Barcelona vs City - pre-match thread

[Ric]

Can't see us getting anything out of this, but it'll be interesting to see how we fare against one of the best teams in the world.

Presumably Zabaleta and Kolarov will come back in (gulp), and I imagine Nolito and Aguero will both start. Not sure who he'll go for in centre mid though. Difficult to leave out any one of Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne or Gundogan.

 

[citymad]

I just hope the lads have enough time to recover after today. They ran themselves into the ground trying to get the winner. Come on you blue boys!!!

 

[sir baconface]

Barca who?

 

[DTKOAG]

Is Lionel free to play ?

 

[manimanc]

Can't wait for it. Hopefully we'll give them a better game than previous meetings.
And ric could you replace the red pin with a blue pin on the thread, thanks in advance.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Personally I can't see a win here especially with our defence against their best in the world attack but you never know.

 

[BongoCityzen]

Bravo
Zabaleta Otamendi Stones Kolarov(Clichy?)
Fernandinho
Sane Gundogan De Bruyne Sterling
Aguero


I'd play KDB and Gundogan ahead of Silva tbh

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Bravo
Zabaleta Otamendi Stones Kolarov(Clichy?)
Fernandinho
Sane Gundogan De Bruyne Sterling
Aguero


I'd play KDB and Gundogan ahead of Silva tbh

I wouldn't. Silva has to play. To be honest I wouldn't play zabaleta, Kolorov, or Clichy either but with such limited options we have little choice.

Their forwards will be relishing the diving in antics of our defence. Ottamendi is a dream for nimble forwards.

 

[Bill]

Bravo
Zabaleta Otamendi Stones Kolarov(Clichy?)
Fernandinho
Sane Gundogan De Bruyne Sterling
Aguero


I'd play KDB and Gundogan ahead of Silva tbh

Manchester city should never start an important game without David Silva in the side. Ever.

 

[Damanino]

First game probably where we wont have the possession. We will have less of the ball, we will be defending more, we need to press a lot otherwise they will pick apart our high line defence unless we are really able to track back a lot and keep lot of players behind the ball but thats not Pep style.

Most of our chances will come from counter chances and converting chances is a key but the way we missed so many chances against Celtic than creating not much against Spurs and then dominating but creating little vs Everton but still miss pens says to me we are out of form in terms of finishing. Thats something easily punished even by teams like Everton, Celtic than what to say about Barca.

I hope we will have a strong gameplan and we try to play by that but I still expect us to lose but under Pellegrini I didnt even think we really care or have a gameplan that the players ply by, he just sent out 11 players trying to the same like we do against Bournemouth at home and be surprised and out of ideas when its clearly not working. Apart from 1-2 examples like PSG games last season.

Scary to think if we start with Kolarov-Zabaleta. Especially after we seen what they were doing against Spurs who hardly have players like Barca.
If its Zaba then we need Navas in front of him too.

Pep opted to start Fernando vs Spurs but that didnt give us much more defensive stability wonder if he tries that again.