Friday.
Great results in the Capital One Cup with Bradford
and Swansea going to Wembley, meaning our game with Chelsea goes ahead on the
due date.
Good result for the Toure boys in the ANCup.
Anyway Stoke tomorrow and here’s the it’s A Fix
update:
We were 10th out of the hat and it
could’ve been a better draw, like Blackpool or Fulham at home.
Palace and Stoke played out a 0-0 draw at Selhurst
Park in the 3rd rd in front of 13,693, bored to tears fans no doubt.
Stoke won the replay 4-1 at the Britt after 1-1 at full time.
Previous FA Cup meetings :
1911 1st rd 2-1 home
1921 5th rd 0-1 home
1934 6th rd 1-0 home (84,569 R/A)
1973 3rd rd 3-2 home
1976 4th rd 0-1 away
2010 5th rd 1-1 home 1-3 aet away
2011 Final 1-0
So we’ve won 4 and lost 3, and they’ll be itching
for revenge for the FA Cup final defeat.
This season it was an easy 3-0 win for City at the
Etihad, and a tough1-1 draw at Stoke
League form at Stoke : DDDDLWW
Comment : At home in the league Stoke have won 5
drawn 5 and lost one – getting a recent drubbing off Chelsea. We’ve drawn our
last 4 there and also lost in the Cup. As always they’ll be up for it, player
and crowdwise but we’re due a win or more likely a draw. Strengths are well
known but our £220M superiorior squad will hopefully shine through. Tickets
sold out quickly so we’ll get a big and loud support, so the lads surely
won’t let us down. Will they?
Sat Nav : ST4 4EG
Then we’re off to QPR :
24)
TUESDAY JANUARY 29TH :QPR
(AWAY) KO 7.45PM
Second season back in the Prem. Last, and only
trophy, the League Cup in 1967. Most recent connection SWP. Nedum Onuoha. 44th
league meeting
This
season so far: They’re in 20th place with 15 points from
23 games and 1 win 5 draws 5 losses at home
At
The Etihad in September it was a 3-1 City win. Ya Ya opened
(16) Zamora (59) equalised, then Dzeko (61) and Tevez (90+). clinched it. Crowd was 45,579
with 1,409 R’s
In
the Capital One Cup they beat Walsall 3-0 at home in the 2nd
rd but lost 2-3 at home to Reading in the 3rd rd.
In
the FA Cup they drew 1-1 with West Brom at home in the 3rd
rd but won the replay 1-0 and have just played MK Dons at home in the 4h
rd.
Our
form at QPR: Last season it was the 3-2 win on Bonfire night.
Bothroyd gave them the lead (28), Dzeko equalised (43), Silva put us ahead
(52), Helguson equalised again (69) but YaYa’s thunderous header (74) clinched
it for the Blues, though they hit the bar late on. Crowd was a hostile 18,076
with 3026 Blues.
Prior to that it was 3 wins and one loss.
For
City it’s : WLWWDDLDLL
Groundwise:
Looking a bit tatty, and they’re thinking about a
move. We should have the upper and lowe r tier behind the goal with tickets
priced again at £55 and outrageously £50 for concessions which is a disgrace.
Loftus
Road : Capacity: 18,000 (* for City)
Comment: Despite the summer spending spree and ambition they found themselves
rooted to the bottom and Hughes paid the price with the sack. ‘Appy ‘arry took
over but it still looks like a tall order to stay up as he found with the
Saints that time. SWP and Nedum haven’t really done the biz though Shauny
scored his first and winning goal for them at Chelsea, but City must take
advantage tonight.
WWTWTWShite:
Averaged 5,670 in 1964/65, just a couple of seasons
before their League Cup appearance, currently it’s 17,782.
Parking: Street parking was OK last year
Pubs
: Moon on Green, Walkabout bar in Shepherds Bush,
Springbok
Away
day zine: A Kick up the R’s
Sat
Nav: W12 7PA
Very professional performance at Stoke, who never caused any real worries during the match. A couple of players, Milner and Dzeko had pretty awful games, although Milner's overall effort does excuse a bit. Very good games for Silva and Lescott, with the rest ok. One exception is, of course, the truly outstanding Pablo Zabaletta who seems incapable of a bad performance. On ITV, Southgate referred to him as the best defender in the country, he's about right on that at the moment. A vital and the most valued player in our squad at the moment surely.
ReplyDeletePossibly the best signing Hughes made or at least runs Kompany very close. Didn't think Dzeko was that bad, he showed some good touches, but am I the only one who prefer to see him camped in their penalty area rather than over on the flanks?
ReplyDeleteAguero for Kolarov seemed a little of an odd swap, as we had Sinclair on the bench and there was always somebody camped out on the left, as you say, Tony, be or Sergio or Edin. Probably says all that needs to be about Mancini's confidence in Sinclair, who must be bloody awful in training to be so overlooked.As many people have said in the mag or on the blog, Sinclair and Garcia (ok today) for Johnson and DeJong - what an almighty balls up of transfer dealing. Kompers out for QPR, just as well we've hung on to Lescott!
DeleteFunniest line of the TV commentary was where someone said how Zabaleta was a a very under-rated player. Not by anyone round these parts, pal!
ReplyDeleteWorrying that Kompany keeps picking up the same injury. Get it sorted City.
ReplyDeleteBalotelli appears to be on his way, but I can't see Tevez staying beyond the summer. What's going to happen with Guidetti?
Thought Garcia looked solid as a CB/Libero. Strong in the tackle, good positioning, composed on the ball. Good prove to be a good stand in at CB until Kompany returns to the lineup
ReplyDeleteThere were a silver linings in the game and defensively we look stronger than last year, but my main concern that as the game progressed, I kept thinking, I can't see where a goal is coming from and not for the first time this season.
ReplyDelete@ Tony; fully agree. the usual achilles heel in not being able to break down teams defending deep & narrow. usual problems of the build up being way too slow not helped by Tevez reverting to his blind alley dribbling & RM's refusal to use natural wingers with pace. Tevez has gone off the boil, Aguero & Dzeko misfiring at the moment, and Balotelli gone and no visible replacement? does not bode well save for some kind of United meltdown.
ReplyDeleteThree 0-0 draws away from home and all pretty similar. I hate to say it but United are braver.
ReplyDelete