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Man City vs Newcastle United - 19/11/11 - 3pm


MW

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I honestly can't be arsed with hoping that any of their players are out, the back ups they've got are so bloody good anyway that it doesn't matter. Dzeko and Mad Mario scare me about as much as Dzeko and Aguero.

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I honestly can't be arsed with hoping that any of their players are out, the back ups they've got are so bloody good anyway that it doesn't matter. Dzeko and Mad Mario scare me about as much as Dzeko and Aguero.

 

:thup: They'd need some sort of bug to sweep through half the squad before I could get excited about them being men down.

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So if Cabaye and Tiote both make it, is it conceivable that given the form of Guthrie, we start the match with all three?

 

I guess it depends on what system Pardew decides to go with. A 4-3-3 could work against City.

 

 

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What I'm envisaging is this:

 

                  Krul

 

Simpson Colo Saylor Raylor

 

                Tiote

    Cabaye        Guthrie

 

Ba                            Jonas

                Best

 

 

This line up of course depends on Best being fit enough (which seems to be the case judging from Carver's (?) comments).

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Not sure I'd play Guthrie. Think our strongest position is central midfield, I'd be happy enough with our two against them. Would like to see us try and give their full backs something to worry about and play Marveaux again.

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http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1465079_electric-manchester-city-could-get-newcastle-shock---sibierski

Electric Manchester City could get Newcastle shock - Sibierski

 

Stuart Brennan

 

November 15, 2011

 

Beware Newcastle’s French connection – it could bring Manchester City’s record-breaking run shuddering to a halt.

 

The irresistible Blues meet the immovable Toon on Saturday as the Premier League’s two remaining unbeaten clubs go head to head at a sold-out Etihad Stadium.

 

And one man who played for both clubs feels that Newcastle – who have the best defensive record in the league – could just shock City, who have the best attacking credentials.

 

Antoine Sibierski is currently looking to break into coaching or management himself, and is a keen student of the top operators.

 

He feels that Alan Pardew’s Toon team will be a stiff test of City’s bid for a victory which would see them chalk up the best start to a top-flight season since Tottenham’s record of winning the first 11 games of the 1960-61 season.

 

“People say Newcastle are the shock team but I knew they would do well – they have so many French players!” said the man who City brought in from Lens in 2003.

 

In fact, the man given a large slice of credit for Newcastle’s rise to third place is chief scout Graham Carr, who also recommended Sibierski to then Blues boss Kevin Keegan.

 

“Graham brought me to City from France, and he has brought in Sylvain Marveaux from Rennes for nothing, Cabaye for £4million after winning the French cup and league – I can’t believe only two English clubs were in for him – and Hatem Ben Arfa,” said Sibierski, who still lives in Hale Barns.

 

“Alan Pardew also knows his football, and knows about attitude and discipline. A good friend of mine is close to Cabaye, and he talks about the attitude they have at Newcastle on the pitch and off it.

 

“Off the pitch you have to be very straight about the way you respect your club, your team-mates and your fans. That discipline off the pitch brings discipline on the pitch, and if you have that, and good players, you will be successful.”

 

But Sibierski, who took his Uefa B coaching badge during the summer alongside old teammate Shay Given and Kevin Kilbane, says it won’t be a case of goal-hungry City battering away at a resolute Newcastle defence.

 

“City are on fire, and I can’t see Newcastle defending for the whole game,” he said. “They will attack, and try to score goals and that will leave spaces for City to exploit.

 

“That means David Silva will get on the ball, and that is a big advantage for City.

 

“But you can’t underestimate Newcastle – they are on a good run and have great team spirit, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they got a result.”

 

Outfoxed

 

Sibierski is seeking a League One or Two club with which to begin a managerial or coaching career, and has been studying the top managers in action.

 

He believes Sir Alex Ferguson is still the best around, but believes the way Roberto Mancini outfoxed his United counterpart in the 6-1 derby drubbing at Old Trafford last month – and the Italian’s handling of the Carlos Tevez affair – proves there is a new kid on the managerial block.

 

“People talk about the players, but Mancini had a great game in that 6-1 win,” he said. “To beat Sir Alex Ferguson, who is the best manager around, was quite something – but Roberto was tactically excellent in that game.

 

“It’s difficult when you go to a club with money, because there is always a danger that if a player is coming for money you might not get the best from him. That is when you need big discipline, and that they know what you expect from them.

 

“That is what you need to be successful, and that is what Mancini has brought to City.

 

“When you see how he has managed the Tevez case, it has been excellent – many managers would have been destroyed by it. Psychology is a big part of management and if you get it wrong it can kill your club.

 

“He has handled it so well, and City have kept on winning games. He has a lot of big players, and sometimes that means selfish players, but he has them playing as a unit.”

 

The way Mancini has started to get the best out of Mario Balotelli is also testimony to his managerial powers, says Sibierski.

 

“Mario is a big character, difficult to manage and can react in a bad way sometimes,” he said. “I don’t think anyone could manage him like Mancini, who has known him for a few years.

 

“It’s another area where you have to be psychologically very good, as it could kill your team spirit if you get it wrong.

 

“But you want characters like Mario in your team. You don’t just want followers – you need a rebel, you need two or three with big characters.

 

“As a manager a player like Mario is a good challenge, because he is such a good player that you would always take the risk and put him in your team, and get the best from him.

 

Arguments

 

“We have all heard about the arguments at City on the training ground and in the dressing room, but that is exactly what you want. You don’t want it flat.

 

“It was the same when I was at City – we had Joey Barton!  He is a very good player and a big character and with him around you know every day won’t be an easy day, but that is what you want.”

 

Now it is that kind of challenge that Sibierski wants, and after being brutally honest about his own English playing career at City, Newcastle and Wigan, feels that the attributes that gave him that career will serve him well as a manager.

 

“I was not strong, I was not athletic, and physically I was not good, but I had a good career – it could have been better, could have been worse – because I was technically good, intelligent and tactically very good, as well having a good attitude,” he said.

 

“I want to use my playing attributes as a coach and one thing I learned from Steve Bruce at Wigan was about attitude and commitment on the pitch.

 

“I know some League One or Two chairmen find it difficult to give a job to an ex-player who has no experience of playing in those leagues, as the experience is different from what you get at a Premier League or Championship club.

 

“But now we are getting some good examples of what can be done by players who have never played at that level – Paolo di Canio and Uwe Rosler are both doing really well.

 

“I have big experience of France and England, and a big network in both countries as well, and have good relationships with managers like Steve Bruce, Mick McCarthy and Chris Hughton which would be very useful for any club working on a budget.”

 

:)

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