Man City vs West Ham | PL | 20.12.25 | Predictions & Match Thread

[stubbo-admin]

I'll stick up all the usual match content a bit later, but thought I'd get the thread up:

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This weekend brings what has been in recent times arguably the most daunting match of the season 

Away at the ever fluent, ball-dominating Manchester City...a club that in previous times we had much in common with and a certain kindred spirit, but that in more modern times merely emphasise the difference that getting owners of means with a true desire for sporting success versus barrow merchants with no interest in the Club beyond buying it cheap, taking advantage of circumstance, and like house prices....doing just enough to keep it viable while watching the market trend see it's value appreciate.

We go into this game notably affected by the departure of two largely ever presents to AFCON.

AWB and Diouf are off in search of glory at the International stage. Füllkrug is unlikely to be risked with a move to AC Milan (!) seemingly on the agenda, and with January feeling as far away as ever our lightweight squad and it's meagre offerings take in one of the juggernauts of the North.

Predicted Line-up:

All eyes will be on the full-back slots, as well as if Nuno reverts to a 3 at the back.  Scarles is fit again.

Areola

Mavropanos   Kilman.  Todibo

KWP.     Magassa.  Fernandes.     Scarles

Paqueta

Bowen (c).    Summerville

Subs: Hermansen, Igor, Myers, Rodriguez, Soucek, Potts, Wilson, Earthy, Irving

Predicted Result:

Man City: 4 - 0 :West Ham

Can't see anything but a heavy defeat in this one after too much PTSD with the Sky Blues. Expect Haaland to run amok as usual.

Hope for the best. Expect the worst. But a 1-0 defeat would feel like a win.

COYI.

 

[Electric Retro-pants]

If we put Kilman in pkace of Scarles at least he won't be in front of goal...ffs

[Massive Attack]

Absolutely calamitous Defending from all of them there. And this is supposed to be Nuno's speciality.

 

[fraser]

Todibo and KWP both got back there and got in each others way.. Kilman is just a cսnt 

[Electric Retro-pants]

Crap control, terrible defending, and then the Christmas gift to the Kurgan!
Why do we do this?

[Mex Martillo]

Our CBs are clowns

[claret on my shirt]

Killman LMFAO, how the fuck did we pay £40m odd for this useless cսnt!

[Sir Alf]

Combo of Kilman thru his legs then KWP and Todibo fbcking up. 

[fraser]

A mix of awful defending and a bit of bad luck. 

[twoleftfeet]

The bottom 3 are now set adrift 

[Massive Attack]

Only the 1 like for like Defensive change and doesn't want to take the opportunity to also put on an attacking player/more fresh legs.. Man City on the other hand decides to chuck on 3 fresh players. 

[fraser]

Has the ten yard free kick rule gone now.. 

[Sir Alf]

Areolas kicking / passing is a real problem

[fraser]

Great ball from Paqueta, but let's blame him anyway!

Yes a great ball nearly every game he lays on a chance like that but if it doesn't get taken he can't assist. It won't be mentioned but as soon as there's a loose one they'll be a pile on. He deserves the abuse for last week but don't just notice the bad balls. 

[Sir Alf]

If we tried to run at them and press too much they would get in behind at will and rip us apart even more. Opinions eh 

[Massive Attack]

Summerville keeps getting himself offside needlessly in their final third when we do rarely have the ball in their half. Useless wanker.

[ragingbull]

2 shots in succession we got them on the rack.

[claret on my shirt]

Great ball from Paqueta, but let's blame him anyway!

[Sir Alf]

Bowen has to put that away !!!!

Were not clinical enough 

[Takashi Miike]

The manager is a factor but by no means the main one. Anyone who thinks changing manager is all it needs is thinking in one dimension. The team out there is aside from perhaps Kilman and our AFCON players, about the best we got.  Harsh truths. We have lost to Pool, Arsenal, Villa and City snce Nuno changed the midfield.  Our season is about how we deal with the teams outside the top 6 starting next week and about a Jan window not being the ysual clusterfvck by Sullivan

 

 

of course its the fucking manager. it's all about mentality, and intent. he's given up before we leave the dressing room, and all he intends to do is minimise the margin of defeat. why else would you direct your team to constantly sit back? I wouldn't blame the players collectively to have had enough of this continual negative approach. manager after manager of this defeatist shit, yet you've still idiots giving them a pass. "he deserves his transfer window"

[Sir Alf]

Kilman strikes sgain.  Too slow again 

[Sir Alf]

YESSSS WE HAD A SHOT 

[Mex Martillo]

At fault for the first has to be the CBs, the only City player near the centre of the box was Haaland and Kilman and Todibo were either side of him. How the hell did they let him shot twice? It was totally incompetent.

[Come On You Irons]

The manager is a factor but by no means the main one. Anyone who thinks changing manager is all it needs is thinking in one dimension. The team out there is aside from perhaps Kilman and our AFCON players, about the best we got.  Harsh truths. We have lost to Pool, Arsenal, Villa and City snce Nuno changed the midfield.  Our season is about how we deal with the teams outside the top 6 starting next week and about a Jan window not being the ysual clusterfvck by Sullivan

 

 

We also lost to Brentford and Leeds and drew with Bournemouth and Brighton throwing away leads since he came in.

I don't think anyone is suggesting the problems are all down to the current manager, but he was appointed to make us better and yet he had made us worse results wise.

As I previously stated, I would set him an ultimatum that he needs to win at least one of the post-Christmas Fulham or Brighton games. If he doesn't I would give him the bullet before New Year. The buck stops with the manager ultimately.

[Sir Alf]

Its not all Paquetas fault of course but he doesnt work hard enough some games imo

 

[fraser]

The manager is a factor but by no means the main one. Anyone who thinks changing manager is all it needs is thinking in one dimension. The team out there is aside from perhaps Kilman and our AFCON players, about the best we got.  Harsh truths. We have lost to Pool, Arsenal, Villa and City snce Nuno changed the midfield.  Our season is about how we deal with the teams outside the top 6 starting next week and about a Jan window not being the ysual clusterfvck by Sullivan

 

 

Do keep up of course it isn't Nuno it's all Paqueta's fault even though he's been no worse than anyone in the team today