sixx

Need crosses from Ritchie and Diame needs to get into the rhythm.

In the space of 10 seconds Rondon surprises me with being a superb free kick taker and having a great cross on him, literally had no idea

welp

Lascelles looks really uncomfortable in a back three.

Have to hand it to them, they've been amazing in the transfer market. Robertson for 5 million and Shaqiri for 12 is taking the piss. And when they've spent big they've spent well. Jury's still out on Fabinho but he looks good. This is actually what can happen when you provide a world class manager who has a vision with the funds and means to build a team. Not that long ago Liverpool were fielding Poulsen, Konchesky and Jovanovic under Hodgson.

Should rather be relying on him as an impact player. I do really like him and he can be very useful but we desperately need someone with more creativity and end product in his position. He should have made the definitive step-up ability wise ages ago.

This guy has been a revelation. Can't believe we all of a sudden have 5 very decent centre backs on our books. What even is this life.

Generally really hate 5 at the back but that was actually not bad. Ki in second half was immense, what an asset he is becoming. Schar and Fernandez also good. Thought Ritchie was very good in that wingback position, apart from that miss of course. I'd rather have him involved a lot like today rather than having the extremely little impact he does some games.

There's no chance Rondón speaks a word in english is it?

There for the taking obviously. With 3 CBs on we should be winning a lot more headers in and around the box. Don't really blame Dubravka for the goal, he wasn't positionally off IMO, it was the only scenario in which he could have been beaten - just a super header. Need to get more out of Rondon and especially his hold up play. We can sail this home.

I think it just comes down to Zidane being a bigger character and a leader. I love Iniesta but if I'd have to pick either for my team I'd choose Zidane on that basis alone. Also the fact that he consistently delivered the goods for Bordeaux, Juve, Real and France (in two different eras) while Iniesta of course only played for Barca and Spain and enjoyed huge amounts of success with a similar core of players around him with both.

Of the 40 Golden Boy nominees by Tuttosport only three (!) were developed in England from what I can gather. Don't really understand why this isn't discussed more in the media and such... English clubs apparently have a serious problem with developing talent and there is not a single English manager out there who can be considered even remotely world class either.

West Ham basically did everything last summer we were supposed to do and now they're reaping the rewards. Who would have thought. Btw do Man Utd ever line up in the same formation? They got nothing even resembling a team or a spine and they're still giving starts to the like of Young and Fellaini even after spending all this money. At least Pep had a bit of a vision with all the spending at City.

Said it before but at the end of the season he's going to have scored more than all of our strikers combined. I'm almost a 100% positive that the gripe Rafa has with him is on a personal/mental note, not ability-wise or whether he fits into a certain style of play or not. It happens.

Good team. Pretty much full strength. If we can't compete with that line up against Palace, we're royally fucked.

Please god let Lascelles, Shelvey and Rondon be fit for this.

Well

Their striker doesn't seem to be a huge fan of it which makes it a bit difficult.

I for one would say he's the most exciting young prospect England has at the moment, barring maybe Rashford. Most of my friends are Liverpool fans and therefore I see a lot more of them than I actually care for haha. I'd just say he's a very modern right back - quick, adept defensively and can deliver the goods going forward, very good right foot.

Just curious, would you argue he's a wing-back rather? I wouldn't. Either way, the biggest gripe I usually have with 3-5-2 is the lack of natural wingers. Some teams like Juve can make use of the system in creating attacking football but let's face it, most teams that use the 3-5-2 system are interested in taking advantage of three centre backs and therefore being extra solid at the back.

I legit don't like 3-5-2 in general. Of course certain teams can pull it off and play some very nice football through it but usually we're talking about five natural defenders on the pitch, in this instance arguably six and in most cases no natural wingers - the players I enjoy watching the most. Don't blame anyone for liking it tho if it works for their teams of course but as a neutral I hate it.

Fabregas for me. Silva close second.

In many aspects a perfect back up player. Reliable, homegrown, considerable experience, can even fill in okay at centre back if asked to. That said it should be a priority to replace him in the first XI.

Can't believe I went to that first ever away game and first NUFC match in almost 15 years. First shot on goal in thr 90th minute bud glad to see Rondon off the mark. He really is miles better than Joselu. Sterry looked useful as well, should provide Yedlin some competition. That's it for the positives. Just want to get this City game over with, regroup during the international break and hopefully get anything resembling a team going. What a fucking shambles.

Whew Lucas Moura is seriously good.