Manchester City (A) 4/5: Build-Up & Match Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

Has there ever been a freer free hit?

- Nothing to play for
- We'd probably lose even if we played our absolute best with our absolute best starting XI
- Everyone accepts the season is done, I suspect including the ownership, staff and players
- We aren't playing remotely well enough to even give us hope

I can't say I'm a fan of sticking Semedo in the back three but it would be folly to play a 4 in this one - I know we'll probably lose, but let's not open ourselves up to a battering any more than we have to - and we don't have another option. No-one in the Academy is anywhere near ready to come in. This also means that it's a rare team where I'm actually writing Doherty down as a starter. I'd rather not. But again, what can you do.

Maybe we'll see Neto off the bench. He's going to want some minutes as otherwise it's going to be hard for Portugal to pick him for the Euros.

--------------------------------Sa---------------------------

--------------Semedo--------Kilman------Toti--------------

Doherty----------Lemina-----J Gomes---Traoré-----Ait-Nouri

-----------------------Cunha------Hwang--------------------

2023/24: W 2-1 (H)
2022/23: L 0-3 (H), L 0-3 (A)
2021/22: L 1-5 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2020/21: L 1-3 (H), L 1-4 (A)
2019/20: W 3-2 (H), W 2-0 (A)
2018/19: D 1-1 (H), L 0-3 (A)
2017/18: D 0-0 (A, LC, lost on pens)
2011/12: L 0-2 (H), L 1-3 (A), L 2-5 (H, LC)
2010/11: W 2-1 (H), L 3-4 (A)
2009/10: L 0-3 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2003/04: W 1-0 (H), D 3-3 (A)
2001/02: L 0-2 (H), L 0-1 (A)
1999/00: W 4-1 (H), W 1-0 (A)
1997/98: D 2-2 (H), W 1-0 (A)
1996/97: W 3-0 (H), W 1-0 (A)

Wolves vs Man City, 1996-2023

Can you name the Wolves scorers vs Man City, 1996-2023?

www.sporcle.com

 

[Tony Towner]

Yep, I'd go same team as last week too.

 

[1986]

This also means that it's a rare team where I'm actually writing Doherty down as a starter. I'd rather not. But again, what can you do.

Wow............

 

[Dire Wolf]

You'd have thought that team pretty much picks itself. Though a fair criticism of GON is that he can sometimes overthink team selection.

 

[Tony Towner]

You'd have thought that team pretty much picks itself. Though a fair criticism of GON is that he can sometimes overthink team selection.

Unless Bellegarde or Neto are back with Doyle out then there's only really H Bueno and Sarabia who could realistically start

 

[Dire Wolf]

Unless Bellegarde or Neto are back with Doyle out then there's only really H Bueno and Sarabia who could realistically start

Hugo Bueno looks less likely to get a start at the moment than you or me...

 

[Tony Towner]

Hugo Bueno looks less likely to get a start at the moment than you or me...

There's definitely trust issues there and parking the Doherty comparison they aren't unfounded imo. Definitely a decision to be made in the Summer as to what to do with him. If we were to sell RAN I don't think he's the replacement at the moment

 

[The Bear]

Ref: Craig Pawson
VAR: Stuart Atwell

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Hoping that Pep picks Matheus Corica again as a) he's rubbish and does nothing and b) that will give us the kind of edge we had in September.

 

[The Bear]

At least with Hwang and Cunha playing we can have some chance of scoring.

I wonder if Gaz will replicate his tactics from the home victory, albeit without Dawson to mark Haaland. Toti might get that job.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

At least with Hwang and Cunha playing we can have some chance of scoring.

I wonder if Gaz will replicate his tactics from the home victory, albeit without Dawson to mark Haaland. Toti might get that job.

My thoughts entirely.

 

[Kenny]

GO not on the bench Saturday

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785390004937621981

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Hang on Dan? You've picked Doc!?

 

[Jinky]

VAR: Stuart Atwell

OH FFS WHY

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Hang on Dan? You've picked Doc!?

I'd really rather not. But it's that, Captain Wow in a centre half pairing or throwing in someone like Pond or Okoduwa who are clearly nowhere near ready.

I was thinking we could play Lonwijk as his loan is over and he's young enough that we didn't have to name him in the PL squad in February, but we can't as he's played for Grasshoppers and Wycombe this season.

 

[Tony Towner]

If you wanted a Docless line up whilst keeping the same formation then you move Lemina into defence and either Chirewa into midfield or RAN to midfield and Bueno LWB. I wouldn't but it'd meet the brief.

 

[Kenny]

If you wanted a Docless line up

.....you go back in time and stop Hobbs going for that round of golf?

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

By all accounts (not on here, of course) Doc had a decent game against Luton.

He was alright v Bournemouth too, in terms of how he and Semedo linked definitely.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He was about as good as you're ever going to get from him in 2024, in as much as there weren't any glaring moments where his chronic lack of athleticism or perennial awful defending got shown up.

Would be stretching a point to say he played well, he didn't.

 

[Tony Towner]

If decent means good then he didn't if it means ok then he did until the last 10 minutes when he stopped working / got tired depending on your generosity.