Barcelona Vs City Pre Match Thread

[uwe rosler 28]

For better or worse City will be playing four four fucking two so we may as well embrace that and and hope we smash the twats.

I don't think so. I think we will play 4 2 3 1 - can see both ferns playing then nasri silva and ya ya and aguero on his own up front.

Can see jimmy playing left to cover kolarov nasri right with silva behind sergio and I'd be tempted to play the 2 fens in the middle but it will be either with yaya

 

[Damanino]

Madness if we try 442 again with out of form strikers, open midfield, high line defence etc...
Barca will pick that apart fast...

I would go and risk it all on a 352 or 343 tactics, even if it is a bigger madness than the usual 442. We do not dominate possession with 442 against Barca, we mostly will be on the backfoot trying to defend and maybe counter.
352 is a good counter strategy imo.

Mangala-Demichelis-Kompany CB trio

Kolarov left wingback, Sagna rightwingback

Fernando-Fernandinho both helping defence in the middle, and Yaya-Silva-Aguero as an attacking trio, Yaya clearly in advanced role where his lack of workrate causes the least problem.

Of course given how rarely we did try anything like this its not a good idea to do this right against Barca at first. Also Pellegrini rarely adapts to opponent, while opponents do try to find our weaknesses and try to punish them regularly.

I just want that we do not go out with 442, and make the same mistakes that got punished even by mediocre teams/mediocre managers/mediocre players because Barca is anything but mediocre.

At least go with a 451, with Yaya in advanced role.

Obviously before any tactical/formation the one thing that will really matter is the fight we put in, put in, the desire we put in. Without that tactics really irrevelant on this level.

At least if we have to go out, we should go out with our head held high. And a 2-0 loss tonight for me is not that category. Probably a small win (0-1) or at least a draw is needed imo.

Even our players bring up the example of Schalke/PSG from last week. They know they have to deliver in CL and they have not done that in 3 years. Now odds are also against it. At least leave the CL this year knowing we gave our best at it wasnt enough instead of an another 4-1, 5-1 aggr. result.

Given Barca's form and ours, we need miracle to go trough probably. But first of all a good gameplan executed well by players. Dont really trust Pelle he can come up with a great gameplan apart from his Roma away game. Lets hope it will be something similar tomorrow night.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

There's no logical reason to be optimistic but the one thing we're exceptional at, perhaps the best in the world, is we're unpredictable. Typical City. The scenario is we cruise to a 2-0 lead playing the best football we have all season, then in the 92nd minute Zabba gets a red and concedes a penalty. 2-1 and it goes to extra time and we're under the kosh, they hit the woodwork 3 times in ET but in the 120th minute Dzeko finds himself in front of goal only to spoon it over the bar. Penalties and it goes the distance before Hart scores the 10th penalty to send us through.........you never know!

Made me smile.

Now, dont forget your medication again, its not good for you :)

Aye he's halucinating. Dzeko more likely to spoon it out for a throw in, on the half way line ;-)

 

[chris85mcfc]

Honestly no idea what team he will put out or how he will set up

But if we play with the intensity and hunger we showed against Burnley, we will get humiliated

 

[bluethai]

Yaya, just like Barry, never performed against his old (and beloved) club.

 

[nickamon]

I aint' scared!!! With the quality we have, we can beat anyone, we just need to turn up. The boys will be motivated for this game. I still believe!!!! C'mon CIty! Let's go City!!!!

 

[BigOscar]

Yaya, just like Barry, never performed against his old (and beloved) club.

He never performed against anyone in the CL, it's not exclusive to the two games against Barca

 

[Cheadle Blue]

Yaya, just like Barry, never performed against his old (and beloved) club.[usus/quote]
He never performed against anyone in the CL, it's not exclusive to the two games against Barca

To be fair villareal away he was pretty damn good

Still can't get over how bad the first half was against barca, in total contrast to the 2nd half

My worry is, if we do concede, not just tonight but any game in Europe, you can see the confidence just drain from the players

I was all doom and gloom when we went to play Bayern away and look what happened then

If we perform, we will compete with them, if we don't we will get a right royal rogering

 

[wahablue]

Put Mangala & MDM in the back four, with Vincent and a" Ferdy" in front of the back four, get yaya further up the field.Jobs a good un.

 

[Stephenhakin]

Put Mangala & MDM in the back four, with Vincent and a" Ferdy" in front of the back four, get yaya further up the field.Jobs a good un.

Vinny is no DM