Just Given my thoughts...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 1:48PM We could discuss all day the ethics of signing a keeper on an emergency loan when you already have nine goalkeepers on your books and four available even when the rules apparently cite that when you're down to just two, you can draft in a replacement. Which isn't relevant here because City have four and still signed ex-Spurs player Marton Fulop.
Yes yes, the FA Premier League are looking after their chosen son to replace Liverpool in the Top 4, permitting and aiding them to recover some form of stability with Given's absence due to injury blah blah blah. And this is surely the crux of it, the crux having gone missing in all the musings and disapprovals.
The crux being, City no longer have Given between the sticks. Anything less than Given is already a bonus to any side facing them. Even more important is the fact that we still haven't played Bolton at home and acquired the three points that would take the potential for St Totteringham's Day forward to the penultimate game of the season...at Eastlands and hopefully avoided altogether going into the final away day of the 2010 season at Burnley.
So how about we all stop bitching about the injustice, smash Bolton to bits and then concern ourselves about City's outfield players and what potential damage they might do to us whilst posing them several questions with Modric (crafting), Bale (beasting) and Lennon (dinking) asking away and hopefully leaving Mancini's men with no time to answer.
COYFS.
Okay, yeah?
Reader Comments (44)
couldn't say it better. Who gives a shit about what teams are doing around us.
For once it's entirely in our own hands. We win tomorrow and Villa win too and we could even afford to lose at City anyway.
COYS
Enough talking !! lets just bash the Trotters on saturday have a good night on wednesday at Manc land and we can party at Burnley.........enough said COYS
Yes and yes and yes!
COYFS
City signed Fulop? What next? The four horsemen of the apocalypse?
well said. although it still stinks to high heaven. You'd be gutted if you were one of their youth keepers who thought he might finally get a chance to win a place on the bench. Or even Gunner Nielsen himself.
Anyway, I am shitting it about bolton because this is exactly the kind of game we've been likely to drop points al season. The good news is they have very little to play for and with coyle at the helm they actually play a far more expansive game these days rather than the route one big sam shite we are accustomed to seeind from then.
I've got my Burnley tickets sorted and I'm looking forward to Champions League themed party up there come 6pm.
COYS
Let's just do it. Focus on Bolton 1st Tottenham, don't do their team talk for them and look solely @ Manc City.
We hv suffered for so long.. When we last qualified, there was a ban on English clubs. 4 yrs ago, we came close but we got knackered by some scum virus lasagna and the wet hamsters vermin. Now we r just need 2 wins from our next two to reach the promised land without the last day drama.. Show some muscle lads..
There will not be any better time than this..so coymfs
Alan sugar ruined us, hopefully levy can help make up for lost time and glory..
It all comes down to bottle. If we keep ours, we have the ability to get there. COYS
I fancy Villa to get a point this weekend. They are on a great run of form and probably fancy thier chances of 4th too. if we can do this. We need 7 points from these 3 games and we are there. all tough games. Bolton are a wolves/stoke waiting to happen again and Burnley will be wanting to put on a show for thier fans last game... remember the Carling Cup Semi's... with no pressure, they could perform.
COYS!
2-0 Spurs, Saturday.
2-1 Spurs, Wednesday.
Job done.
Everyone, including Crouch!, needs focus fully on Bolton. Forget all the if's and hopes about any other game, simply focus on Bolton. I, for one, am worried about it! Lets rock the Lane.....
COME ON YOU SPURSSS
Stevespur...When English teams were banned from Europe the CL was not in existence. It was still the European Cup and you had to win the domestic league to qualify.
As for Alan Sugar ruining us, you really have to be joking.
I'm certain Arsenal had to play a third choice keeper earlier this season. Can't remember them balling their eyes out to the Prem for approval of drafting in a keeper.
Spooky, I understand your sentiments here but this stinks to high heaven.
This is it. Just focus on the Bolton game.
I can see Man City buckling and Villa winning anyway.
'For once it's entirely in our own hands.'
I'm sure City are saying in it's in their hands too.
With one less 'in'.
Jep - thing with the Arsenal keepers is that whether it's first choice or 5th, they're all as bad as each other!!
Unless we beat Bolton, who is in goal for City is completely irrelevant come 5th May.
I should think that the Bolton game is the only thing that is being focussed on by Harry and the players.
They aren't stupid enough to get all caught up in this loan debacle.
More nervous about Saturday than I am next weekend away at the Eastlands. We have to get it right and get on it from the first minute at WHL or Bolton will frustrate us. Hate for this to end in our own patch in anti-climatic circumstances. Intend to get sloshed pre-game, and whatever the result, sloshed post-game. Just hoping I'm smiling throughout.
Until its played, Bolton is the last game of the season as far as I am concerned.
It will be the last home game anyway capping off a triffik (twitch), absolutely (twitch) triffick (twitch), season at the Lane this season.
Yes this is massively unfair that CIty have been allowed to sign another keeper when they have this little known thing called a YOUTH TEAM!
But hey ho, fuck it!
Lets look at the positives, City have signed a keeper thats not good enough to even make it on the bench for Sunderland! not like they have signed Buffon now is it?
I might be eating my words if he plays against us and puts in a world class performance but i just dont see it some how...
COYS
Last game at the Lane against a very bearable Bolton. Why all the panic? If we get a draw we then need to beat City. Simple. In some respects going to Eastlands just looking for a draw could mean we won't know whether to stick or twist and we will get turned over. It's all about mentality now and what wouldn't I give for 11 minds of the Michael Dawson variety.
That should be "beatable" of course! Bloody iPhone text predictor.
all i can say is that over the next 270 or so minutes, we will either be kings for the summer or cursing this emotional rollercoaster of a team... at least we actually have something to play for in the last few games of a season which is pretty unusual!
COYMFSOBS!
also, there is some irony in Citeh signing a spurs reject keeper to play which i'm sure is not lost on the sharper ones here.
Nothing will be decided this weekend anyway. We need to get those 3 points and one more win might be good enough. I do fancy us against Bolton, but they have a gooner and a citeh loanee in there, so dont expect them to just roll over. We need to focus and get behind our team. Having said that, i'm absolutely gutted for Nielsen. He is a better keeper than Fulop is tbf, just needs the experience.
Re the Man City game we just have to get a result against the team we are facing, who,s third choice keeper they use should be of no concern to us, its still a third choice keeper.
Well, Fulop hardly set the word alight at Spurs; Given's out, and he's probably the one of the strongest Keepers in the country. All the best to him for a quick recovery, but in the meantime, anyone's a better option for us come Saturday week. Here's hoping we stick a few past whoever they play
Fulop went on loan to Leicester a while ago, and a season ticket holder at the WalkerDome informed me that he's the best goalie he's ever seen there... I know it doesn't say much, but it does suggest he is capable!
Anyone other than Given is a bonus.hopefully he'll mess up against Villa and face us with no confidence
We should not be thinking of anything elase other than Saturday,Bolton and 5-0!!
How do we play, pressure from the 1st minute? crrowded box, no way through, remember wolves, hull and stoke.
Do we allow them to attack and hit them on the break (if Lennon is playing)?
Its a tough call and we have beaten good teams on the break with the space.
Dont mess with the team Harry, play football and keep it on the ground!!
I think Citys confidence will be affected by this GK issue. Not having Given is a major set back and I think it may impact the defence and its confidence.
We should go for the kill next Wed and not mess about!!
I thought fulop could only be signed to be backup and Nielsen had to be first choice. Anyway while not happy about it I reckon that if it happened to us and we had the temerity to ask our request would have been granted. I've heard others sayin we lacked right backs on sat against manure but got on with it well we had to cause the rule only covers keepers.
Anyway we put 3 past given. I'd have been worried if they got gomes. Actually I'm surprised sky didn't start a fucking petition for it. Sky don't want us in the champs league.
On to Bolton. Puff out those chests start thumpin them and sing like a motherfucker on Saturday.
We can do it. And we will.
Believe.
lennon and bale in midfield from the start please arry, I feel wilson may be left on the bench with hud and modle in the middle. Put kaboul back at right back, he looked ok there to me. Sure lennon will get knackered and may not make it out for the 2nd half, but by then the damage will have been done by our wide men, jesus I can't wait to see them both galloping down the flanks.
Strong at the back, take our chances and we are half way there lads.
COME ON YOU YIDS!
What happens if Fulop get's injured against Villa?
Onto the Bolton game, as much as I respect Wilson for his heart, commitment and his ability to smash shit up I think that Saturday calls for a bit more guile and patience. The Modders/ Hudd partnership allows us to hold onto and use the ball more effectively, especially at home where we'll have a bit more time and space in the middle of the park but may need something special in the final third. Wilson, bless him, as effective as he is at winning the ball does tend to give it away needlessly to the point where I would restrict him to a 10-yard or under passing rule. Bale has to play left wing. Lennon perhaps another 30 min run out, longer only if needs be. We don't want him twanging his hamstring again before the City game.
Would it also be possible to tactically use the pitch sprinklers like Barca did to Hose Mourinho? (sorry, although I'm sure The Sun will run with it!)
Favorable result will be draw at Eastland and a win for us. Come Wednesday we win again and the race is over.
Wish tomorrow is Saturday as I can't wait for the prolong days in between matches. I agree with CEJ that Kaboul should play RB. He should be more than capable to handle whatever threats comes that way and that will allow BAE to play his natural LB while Bale will go back to LM. If those are sorted what will 'Arry do about the CM? Who will he drop to the bench among THudd, Modric and Palacious? My preference will be for Palacious to be dropped and only brought on in the 2nd half to shore up the defence if the game is still close at 1 or 2 goals up. Start Bentley ahead of Aaron, with Lennon only getting another 30 mins of run out ahead of Eastlands game. If King is fit, then he and Dawson will be my choice. Upfront, combo of Pav and Defoe could and should work, but both have to lace their scoring boots on as they've not found the back of the net consistently enough this past few games.
My lineup:
Gomes
Kaboul * Dawson * King/Basson * BAE
Bentley * THudd * Modric * Bale
Defoe * Pav
Agree with IaG's line-up. Big ask to have Lennon starting the game. Lennon needs 30-45 minutes for match fitness. If 0-0 at ahlf-time, then he should come straight out for the 2nd half. Hudd/Luka in the middle for sure, particulalry at home. Bring Wilson on in the 2nd half? We are frankly terrible at defending leads when we go into our shell. Would not play him, but definately needed away to ManC to belt them in the midfield. Hope Defoe and Pav take their chances and there should be plenty.
COYS!!!
I will say it again: If we deserve 4th we'll win our next 3 games. If we win our next 3 games we'll deserve 4th. It's really that simple. You gotta believe and I definitely do believe that we can do this.
If we win this Satdee we will finish forth. My belief is based on the players’ attitude and results from the recent games played on a Sat-Wed-Sat schedule. The less time players have to think (and usually over-think) about the opponents – the better.
I agree with nycyid. We get the points we need from the matches we have left, or we wait for the next season.
Like many have said, believe.
I see the Scum has a story about old Red Nose making Modders his number 1 transfer target with Carrick coming back as part of the deal... Shock horror! I prefer to treat this with the disdain that it deserves but F**k me, what are we a feeder club for Manure?
Of course we CAN do it, but WILL we? I'm not sure what people have seen in our away form that makes them so sure a win (or even a draw) is on the cards.
We've got a pretty decent record against City (home and away), but their team now is of a much better standard than anything we've seen for a while. Ours is too, but unless we go up their with clear ideas and tactics, as opposed to putting two spectators up top and seeing if the rest of the team turn up (our current plan), we'll end up with a bloody nose.
Of course, Bolton are next, but anything less than a win against them will be pathetic.
Agreed. We should be concerned about one thing and that is finishing 4th. Who cares which keeper they sign! We should be bigger than that. I can understand if it was Cech or something... but FLOP! Destroy him!
COYS!
The Modric rumour appears to have been sourced from Ferg's programme notes for the game against us, i.e. one sentence about how well he's played this season. Add this to unfounded speculation about who will replace Scholes long term, and voila: a news story from nothing. Utter bollocks.