[Archived] Man City Preview

[Mr. E]

I of course love Dunn's comments and we really do need to kick them in in order to get something from this game. But 2 problems:

1) The rest of the players have regularly shown that when the going gets tough it's ok to lie down and let the others steamroll over you. That's why Arsenal, Chelsea, United etc. love playing us. We come out with the white flag in our hands. I'm sorry but it needs to be said.

2) Dunn won't be playing in this one, will he?

[Claytons Left Boot]

"2 of us in the blackburn end, and will be going mental if we score. hope theyres load of blues in there end"

There will be but they'll be wearing royal blue.

[dazmaz]

looking on sky bet, 4-3 is worth a cheeky quid at 200/1

[3rdpillar]

FROM THE BLUEMOON FORUM

elliottrobo wrote:

Off topic.

was just reading Blackburns Forum and all there fans seem to call us 'citeh' ive noticed this before with UTD fans aswell but never really understodd where this comes from.

Someone please shed some light.....

OH FFS

kinda like "parteh" just the manc saying of City.

[Blue blood]

I really, really want to win this one. Everyone connected with City - from the chairman to the fans seems to have become really arrogent now they've got cash. Would love to put a spoke in the wheels of the City project so early on in the campaign/.

Whilst Dunn's sentiments are correct, I don't think it was the brightest idea ever him telling them. The more complacent and over-confident they are the better.

City will take time to gel, undoubtedly, and all the pressure and expectation will be on them. All the focus is on City which is an advantage to us.

To me the big worry is our midfield - it's non existent going into another premier league campaign. This is really beginning to hack me off. Looking at the players injured, I'd feel a lot happier having Dunn and Emerton in the team. Still, no use complaining, and credit to Sam he hasn't much about being left a load of crocks. (Not implying Emo is a crock but the rest of the midfield...)

My team would be 4-4-2 with: Robbo, Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen (if fit), Givet, Warnock, N'Zonzi (or Andrews), Diouf, Peds, Benni, Roberts.

It kind of picks itself with the injuries we have. Think this is a good one for roberts to start, as I doubt the city project would relish someone harrying them right from the back for the entire game. I'd also favour stronger tacklers in midfielders, so I'd go for Warnock as I've a feeling there'll be a lot of play needing to be broken up.

It's hard to predict how we'll do, mainly as City are such an unknown factor. The players on their day could beat any team but will they gel? With Bert and Dunn in our team I'd tip us just to win it, but we look to have a few decent options on the bench - Zurab, Holliett, Di Santo, stands us in better favour than last season as well.

With all this in mind I reckon a draw - 1-1, Benni showing Hughes he picked the wrong Blackburn striker to buy.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Lawro predicts a 1-1 draw:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8197263.stm

[Blue blood]

Lawro predicts a 1-1 draw:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8197263.stm

There's a first time for everything! Never thought I'd agree with him. Mainly as he utterly doesn't rate rovers.

One thing to add; I hope Bellamy doesn't recover as his pace is a big worry for our defence.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Whether Dunn has actually said this or said it in those word at all I would have felt more confident if he had kept his trap shut.

For one he won't be playing by all accounts and secondly, no matter what, this will have just got the backs up of citeh and their fans no matter how much truth there is too it.

Still confident we will beat them though.

[RibbleValleyRover]

There's a lot of pressure on City, the media in general will be expecting us to get hammered. If we do lose but it isn't convincing then they will get some serious flack considering the money they have spent.

[BRFC1995]

I really, really want to win this one. Everyone connected with City - from the chairman to the fans seems to have become really arrogent now they've got cash. Would love to put a spoke in the wheels of the City project so early on in the campaign/.

Whilst Dunn's sentiments are correct, I don't think it was the brightest idea ever him telling them. The more complacent and over-confident they are the better.

City will take time to gel, undoubtedly, and all the pressure and expectation will be on them. All the focus is on City which is an advantage to us.

To me the big worry is our midfield - it's non existent going into another premier league campaign. This is really beginning to hack me off. Looking at the players injured, I'd feel a lot happier having Dunn and Emerton in the team. Still, no use complaining, and credit to Sam he hasn't much about being left a load of crocks. (Not implying Emo is a crock but the rest of the midfield...)

My team would be 4-4-2 with: Robbo, Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen (if fit), Givet, Warnock, N'Zonzi (or Andrews), Diouf, Peds, Benni, Roberts.

It kind of picks itself with the injuries we have. Think this is a good one for roberts to start, as I doubt the city project would relish someone harrying them right from the back for the entire game. I'd also favour stronger tacklers in midfielders, so I'd go for Warnock as I've a feeling there'll be a lot of play needing to be broken up.

It's hard to predict how we'll do, mainly as City are such an unknown factor. The players on their day could beat any team but will they gel? With Bert and Dunn in our team I'd tip us just to win it, but we look to have a few decent options on the bench - Zurab, Holliett, Di Santo, stands us in better favour than last season as well.

With all this in mind I reckon a draw - 1-1, Benni showing Hughes he picked the wrong Blackburn striker to buy.

we'll get murdered with that line up, although i agree it is the likely starting 11.

Bored of pedersen getting games. The defence picks itself and is rock solid, but as for defending from the front with pace on the break and the ability to hold the ball up top........well there is just nothing on offer in that team. Get di santo blooded first game offers height pace and apparently composure, bang hoillett on the left to keep zabaleta on the back foot.

I'd go as far as 5 in midfield and mark robinho out of the game, and play the giants di santo and n'zonzi too really go for it at set pieces. Benni and roobbo up top needs consigning to the history books as a viable tactic.

[braddock]

referee will clamp down on anything thanks to dunny

there will be a red card tomorrow

[Blue blood]

Not sure this is the game to be starting the untried Holliett, and the comparitively untried di Santo.

Like I said, I'd have Dunn and Emo in the line up in a flash but they're not fit. I'd also have Kalinic up front but if Sam says he's not ready then so be it.

Roberts and Benni worked well together last season, especially against the weaker teams (although City aren't one of them now). One of Roberts strengths, is unsettling the opposition back line, and I think the city fantasy football team are prime targets to be unsettled.

[tony gale's mic]

Di Santo HAS to start. I've always been a Roberts supporter but his scope is limited and Hughes having managed him will know how to deal with him. We need an unknown quantity in Di Santo as I think its our best chance of getting something in this game. We know he's highly talented.

[Ben-2000]

Di Santo HAS to start. I've always been a Roberts supporter but his scope is limited and Hughes having managed him will know how to deal with him. We need an unknown quantity in Di Santo as I think its our best chance of getting something in this game. We know he's highly talented.

I fully agree.

See how he does and if he's inaffective after an hour or so bring Roberts on maybe.

[SAS]

I think anything other than a 2 clear goal win for city is a failure for them.

Considering they`ve spent 20 times the amount we have...

They won't last long in there if they do celebrate a City goal...

Not to mention the fact that they must be season ticket holders

[Manoid]

At the moment I struggle to see us keeping a clean sheet. That said we usually show a decent amount of fight at home, especially when its a much anticipated first game against a big spending bunch of prima donnas. I think it'll play out like a stale cup final. Would love to stuff Citeh though

[Montfort]

I really, really want to win this one.

I really, really want to win this one as well. Looking inside myself I am not relly sure why. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we should have beaten them at Ewood last year. Perhaps it is because lots of people would like to see City thump us and show that they can challenge for a top four slot expecting us to turn up and play our part as sacrificial lambs.

I agree it will be interesting to see who plays in central midfield. On paper we have alot of central midfield players. In many ways I think our season will revolve around this as I expect all the other departments to do quite well. I think the midfield selection tomorrow will tell us alot about the season. Dare I say it, I expect to see Andrews figure at some stage tomorrow and hopefully it will be on clear merit to be there. I have good feelings about this season and hope they come to fruition tomorrow.

Rovers win 1 - 0

[DeadlyDirk]

Can't wait for the game now, I've changed my mind about the result, I think with a fully packed Ewood we can do them.

We have nothing to lose in a way as everyone is expecting us to get beat, they have a lot to prove and as the past has proven, throwing a few big names into a team and expecting them to gel straight away doesn't always work.

3-2 Rovers (Kalinic of the bench to get the winner just to drive me completley to dream world)

I can't remember who suggested it or what thread it was in now but whoever said about the song....

"Thank you very much for 18 million" to the tune of the Cadbury's Roses song as Roque sits crocked in the stands is a fantastic idea, that has to be chanted!!

Come on Rovers!!

Arte Et Labore

[Montfort]

Benni and roobbo up top needs consigning to the history books as a viable tactic.

Football is a game of opinions, thank goodness, and mine is dimetrically opposed to yours. Dont underestimate the talent that is Benni. I expect him to be our top scorer again this season. Roberts is a handful for most defences and if his finishing matched his ability to be a nuisance to opposition defenses he would be a £20 million player. even though his finishing comparatively lets him down he still makes a big contribution. I expect our new strikers to be used sparingly for the first 5 to 10 games and then we will see where we are.

[Hi Mack]

My God im pumped up about this game now!................But im missing it due to a BIG East Lancs game vs Camberra!

It'll be jumping tomorrow, Everyone wants City to fail, RSC went to them, Hughes went to them, the way they go about there business, Unsettling players etc etc!

Everyone will be behind the lads tomorrow....dont know why but i can see 1-0 to us a Dioufy dive for a penalty! Benni to score it!

COYB!

"KICK LUMPS OUT OF EM!"

[waynerovers]

stick a quid on exactly that. I do that when I have dreams as I believe they can be epiphanies. I was spot on with my bet of a 4-3 scoreline and bentley to score a hat-trick against ManUre. At the time, I was too young to bet, but it was only a quid, so my dad didnt mind.....got 1670quid out of it!!

ALWAYS worth a punt. Look at the guys who bet on alonso to score from his own half twice within a year (lutin and geordies)

I put a fiver on it, 250 if it comes in, also put a fiver on 2-2 as thats been a common result between the sides in recent years

[mellison24]

I put a fiver on it, 250 if it comes in, also put a fiver on 2-2 as thats been a common result between the sides in recent years

I'd be a bit disappointed with 50/1 but 250 not to be sniffed at! Gud luck (tho i'd sooner we win lol)

[Big Fat Sam]

Looking forward to this I can see the lads raising their games to prove a point or two. Rovers win 2-1, one nil to them and sam to rally the troops and City to rest on their laurels.

Thank god the Seasons on again!!!!!

[Tom]

Anyone else think that after last season if we do go ahead there will be a very nervy feeling around the place?

[JAL]

Anyone else think that after last season if we do go ahead there will be a very nervy feeling around the place?

If Rovers go ahead I think it will be a very noisey place.