Bayern Munich - pre match discussion thread

[Plaything of the gods]

I hope Richards starts at right back instead of Zaba. As much as I like Zabaleta I think Richards would give any winger problems with his physique. Robben won't like going up against him at all, but Ribery against Richards would be a great battle. If Richards can hold them back on the right and link up with Navas then we should get some joy on the right wing.

The added bonus is that Zabaleta should be raring to go against Everton on Saturday lunchtime. Everton are still a good side, but they now play a bit more like us, which in a strange way should give us a better chance of beating them. Their run has to come to an end soon, and despite them beating Newcastle last night, this was as much to do with Newcastle being poor as it was Everton being that good.

A draw or a 2-1 win for City tonight would be a decent result, then beat Everton 3-1 on Saturday.

Hell, don't scare me like that. Had me calculating how long it'd take to get up there and checking my ticket.

 

[ell]

I fancy us to win

 

[Fiz86]

I would like to see Richards get a start at right back. New to the forum so this is my first post. City fan since 1994.

 

[pee dubya]

The CL youth version of City v Bayern is live on Eurosport at 3 tomorrow, a nice little addition to the build up.

I must admit I didn't even know we were in it !

Its actually quite as good set up, although they stole the idea from NextGen and elbowed them out the way. Basically the youth teams follow the exact same schedule as the senior side, except they play earlier in the day. So the young players get to travel out with the senior team, stay around and watch the matches. Must be a great experience for them, and giving them a littler taster of CL football, maybe drive them on to try and reach that level themselves.

 

[bayern blade]

Is Pep still persisting with Lahm in defensive midfield?

He is yes, mind you Lahm is quite happy in that position.

 

[bluevengence]

The CL youth version of City v Bayern is live on Eurosport at 3 tomorrow, a nice little addition to the build up.

I must admit I didn't even know we were in it !

Its actually quite as good set up, although they stole the idea from NextGen and elbowed them out the way. Basically the youth teams follow the exact same schedule as the senior side, except they play earlier in the day. So the young players get to travel out with the senior team, stay around and watch the matches. Must be a great experience for them, and giving them a littler taster of CL football, maybe drive them on to try and reach that level themselves.

Free admission I think...anyone not doing owt tomorrow afternoon get over to Hyde
and cheer on the young blues

 

[bayern blade]

The CL youth version of City v Bayern is live on Eurosport at 3 tomorrow, a nice little addition to the build up.

I must admit I didn't even know we were in it !

Its actually quite as good set up, although they stole the idea from NextGen and elbowed them out the way. Basically the youth teams follow the exact same schedule as the senior side, except they play earlier in the day. So the young players get to travel out with the senior team, stay around and watch the matches. Must be a great experience for them, and giving them a littler taster of CL football, maybe drive them on to try and reach that level themselves.

Agreed, it sounds a good idea.

 

[bayern blade]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.kicker.de/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.kicker.de/</a> has the sides as follows :

Man City :

Hart

Zabaleta
Kompany
Nastasic
Kolarov

Milner
Fernandinho
Y Toure
Nasri

Dzeko
Aguero

FC Bayern :

Neuer

Rafinha
Boateng
Dante
Alaba

Lahm
Robben
Schweinsteiger
Kroos
Ribery

Mandzukic

 

[Ric]

http://www.kicker.de/ has the sides as follows :

Man City :

Hart

Zabaleta
Kompany
Nastasic
Kolarov

Milner
Fernandinho
Y Toure
Nasri

Dzeko
Aguero

FC Bayern :

Neuer

Rafinha
Boateng
Dante
Alaba

Lahm
Robben
Schweinsteiger
Kroos
Ribery

Mandzukic

I don't think that'll be City's starting XI.

 

[supercity88]

City will most probably play Navas and Negredo rather than Milner and Dzeko. It is hard to tell what team Pellegrini will put out but I think he will look to play positively at home and not limit the side based on Bayern's threats but put out our most threatening side and make the most of Robben and Ribery's lack of defensive capabilities.

 

[Maldeika]

City will most probably play Navas and Negredo rather than Milner and Dzeko. It is hard to tell what team Pellegrini will put out but I think he will look to play positively at home and not limit the side based on Bayern's threats but put out our most threatening side and make the most of Robben and Ribery's lack of defensive capabilities.

You have watched Bayern in the last season? There ain't so many wingers that work back as hard as Ribery and now even Robben do...

 

[Bobbymanc]

I honestly think we have the team to beat them coupled with Pellers know how in the competition we will win 2-1 no problem.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Is Pep still persisting with Lahm in defensive midfield?

He is yes, mind you Lahm is quite happy in that position.

Sure, he's an excellent footballer and could probably do a job anywhere, but it seems an odd decision to waste probably Europe's best right-back in defensive midfield when you have Javi Martinez in your squad, and even stranger to sell Luiz Gustavo in order to accommodate Lahm in midfield.

Still, Pep has a slightly better managerial record than me so I'm not going to doubt him too much...

 

[bayern blade]

Is Pep still persisting with Lahm in defensive midfield?

He is yes, mind you Lahm is quite happy in that position.

Sure, he's an excellent footballer and could probably do a job anywhere, but it seems an odd decision to waste probably Europe's best right-back in defensive midfield when you have Javi Martinez in your squad, and even stranger to sell Luiz Gustavo in order to accommodate Lahm in midfield.

Still, Pep has a slightly better managerial record than me so I'm not going to doubt him too much...

Martinez isn't match fit, otherwise Lahm would play at the back, Gustavo was sold mainly to accomodate Thiago Alcantara tbf.

 

[Maldeika]

I must admit I didn't even know we were in it !

Its actually quite as good set up, although they stole the idea from NextGen and elbowed them out the way. Basically the youth teams follow the exact same schedule as the senior side, except they play earlier in the day. So the young players get to travel out with the senior team, stay around and watch the matches. Must be a great experience for them, and giving them a littler taster of CL football, maybe drive them on to try and reach that level themselves.

Agreed, it sounds a good idea.

It sounds like a very bad idea. A lot of the Bayern U19s still try to finish school. That should be the most important - the most of them will never play CL on adult level or be able to really live from football all of their lifes. It is just another marketing gag of the UEFA.

The ones that are on "another" level - Julian Green and Höjbjerg do not play U19 anymore. They play in the U23, have a professional contract (Höjbjerg - but I guess Green will get one for the following season, too) and exercise with the first team, go to the training camps with them and mix up with them in the friendlies.

If you look back who made it into the first team - or even into the Bundesliga - of the Bayern U19s it is usually only 1 to 3 every year. The rest plays second or third league or only plays football at amateur level. The ones that made it often already were in the professional team with 17 or 18 - or finished their A-levels before they did.

In that age the young players should exercise a lot and work on their weaknesses, get contact with adult football if they are further than the rest. Work on the basics for their following adult life. Not run from match to regeneration to match to regeneration - or sit the half week in hotels and on flights...

All of the players at the big clubs already had a lot of international experience even before NextGen or now UEFA youth league started. FC Bayern plays a lot of youth tournaments with the other big clubs - but in times when the school schedules allows it. And the players that play for their U teams have that, too.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

He is yes, mind you Lahm is quite happy in that position.

Sure, he's an excellent footballer and could probably do a job anywhere, but it seems an odd decision to waste probably Europe's best right-back in defensive midfield when you have Javi Martinez in your squad, and even stranger to sell Luiz Gustavo in order to accommodate Lahm in midfield.

Still, Pep has a slightly better managerial record than me so I'm not going to doubt him too much...

Martinez isn't match fit, otherwise Lahm would play at the back, Gustavo was sold mainly to accomodate Thiago Alcantara tbf.

Ah right, that makes more sense. I knew that Pep started playing Lahm in midfield in pre-season when Martinez was fit (he played in the Super Cup, right?), so I assumed he just preferred Lahm in that role. And I still don't know if Thiago is going to make it as a deep-lying player; seems far better suited to playing higher up the pitch.

 

[Maldeika]

Sure, he's an excellent footballer and could probably do a job anywhere, but it seems an odd decision to waste probably Europe's best right-back in defensive midfield when you have Javi Martinez in your squad, and even stranger to sell Luiz Gustavo in order to accommodate Lahm in midfield.

Still, Pep has a slightly better managerial record than me so I'm not going to doubt him too much...

Martinez isn't match fit, otherwise Lahm would play at the back, Gustavo was sold mainly to accomodate Thiago Alcantara tbf.

Ah right, that makes more sense. I knew that Pep started playing Lahm in midfield in pre-season when Martinez was fit (he played in the Super Cup, right?), so I assumed he just preferred Lahm in that role. And I still don't know if Thiago is going to make it as a deep-lying player; seems far better suited to playing higher up the pitch.

Martinez was not even fit to play more than 60 minutes in that match. But he had surgery afterwards.

If Guardiola wants to have a stable central midfield he does not have much more options than to play with Lahm behind Schweinsteiger and Kroos.

I love Müller - but he is wasted as an offensive right 8 in that system even if he had to play that a couple of times. He does not have the freedom he needs there but is no build up player - that position emphasizes his weaknesses and does not show his strengths. The funny thing is that he scores in abundance as soon as he is able to play the right offensive midfielder right now. If you only take his time he played the right winger this season he probably had an assist or a goal about every 30 minutes there. Nothing when he is played on the 8. Robben must be scared... ;)

 

[moomba]

It'll be such a big statement if we can get a result here. I know we've beaten them a few years back, and drew with Madrid last year but on both occasion the opposition had qualified or close to it. I think we can do it.

 

[kaz7]

Sergio and david both fit.I think we could nick it but i would take a point right now

 

[speccybob]

Exactly 15 years ago we drew 2-2 against Burnley in the third tier. Now it's the European champions at home and I can't fucking wait!