Shaun Wright-Phillips dances with that midfielder-who-shall-not-be-named
The Monday fixtures rarely have much intrigue to them other than the odd bettor looking to complete an exacta with a big club beating on a little club.
However, today/tonight we get two top-half teams, each with their own strategies on how to break into the Big 4 (Villa sans much money, Citeh very much fueled by tons of the printed paper with the Queen’s head on it), looking to keep pace.
We’re shaping up to have one of the most open EPL seasons in recent memory, thanks to teams like these two… which means this will be a 0-0 draw, right?
And at the middle of it all, Gaz Baz himself. The maestro who could not be signed by Liverpool despite all efforts, yet was sold to Manchester City in a heartbeat over the summer. Pundits are already tweeting about the boos Barry can expect and how harsh they will be… they clearly don’t understand life as football fans. Maybe Adebayor can give Gareth some lessons in how to endear yourself further to those fans whose hearts you broke when you left.
Lineups:
ASTON VILLA (in a classic 4-4-2)- Friedel; Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock; Milner, Petrov, Sidwell, Ashley Young; Agbonlahor, Carew.
Subs: Guzan, Delph, Heskey, Reo-Coker, Shorey, Beye, Gardner.
MANCHESTER CITY (in a new-fangled 4-2-3-1 thing)- Given; Zabaleta, Lescott, Toure, Bridge; De Jong,
Barry; Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Bellamy; Adebayor.
Subs: Taylor, Richards, Sylvinho, Ireland, Johnson, Petrov, Santa Cruz.
well, at least it’s Sidwell and not Delph partnering Petrov.
It is still so jarring to see/read livebloggers on the Guardian talking about watching games on ESPN. Feels almost wrong.
Maradona asked Hughes to sit Tevez and Zabaleta ahead of the big WCQs on the weekend. To which Sparky apparently said “F**k off, fatty”.
Also a kinda-threadjack; Clint Dempsey out for WCQ against Honduras.
Man I hope Ireland wants out of City soon.
Bellamy over Ireland? Maybe Hughes wanted his countryman to take notes from Agbonlahor on how to be really, extra, friendly (http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article19294.ece). Beats the hell out of golf-club driven karaoke melees.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article19294.ece , fer some reason it included the parenthesis in the url above.
Villa heavy on the attack
Last time Friedel played on a Monday he was magnificent against Liverpool, hope that doesn’t continue.
and, Ryan, that was with Davies and Cuellar as the CB pairing, and Shorey at LB
Ref’s letting them play for certain.
DUNNEY!
Is there an online petition or something to convince Lescott to grow a hi-top fade a la Kid?
hahahahahahahhahahahahahahha and he scored it over Gareth. Brilliant.
That has to feel great for him, even if he’s too class to celebrate against the team that made him.
aaaand Stan into the book.
whew. nice poke by Adebayor at the penalty spot, good concentration by Big Bald Brad
@Keith – why won’t you admit that Fabian Delph is the answer?
I don’t wish injury on anyone. Okay, anyone who doesn’t play for United. But Ade is inching closer to that list if only because his effort this year makes it pretty clear he didn’t give a flying s**t last season after he whinged until he got paid.
I love Nigel de Jong, but he’s going to break many bones over the course of his career.
One day he will be, Kid. But that day is not now. He’s too undisciplined yet.
Nice header from Ade, Better save from Brad.
LMAO at the ESPN commentators “two minutes, at a minimum, to be tacked on.”
Good first half, but I could go for another goal before I’m comfortable.
City having some definite trouble breaking Villa down, lots of firepower on the bench though. Maybe bring Petrov on? He was solid last week.
Who do you take off, though, Ryan? Bellamy’s looked the most dangerous, Tevez has taken a few dangerous-looking shots– Warnock’s completely neutralized SWP, but I doubt that Petrov would fare much better.
As for Villa, I’d hope to see NRC or, yes, Kid, Delph come on for Carew at about 60 if Villa still have the lead.
Ireland for De Jong? iiiinteresting.
f**k. of course we get caught on the counter.
s**t. Heskey on for Carew.
Did someone promise Bellamy time off his probation for every goal this season?
He puts his right foot in! He puts his right foot out! He puts is right foot in, and he puts himself about. He’s Nigel Reo-Coker and he’ll turn the game around. That’s what he’s all about!
he’s NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIgel Reo-Coker!
Trafford-length stoppage time at Villa Park
good game, Citeh.
Meh, I suppose it’s a decent result, drawing away with one of our potential top 6 rivals, still I feel like we left points out there today. I thought SWP was awful, Roque didn’t add a whole ton either. Thought the ref was great tonight, even though I would have argued for 30 more seconds of stoppage time.
really, Ryan? You were lucky Dunney didn’t pop 2 in.
Possibly, still I felt we were one pass away a multitude of times throughout the 2nd half. Which maybe means more credit to Villa I guess.