Wow AFCAMDEN was waffling, who would've thought?
With the change in personnel for City due to injuries I can see them lining up quite defensive, I think pep showed he was worried about being too open in the first game at the emirates
Last season they went long and relied on us pressing quite high, I think it will be the same this time around, however Saliba and Gabriel will cope much better with that tactic than Holding and Gabriel did last year
I anticipate quite a fast start from us, similar to the Liverpool away games, I just hope we're more clinical and can then keep it tight, the atmosphere at city is a different world to anfield, which is why they got the results in the end
I disagree; if you look at the two matches we've played vs City (CS and Emirates) we've not really pressed City too high up the pitch, rather we engaged them in a mid-block. I think we'll be happy for them to have the ball in their defensive zones.
It'll be a cagey, tight affair imo.
The tactic in the past has been to high press early on, it majorly backfired last season at the Etihad, which was largely due to Holding not being able to cope with Haaland when City went long
I think that tactic could work now we have the defensive stability and players in midfield to cover the gaps City picked off
At the emirates you're right we did sit off, as did City, but away from home we have had the tendancy to try and open teams up early and put them on the back foot, if we sit back too much at the start at the Etihad the crowd will put them under a lot of pressure to pin us in
I guess Walker and Akanji should be fine. But a big question mark behind Stones.
So City might be playing like this:
OrtegaOr what do you think?
Walker/Akanji - Dias - Ake - Gvardiol
Rodri
Kovacic - De Bruyne
Foden - Haaland - Bernardo
Very true, I think cutting out any risk against city is impossible, and if we sit back too much you're asking the best team in the world to try and open you up, invariably they doThe tactic *could* work but it's very risky, especially away at the Etihad as City are a world class team who can cut us open if we even make one mistake in our pressing patterns. If City are pinning us back, we have the option to lop the ball over the top of their press to Havertz; an option we didn't have last time.
Very true, I think cutting out any risk against city is impossible, and if we sit back too much you're asking the best team in the world to try and open you up, invariably they do
We have to be brave, and in my opinion for us to win the league we have to win, a draw is an ok result if we were just competing with City, but I don't see L:iverpool dropping more than 3 pts till the end of the season, and I just can't see us dropping less than 3 with our run in
Arteta and Guardiola will definitely try and out think the other one, so it's going to be very intriguing
Stones and Ederson definitely out. Walker, Akanji, De Bruyne, Haaland all have late fitness checks. Even of they're cleared fit, they could be second half subs.I guess Walker and Akanji should be fine. But a big question mark behind Stones.
So City might be playing like this:
OrtegaOr what do you think?
Walker/Akanji - Dias - Ake - Gvardiol
Rodri
Kovacic - De Bruyne
Foden - Haaland - Bernardo
Stones and Ederson definitely out. Walker, Akanji, De Bruyne, Haaland all have late fitness checks. Even of they're cleared fit, they could be second half subs.
Apparently Pep is in talks with Burnley to loan out Company for this game. Money talks!City back 5 for Sunday at this rate.
Hart
Mills Dunne Lescott Ball