Barcelona vs City - pre-match thread

[richards30]

No new injury worries by the sounds of it - only Sagna and Delph not involved in training today. Barca have a fully fit squad to choose from.

oh good!!!! :-(

 

[keemcfc]

__________bravo
Zab_stones_otamendi_clichy
sterling/nolito_fernandinho_gundogan
_________kdb_Silva
_________aguero

We need to get as many players in there that can keep the ball whilst maintaining as much defensive discipline as possible, then we have the intelligence, pace and talent through midfield and up top to do some damage

Sterling with and important job to help out zab whilst provinding the pace with kdb and aguero for breakaways sprung by gundo and Silva

 

[Danny_Johnson4]

Safe trip to all those going!
Setting off at 1ish, fly from Liverpool tonight. Third trip here but dont expect as big a following as the previous ones which were knockout
Maybe the lack of a win/bust scenario will help us this time around, different mindset needed!

 

[Francisc May]

See you at camp nou guys

 

[schfc6]

All he had to do was show him inside, Lukaku would have most probably either fell over because he would have had to use his right foot, if not then the 2 chasing defenders would have stopped him. showing him outside for a foot race was criminal and I would hope Pep made him aware of that.

As I say, we totally disagree. Lukaku is already at full speed and Clichy is out of position due to him covering others mistakes, by the time he gets to Lukaku, Lukaku can determine his own path, there's very little he can do in that situation to influence Lukaku's run.
That's just my opinion though.

I think his pace will be essential tomorrow.

 

[Odvan]

Does anyone know how much Barcelona press?

It depends. When Barca met Pep's Bayern they gave the ball and pocession was less than 50%.
I think press from Barca would be variative and periodic. But they able defend deep with 8 players behind ball line. If needed.

PS Some stats:
#Since losing 2-1 to Rubin Kazan in October 2009, Barca are unbeaten in 20 home CL group games, winning 18 and drawing two #fcblive [opta]

 

[mat]

I've got a gut feeling we'll make a statement of intent at the Camp Nou.

A performance which will make the rest of Europe stand up and say in unison "**** me!"

 

[Ric]

We can hurt them if we get playing. No team in the world can live with our attacking players - if we can get them on the ball by building from the back. Does anyone know how much Barcelona press?

Team selection is a tough one to call. Do we go with two holding players or play the 4141? I'd probably prefer the latter, although it is risky.

I've got a feeling we could go three at the back again.

 

[the_game_161]

Hoping for the best but can't see us getting a result there

 

[domalino]

I've got a feeling we could go three at the back again.

I wonder if he's going to play Otamendi-Stones-Kompany as the 3. Clichy is clearly not ideal, Kolarov is too slow for a back 3 but Kompany has only played a few minutes.

Big risk for a big game? Sounds like the kind of thing Pep would do - like when he had 3 at the back man marking Messi, Suarez, Neymar in the Champions League game. It went terribly admittedly, but I don't think that would put him off a similarly out there idea.