Match Day Thread The Official Match Day Thread - Man City v Newcastle

Because:

a. HBA hasn't looked particularly good in his appearances so far this season;

b. He appears uninterested in defensive duties

c. Best is a workhorse who is key to us maintaining our shape and possession

d. Sammi stays more reliably on the wing, has a high work rate and has looked as good as HBA in his appearances so far this season.

 

As both teams are currently unbeaten and playing in November, I have a question for people (don't know the answer) can anyone remember two unbeaten teams meeting so late in the season.

 

ask opta on twitter?

 

Didn't know there was an opta on twitter, mind you I was more interest in whether people on here could remember such an occurence.

 

All is well then.

 

My mate just text me and says he got chatting to Beardsley today and was told that sammy will indeed be starting right wing tomorrow and Ba and Ben arfa will be up front together, very bold move if true mr Pardew.

 

I want HBA to play personally. I think hell want to show what he's capable of and can ease somme of the pressure by keeping the ball or creating a chance out of nothing. ... I know he won't play on the wing coz of his apparent inability to defend which is fair enough but I think he's the best out if the options we have. Gosling might offer more defensively but I cant see him doingn much else... Would never play santon in this game either, especially at RM and that rules out raylor too, need to keep the defense together. ... It will be interesting to see what happens

 

Well as long as he starts somewhere (Benny that is)! Everyone wants him to gain fitness and confidence...well that takes playing! He's a natural RW, played there nearly his whole career, so I'd definitely rather him there than playing anyone else out of position. But if they trust in Sammy, then I'm glad Hatem's at least getting in the XI.

 

Couldnt Sammy and Arfa interchange through the match. Or do you think Arfa doesnt have the discipline

 

Take the game to them, why not? We've got in in us to win, let's go for it.

 

When people say Ben Arfa has played his whole career as a RW, how much of that was in a 4-4-2?

 

That paddy power dude on talksport said we will get turned over tommorow because we will sit back. He knows this how?

 

I don't see why not? I feel like I have a lot more confidence in him to track back/overcome his injury/have positional discipline than a lot on here do. I admit he hasn't looked stellar yet this season, but he needs real game time, not appearances once every game or two

 

Honestly, as much as I used to watch Marseille play, I can't remember what formation they used most often then...damn you Fifa for causing me to forget what's reality (I'll admit their default fifa formation was 4-3-3)

EDIT: That's when they were running Niang, Brandao, Morientes (rarely), Kone, and Valbuena as the other forwards/wingers

 

That's what I was thinking, not easy to change from a wide forward in a 4-3-3 to a right sided midfielder in a 4-4-2, it would be like if we had signed Gervinho and played him RM, which is why I'd be cautious of playing Ben Arfa so deep. Not only questions over tracking back (which would limit how effective he is), but is he even a decent tackler and marker like Gutierrez?

 

Guessing that means Best is out then.
... I think injuries will be our downfall more than anything else.

 

Woe is us, we must play Ben Arfa

 

Damn our lack of quality in depth

 

Nowt but bloody internationals on the bench.

 

....and Perch