That's our best bet.Simple. Dodgy lasagne.
Do you think Spurs have ever eaten lasagne pre-match day since then?
Ok so thinking cap on.......
this is what I expect us to face:
Hart
Zabeleta Kompany Nastasic Kolarov
Navas Toure Fernandinho Silva
Aguero Negredo
As I have already said I think that there is two ways we could possibly beat them.....we could try the Sunderland,Villa & Cardiff route. That would mean setting up deep and absorbing a lot of pressure we would have to play with a disciplined defensive midfielder and our best chance of scoring would be from the counter attack or from a set piece.
Or we could try (inverted commas's) and play the bayern way where they outnumbered city in midfield and beat them at the etihad with excellent wing play, controlled possesion.
I do think that matching them in a 4-4-2 would play right into their hands and would be tactical suicide.
I do not think Tim will choose the 'park the bus' option......due to bravado and pride.....I hope he doesnt revert back to 4-4-2 as they have better strikers and are more versed with that formation than we are. So I say we TRY and replicate what Bayern did at the etihad this season in the champs league and win with a bit of style...really difficult but I think we have the players to give us a shot.
So before I put the team I would play and how I would set us up I want to put some thoughts down about their team and how they have been playing.
1. I have noticed they have conceded alot from corners recently....unfortunately we dont usually excel here so practise corners and come up with some new drills.
2. Zabeleta is awesome and the thought of him and Navas doubling against Rose worries me....whoever plays in front of Rose needs to work butt off.
3. Dont know who will partner Kompany but I hope its Demechelis....he doesnt look suited to the english game and looks like a weak link.
4. If your Dzeko/negredo/Aguero you would relish coming up against Dawson due to previous experiences.....it will also make Dawson nervous.....I want it known that I respect the fact that Dawson has put in some decent peformances recently and has been part of our winning run....I would worry that he would produce a reckless mistake like he did against Bony on Sunday that we were lucky to get away with....I also think Daws needs a rest and would be well earned.....not in my team for this one.
5.Kolarov's set pieces are excellent so the team need to be careful regarding needless fouls.
6.Please whatever you do spurs dont pass it to lloris from kick off....in fact dont play it to lloris unless its unavoidable!!!!!! Aguero will just rat around we will look nervous as hell and recycle possesion. I would rather we just launch one to Ade than play it back to lloris....for some reason I said in swansea ratings his distribution was better (brainfart on my account) I think squawka said about 2 out of 23 lloris kicks found a spurs man.
7.City have played non stop recently and the likes of Toure have been looking a little jaded recently they have rotated but not to much at cm...if we could give Toure & Fernandinho the run around for period of time that will play into our hands.....and if we are good on the ball then Aguero may get disheartened and stop ratting around.
SO!!!
Hugo
Walker Chiriches Vertonghen Rose
Sandro
Bentaleb
Lennon Eriksen Townsend
Ade
Nabil plays because his passing has been amazing and we will need him to control our tempo and keep us ticking, Dembele you might think is needed to physical it out with toure but he would lose!!!!!perhaps the only player who can hoist Moose of the ball.....a passer is needed more imo
Sandro plays and must have an epic peformance watching aguero dropping and Silva coming inside & stopping Toure surges...break it up give it to Nabil
Townsend plays because I believe his direct style would cause City problems and would compliment azza's style on the right....not quite Ribery & Robben but its the closest we have to that style.
Ade's remit is to get between the cb's and try and avoid Kompany the better of the two..... get Erik with those first time crosses and go go gadget legs/head!!!!!
So there you go have a bang on that!!!!! bet in pay naaaaaaargh! be glad Im not at the helm cause this is how I would go....fitness permitting!!!
I cant ****ing endorse this **** of a match thread.
the curse of the match thread gods will fall on Tim sherwood and his merry men.
you have brought doom and destruction to the game against city...we may never recover
shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIiT!!!!
I'd agree with 10 of those 11 but not sure about Townsend on the left. Is he the best option to give Rose the assistance he needs?