Closed Man City v Chelsea

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Guessing I'm the only one who isn't scared of CIty.

Apart from the 1st half against Tottenham, we haven't really been outplayed in any big game this season and that includes Bayern.

He's hated on here but I wish we had Torres for this one. Ripped them to shreds in the home game.

[Jype 6,398]

Rightfully so though IMO, they've been really good in the past few games.

Hopefully we'll bring them back down to earth though.

They've been that way for years despite not really having anything to show for it other than the one nearly bottled league title won on goal difference. Most of them are obviously just suffering from an inferiority complex towards the two most successful English clubs of the last decade or so and that's why they're so hostile. Not even going to get started with how insecure they are when it comes to United but regarding Chelsea, they seem to think they've surpassed us and our achievements in every way possible. If that were true, then where is their Champions League trophy? The first time their club even sees knockout stage Champions League football other than on TV or in Football Manager will be next month.

Most of them don't even see us as a threat anymore, not even for the future seasons. I'd understand if they said they're feeling confident about their chances this season because clearly they're favorites and for a good reason too but to not acknowledging the fact our team is going to be one of the best in the world once our young players start hitting their prime and Mourinho gets to bring in more players he specifically wants is just being ignorant and they got another thing coming if they think they're just easily going to dominate the English football for the next ten years.

Also, apparently playing against Manchester City is both the club's and personally Mourinho's 'cup final' and has been for a long time. Well, I suppose it's understandable for those people to consider the biggest league game of the season a cup final of sorts because they've never experienced the joy of playing an actual cup final like the Champions League...

[jmarlow 458]

Guessing I'm the only one who isn't scared of CIty.

Apart from the 1st half against Tottenham, we haven't really been outplayed in any big game this season and that includes Bayern.

He's hated on here but I wish we had Torres for this one. Ripped them to shreds in the home game.

Trust me your not the only one who isn't scared of them!

[jmarlow 458]

they seem to think they've surpassed us and our achievements in every way possible.

Do they really think that? If they do that's pretty embarrassing!

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Edit

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

The mighty Manchester City! The same team who have failed to get out of their group stage of the CL every season, apart from this one

1 league title and 1 FA Cup.... I think they have underachieved

They better hope they win the league this year, Mourinho's Chelsea will dominate the league again.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

They are at their peak, we don't even have our complete mourinho squad, if they don't win the league this season, they won't win it for a couple of years again. Mark my words

[manpe 10,861]

Aguero (Injured), Yaya Toure and Zabelata both (Yellow card accumulation) will miss the game against Chelsea on Monday

You need to give a source at least. Who are their natural replacements? I know about Džeko for Agüero but what about the other two?

[Jase 43,479]

Aguero (Injured), Yaya Toure and Zabelata both (Yellow card accumulation) will miss the game against Chelsea on Monday

Toure and Zabaleta are not suspended for goodness sake!

[didierforever 7,349]

zabaleta has 3 yellows and yaya has 2 yellows, how can they be suspended?

[Nero 1,838]

Schurrle, who hasn't even been good in his natural position recently should be played in a position he isn't even comfortable in against Man City?

yeah

[Excalibur KTBFFH 109]

4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1? Jose has a decision to make. Later on this thread, I'll give my opinion on why 4-2-3-1 is the way we should set up in this match. We can't go for containment like we did at OT and the Emirates, if we do we will lose. City are a different animal and score goals almost at will. They WILL score at least one against us. We HAVE to take the game to them and we need Oscar to press their two CM's Fernandinho and Toure. Toure especially can be careless with possession in his own half sometimes and I'm not convinced by the defensive cover they give their back four. Oscar has to be at his best on Monday and our intensity and pressing game is key to a positive result.

We beat them through an intelligent approach, not being too gung-ho, but absolutely going for it. Their defense is suspect and it's clear they don't like it when the opposition stick it to them.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Eto'o is probably our best finisher.

Statistically, he's by far our best striker in the PL.

Eto'o vs. Torres vs. Ba this season:

[communicate 2,703]

To be honest, for this game I am just excited more than anything, my expectation for this season is to be in top 3

and more importantly to build some kind of identity which is what Mourinho is doing, so I have no problem if we lose.

For this game, I think mou will play a 4-3-3 lineup, a DM is a must against city to deny Silva space in the midfield and both of our winger must trackback especially our right winger because Kolarov is extremely dangerous.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

zabaleta has 3 yellows and yaya has 2 yellows, how can they be suspended?

Actually Zabaleta is on seven yellow cards this season, but the rules in EPL differ from the rules in the other leagues in Europe regarding yellow cards and maybe xPetrCechx was a little bit misled by that - In EPL a player is suspended at his 5th and 10th yellow card (no suspension between this numbers), whereas in some other important leagues in Europa you get suspended at your 5th yellow card and then you get an automatic match-ban for every yellow card you receive.

So no, Zabaleta and Yaya are not suspended. Only Aguero, Nasri, Milner and Javi Garcia are missing for City.

[kobematabryant 400]

This post on Bluemoon.......

"On Monday night Manchester City will smash Chelsea. Once we have scored one we will put 5 past them; that's what we've done to every side bar 2 (Hull and Palace to their credit). And we will score one. That first goal acts like the catalyst for wave after wave of City attacks. There is not a team in this country who can live with us when we are like that and on Monday I am very confident we will be like that. I also happen to believe that - so long as the players believe they can - we will do Barca at home much the same.

I am coming to the view that all the chatter about it being a tight league this year will prove wholly unfounded. If I am wrong on that I am wrong, it's no big deal, nobody will have died. But I think we are starting now to gather a momentum which will leave everybody else trailing in out wake before too much longer has passed.... We has reached that lovely and rare tipping point where teams are beaten before they turn up, and while this was true at home from early on, it's now starting to be true away also. Once that starts to be the case, there will be no stopping us. That's not arrogance btw, it's a fact, and all we have to do is sit back, ignore the bleating of the fans of other clubs (you spent all that money blah blah... and their managers (and is it just me that really hates all the 'special one' shit??) and enjoy the ride.

5-0 City."

[We Hate Scouse 10,286]

I am coming to the view that all the chatter about it being a tight league this year will prove wholly unfounded. If I am wrong on that I am wrong, it's no big deal, nobody will have died.

What? Hahaha is this the first match he's going to be watching this season or something? What a clown.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Show that to our players,that will get their blood pumping :blue scalf: