Huddersfield (a) Pre-Match Thread

[goater1985]

In 37 years of watching city and seeing quite a lot of terrible referee decisions (does anyone remember the perfectly good goal disallowed about 15 years ago because of an offside player that never touched the ball or made a play for it? I am sure it was a relegation season) no referee has annoyed me more than that rag. I think his decisions will cost us the title.

i think you are referring to tiatto away at boro? pinged one in from about 25 yards after running half way up the pitch

 

[goater1985]

difficult one as will roatte a few but wont be at all easy...

and not for one second do i suspect hudds will make wholesale changes like being suggested..

willy, zab, komp, ota, clichy, fernando, silva, sane, nolito, navas, kelchi

probably be way off but thats what i'll hazard a guess at

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

..............Bravo..........
...Zab..Stones...VK.....Clichy..
.....Fernando..Delph......
Navas....Garcia......Nolito
............Kelechi............

 

[BrianW]

Huddersfield are doing well in the Championship, and the ref is a Rag. This is not going to be a walk over. Team selection will indicate whether we see the FA Cup as worth having, or not. My guess is the Champs League is the priority.

 

[Akiva]

We need to rotate, but not clear as to what team we will play against Monaco. I can see us recalling Bravo for that game, and playing a little bit more cautiously. Do we go for the experience of Aguero? Perhaps. I think the team we play against Monaco will select the team against Huddersfield because as you say with it being on a Tuesday we'd be weakening our game if we played the same players twice in a few days. Maybe central defenders could play twice, and a keeper.

Huddersfield should prioritise the Championship so that they can play 38 Cup Finals. As it is the FA Cup Final is a couple of days apart from Play Off Final and although Brighton and Newcastle are just about in range of Huddersfield, the Play Offs look much more likely. That said we all know they are not going to take their foot off the gas they are going to put it to the floor.

If we play a weakened team, I hope the players aren't going to sulk that they are not in the plans for Monaco

I don't necessarily disagree with this, but it's all a question of how much will be required to get the job done against Huddersfield.

I see two very distinct opinions in here:
1. Full strength side or close to it, with at least three of KDB, Silva, Sane, Sterling, Aguero or Jesus playing.
2. Squad side with almost 1 for 1 rotation, Kelechi, Garcia, Delph, Toisin, Nolito, Navas, Bravo (or even Gunn!) and other players we either haven't seen or haven't seen in yonks.

In my mind, there's a happy medium there somewhere but if you have to go one or the other, the latter is probably more cost effective. Huddersfield will give us a big game, no doubt in my mind, but we need a full strength City side for Monaco which will be a massive test. Meanwhile, our squad has enough quality and at least Premier League average level players that it could and should be enough.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Very difficult game. Go strong. Get it won. Subs inside the hour.

 

[Father Paul]

Very difficult game. Go strong. Get it won. Subs inside the hour.

I think 5 or 6 of last nights starting line-up will be rested. Timing of Monaco will dictate that. Not sure they will play full strength either.
Biggest fear is a replay tbh.

 

[harvo the blue]

Very difficult game. Go strong. Get it won. Subs inside the hour.

Got a feeling we have put this trophy behind Champs & Prem. Pep has a sniff at the Premier League only a sniff but it's a chance, The game on Tuesday has been the clubs main aim so for me I can only see 10 changes now Jesus has an injury Aguero may start on the bench.
.........Bravo......,,,
Zaba...Vinny..Clichy
....Nico...,,,
Navas..Nando....Garcia...Delph
.....Kelechi.......Nolito

Willy
Sagna
Kolarov
KDB
Dino
Aguero
Sane

Rested- Yaya-Silva-Sterling-Stones-

 

[St.Pauli support]

not for one second do i suspect hudds will make wholesale changes like being suggested..

Hudds have a massive game next Tuesday vs Reading and yes, last round they had wholesale changes.

Don't know if someone has mentioned the Wagner-Klopp story, being quite interesting:

Wagner and Klopp are best friends for ages, coaching the 2nd and 1st team in Dortmund back then, Wagner being Klopp's best man at his wedding and Klopp the godfather of Wagner's daughter.
They are sharing the same football philosophy: Gegenpressing high up the pitch, inverted fullbacks and so on, the modern stuff. Quite successful at Hudds as the Championship teams didn't adapt to it up to now.

Well Pep and the Blues are familiar with all that, so there can't be a surprise. If we have the attitude to be ready for Huddersfield Town...

There's more background about Huddersfield/Wagner - bit long, but the first part is worth reading:

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2016/09/23/analysis-how-huddersfield-town-are-top-of-the-championship/

willy,
zab, komp, ota, clichy,
fernando, silva, sane, nolito, navas, kelchi

Looks good.
If Bravo should get a game maybe it's not this Cup match but the CL match vs Monaco. But Willy would be fine as well.

Even in a "B-team" we need enough creative players in midfield, some lads are missing the point. Silva is fine.
But I don't get 3 wingers in your line-up?

Of course we should try to finish the match as early as possible and make changes to rest key players for Monaco.

 

[RayCTID]

Another professional job needed