Liverpool Away

The Scousers Away on Sunday

Well this game has been billed as the title decider by a lot of people and in some ways that could well be true but in others ways not. I firmly believe we will get something out of the game on Sunday but I also think that there are a few more twists and turns to be had before the end of the season by all of the clubs in the title race.

It will come down to a fight between City and the bin dippers as I think the Rent Boys of Chelski will be more focused on the Champions League, and I think I would do the same in their position.

There are a number of anxieties that I have for Sunday (anxieties being less worrisome than worry’s lol) and these are mainly down to 3 things (1) The referee, (2) Sturridge and Suarez, and (3) our approach.

THE CAKE

Unfortunately the game is being refereed by Mr Battenburg and we all know what an absolute idiot he is and is liable to do any number of stupid things in the context of making his wig look good for the cameras, has he brandishes the dreaded RED card at a City player for have the temerity to walk past a Liverpool striker in the box. Let’s hope not.

THERES ONLY 1 GREEDY BASTARD

Its true to say that Sturridge and Suarez are good if not great strikers (in Suarez case) and that they pose a real threat to the City goal from start to finish. I like to think though that in the case of Sturridge that he will retreat into his greedy bastard guide and not pass to anyone when he clearly should. I wonder whether this comes out in him in the bigger games and when people get on his back, and in the case of City this will be the fans who still berate him for his decision to join the rent boys.

THE BOTTLE OPENER

I must confess that Suarez is a top top quality striker and he scores shit loads of goals and causes all sorts of problems on the field for all manner of defenders (perhaps not against the Top 4 ones) and he is a real threat. I have an anxiety that he will target Demichelis as the slowest member of the City backline, but I hope that Demi uses all his experience to its fullest and has a majestic game at the back for City. Let’s hope.

In inverse proportion to my admiration for Suarez as a footballer is my distaste for him as a cheating bastard of the highest order. Diving, biting and generally cheating are only some of the things that add fuel to the fire of my distaste, his general approach and his constant haranguing of the officials for cards etc. just, frankly get on my tits. Let’s hope he has a great game, scores a good goal, but we score a few more than them.

APPROACH

It’s fair to say that Liverpool have been the best Premier League Team to come to Eastlands this season so far, they gave us a good game and where unlucky not to get something out of that game. The do play with a packed midfield and they also have a lot of pace in the team in most positions (perhaps not at CB though, more later) and with City being a 4-4-2 team we are lacking in the central midfield areas. So I guess I think the battle ground of this game will be in midfield, and I’m sure Pelligrini will be tempted to play with Yaya and Fernandinho in the Central roles with Nasri and Silva in the wider roles, as I fully expect to see Aguero to start on Sunday.

If Aguero isn’t fit to start then I think we should play with Milner in the righ side midfield role with Silva playing in the withdrawn striker role we have seen the last few weeks. I have gone for Milner over Navas as I prefer his steel and commitment, and I’ve been slightly disappointed in Navas of late. He is reluctant to take his full back on in the wide area and skin him for pace. I guess this could be a coaching instruction but Pelligrini has picked Navas in the bigger games this season, so it would nt be a surprise if he played on Sunday.

Whoever plays and whatever formation we adopt I hope that we start off at a high tempo and we get at Liverpool early doors and not let them dictate the pace of the game and try to quieten down the crowd, who no doubt will think they’ve won the world cup and the lottery on the same day if they beat us.

The only real defensive question is at left back for me, and expect Cliché to play, just as he is perceived as a better defender that Kolarov, but clearly Kolarov has a great left foot and offers a great cross ball option from the wide left areas. I expect it to be Cliché. As I said before I’ve every confidence in Demichelis, he’s an experienced international defender and will use all that experience to get through this game. Zabba and Vinnie are the other members of the back four, obviously.

On The March

I think that Sunday’s game at Anfield will mark the start of City’s march towards securing the league title again. I have the same feeling I did as we approached the run in, when we won the league. Tough games yes, but the big players stood up and got the job done. It wasn’t free from ups and downs that year and I think this one will be the same, but I have just got that feeling in my bones that we will do it again this year. I think the players feel the same as well.