Manchester City vs. Sheffield Wednesday: Key Issues for Capital One Cup Opener
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could be excused for not knowing what to make of his side's involvement in the Capital One Cup.
City won the trophy last season, which on balance was better than losing it. But they had to grind through five matches to do it, including an extra-time slog at Newcastle United and a second leg with West Ham United that effectively ended Alvaro Negredo's City career.
All of that for a trophy that, per Pellegrini's bosses, does not even really count to them.
Ferran Soriano was quoted per Paul Chronnell of The Guardian in May 2013 as saying "on average I want one title a year. That includes the Champions League, the Premier League or the FA Cup." The Capital One Cup is notable for its omission from that quote.
Despite following two crucial Premier League matches and a Champions League tilt, then, the opening match of City's Capital One Cup defense presents numerous issues for Pellegrini to deal with.
Would City Be Better Served Bowing out of This Competition Early?
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In Roberto Mancini's last season as City's manager, the Sky Blues lost their Capital One Cup opener to Aston Villa in extra time on a rain-lashed night at the Etihad. Be honest: Did you feel like you were missing out with City out of the competition?
Theoretically, City should have benefited from dumping out of the Capital One Cup so early. Last season, as City remained alive for four trophies, fixture congestion became a very serious problem. Not so much in 2012-13, as City effectively wiped four possible dates off their slate.
That City did nothing with the additional rest and time had more to do with Mancini's loss of the changing room than anything else. But City should have been able to devote more time and resources to the more meaningful matches on the schedule given the early powder they took from the Capital One Cup that season.
Back here in 2014, Pellegrini has more than enough on his mind trying to do more than just survive in the Champions League. Compounding that woe is the five-point lead Chelsea already have in the Premier League table.
Would it be such a horrible thing for City to lose this match? Really?
Are City Capable of Losing to a Club Like Sheffield Wednesday?
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Granted, Manchester City conspired to lose to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup in consecutive seasons. But it is impossible looking back to see City's loss in the 2012-13 FA Cup final match as anything but Roberto Mancini's players making dead sure that the Italian would be sacked.
Sheffield Wednesday are presently sixth in the Championship table. They are 1-1-1 in their last three matches. The oddsmakers do not think much of the Owls' chances, as City are 1/5 to win whereas Sheffield Wednesday are 12/1 to win and 11/2 just to draw according to Oddschecker.
By the way, the oddsmakers have already figured in the high probability that City boss Manuel Pellegrini will play many of his reserves in this match. City's second team should dispatch the Owls comfortably. Sheffield Wednesday were done no favor having to play this match at the Etihad.
If anything, Pellegrini's second team are apt to try harder against Sheffield Wednesday than Pellegrini's first team would. Many of the Citizens who get to play in this match will be seeing the pitch for the first time in a while.
City are likely to win this match despite a comparatively weakened side and the plain fact that they might be better off losing it.
Should City Play a Striker in This Match?
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That is not a misprint. That is a deadly serious question. Because City would probably be best served playing without a conventional striker in this match.
Sergio Aguero's health is far too important to risk him in this match. Edin Dzeko pushed through a knock sustained at Bayern Munich last week to play 70 gritty minutes against Chelsea, so he should not be pushed into action here, either.
If Stevan Jovetic is fit, City might consider allowing him to play up top by himself. Then again, if Jovetic is actually fit, City might be better served having him definitely available against Hull City at week's end.
Against a club of Sheffield Wednesday's caliber, a six-man midfield featuring players like Scott Sinclair, Samir Nasri and Frank Lampard should be capable of conjuring up the goal or two needed to win the match.
The formation would actually be a 4-5-1, with perhaps Yaya Toure playing alone up front if Jovetic cannot play. A night playing striker would represent half a night off for Toure, who would be free not to track back much and to concentrate on scoring.
Will City's 2nd-Team Defense Hold Pellegrini's High Line Effectively?
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Pity poor Martin Demichelis.
The Argentine enjoyed a nice refurbishment of his reputation at the end of last season, turning in numerous professional performances in Manchester City's run to the Premier League title.
City promptly went out and signed Eliaquim Mangala, but when Mangala could not answer the bell to begin this season, Demichelis capably flanked City captain Vincent Kompany as before. Demichelis even snatched a draw for City against Arsenal at the Emirates.
But now that City have seen Mangala play so well against Chelsea, it is hard to imagine Demichelis starting regularly any time soon. He will almost certainly start in this Capital One Cup match, though.
It will be interesting to see whether a back line of, say, Demichelis and Matija Nastasic at the centre-back spots with Dedryck Boyata and Gael Clichy outside will be capable of playing Manuel Pellegrini's preferred high defensive line. With Nastasic involved, that might be very difficult.
Demichelis will most likely have the responsibility of setting City's defensive positioning, and making sure it stays in place.
How Will Willy Caballero Handle a No-Win Situation?
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Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is off to another hit-and-miss start this season. Hart played well enough against Chelsea in his most recent Premier League performance, but he was dominant against Bayern Munich and a hard-luck loser of that match.
Hart is very likely to receive a rest in this Capital One Cup match. New City signee Willy Caballero will make his in-season debut in sky blue.
Caballero, like many of the reserves who will probably feature in this match, will desperately want to play well and show City manager Manuel Pellegrini that he is ready to take over for Hart should the England No. 1 falter again.
Looking at this situation honestly, though, it almost does not matter how Caballero plays in this match. If City win, they are likely to do so at a canter and Caballero is not apt to be the reason City pull through. If City lose, though, negative attention will almost certainly fall to Hart's backup backstop.
Caballero and his teammates will look to put this match away as early as possible to avoid any such inquests after the fact.
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