Man City (H) 4:30pm Sunday 7th August (Sky Sports)

ASLEFshrugged

It's Monday, just six days until our opening match of the new season, we lost our last game against Brighton so someone has to bite the bullet and take one for the team

ASLEFshrugged

Just read an article on Manchester Evening News website,

I didn't see the Charity Shield, it appears that Haaland was making runs but because Liverpool were playing a high line the through balls were being played too late

Antonio gave Laporte and Fernandinho a torrid time so likely the more physical Dias and Ake will be preferred. Neither is as good passing so they could be pressured into making mistakes which Antonio, Bowen and Rice would "hoover up".

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-west-ham-guardiola-24634549

Nice to be given respect by the opposition's local press

Kuchinghammer

I sincerely hope that we can avoid ending the day at the foot of the table. Maybe another team can lose by more than four goals.
However, if we manage to stay only two goals down, it will cheer me up immensely. COYI!

IronHerb

2-1 home win.

OldCastleSwift

I know it's not usually Moyes' way, but I have a feeling he might throw Scamacca in from the start. Bit of an unknown for both us and City, so could work in our benefit.

Whitehorsehammer

I fancy 433 with Antonio on the left of a front three with Scamacca and Bowen. A midfield of Rice Soucek and Fornals.

Pearces_Left_Foot

Fancy us to get battling draw

ASLEFshrugged

Whitehorsehammer said:

I fancy 433 with Antonio on the left of a front three with Scamacca and Bowen. A midfield of Rice Soucek and Fornals.

It would be very un-Moyesy for him to start Scamacca when he's not even had a run out in pre-season

Possibly Downes in a 4-3-3 with Rice and Soucek but even that's unlikely

Fairly predictable

Areola
Coufal Dawson Zouma Cresswell
Soucek Rice
Bowen ?????? ??????
Antonio

Personally I'd like to see Vlasic given a chance in the "hole" with Benrahma or Fornals on the left

Whitehorsehammer

I agree ASLEF, I don't think Moyes will do that but I just like the idea of a Antonio, Scamacca, Bowen front three, that could scare a fair few defences.

OldCastleSwift

It may be out of his hands if Antonio is carrying an injury.

buffybegood

Whitehorsehammer said:

I fancy 433 with Antonio on the left of a front three with Scamacca and Bowen. A midfield of Rice Soucek and Fornals.

We've waited 18 months to have 2 CFs, so that one could be rested or brought on fresh as a sub, and now you're advocating starting them both?

Lukerz

Battling 1-1

Fabianski
Coufal - Dawson - Zouma - Cresswell - Johnson
Bowen - Soucek - Rice - Fornals
Antonio

Areola, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Downes, Lanzini, Vlasic, Benrahma, Scamacca

(is what I think Moyes will go with)

jay_in_cpt

Ref appointed : Michael Oliver
& a popular appointment on VAR : Mike Dean.....

Kuchinghammer

Mike Dean has a new goal - to top the table of VAR-given penalties 😳

Brother_Sledge

Areola
Dawson Zouma Ogbonna
Coufal Soucek Rice Lanzini Cresswell
Bowen Antonio

(is not what I think Moyes will go with0

ASLEFshrugged

Moyes used to play three at the back against City but last season he went four at the back for both PL games and the 4th round League Cup tie

alderz

I reckon we’ll line up:

Fabianski; Coufal Dawson Zouma Cresswell; Soucek Rice; Bowen Lanzini Fornals; Antonio

That leaves us the likes of Benrahma, Vlasic and Scamacca to come off the bench and create something, and the likes of Johnson, Diop and Downes if we want to sure things up at all.

OldCastleSwift

Will Diop be on the bench do you think? Hasn't featured in the last two pre-season games, even with a CB crisis.

I'd be surprised if he's in the match day squad.

Lukerz

I agree with alderz. That’s how we should go. If he decides to go with a back 3 it will be Johnson at LWB.

A shame Aguerd picked up his injury as would have loved to have seen that side with him &
Zouma. I assume Ogbonna will be in no position to start v City.

Personally, I’d be phasing in Areola now but except Fab has not done much wrong & will likely start the season.

Lukerz

Claret & Hugh says Scamacca is not expected to be involved against Manchester City this weekend, due to fitness.

OldCastleSwift

Can't see how he won't be fit enough for the bench. He'll have had a week's training by then; surely enough for a 20 minute run out at the end.

thornburyiron

Wouldn’t he have been training in Italy in case the move fell through

alderz

thornburyiron said:

Wouldn’t he have been training in Italy in case the move fell through

Yes, but I don’t think he played any preseason games. Also, I think the Italian league starts later than ours usually so they have a later start to preseason.

What I don’t understand though, is that he will clearly need games to get his match sharpness up. So surely we need to give him some minutes…?

Pearces_Left_Foot

Its a cunning ploy by Moyes who will unleash him from the bench with 2 mins to go

Ravel49

Hoooooooof

ASLEFshrugged

Just checked, Scamacca didn't play in any pre-season games

Maybe his pre-season will be the ECL playoffs v Viborg FF

IronHerb

thornburyiron said:

Wouldn’t he have been training in Italy in case the move fell through

Theres fitness then there's Moyes fitness.

Brother_Sledge

thornburyiron said:

Wouldn’t he have been training in Italy in case the move fell through

No potato fields in Italy as they mostly eat pasta

Hamstew

So if we have no Aguerd and no Scamacca our bench could look very light come Sunday.

alderz

Brother_Sledge said:

thornburyiron said:

Wouldn’t he have been training in Italy in case the move fell through

No potato fields in Italy as they mostly eat pasta

I heard that Scammacca spent the summer dragging tyres across his family’s spaghetti farm

IronHerb

You couldn't wait to penne that could you?