View from Man City

[terryr]

I don't usually post this early in the week, but there is quite a bit already on their boards so here it is......
Updated Below

" Thank you Aston Villa.
Let's make the chavs even more anxious and win this one."

" In theory we should bum these all over the place, so I'm expecting 11 men that play in blue, to each have a shitty smelling pidger!, at the end of the game and then have a good shower, ready for the next bumming to be delivered."

" Take nothing for granted. Fulham are a team fighting for their lives. We need to be focused and not think we have won the game before it's started."

" We need to make home a fortress again
Best 11 please,no underestimating again
should be able to cope without vinnie for this one
1-0 will do but really need to further boost the goal difference because liverpool have scored more goals than us already"

" Tough one, no Kompany. Let's go and smash them, and put even more pressure on Chelski.
Hart
Zabaleta Demichelis Lescott Kolarov
Yaya Ferna
Milner Nasri Silva
Negredo
Pants, Clichy, Garcia, Rodwell, Navas, Jovetic, Dzeko
Nastasic for Lescott if fit.
3-0 City
Negredo, Ferna, Nasri"

" Tempting to rotate a little with United and Arsenal to come in the next week, but I'd rather we set out a strong team, wrap the game up and then bring players off in the second half. Maybe we can even rediscover our scoring touch in this one.
-----------------------------Hart------------------------
Zabaleta--Demichelis--Lescott---Kolarov
-----------------Yaya------Fernandinho
---Navas---------------Nasri--------------Milner
--------------------Negredo/Dzeko-------------------
If Nastasic is fit then him in for Lescott. Hopefully Jovetic gets some minutes in too."

" I think Fulham are going to cop for it next week."

" Ain't gonna be a walk in the park but play like we did today especially considering we had 10 men then we will get all 3 points"

" We are due an early goal.. and when that happens we usually score 3 or 4. Let go into the United game off a BIG win"

" Need to get our attacking mojo back.
I want a 3/4-0 please."

" 12-0
Let MANure get scared !!"

" The win big days are over it's the business end of the season and most teams are playing for high stakes, a win is needed that's all"

"
"A must win game as all the other games that left, best team possible if everyone is fit. Maybe could start with Toure on bench if he pick up a slight Injurie against Hull, (Feels like it was something). Best team, all in rest of the season!
Great that Chelsea lose yesterday, Ramires did get a straight red card wasnt he? So he will be out for at least 3 games, in my opinion it should be more, awful challange.... I think Ramires is the most important player for the balance in the Chelsea team (Ofcourse Hazard is the best) So big loss for them.
Big games coming up next week, come on City!!
Hart
Zaba - Demicheles - Lescott - Kolarov
Fernandinho - Yaya
Navas - Silva - Nasri
Negredo"

"I see a convincing, 3 nil win and then into the derby where we will win 2 nil. Think united are the late kick off next Saturday too. Arsenal will beat Chelsea"

" Exactly this!!
Fulham will no doubt try damage limitation although they can't afford to. We must capitalise on our opportunities now. It's a tall order for us but we are more than capable of getting a decent result in our favour here."

" Fulham will be desperate, and fixtures against these teams who have a handful of fixtures left can throw up shocks
They are fighting for their lives
Should be a dramatic game. And of course we should win. But if we are complacent and have some bad luck, then Fulham can do to us what they have done before. "

"  Didn't they go through a phase a few years back when we just couldn't beat them at our place? Was there a 3-3? Damien Duff seems to ring a few bells in the back of my (largely empty) mind."

" Roy Hodgson I think was manager. They were as good as relegated but came to City and went 2-0 down, but ended up winning 3-2. I think Kamara scored a late winner"

" i will be seeing this one live, cant wait. the game ain't going to be easy, Fulham are playing for there lives."

" Could do with a decent lead at half time then get the chance to rest a few key players for the derby at the swamp as the old saying goes we are in control of our destiny and villa's win has reinforced that"

" Another game that will be tense, hopefully a early goal can settle us down and most of all we must will, a few goals would be nice to ensure out GD is worth that extra point as Liverpool are scoring plenty. A win please City."

" its been a poor day with Liverpool who battered the scum ( normally id be thrilled} and then the Arse beating a poor Spuds think its Arse v Chavs next week as my dad says itys what we do that counts, but would love to get a fit and unplayable Aguero back. without tempting fate it will be our visit to the bin dippers that will provide us with the toughest task , but with our lot is the more winnable games that I fear and Fulham are fighting for their premiership future its not about performance its about getting three points and winning ugly like wengers lot did today"

" Now Liverpool are starting to think they are going to win the title. Time to make our stamp"

" It's a very good thing that nobody's paying any attention to us any more. Takes the heat right off. The spirit showed on Saturday right through the team, plus the absence of midweek matches (except those we've got to catch up for the Premiership) leads me to believe that we're going to get our second wind and go on a second great run at this business end of the season. But we really need Beast to find his form again, and Jovetic to get fit. We're depending on the midfield to get our goals for us at the moment. Yaya to be rested against Fulham, in my honest opinion. Otherwise, same team, and I'd put two up front, one of the two previously mentioned strikers with Dzeko."

" Fulham looked rubbish against Newcastle and only won because the Newcastle keeper dropped a clanger.
Put out the best eleven available (unlike Wigan) and we will bury them.
Start thinking about the United match and rotating players and we could be in for a long afternoon."

" It's a while since I looked forward to a home game so much, feel we have been given a boost at just the right time."

"
I'm hoping Arsenal win, because Chelsea only have that and the Scousers away as hard games, so we need them to drop more points. At this point, I'd rather them lose one and Arsenal win 3, because we still have to play Arsenal and it is a virtual must win for us, or AT THE VERY LEAST a must not lose!"

" Hart
Zabaleta
Demichelis
Lescott
Clichy
Yaya Toure
Fernandinho
Nasri
Silva
Aguero/Jovetic
Negredo.
Feel Magath will have Fulham well drilled and sharp, I respect him as a manager and I hope Pelle does."

" We have to start with the strongest possible team and get the game won as soon as possible. Anything else is just asking for trouble.

If we go with a weakened team like against Watford we could end up having to bring the troops on late in the game and have to go chasing it, which might not work out plus there will be the obvious risk of further injuries and yellow cards for the likes of Zabba and Toure.

We need to conserve as much energy as possible for the games ahead, so get games like this won early and then make a few changes. Whilst rotation keeps the squad reasonably happy I'm sure most of them would forego a couple of appearances to get that coveted medal at the end of the season."

" I'll take a 1-0 win here, as long it's comfortable enough.
Although I think a bit of form from our strikers is key here, either Dzeko keeping up from scoring against Hull or Negredo ending his barren spell.
Fulham will be starting to battle for their lives and all I can think about is April 2008 when they came here"

" I missed Elano when he was sold. So good under Sven and then Leslie ruined him.
Fulham fans seem surprisingly confident of getting something on their forum. Amazing what one win does."

" Every time we rest key players, we get fucked.
Play our strongest team, every game from now on. Only take off key players when if/when it's won."

" Victory on Saturday is the corner stone to our season. I will be furious if we take the field with anything less than the best 11 players we have available. Fulham will take a lot of cracking everybody knows that but if we can win whilst Chelsea and Arsenal draw we cvan be in a great position to take this title"


I'll update on Friday.
Updated Below

"Considering the lack of pace our CB pairing will have and Fulhams likely intention to just run at it all day I expect Fern to have one of his 'off days but really he's just being a great defensive midfielder moping up and shoring up the back' kinda matches. Like Barry used to but with added pace.
I think the only two questions would be whether to start Lescott or Garcia at CB (made hard because of the latters brilliant display against Hull) and whether or not Navas should start as if memory serves Fulham are one of the slowest sides defensively in the league, Navas would have a field day."

" Fulham are likely to be buoyed by their recent run of form, and Lewis Holtby has refreshed an incredibly stagnant team. But there's a reason they're bottom of the table and a reason why the title race is in our hands. One of those reasons is suspended, and the other is just coming back from injury, but there's no reason why we shouldn't win this. Despite my concerns, it's likely to be a comfortable home win, and I can't imagine many Fulham fans are expecting anything from this game.
Play your strongest team and rest players when the game is won.
Hart
Zabaleta - Javi Garcia - Demichelis - Kolarov
Navas - Yaya Toure - Fernandinho - Silva
Nasri
Dzeko
That means we get to rest Kompany, Kolarov, Jovetic, Negredo, Aguero and Lescott for the derby.
Prediction: 4-0."

" Yeah, their form has been incredible lately, two wins so far this year..."

" I meant very recent, as in the win over Newcastle."

" I would play Jovetic and have him run at the Fulham defense. He has a mean long shot as well. However he does lose the ball often which can spur a few counter attacks. That said its been a while since we have done it the easy way and hopefully Saturday will be one."

" 5-0.
Welcome back City!"

" 113, 114 & 115 are the blocks normally allocated to away fans in the lower tier. So if City have 114, and 115, it means no more than 500 Fulham are making the trip."

" that is appalling; given where they are in the league, and the fact that their club has laid on free transport for them, that is dreadful support"

" This for me. Perfect game for the beast to find his touch and get a bit of confidence back before Tuesday"

" Sorry to sound old fashioned ( which I am ) but I really cannot see the point in resting anyone until the end of the season or in any game for that matter. Those of you who are at least as old as I am will remember the Liverpool team of the mid to late 70's and early 80's who seemed to win everything with far fewer players than we use.
I know it was the European Cup then and took far fewer games to win but the first division, as was, had more games because there were more teams in it and there was no namby pamby letting teams dodge the first rounds of the (then) league cup. Only one then later 2 subs allowed per game and if you played in mid week in any competition then you played on Saturday regardless. Sky changed all this with the Sunday and Monday games and I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing as it allows those of us who cannot get to a game often (disabled wife, rely on mate for spare ticket as and when I can get someone to care for her while I go to the match) to watch our team when we could not otherwise.
The point is that players are supposed to be fitter than ever before, they should be able to play 2 or 3 games a week, just adjust training to take account of the match schedule. I would never want a half fit player to play and injure themselves again, I would love Sergio to be available and able to play 90 minutes for the rest of the season but I trust our management not to rush him back until he is ready.
Just play the best 11 available and have the strongest bench we can. There are no easy games unless you play the few teams who are neither facing relegation or have a chance of the Europa league.
I want us to win the league again and think we deserve to overall ( based on the way we have played not due to any sense of entitlement { and lets face it what City fan who has supported us for more than 4 years could have anything other than a sense of dread and trepidation? }) but please, please not with the last kick of the season this time! I am getting older and my heart really cannot take it again"

" I agree but with 2 massive away games coming up there is no way all of the following will play against fulham: Silva, Yaya, Ferna, Nasri and probably zabba"

" Wolfy, I know at some point you were doing a countdown of how many goals City needed to beat the Busby Babes' record, do you know what we're on at the moment? Because this could be a perfect game to rack up 4 or 5. With a full week of recovery we should be slaughtering a weak Fulham side here."

" If we lose I may shred my season ticket... HAS to be a 4 or 5 nil here, no exceptions with Liverpool on our tails. "

" We have to be smashing this lot. I'm going to err on the side of caution and go for a 3-0 home win. Hopefully the players won't be distracted with the United match on the horizon like they were the other week when we played Wigan and Barcelona was the next match up. I saw the other day that the pretty much hopeless John Moss is the referee for this match. However on a positive note (and I remember well as I don't attend too many matches) is that he refereed us against Villa last season when I was in attendance. We won 5-0 and he awarded us 2 penalties (at least 1 was dodgy to say the least!). Hopefully this is a good omen for a one sided home win. "

" 7-0. Tara to the Championship Fulham! "

" We'll never play you again.....we will be singing this in the last 10 minutes I reckon"

" We need atop class professional display . Fulham will fight tooth and nail for a point , so all talk of 7-0 can wait until we are 5 - 0 up . I will happily take a 2-0 win"

" Tweaky bum time has no respect for form or class... Fulham fighting for there lives.. City under pressure to keep winning.. This game played 2months ago could have resulted in another mauling.. Points are all that matter from now till the end of the season... I don't give 2 shits about records.... In fairness, I don't give 1shit either.. !! I just want a positive result & 3pts.. So let's put all the fantasy football thoughts away.. 3pts against Fulham, get pissed, move on to Tuesday and get 3pts, very pissed..!!! "

" As long as this is a proper professional performance from the back to the front then we will run out winners and deservedly so and a 3 or 4 nil win should be well within our grasp. If we are complacent at the back and rely on the skills of our individual players though rather than working as a unit then we could see that come unstuck by a fluky / lucky goal which if they score first could make the game very awkward indeed. People don't come to us looking for an automatic win, but to play tight and try to exploit the weakness which leads us to conceding goals on a regular basis which is masked by the fact that we are very rarely routed. We tend to concede in 1's. You would expect Fulham to approach this with a clean sheet in mind and trying to sneak a goal. I would go for 3-0 for this fixture as I would hope we are more professional than that and would expect them to tire in the second half. "

" Fourth v bottom and for a change they have more injuries than we do, If the back 4 can play like they did last week Vinnys absence will not be too much of a worry, having him back and fresh for the rags is the big thing.
On paper it should be ours but they are fighting for survival, lets hope we start on the front foot and not the back.
Its a win by 2 or more for me.
The poll is open and the floor is yours.
Our injured players and estimated return dates -
M Richards    no return date     
S Aguero       29th Mar 14     
S Jovetic       22nd Mar 14     
M Nastasić    22nd Mar 14
Fulhams injured players and estimated return dates -
K Mitroglou  no return date     
A Dejagah   no return date     
G Karagounis  no return date     
S Parker  22nd Mar 14     
D Duff   no return date

" Extra tickets available for blues this Sat as Fulham have asked for a reduced allocation."

" Chelski slipped up against Villa.... perhaps one or two final twists in the tale before the title goes to the Bridge then? If we stop stumbling over our own shoelaces, we can still do this but a ban for our captain will not help matters. We've still got a bunch of tough games but another three points helps to cement our top four status which is good enough for me. Lovely to see that the bin dippers gave the scum a right old spanking!"

" Hopefully we will lay down a marker for the rest of the season
5 0 City
Bring on the Rags "

" I really can't see them scoring at all. 4-0"

"3-1 to us. They will score because Kompany sits this one out. "

" Let's have it Lawro you scouse twot"

"The man called Lawro says 3 0
I say we need to start all guns blazing, first 11 playing, and then if 2 or 3 up at halftime and Pellegrini wants save energy/players for Tuesday. Not start slow as we tend to do, lose a goal and have to burn ourselves out trying to break down an eleven inside box defence. "

" 4-1. In theory should be a doddle."

" Sex offender carried off at the end. Any update on him? Moyes will be screaming that 3 games in a week is too much at this stage of the season.
We will give Fulham a good spanking and hopefully Chel v Arse is a draw. Must play our best 11. No use saving the horses at this stage."

" Interesting that Doug mentioned that corners are being worked on in training as I've just read that Fulham are the most prolific team in the PL this season when it comes to scoring from corner kicks with a total of 9 goals.
Might be a good thing that Pellegrini is forced into using Lescott in this one with that in mind."

" Come to think of it, will he play Lescott? Demi and Garcia were that good against Hull he may be tempted to go with that pairing for this one"

" Not too sure about height difference but Lescott would seem the bigger of the two to my eye. And if we're scared of Hangeland and co. then I'm sure it's Lescott that we need. He's good like that."

" Might be best if we try to refrain from giving them too hard a time until we have actually beaten them at the Swamp - otherwise it doesn't look good on us being unable to beat a side we are largely condeming for being at best uninspired and at worst utterly shite.
Hope Lescott gets this one, they'll be a bit physical and we'll need someone who can mop up that kind of thing. Can't see Javi14 getting this gig, too old, too slow, too....everything - stick to playing against Bayern away in the European Cup, Craven Cottage on a Saturday afternoon is no place for a guy like you."

" We have to take Fulham seriously, myself would rather play teams in the middle/top of the table than those at the bottom and fighting for their lives, and Fulham will be fighting and scratching their lives out, and they are a slight bogey team for us, so those expecting a 4,5,6 goal fest I think will be disappointed, as it will be snother Palace imo, and a 1-0 win......imo
The Derby will take care of itself but lets get Fulham out of the way 1st."

" We'll beat the bastards!"

I really love it when we smash the bottom teams and build up for the games that matter. Mind you all points matter but you know what I mean"

"Some little poo has been cutting and pasting comments onto their own forum"

Hmmmmmm that little poo is me......that's it. I hope we put on a good show whatever the result tomorrow. If we do the unthinkable, you can be sure I will revisit their forums to record the fallout.

[Burt]

I am surprised by how many there feel we will be a tough nut to crack.

Whilst we got back to winning ways last weekend, can anyone honestly see anything other than a defeat?

I just want to get this one out of the way, as the remaining fixtures are the ones where we have an opportunity to salvage something.

[Admin]

I am surprised by how many there feel we will be a tough nut to crack.

Whilst we got back to winning ways last weekend, can anyone honestly see anything other than a defeat?

I just want to get this one out of the way, as the remaining fixtures are the ones where we have an opportunity to salvage something.

Anything less than a 3-0 defeat, I see as a good result for us.

[PeterFFC]

I don't care if it's 1-0 or 5-0, I wouldn't take an 1-0 loss if it was offered now.

[RaySmith]

I hope we get something from the game, and expect Magath and the team to try and get a result.

We should be looking to get points from every game, but  this will be one we are expected to lose, of course - but I live in hope.

[St Eve]

I am surprised by how many there feel we will be a tough nut to crack.

Whilst we got back to winning ways last weekend, can anyone honestly see anything other than a defeat?

I just want to get this one out of the way, as the remaining fixtures are the ones where we have an opportunity to salvage something.

Anything less than a 3-0 defeat, I see as a good result for us.

where is the faith?

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I think they are optimistic but not arrogant, which like many sets have fans have come across....

I honestly think this could be our biggest defeat of the season, my only hope is they have one eye on their midweek game and rest some big players...

Still think we will lose, but it might not be the 7-0 if they play their fringe players.

Thanks as always Terry, great job.... I love these posts every week

[Admin]

I think they are optimistic but not arrogant, which like many sets have fans have come across....

I honestly think this could be our biggest defeat of the season, my only hope is they have one eye on their midweek game and rest some big players...

Still think we will lose, but it might not be the 7-0 if they play their fringe players.

Thanks as always Terry, great job.... I love these posts every week

I tell you what, I'm usually one of the most negative sods around this forum, but his season, you've matched me, and gone way beyond. How many times have I had to talk you down form that ledge? We'll most likely lose, but it won't be 7-0, that I can assure you of.

[ChesterTheTabby]

Gents, we have a decent record against City away for the past 6 seasons or so. Anything LESS than a result in unacceptable at this juncture. We need points from EVERY game.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I am just realistic.... I was the ONLY optimistic person once I saw our line up on Saturday was I not? But yeah if you could give me a hand down from the ledge, that would be great..... never been a fan of heights anyway ;)

I know 7-0 sounds terrible, but we conceded 3 against Cardiff away so anything is possible mate, if City put out their best team we will get hammered it is the most straight forward result of the weekend. If they put out their fringe players, like they did against Wigan who knows.... How's that for optimism?

[Lighthouse]

You know I think we have had enough of politics and religion and optimism. It doesn't matter with our goal difference what the score is. We might as well try and have a go and lose seven nil than play defensive and lose by only three or four.

However we have a manager who decides the team by lottery five minutes before he has to hand the list in. City fans are confident and it is nice they don't dismiss us. But there is nothing to suggest we will not be hit for alot.

[jarv]

As someone said, good record up there recently. No matter what they prepare for, there is always the chance that the city players will not be as switched on. Especially if they have been watching videos of Fulham all week.
4 conceded at home I think. Can't see that happening this week.

[aaronmcguigan]

Wigan, Cardiff, Aston Villa, Sunderland

and Chelsea twice


These have all beaten Manchester City. It may seem like an impossible task, but it can be done!

[terryr]

Updated

[Blanco]

"Some little poo."

064.gif

[Northern Cottager]

"Some little poo."

064.gif

Worst insult ever.

[LBNo11]

...better to be a little poo than a big poo!

We have nothing to lose now but pride, and as said earlier in this thread, better to lose 7-0 and show some ruddy pride than defend and lose 5-0! Let's just attack, attack, attack with what's left of our strikers and bugger the consequences.

Citeh have a different team (have added a few extra tens of mi££ions to their squad) than when we had the great escape of 2008, and so have we. But the fans are the same, we thought we had no chance, the belief had all but evaporated and a strange thing happened, on that day a virtuoso performance from a player who blew as cold as he did hot and the rest is history.

History it is said repeats itself, so who knows, maybe, just maybe this team that collectively is worth the same as a couple of their player's annual wage will defy form, defy odds, defy citeh fans expectations, and go out and give their all, and maybe regain our respect.

LBNo11, (hands still around the throat of the fat lady)

We Are The Whites

[premFlem]

For a team from a two club major city, who didnt win anything for 35 years their fans show remarkable arrogance.

[PeterFFC]

City are practicing corners, because we're good at them? Must be watching the wrong team.
I hope we go out and attack, and be physical.
COYW

[zschwartz]

Good. of course it will be better if their crowd expect more and they begin to turn on them late if it isn't going easy.

i do not expect us to come away with any points but i do expect a fight.  we will line up younger, taller and with more to lose.