No idea who we should play against Wolves, but I want to see this against City:

 

-------------------------------Kepa

Azpilicueta---------Rudiger-------Luiz (I suppose)-----Alonso

----------------------Kanté---------Fabregas

--------------------------Loftus-Cheek

----------Pedro------------------------------------Willian

------------------------------Hazard

Please turn up, fight and take the game to City. If we lose, we lose. At least we’d have given it a shot instead of rolling over and dying like the rest of the league. 

Thankfully this is a 5:30pm ko, so extra drinking time to numb the pain!

6 minutes ago, chi blue said:

Thankfully this is a 5:30pm ko, so extra drinking time to numb the pain!

Thankfully my boss is letting me leave work at 2pm on the busiest Saturday of the year! If it wasn’t a late one I’d probably be made to work. 

Most likely an ass whooping on the cards.......play in any shape or form like we have for 6 games now and we are done. These are the games the players and Sarri must earn their corn........show that we can fight the rivals and scare them.

18 hours ago, atomis said:

Most likely an ass whooping on the cards.......play in any shape or form like we have for 6 games now and we are done. These are the games the players and Sarri must earn their corn........show that we can fight the rivals and scare them.

I would like us to change our shape for City though doubt Sarri will change.

I would like 4-4-2 with Hazard on the bench and either Barkley or RLC in the midfield to clog it up. Try and not concede for 45 and then on 65 bring on Hazard for the psychological impact.

3 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

I would like us to change our shape for City though doubt Sarri will change.

I would like 4-4-2 with Hazard on the bench and either Barkley or RLC in the midfield to clog it up. Try and not concede for 45 and then on 65 bring on Hazard for the psychological impact.

I for one wouldnt mind that.....just something to mix it up......surprise pep a bit, give him something to think about. But when that happens we will see pigs fly with capes.

23 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Thankfully my boss is letting me leave work at 2pm on the busiest Saturday of the year! If it wasn’t a late one I’d probably be made to work. 

I wonder what he expects in return................ Christmas Eve or perhaps New Years Eve... you've been warned!

1 hour ago, Strider6003 said:

I wonder what he expects in return................ Christmas Eve or perhaps New Years Eve... you've been warned!

I’m on holiday so that wouldn’t happen even if we were open. He’s just not a complete cock womble and I work my arse off for him. 

Edited December 4, 20187 yr by Munkworth

What no one wants conte back for a one off repeat of our game at their place last season?

2 hours ago, Munkworth said:

I’m on holiday so that wouldn’t happen even if we were open. He’s just not a complete cock womble and I work my arse off for him. 

I feel old, that's a new expression for me though I get the gist!

Sadly this will be easy win for City, only a miracle can save this coming day.

10 hours ago, Gol15 said:

Sadly this will be easy win for City, only a miracle can save this coming day.

Isn't this exactly the piss-poor attitude we have all been moaning about from other teams when they play City?

We should just copy whatever insane formation Lyon played. 3 points in the bag. 

8 minutes ago, yorkleyblue said:

Isn't this exactly the piss-poor attitude we have all been moaning about from other teams when they play City?

Maybe, maybe not. I'm mostly concerned about the fitness and the squad depth since probably nobody can match city when it comes to that.

I got very sad after the loss to spuds but a loss here wouldn't bother me much.

Giving up before we're even on the pitch, even before the game before the City game is a bit off to me.  And we rightly complain about other teams doing it, so I find it sad that you and others are taking that line.

On 03/12/2018 at 07:21, PloKoon13 said:

No idea who we should play against Wolves, but I want to see this against City:

 

-------------------------------Kepa

Azpilicueta---------Rudiger-------Luiz (I suppose)-----Alonso

----------------------Kanté---------Fabregas

--------------------------Loftus-Cheek

----------Pedro------------------------------------Willian

------------------------------Hazard

No Jorginho? How come? 

8 minutes ago, yorkleyblue said:

Giving up before we're even on the pitch, even before the game before the City game is a bit off to me.  And we rightly complain about other teams doing it, so I find it sad that you and others are taking that line.

For me it's more like seeing our team as outsiders, but I don't give up on Hazard and the team f**k man city I just think the team needs goals and a strong performance, if the players dont press we already lost after 5 min and I dont want that. Sorry to make you sad.

When teams like their manager they are normally fired up for the big matches and don't need motivation. They do need to feel they have a chance by either clever tactics, 'look we can beat this lot by xxxx xxxxx' or by having the 'best team' selected. 

Of course it helps also to not concede two in the first 20 minutes.

Things have changed a lot since we last played a league game against them. So anyone who can predict this game confidently is just kidding themselves. We may get hammered by 2-3 goals (were too good to be thrashed), or we may frustrate them and scrap out a draw, but we also have a chance to win the game and show the rest of the league how to set up and defeat them.

I'm quietly confident.

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

We should just copy whatever insane formation Lyon played. 3 points in the bag. 

They played 3-4-2-1, Sarri said a few months ago that he isn't keen on 3 at the back.

I'd like to see something like 4-3-2-1, not a million miles away from the way we play already but with Willian and Hazard drifting into the centre to expose Fernandinho 2 v 1.

                        Kepa
Azpi - Rudiger - Christensen - Emerson
        Kante - Jorginho - Kovacic
               Willian - Hazard
                      Morata

Edited December 5, 20187 yr by the special one

biggest test of the season. I was hoping we'd be a bit more advanced than what we are by this point.  Still think we have a weak (in terms of strength) midfield unless RLC and Barkley play. Jorghino offers nothing if he gets pressed and you can see that happening for 90 minutes against this lot.  Sarri was quite adamant that Kante has to be close to him to take those wonderful 5 yard sideways passes.    I might be criticized but I'd go with this 11 - Barkley, RLC and Cesc have a goal in them - whereas Kovacic and Jorghino have not had a decent effort all season so far.  RLC and Barkley can also drive at the opposition whereas Jorghino tends to not get within 25 yard of the opponents goal, whereas Cesc is always tends to be around the box.  

                                                                    Kepa

                                             Dave        Luiz       Rudiger       Emerson

                                                                   Kante

                                                   RLC           Cesc        Barkley

                                                     Morata                 Hazard

2 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

No Jorginho? How come? 

I think our most effective way of hurting City will be on the break, and I'd prefer someone that isn't David Luiz playing the long passes. 

I'd certainly be looking to alter our approach - we certainly need to sit deeper (while the front three I named can still press their centre backs in possession) as if we leave the gaps behind the midfield that we've been doing up until now, the two Silvas will carve us apart. I don't think we've lost by more than three goals for something like 17 years - if we perform in the same way that we did against Tottenham we definitely will. 

Jorginho was one of Napoli's best player when they played City in the champions league last season, which is part of the reason why Pep tried to sign him. He's got to play. 

We need to make sure we retain possession a lot better than against Spurs. Hopefully Hazard sees a lot of the ball from the start. I also think this game would suit RLC.