Team v Man City

[Yid121]

-------------------Lloris-----------------
Walker-Dawson-Chicheres-Vertonghen
-----------Paulinho--Sandro-------------
Lamela---------Holtby----------Townsend
-----------------Soldado---------------

Subs:
Friedel, Rose, Capoue, Dembele, Lennon, Siggurdsson, Defoe

 

[sim0n]

-------------------Lloris-----------------
Walker-Dawson-Chicheres-Vertonghen
-----------Paulinho--Sandro-------------
Lamela---------Holtby----------Townsend
-----------------Soldado---------------

Subs:
Friedel, Rose, Capoue, Dembele, Lennon, Siggurdsson, Defoe

Looks like the line up picks itself this time, eh?.....

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

I can't wait for us to win this one and see the 'we can win the title' threads return


In all seriousness I quite fancy us to do them. Big game and the players will be up for it IMO. We're due a massive performance.

Now Eriksen's out i'd bring in Holtby and stick Townsend on the left.

I won't have Holtby any where near this. Their midfield will bully, play around him and out pace him. We need a centre 3 of Sandro, Paulinho and Capoue with Lamela right and Townsend left.

 

[jambreck]

I'd give Paulinho a rest for this one.

He has looked to be tired and under par for some time now. He's played virtually every game for us this season, coming straight off the back of a Brazilian season and the Confederations Cup. Plus he played last night and is likely to play in the early hours of Wednesday morning (UK time) versus Chile in Toronto, before making the long flight back to London.

Sandro, Capoue and Holtby in midfield.

 

[wiggo24]

Although I don't think he should, the chance of Townsend not playing is nil. AVB will need balls to drop him as the media will go apeshit, because he's English.

I just get the feeling that a classy £30 million player is going to be kept out of the team by an overhyped, watseul winger, all becuase of the media.

 

[jambreck]

Although I don't think he should, the chance of Townsend not playing is nil. AVB will need balls to drop him as the media will go apeshit, because he's English.

I just get the feeling that a classy £30 million player is going to be kept out of the team by an overhyped, watseul winger, all becuase of the media.

I don't think for a second that AVB's team selections will be determined by the media.

Whoever he picks, whether we agree with his choices or not, will be picked purely on the basis of what he thinks is best for the team.

 

[jolegend]

I bet he starts lennon and townsend. Would be typical for avb to leave lamela out for no obvious reason.

Great chance for lamela to prove himself in a big game. up to.avb to trust him.

 

[SFCS]

Lloris
Walker, Dawson, Kaboul, Vertonghen
Sandro, Dembele
Lennon, Holtby, Townsend
Soldado

Apologies if I've outraged anyone by committing the Cardinal Sin of not picking Lamela but I just don't think this is the game for him, he had a reputation for not tracking back at Roma and I've not seen him doing much defending with us(not that he should have been). I liked the side we fielded against Everton and thought it worked well particularly in the first half. Playing wingers on their natural sides also gives us an easy outball and given City's quality I don't think we want to be dithering on the ball waiting for the defence to open up for us.

I'm guessing it's the personel that will get the criticism but Sandro and Dembele worked very well last season until the Brazilian got injured and I know Lennon isn't as fashionable amongst the fans as the likes of Lamela but he's excellent at tracking back and has been a key player for years with us. If he plays I'm sure he'll do well, as he always does. I haven't seen enough of Chadli or Lamela to convince me that they're good options for the left wing, especially as Lamela's quite lightweight so I'd see them as risks. Take risks when we need to but a draw would be a good result so why take the risks from the start? If we're chasing the game in the second half then it's a good idea to change things up and change our approach but I bet Fernandinho, Toure, Zabaleta and Clichy can't wait to have inverted wingers cutting inside to congested areas time and time again next Sunday.

Dislike/disagree away

 

[FinnYid]

Start Lamela, put Townsend on bench, don't start Dembele and Paulinho together.

 

[E17yid]

Ugo
Walker Daws Vlad Vert
Kapow Sandro
Lamela Paulinho Townsend
Bobby

 

[WiganSpur]

We're defending OK but can't score yet some are proposing Sandro, Capoue and Paulinho? After last week we need to win the game, not settle for 0-0. If Townsend and Sigurdsson start as well as that then it's a recipe for disaster IMO.

Without Rose at left back too where's the attacking threat and incisiveness going to come from? Paulinho isn't the answer.

We tried the three beasts at Arsenal and that failed pretty miserably in terms of creating opportunites.

 

[JaySpur]

Defence picks itself currently. By that I mean what [i assume] AVB will do is play the same back 4 as last time with Hugo replacing Brad in goal.

This game is the timely chance to drop (sorry, rest..) any number of players that didn't perform against Newcastle or in previous weeks. Form says Sandro has to start. With Holtby needed as No10 its either Dembele or Paulinho to start alongside him. Paulinho has had more travelling but Dembele was amongst the worst players against Newcastle so who knows. If Capoue was fit I'd hope for him.

I don't care which wide players are picked, but I'd play them on their natural sides and allow them to swap as THEY feel so, but with a definite emphasis on stretching the defence apart and forcing the City full backs to be more defensive.

Up front. Anyone. I don't care who. Just anyone that can score a goal. Please...

 

[idontgetit]

I won't have Holtby any where near this. Their midfield will bully, play around him and out pace him. We need a centre 3 of Sandro, Paulinho and Capoue with Lamela right and Townsend left.

I've not seen him bullied before. All that will happen with a midfield of Sandro, Paulinho and Capoue is that we'll win lots of ball and do nothing with it. We'll probably look decent in the opening minutes of the game until City get their passing and movement going and we'll see our midfield getting deeper and deeper and the forwards more and more isolated until City finally score. We need someone like Holtby on the pitch to link up the team and to thread balls in behind the defence. City hardly have a team of midfield bullies, not compared to what we usually field anyway

 

[Blake Griffin]

holtby won't do anything, play lamela there.

 

[idontgetit]

Paulinho is better arriving from deep late in to the box, I don't think he's a no.10 or attacking midfielder. Also those people picking a DM pairing of Sandro and Capoue, do you think it's a bit defensive? It's the one DM pairing I have no opinion on, I'm not sure if we'll struggle horrendously with two DM's or it will be such a solid base that the attackers are freed up to cause mayhem. Hopefully Capoue's passing would make up a bit for playing two DM's but I think that you would need in front four players who are capable of making things happen themselves (e.g Bale, Lamela, Drogba style players) rather than relying on general team play (Erikson, Soldado, Holtby).

 

[idontgetit]

How will City likely line up?

 

[Chris12]

Anyone know if Chadlie is still injured?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Lloris

Walker Cheriches Kaboul Vertonghen

Paulinho Sandro Dembele

Lamela Soldado Holtby



or maybe


Lloris

Walker Cheriches Kaboul Vertonghen

Sandro Capoue

Lamela Holtby Sigurdsson

Soldado


​

 

[jonathanhotspur]

Lloris

Walker Cheriches Kaboul Vertonghen

Paulinho Sandro Dembele

Lamela Soldado Holtby



or maybe


Lloris

Walker Cheriches Kaboul Vertonghen

Sandro Capoue

Lamela Holtby Sigurdsson

Soldado


​

I don't think this game has come at a good time for Lamela. Maybe see how he's fixed after Xmas.

And probably wouldn't be very meritocratic to drop Dawson seeing as we are conceding so few goals right now.

 

[shelfboy68]

I don't think this game has come at a good time for Lamela. Maybe see how he's fixed after Xmas.

And probably wouldn't be very meritocratic to drop Dawson seeing as we are conceding so few goals right now.

We might concede a few goals here though plus our impotence in front of goal might make for a messy afternoon.