Showing Manchester City too much respect has done nothing but backfire, if you press them they're easier to beat. 

                   Courtois
Christensen - Azpi - Rudiger - Alonso
   Kante - Fabregas - Drinkwater
      Pedro - Giroud - Hazard

Edited February 26, 20188 yr by the special one

45 minutes ago, the special one said:

                   Courtois
Christensen - Azpi - Rudiger - Alonso
   Kante - Fabregas - Drinkwater
      Pedro - Giroud - Hazard

Willian ? How good as he got to look to get into your team ?

15 minutes ago, coco said:

Willian ? How good as he got to look to get into your team ?

I'm saving him for the second half? 

In all seriousness I'd like to see 3 in the middle, I think if we rock up with 3 at the back it will be a question of when City score not if. I'd like to think we'll play with a narrow midfield, Kante/Drinky doing the defensive/cover work for Fabregas, with Pedro and Hazard playing on the flanks and exposing the space behind City's fullbacks.

Christensen's had a few dodgy moments v Barca/United, I wouldn't drop him but given City's lack of physical threat up front I think Azpi's experience would be better utilised at CB in a back 4, with Christensen moving to RB.

Edited February 26, 20188 yr by the special one

7 hours ago, bluedave said:

It's a good job Wigan didn't have that attitude before playing City one week ago. And our players (if not many of the posters here, who apparently never learn their lesson) before the Barcelona game in the week. 

Am not saying it is impossible just unlikely we will beat them in their own back yard. Rather like Wigan beating them or Bournemouth thrashing us at home. Sometimes the unlikely becomes reality.

Just not to bank on it. I respect the superb job city have done so far this season and they are the team to beat. Believe it is possible to beat them for sure but, like barca away, it will take a really special night to happen.

3 hours ago, the special one said:

                   Courtois
Christensen - Azpi - Rudiger - Alonso
   Kante - Fabregas - Drinkwater
      Pedro - Giroud - Hazard

Wouldn’t like to see Alonso as a full back, would get beat too often for pace or not in position.

City have 3 games in 6 days, won the league and through the champions league so it will be interesting to see which game or games Pep takes more serious. I guess he will want to put a show on at home against the Champions. One position City don't have much depth is centre midfield and Fernandino is out, Conte gets a full week to work on a counter attacking system, im pretty sure he will get something out the game.

53 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

City have 3 games in 6 days, won the league and through the champions league so it will be interesting to see which game or games Pep takes more serious. I guess he will want to put a show on at home against the Champions. One position City don't have much depth is centre midfield and Fernandino is out, Conte gets a full week to work on a counter attacking system, im pretty sure he will get something out the game.

yeah could see him resting a few key players. arsenal will have to put up a better fight on thursday. 

I am sure City players will run a lot more in spite of playing mid-week. We might fight hard but I don't see us winning. Maybe a draw.

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Am not saying it is impossible just unlikely we will beat them in their own back yard. Rather like Wigan beating them or Bournemouth thrashing us at home. Sometimes the unlikely becomes reality.

Just not to bank on it. I respect the superb job city have done so far this season and they are the team to beat. Believe it is possible to beat them for sure but, like barca away, it will take a really special night to happen.

You are always so negative. Every big team we play is a spanking according to you. Jesus Christ. Football isn't that easy. Look what happened with the Barcelona game, you know, the one you said would be a spanking. Get real, sir. Like Eden said, we are Chelsea, we are the Champions. Chelsea is one of the only teams I know that shows fight and pride. Never say die attuide. All for one, one for all. 

Edited February 26, 20188 yr by Famous CFC

6 hours ago, the special one said:

                   Courtois
Christensen - Azpi - Rudiger - Alonso
   Kante - Fabregas - Drinkwater
      Pedro - Giroud - Hazard

Gotta play Willian from start. Andreas at right back will get smoked. Same team that played United. Maybe start Fab over Drink. Willian right now is making Hazard look silly. 

5 hours ago, coco said:

Willian ? How good as he got to look to get into your team ?

Has to be first name on teamsheet on current form.

21 hours ago, DJSankiller007 said:

Only chance we have of getting something out of this game will be with this lineup:

                                                                 Courtois

                                                        Azpi    Cahill   Rudiger

                                           Moses   Kante    Luiz   Bakayoko  Palmeiri

                                                        Willian        Eden

 

would like to know why on earth you'd start Bakayoko or Luiz

I reckon go with the same team as Barca, only change being Giroud for Pedro for me 

 

2 hours ago, Famous CFC said:

You are always so negative. Every big team we play is a spanking according to you. Jesus Christ. Football isn't that easy. Look what happened with the Barcelona game, you know, the one you said would be a spanking. Get real, sir. Like Eden said, we are Chelsea, we are the Champions. Chelsea is one of the only teams I know that shows fight and pride. Never say die attuide. All for one, one for all. 

I am a glass half empty sort of supporter, I don't deny that. Nor would I claim my predictions are accurate most of the time either. My track record in predicting wins that actually turn out to be wins is terrible.

If there was a perfect time to play City, we are playing them now. They are playing two top four challengers, three times within the space of 7 days. They are travelling to Emirates on Thursday then have 2 days rest to recover for Sunday in which we have a full week's rest. Only reason I am have higher hopes than I would of without their game in the week. Fernandinho will probably be a few weeks on the sidelines and for our counter-attacking style we look to implement at the Etihad, him not playing is a huge bonus for us, as when we do counter, they don't have another player who can do the defensive work he does.

We really can't afford to lose this with Spurs and Liverpool having on paper, games where they should be collecting 3 points. That being said, this City team is on another level and literally are world class or bordering on it. Just hope that in this week building up to the game, Conte works on his tactics and pulls of a master victory.

If it was not for City having the league wrapped up, no doubt they would be complaining regarding the timing of the fixtures and how unfair it is, but really on the scheduling side of things, let's hope it gives us an advantage and we be the first team this season to go and win at the Etihad.

1 hour ago, STATS said:

If there was a perfect time to play City, we are playing them now. They are playing two top four challengers, three times within the space of 7 days. They are travelling to Emirates on Thursday then have 2 days rest to recover for Sunday in which we have a full week's rest. Only reason I am have higher hopes than I would of without their game in the week. Fernandinho will probably be a few weeks on the sidelines and for our counter-attacking style we look to implement at the Etihad, him not playing is a huge bonus for us, as when we do counter, they don't have another player who can do the defensive work he does.

We really can't afford to lose this with Spurs and Liverpool having on paper, games where they should be collecting 3 points. That being said, this City team is on another level and literally are world class or bordering on it. Just hope that in this week building up to the game, Conte works on his tactics and pulls of a master victory.

If it was not for City having the league wrapped up, no doubt they would be complaining regarding the timing of the fixtures and how unfair it is, but really on the scheduling side of things, let's hope it gives us an advantage and we be the first team this season to go and win at the Etihad.

BUT...

cant really get positive. I think we played quite good against United and Barca but have a draw and loss to show for it. Somehow, we are missing that X-factor to see us over the line. That clinicality, that sense of bloody killing edge.

4 hours ago, STATS said:

If there was a perfect time to play City, we are playing them now. They are playing two top four challengers, three times within the space of 7 days. They are travelling to Emirates on Thursday then have 2 days rest to recover for Sunday in which we have a full week's rest. Only reason I am have higher hopes than I would of without their game in the week. Fernandinho will probably be a few weeks on the sidelines and for our counter-attacking style we look to implement at the Etihad, him not playing is a huge bonus for us, as when we do counter, they don't have another player who can do the defensive work he does.

We really can't afford to lose this with Spurs and Liverpool having on paper, games where they should be collecting 3 points. That being said, this City team is on another level and literally are world class or bordering on it. Just hope that in this week building up to the game, Conte works on his tactics and pulls of a master victory.

If it was not for City having the league wrapped up, no doubt they would be complaining regarding the timing of the fixtures and how unfair it is, but really on the scheduling side of things, let's hope it gives us an advantage and we be the first team this season to go and win at the Etihad.

Chelssa have been given the best chance to get something at City, if they can't in these circumstances they never will.

A draw out there, will be perfect just for keep going and not lost our moral after 2 defeats in row. If we lose there 3-0 it's the end of Conte...

14 hours ago, Ernie_blue said:

City have 3 games in 6 days, won the league and through the champions league so it will be interesting to see which game or games Pep takes more serious. I guess he will want to put a show on at home against the Champions. One position City don't have much depth is centre midfield and Fernandino is out, Conte gets a full week to work on a counter attacking system, im pretty sure he will get something out the game.

Now I feel a bit more confident. Hopefully in the latter stages of the game City start to show fatigue from playing Arsenal in midweek and we can capitalise on that. Though we suck at holding the ball when they press us so I still see it being very difficult. 

Only team to beat City this year in the league is a team that went out to attack. Conte will set us up like Barca with a false 9 and expect us to hit them on the counter attack. Can see it being 2-0 City this one. 23% possession to Chelsea with 2 shots 0 on target. Hazard subbed in the 70th minute to piss everyone off even more. Gary Cahill to start too. 

29 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Only team to beat City this year in the league is a team that went out to attack. Conte will set us up like Barca with a false 9 and expect us to hit them on the counter attack. Can see it being 2-0 City this one. 23% possession to Chelsea with 2 shots 0 on target. Hazard subbed in the 70th minute to piss everyone off even more. Gary Cahill to start too. 

What about Baka vs Toure in midfield , two lethargic and lazy midfielders.

Fully expect us to line up more or less how we did against Barca and approach the game with a similar mindset. 

They'll dominate possession and we've just got to hope the defence holds. Given Christensen's recent creaks don't be surprised if Cahill is recalled. 

I'm expecting the false 9 to be deployed but really you'd want Hazard picking up the ball much deeper against City because I think he could get some joy running at the right hand side of their defence, he's had Walker in knots before. 

Hopefully Willian continues his fine form, he's currently our most important player so needs to start. 

Midfield will be interesting, does he go with Fabregas in hopes of him getting enough time on the ball to play some incisive balls over the top on the counter or does he go with the more conservative choice of Drinkwater? 

I expect Bakayoko to continue to be "injured" for this one. 

A draw wouldn't be a bad result given the opposition but seeing as we've slipped to 5th we really need to be going for the win because the games are running out now and looking at Liverpool and Spurs games for March I can't see either of them dropping many points in the coming weeks.   

51 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

What about Baka vs Toure in midfield , two lethargic and lazy midfielders.

Throw Fabregas in the mix and we can race them against snails. My money is on the snails. 

Don't know if I'm confident or not. We're in very poor form at the moment. Wouldn't be surprised if we lost.

Edited February 27, 20188 yr by Old Shaggy

Praying for a miracle but them at full strength is going to be hard work. 

On 26/02/2018 at 12:16, enigma said:

I know our fans are expecting us to get a thrashing here, but I feel we will turn up for this. It feels like the tie vs barca where our backs are against the wall to get a good result.

Not saying we will win, but I believe  we will put up a great effort and trouble city. I feel they can be got at defensively. Utd defend more and it's harder to get goals, but with city they are more open and chances can be created. 

Last time they played us was after a midweek visit to athletico in which we put a lot into. This time we are rested and ready to go. 

Its a pity their CL game is over with as they may have had one eye on that but pep will have a full strength team to choose from. Kante has to shut down de bruyne, be on him like a f**king rash every minute of the game.