no joy.

Pedro's goal completely murdered their momentum and shattered their mentality. Totally controlled the second half. Really the only times they looked dangerous in the second half was when we were loose with the ball and handed it to them. Only slight worry from an individual player standpoint for me going forward is when Alonso gets stranded 1 on 1 defensively. He's brilliant in attack but so shaky against pace out there. Walker had him on toast repeatedly by just knocking it past him and sprinting. Needs more help out there from Hazard in games like that.

WHY!!!? Why bring him on with so much time left!?

We knew exactly how Spuds would play and had a week to prepare for it. High pressing, high energy, steel in midfield. Yet they still battered us that half as if we weren't expecting it.

Need Matic and Kante to take the game by the scruff of the neck in midfield. We need more control there. Dembele and Wanyamahave it too easy at the moment.

This is embarrassing... They're bullying us and we have zero composure when getting pressed. Just like last season.

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, HOLD THE BALL!

Exactly the start I was worried about. We can't handle the press.

Based on form, being at home, and sheer quality of these XI's we should win this comfortably. Which is why I'm nervous as FUCK!

Seeing lots of our fans on Twitter that are convinced we'll ease past them today. Like its a foregone conclusion. Wish I was as confident. Think it'll be our toughest test since the tactical switch. I know Conte won't allow our players to feel the same or that they don't have to be at their best to win, so I hope we don't start like we did against Boro and just let Spuds impose their will.

Just noticed that all of our other rivals have very winnable matches this weekend. Liverpool and City have Sunderland and Burnley respectively so they should coast to 3 points without much effort. Arsenal have Bournemouth who may be somewhat tricky but I doubt it. United have West Ham who are dire and just choked away a very late 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 to Spuds. I expect all of them to get 3 points. Us beating Spuds with Man City away next weekend would be colossal.

Pretty obvious that they'll pack the midfield with lots of bodies. Probably see Dier, Dembele, and Wanyama in the middle of the pitch. Plus that dirty cunt Dele Ali. They'll be an absolute pain to break down.

Oh, what I would give to see us compound their misery and humiliate them like we did Everton and United...

We look a bit creaky and rusty in the defensive wide areas so that'll be a concern. In attack we look dangerous almost every time we get it around their box. If we make it 2-0 I think it's game over.