Tottenham 0-0 Man City

[Chelmsford_yid]

Gareth Bale will line-up for Tottenham after   overcoming the bruised leg that forced him to sit out Wales' midweek   international with Luxembourg.
Roman Pavlyuchenko misses out with a hamstring injury and Jonathan Woodgate is no closer to a first-team return.
Manchester   City are poised to give debuts to their big-money summer signings Yaya   Toure, David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov.
Shay Given is expected to be City's number one ahead of Joe Hart.

Manchester City will be casting envious glances at Tottenham when the   Londoners take on Young Boys of Bern on Tuesday night in the first leg   of their Champions League qualifying tie.

 City's answer to narrowly missing out on the coveted fourth and   final Champions League place to Spurs has been simple. They have spent,   and spent big: signing four players at a cost of £75m, with James Milner   and Mario Balotelli set to follow.
Expectations are sky high for   City this season and unless the Premier League is under the shade of a   blue moon come May, and their trophy cabinet is dusted down for the   first time for 34 years, manager Roberto Mancini will be anxiously   fearing for his future.
In contrast, Tottenham have had a quiet   summer and signed just one player, Brazilian midfielder Sandro, which is   remarkable by the standards of arch wheeler-dealer Harry Redknapp.
Their   win over Liverpool on the first day of last season laid down a marker   to the rest of the league. A repeat against City, in what is set to be a   mouth-watering curtain raiser to the season, and Harry's boys will look   a good bet to go fourth once again.

[Sandroman]

Citeh have fantastic attack, but Mancini is cautious by nature
We have a tremendous defensive record at home
We have a historical hoodoo over Mancs
We have had (apart from a bad hickup) a good pre- season
They have been poor pre-season
Bookies make us favourites
Most pundits give us a win or at least a draw

So why am I so nervous?

COYS

[Biggs]

If anything, this is the best time to play Citeh.... they haven't had time to gel as a team yet.

And i know everyone is disappointed we haven't made any new signing, but that might be a blessing in disguise in this match

[dedleysting]

First day nerves isn't it! But I'm still confident we can get all 3 points. Bale been fit is great news, defoe too

[ugs]

I reckon we will line up as
 
                           Gomes
 
Corluka      Dawson         King            BAE/Bale
 
Lennon      Huddlestone  Modric/Palicious  Bale/Modric
 
                Crouch      Defoe
 
As long as we go for the throat from the first minute shouldn't be any problems !!!!
 
 

[friskofan01]

it will be a good tune-up for the regulars

[RiffHard]

I reckon we will line up as
 
                           Gomes
 
Corluka      Dawson         King            BAE/Bale
 
Lennon      Huddlestone  Modric/Palicious  Bale/Modric
 
                Crouch      Defoe
 
As long as we go for the throat from the first minute shouldn't be any problems !!!!
 
 

I think Harry will put Keane in first XI instead of Crouch.

[Chelmsford_yid]

Im heading off to the Lane now, for some early beers. COYS! 

[dedleysting]

Lucky barstwered... Sky sports it is for me...

[bigv]

Oooh dunno , got a bad feeling about this one .I agree that Crouch might not start but I think we can expect him to feature at some point as Defoe and Keane rarely shine together up front.
Our midfield's performance today is key to winning this game.
Lets hope we hit the ground running.


C.O.Y.S!!!!!!

[editor26]

Just feel that Gio will score!  COYS!

[Boycey]

I really think we are going to win this one....always nervous on the 1st game of the season but i can see it being 2-1 with keane and Super Pav scoring

[SomersetYiddo]

Have a good day Southend_Yid! I cant make this one gutted but will be watching in the pub with plenty of pints in me! Im getting abit nervous as it would be so nice to get off to a good start with 3 points in the bag. Expect there to be some goals in this one. Were the shelfside side, were the shelfside, were the shelfside tottenham! COYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lowestoft Yid]

Pre match nerves now setting in 
 

[RiffHard]

STARTING LINE-UP - Gomes; Corluka, King, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon,   Huddlestone, Modric, Bale; Crouch, Defoe. SUBS - Cudicini, Bassong,   Kaboul, Giovani, Palacios, Keane, Pavlyuchenko.