Real Madrid (H) - Tue 17th March, 20:00 | CL | Pre-Match Thread

[noseve]

What's there to forget?

As a slight aside on one of the West Ham game corners Haaland was waving to whoever was taking it where to 'put the ball', player taking corner lifted his hand for a pre-arranged move (I know) which wasn't whatever Haaland wanted and Erling just did a forget it move with his hand.

Those arm-up 'signals' make me laugh - half the time they throw it up at the last moment virtually as they kick the ball, at which point even if it was legible, Usain Bolt wouldn't have time to get into position.

Like covering their mouth, it's just one of those completely pointless things that players do these days.

 

[Dial M 4 Mercer]

Hopefully the day off today is more successful that the night off last Wednesday.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Utterly bizarre.

Indicates to me that he knows we aren’t coming back from that.

 

[skillman]

Encapsulating

 

[skillman]

Indicates to me that he knows we aren’t coming back from that.

Even if that’s the case, a very public display of admittance is the last thing you want to come out the club. In any context. Never mind in the week leading up to a cup final and after the past 5 days worth of results.

 

[youngbob]

As others have said, there's not much you can do to prepare tactically against a team that you played eight days ago. We know we need a big win, that's all. The players just need to get in the right condition and get in the right headspace.

 

[domalino]

Those arm-up 'signals' make me laugh - half the time they throw it up at the last moment virtually as they kick the ball, at which point even if it was legible, Usain Bolt wouldn't have time to get into position.

Like covering their mouth, it's just one of those completely pointless things that players do these days.

I’m pretty sure the arm in the air thing is a timing cue, not identifying which set piece routine they are running. Because even we have more than the 4 or so different corners you could have with that system.

They usually drop the arm as they’re run up possibly as a visual indicator for anyone who can’t see the taker clearly because they’re in a crowd.

If we were competent and serious about set pieces the arm movements would also be used to go from the main call to a backup if the taker noticed something, but I don’t believe we are that complex.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Even if that’s the case, a very public display of admittance is the last thing you want to come out the club. In any context. Never mind in the week leading up to a cup final and after the past 5 days worth of results.

He gave them a day off before the Dortmund match too.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Donnaruma

Nunes
Dias
Guehi
Ran

Rodri
Bernardo
Rejniders

Cherki
Marmoush
Doku

 

[citymad]

Utterly bizarre.

Not really, West Ham game will have taken a lot out of them.It was intense in terms of finding that winner. West Ham made us work. Not sure they need to work on fitness, they need rest more than anything. They know what they have to do. Pep needs to find that perfect team selection.

 

[paulchapo]

Not really, West Ham game will have taken a lot out of them.It was intense in terms of finding that winner. West Ham made us work. Not sure they need to work on fitness, they need rest more than anything. They know what they have to do. Pep needs to find that perfect team selection.

The more rest we have the worse we play. He rested almost the whole team against Newcastle before the Madrid game and we got hammered.

 

[Blue and true]

Mbappe and Bellingham back in the squad.

 

[Blue and true]

So City aren’t training today. That seems pretty strange, the day before a game like this.

It feels like Pep's starting to switch off mentally. And I'm at peace with it, in all honesty.

 

[sh249]

Strange call on training. Obviously don‘t need a boot camp. But a fairly light, tactical session wouldn‘t go amiss.
Maybe some work on attacking patterns of play, given we need at least 3 goals (and have hardly been creating a lot of clear cut chances recently).

 

[citeh94]

Mbappe and Bellingham back in the squad.

Yay! Makes me even happier about tomorrow night. Sure what’s the worst that can happen?

 

[paulchapo]

We rarely keep clean sheets and struggle to score these days. 1-4 Madrid I'm going for.

 

[Bozo]

Indicates to me that he knows we aren’t coming back from that.

Imagine performing shite at your own place of work and you get a day off. Dreamy.

 

[Tarzan41]

Incredible that we’re 2nd in the league, 2nd top scorers (by 1) and 2nd best defence given that we rarely keep clean sheets and struggle to score

 

[citymad]

Indicates to me that he knows we aren’t coming back from that.

I see he’s given a presser. There’s no need for Pep to explain. The players have just played an intense game against West Ham. It’s not like they’re unfit. They need rest and recuperation. They’ll go through coaching and tactics talk before the game. Pep needs to get this team selection right to give the players the platform to perform. They know what they have to do. It’s absolutely ridiculous that the press would question this.

 

[Father Paul]

That’s not how football works - ever.

Only draw at West Ham - you’ll never win at Anfield then.

Put 6 past United at the swamp - should be easy to score 7 away at Swansea then.

Its worth noting that the value of the dipper result has to be assessed in the light of results Spurs, Wolves and others managed there. A good pschological boost for us but hardly a footballing feat.
Anyway, I am praying hard for a big upset tm which would see a massive turnaround for us.