Let’s hope David Moyes doesn’t get caught between the devil and the deep blue City at the Etihad tomorrow by being unable to decide on a defensive, or at the very least, semi offensive approach.
He revealed at his presser yesterday that he was hoping that he would have everybody back for a game which most have written off.
Interestingly, however, the returning players would include attacking options in Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko at a time when we know Moyes is a manager who strays towards defensive options for away fixtures of this nature.
And despite us looking fragile at the back – notably against Brighton last weekend – I would expect more of the same tomorrow afternoon.
Assuming both the Brazilian and the Ukranian are available I would expect – SADLY – to see a starting formation more set on what looks an impossible job of composing the opposition rather than going for it.
I use the word ‘sadly’ because although we can expect to be dominated in possession it would be refreshing to see us having a go – SENSIBLY – in a game which no one expects anything much from anyway.
The back four – given the form of Issa Diop – is a worry but here’s how I would expect us to line-up.
Fabianski; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Noble, Soucek, Snodgrass, Bowen and Antonio.
Bench: Randolph, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Anderson, Yarmolenko, Fornals, Haller,
Wouldn’t play fred in fact I hope his sold in summer . We have choices with jezzie and Ben and certainly both better than fred or zab. Other than that get the tree on the bench with bow taking his place and Antonio. Still prefer lanzini to fornals both way too lightweight but with the excellent sou and nobs and rice we should be able to get points now until we are safe. Even with Moyes in charge we wont go down end of! COYI
The way most teams get results against city is 5 at the back and hope they have an off day. Losing 1 or 2 nil may not be a bad result if we defend better. Shameful to be so negative but goal difference may be important at the end of the season. As for Anderson he is a good defender that works hard, his weakness is 50/50’s but statistically he is one of our leading defenders. He is also a weapon against a team like City because he is a threat on the counter, I would drop Haller play with a false 9 in Bowen, Sousek and Rice as CDM’s, Anotonio and Anderson on either wing switching around roles with Bowen to cause maximum mayhem COYI!!!
We have to play a 3-5-2 formation. The reasons are very obvious to most pundits. Firstly move the ball quickly to the front two who can bully the city CH’s. This is where City are weakest. Haller and Antonio are my choice. Play 3 runners in midfield so both Noble and Snodgrass cannot play. I would play Rice, Soucek and Fornals or Bowen. We need to have a tight 3 at the back so I would play Diop, Balbeuna and Ogbonna and two full backs who can defend and get forward so 100% I would not play Fredericks (if Moyes thinks Fredericks is a PL fb at this stage 7-8 games into his second stint for me it is enough to get sacked). Fredericks is the primary reason we are in big trouble at the back. City tomorrow will target him. It is a toss up for me at left wing back but with Ogbonna on the left of the back 3 I would go with Masuaka. Finally I don’t believe Moyes has the common sense to see these things, he will play Fredericks, he will play both Noble and Snodgrass, he will play Cresswell in a back 3 and Ogbonna is not a sweeper in the middle. He will go one up etc.. He is a negative manager, has always been and is the reason he should never have been appointed. It is also my opinion the appointment of Nolan as a first team coach is a terrible decision. He is poor tactically and secondly he is another example of a person who will trust in the steady players rather than the match winners. If Moyes loses the next 3 games being negative, then it is just my opinion he needs to be sacked and bring someone in who will at least be positive to give us a chance over the last 10 games. We need to win games. The boards decision to appoint Moyes as manager has been a terrible business decision.
Moyes record away from home against any team in the top 4 is played 50 won 1, a born loser.
Totally agree with you, Hugh. I know that Everyone apart from the extreme optimists amongst us have written this game off. But the best form of defence is to attack….. or in our case to show some REAL attacking intent and threat.
Their defence will not enjoy Antonio or Bowen running at them and we need to take advantage of our current lift in spirits with our new additions to squad and coaching ranks.
Unfortunately we have the worst manager in the league, I wanted Pellegrini gone but they have managed to find worse…… only us run by 🤡
We have to play a back 3 with Rice as the central defender and 2 very quick full backs that can push up at any given time, Moyes has the tactical brain of Avram Grant …………dooooooooooooomed