Are any of you going to take chances on a City player even playing? I'm looking at Boateng and Tevez, who should be regular starters, but with Man City you never know. I heard Robinho will be back for the start of the season, to play along side Adebayor and Tevez, but Bellamy and Santa Cruz will be eager to play, and now City are linked with Dzeko. I expect them to make a few more big money signings before the window closes, and I saw that Mancini has told Hart that he will be number 1 come start of the season.

What do you think the current XI would be if the season started tomorrow?

I'd go for;

Hart (6)

Boateng (6), Toure (6), Lescott (6.5), Bridge (6)

Wright-Phillips (7.5), Barry (7), Johnson (6.5) / Yaya Toure (5.5)

Tevez (10.5), Adebayor (9.5), Bellamy (8)

Defiantly going to win the league if they get to start with 12 players every week.

If you look closer I typed either Johnson or Toure.

Wright-Phillips didn't get a game last season, never mind getting one after the new signings. Plus you've left out David Silva, who's sure to get games.

Practically impossible to predict City's first team in advance, IMO.

Is that for definite?

Sweep?

Well, Robinho wants to stay in Brazil. He say this to all the Brazilian reporters and is clearly that he wants to continue on Santos. But his soccer has returned, and he return to play well again.

I said if the season started tomorrow (1 month exactly before it actually starts) and there is no sign of him on the list. Same goes for Robinho.

But Silva will be in their squad.

So, would you pick Silva? He'll probably be around 8.5, and still won't get 90 minutes week in week out

If the season starts tomorrow i'd go:

Hart (6)

Boateng (6), Lescott (6.5), Toure (6), Bridge (6)

Yaya (5.5), Barry (7), Wright-Phillips (7.5), De Jong (4.5)

Tevez (10.5), Adebayor (9.5)



Probably NOT

You asked for their starting XI, not FF recommendations

A.Johnson not in the MC starting XI?

Who knows, which is why I am not touching them until they settle down.

Seems like a preseason ritual now.

Much will depend on which side Silva is picked on, though further complicated by the fact that Johnson can play on either side too. Silva would be expected to take the place of either Bellamy or Johnson from last year's team (assuming Mancini stays with the 4-4-2 he favoured last season).

Okay calm down

Not sure I agree, Mancini is bringing in his own faces now, you can be sure that they will play above Hughes' signings.

I would be very surprised if Boateng, Yaya Toure, Silva and Adam Johnson didn't get regular gametime ahead of Hughes' Lescott, Wright Phillips, Santa Cruz etc

Adam Johnson is a real candidate for me

If the season started tomorrow I reckon:


---------------- Hart ---------------
Zabaleta - Toure - Kompany - Bridge
------- Vieira -- Yaya --- Barry ------
A. Johnson ------------------ Bellamy
-------------- Adebayor ------------


Assuming Silva signs, and everyone else is fit and rested, I reckon Mancini sees this as his best team:


---------------- Given ---------------
Boateng -- Toure -- Kompany -- Bridge
---------- De Jong -- Yaya ----------
Johnson ------- Tevez -------- Silva
-------------- Adebayor ------------

Firstly hasn't Silva already signed?
Secondly, isn't Boateng a left back like he was for Germany?
Thirdly, Surely if Yaya is playing (since he is their best DMF) then Barry will replace De Jong?

my prediction for their Starting XI will be:

---------------- Given ---------------
Richards -- Toure -- Lescott -- Boateng
---------------- Yaya ----------------
----------Barry----------------------
Johnson--------- Tevez -------- Silva
-------------Adebayor ---------------

Their Bench Team:

---------------- Hart ----------------
Onuoha -- Kompany -- Zabaleta -- Bridge
---------------- De jong ----------------
----------Ireland----------------------
SWP--------- Robinho -------- Bellamy
-------------Santa Cruz ---------------

EDIT: Sorry ignore the second question. I found this:

---------------- Given ---------------
Boateng -- Toure -- Lescott -- Bridge
---------------------------------------
--Johnson--Milner---Yaya ---Silva----
---------------------------------------
-----Ibrahimovitch --Tevez------------


Might have ignored the point of the thread, don't know. But still, all fun and games at City

Too many players

Pretty sure you're right, and I'm also pretty sure he's in the squad list in TFF. Surprised FPL don't have him in.

They can make two strong teams with these players

They've gotta unload some players, surely!

As tempting as it is to tap into man citys new talent , the problem for me is that their squad is huge now and far too rotatable, the only solid candidate must be tevez, as for the others im steering clear.

- Boateng -isn't he a left back

I doubt Mancini even knows what his strongest XI would be.

I have a sneaky feeling that Toure and De Jong are going to keep Barry out of the side, unless Mancini wants to play him in some kind of awful Gerrard left wing arrangement.

Mancini has indicated that Hart will be his first choice goalkeeper to stop him asking to go out on loan, and I'd agree with Super Hans that we'll see newer signings replacing Hughes' buys. Boateng in place of Bridge, for example?

As a punt, I'd go for a very Vokes-esque:

---------------- Given ---------------
Richards -- Toure -- Kompany -- Boateng
---------- De Jong -- Yaya ----------
Johnson ------- Tevez -------- Silva
-------------- Adebayor ------------

4-2-3-1 did get a lot of good press at the World Cup after all. Not sure it's quite lethal enough for the cut and thrust of the Premiership though. I'll file this thread under wait and see.

I think the Silva signing is subject to a medical? He probably won't have any problems with that.

As you've noted, Boateng is mainly a CB. I think he'll play RB from the off. But wouldn't be suprised if him and Zabaleta have some stints at LB at the expense of Bridge.

I've an inkling that De Jong and Yaya will be the preferred two at the expense of Barry. BUT Mancini is a conservative tactician - so I wouldn't be suprised at all to see a midfield trio out of Yaya, De Jong, Barry or Vieira on a regular basis. Which probably means Ireland is gonna move on at some point shortly (to Villa? in which case, he's an insta-buy!).

That's a pretty awesome 2nd team that ManC have there.

Whats the script with number of players in squad (25?) and homegrown players this year?
Will City have to ship afew out, promote afew kids or anything like that?

Looks like Silva just passed his medical.

-------------->INCOMING!!!

Whattayaknow! They are one the verge of signing one more.. this one is really out of the blue!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmnSR0LwiS8

very very funny

From wikipedia: "From this season onwards, clubs will have to declare a squad of no more than 25 players at the end of August, when the summer transfer window shuts, and then again at the end of the January transfer window. Players aged 21 and under can be selected without being registered in the 25.

Also being introduced this season is the "home grown players" rule, which aims to encourage the development of young footballers at Premier League clubs. The new rule will require clubs to name at least eight players in their squad of 25 players that have been registered domestically for a minimum of three seasons prior to their 21st birthday"

City now have 26 players on FPL, so unless anyone is under 21 at least one will have to go.

Well, Garrido has already moved on to Lazio, so that's been taken care of...