If we were playing them on saturday. Personally, I'd play 4-5-1 and drop ASM knowing how much of a liability he is when you're in your own half. No point in playing him when we're out of possession and spending way more time defending in our own half as he loses possession and costs us. He almost did vs Forest. I'd play this - ---------------Wilson-------------- Almiron-------------------------Fraser/Murphy -----Joelinton-Bruno-Willock----- Targett---Burn----Schar-----Trippier ------------------Pope------------------ I would do our best to have a high energy midfield to make sure they don't have time to settle and do their thing. Sitting back and looking to defend against it is not a great option, however we will likely have to accept not being in control of it, so we must do whatever we can to disrupt city. I think flooding the midfield would be the best option.
Would not drop ASM for this. The only way to get something out of Man City is to have your best players on the pitch to worry them.If you put Murphy / Fraser on then they'll just camp out in our half without a care in the world.
I'd love to hear the reason why you think dropping Burn is a good idea. He's defensively solid most games. I know Schar just scored a goal, but he's not better than burn, and Burn is also more lethal in attack more often because of corners.
You have to think about the sort of game we're in mate. ASM offers nothing defensively, and takes massive risks dribbling in his own half and that has cost us many times. We're going to be in our own half for a massive portion of this game, ASM will be a liability.
I haven't seen nearly enough examples of this happening to justify dropping him. Schar isn't example brimming with pace either.
Ok I'll rephrase it, I'd play Botman. Whether it's for Schar or Burn it wouldn't bother me but I'd be playing Botman
Agree with flooding the midfield approach. Willock.... Bruno......Joelinton .....Maddison.....Paqueta
Fair enough. I think it will be Schar and Burn starting until someone has a bad game though. Kind of like when Bruno first came.
I think you just have a go, accept you're five years behind them and get beat. No point in messing around with backs to the wall bullshit. I'll trust to Eddie's selection - sure, I'd prefer Botman to Burn but either option is fine. Schar's the main worry but our best XI took to the field on Saturday.
Get the argument for dropping ASM but he is the one who can be a release ball out on the left vs Walker. I'd be almost playing the 4-3-3 as a lopsided 4-4-2 with Big Joe covering for ASM down the left hand side while Miggy belts up and down the right hand side covered by Bruno and Willock in the middle with the 4 of them shuffling across to pack the middle of the park and force City wide - leave Saint Max to float around the half way line and if Wilson can knock a ball down for him let him go on a run with little defensive expectation on him. Right now I'd say Botman must start - best CB we have overall, def/tech/passing etc. and think Burn will be the one to make way so we can have 2 cb's who can actually play out of the back. It'll be a counter attacking game plan no doubt about it with Wilson and ASM on the counter and then Willock and Almiron not far behind them when we win the ball. It's a free swing of a game - Haarland could just have one of those days where he nets a few from half chances, KDB could spank one in from range at any min, Foden, Silva, Gundogan, Rodri all capable of a moment of magic and scoring. If we are pinned back and conceding set pieces their CB's are good enough to nick a goal each. If anyone offered us a point right now we'd all take it. I'd be happy to lose 1-0 tbh (wouldn't at the time though) but expecting nothing more than a 3/4 goal battering in all honesty.
What they did to West Ham is what they'd do to us. Probably slightly worse as we aren't as good as the Hammers
Pope Trippier Botman Burn Targett Willock Guimares Joelinton Almiron Wilson St Maximin Comfortable win. No point swapping out St Maximin. Need players who are capable of running at them.
So long as we're willing to take the risk of him regularly losing possession in our own half. Motherfucker still doesn't understand why dribbling in his own half is a bad idea. He's getting better but damn.
He got caught out against Forest and I do get where you are coming from but we could play 12 players with Miggy, Fraser and Murphy on the pitch and they'd not drag the team forwards like he does and be the outlet he can be. Like I say we've got to allow him to not need to come back that deep, probably no deeper than the edge of the center circle, Joelinton can do the work for him down the left and with Miggy (or any other winger on the opposite wing) and the CM's need to be overloading the middle and pressing the wings when the ball is on that side of the pitch.
Most games I'd definitely play him, but remember we'll be in our own half most of the game, so we'll be in ASM danger territory. So long as we play the ball ahead of him rather than to him I guess.