WestGorton
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Dinho all day long. The master.
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Champions League Final | Pre-Match Thread
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citymad
Well-Known Member
It could either way. We’re going to have to be at our best to win it and Chelsea to be a little off and vice versa. I’m worried that we may start playing it long because they have the players to stop our short passing game. Kante will be all over KDB so midfield is where the game will probably be won. Defensively they are our equal and they have the advantage of having out and out strikers to call upon. Plus they have the advantage of knowing they’ve beaten us twice in big important games. It’s going to be a tense and close game. I think it’ll go to penalties and that’s a lottery i can’t predict.
Stoned Rose
Well-Known Member
That was a couple of players short of Chelsea's best whilst Pep picked everybody who needed a game and came up with something to make it work. They should really have battered us yet it took a last minute goal. hey were on top second half but wasn't exactly banging the door in.
He's used today to see how easy it is to get in behind them, I believe that's why we didn't look to pass pass pass and even when he made the subs, it was still Foden running in behind and gundogan making his trademark second man run rather than any of them dropping into midfield to get a foot on it and control the tempo. To me it was clear Pep wanted to see how easy it was to get behind them and I think he will be surprised by how easy that was. I believe Peps going to be looking at that game very confident our psg starting 11 will put them to the sword.
At least someone else gets it.
A quick question for you all ... what would you do in the current situation here on ... forget what Pep would do, none of us knows that ... but what should he do in your opinion?
And the questions are two ...
1- He now has pretty much two teams, the A team that largely played both legs of the QFs against Dortmund and the SFs against PSG ... and then there's the B team that we saw today, same/similar to that played in the FA Cup semi-final and that Leeds game ... same team won against Palace and Fulham too by the way ... but these are now two distinctly different teams within City's first team ... so first question is does he break them over the next three games? Play half of the A team say Bernardo, Gundo, KdB etc. alongside Sterling, Jesus and Mendy ... and then play Torres, Cancelo and Aguero alongside Foden, Ferna and Mahrez? or some other break-up/patch-up like that ... or does he leave them as largely two separate teams so the A team (who will hopefully start the final) remains together and working alongside each other rather than being broken up?
2- Second follow-up to that then is which games do you go strong now with that A team and which ones you play the B team if you're not breaking them up, or if you are when do you rest or play the players that're going to start that Final? How much rest is too much rest or when is it too close to that Final for injury risk?
Before you ask my opinion, here's what I think ... I don't want him to break up the setups that have over the last few months emerged as the in-form XI and the severely-out-of-form XI ... there is just one big game left (the CL Final) and there is no need to experiment or to try to bring players in from those who have had their chances but clearly have not taken them. Plus keeping that fit unit together only will make them play better with each other ... why break what's already working?
And as for the second question, I think we should rest the A team against Newcastle as well (like today) simply because of how the next two games line-up ... then play them mid-week against Brighton, who will give them a decent footballing practice and not try to hack them down at every opportunity as some of those Newcastle thugs might so ... and then rest them again against Everton ... as they have some dirty players in there as well and that one is just the last one before the big game so no need to take any injury chances at all a week before the big game day ... and these B team players will just have to be happy playing the trophy lift game so that's that.
Keep in mind that Chelsea would have played their A-listers in the FA Cup Final a week before the last weekend as well and in that last game away to Villa, they'd be resting everyone of their potential CL Final starting XI as well. We would of course hope that they're fighting for the top four then, but their and Leicester's results this weekend have already sorted that for them.
And the questions are two ...
1- He now has pretty much two teams, the A team that largely played both legs of the QFs against Dortmund and the SFs against PSG ... and then there's the B team that we saw today, same/similar to that played in the FA Cup semi-final and that Leeds game ... same team won against Palace and Fulham too by the way ... but these are now two distinctly different teams within City's first team ... so first question is does he break them over the next three games? Play half of the A team say Bernardo, Gundo, KdB etc. alongside Sterling, Jesus and Mendy ... and then play Torres, Cancelo and Aguero alongside Foden, Ferna and Mahrez? or some other break-up/patch-up like that ... or does he leave them as largely two separate teams so the A team (who will hopefully start the final) remains together and working alongside each other rather than being broken up?
2- Second follow-up to that then is which games do you go strong now with that A team and which ones you play the B team if you're not breaking them up, or if you are when do you rest or play the players that're going to start that Final? How much rest is too much rest or when is it too close to that Final for injury risk?
Before you ask my opinion, here's what I think ... I don't want him to break up the setups that have over the last few months emerged as the in-form XI and the severely-out-of-form XI ... there is just one big game left (the CL Final) and there is no need to experiment or to try to bring players in from those who have had their chances but clearly have not taken them. Plus keeping that fit unit together only will make them play better with each other ... why break what's already working?
And as for the second question, I think we should rest the A team against Newcastle as well (like today) simply because of how the next two games line-up ... then play them mid-week against Brighton, who will give them a decent footballing practice and not try to hack them down at every opportunity as some of those Newcastle thugs might so ... and then rest them again against Everton ... as they have some dirty players in there as well and that one is just the last one before the big game so no need to take any injury chances at all a week before the big game day ... and these B team players will just have to be happy playing the trophy lift game so that's that.
Keep in mind that Chelsea would have played their A-listers in the FA Cup Final a week before the last weekend as well and in that last game away to Villa, they'd be resting everyone of their potential CL Final starting XI as well. We would of course hope that they're fighting for the top four then, but their and Leicester's results this weekend have already sorted that for them.
citymad
Well-Known Member
Agreed, good team IMN, It begs the question, how the hell did we get this far without a striker. ?Ederson
Walker
Dias
Stones
Zinchenko
Fernandinho
Silva
Gundogan
Foden
De Bruyne
Marhez
For me that's the starting 11 as of now, could change depending though.
goalmole
Well-Known Member
I look at it a different way.Agreed, good team IMN, It begs the question, how the hell did we get this far without a striker. ?
I always think we play with 5 strikers.
Obviously everyone wanted a win today, Pep didn’t throw it, I imagine he picked the team based on the manner of the match last Tuesday and a team he thought could win. Fact is, Chelsea scraped past with first choice players (apart from Gilmour); Tuchel uses all those players, not sure he has a 1st 11. So flip it around, how are they feeling knowing they nearly lost to a team playing with 1 midfielder & have now lost Christensen at a time when they can’t really drop points. I’d be a bit twitchy if I was them. They’re a good team, but not the same level as PSG and can be got at (look at the goals WBA scored against them, particularly from some of Perreira’s movement around the D), so though I was gutted earlier I’m not panicking about the CL final.
Grealish’s Shinpads
Well-Known Member
1. Yes. Keep the two teams apart. Maybe rotate between Dinho and Rodri. All the other positions are nailed on for me and I think Pep should and will go with the skipper over Rodders.A quick question for you all ... what would you do in the current situation here on ... forget what Pep would do, none of us knows that ... but what should he do in your opinion?
And the questions are two ...
1- He now has pretty much two teams, the A team that largely played both legs of the QFs against Dortmund and the SFs against PSG ... and then there's the B team that we saw today, same/similar to that played in the FA Cup semi-final and that Leeds game ... same team won against Palace and Fulham too by the way ... but these are now two distinctly different teams within City's first team ... so first question is does he break them over the next three games? Play half of the A team say Bernardo, Gundo, KdB etc. alongside Sterling, Jesus and Mendy ... and then play Torres, Cancelo and Aguero alongside Foden, Ferna and Mahrez? or some other break-up/patch-up like that ... or does he leave them as largely two separate teams so the A team (who will hopefully start the final) remains together and working alongside each other rather than being broken up?
2- Second follow-up to that then is which games do you go strong now with that A team and which ones you play the B team if you're not breaking them up, or if you are when do you rest or play the players that're going to start that Final? How much rest is too much rest or when is it too close to that Final for injury risk?
Before you ask my opinion, here's what I think ... I don't want him to break up the setups that have over the last few months emerged as the in-form XI and the severely-out-of-form XI ... there is just one big game left (the CL Final) and there is no need to experiment or to try to bring players in from those who have had their chances but clearly have not taken them. Plus keeping that fit unit together only will make them play better with each other ... why break what's already working?
And as for the second question, I think we should rest the A team against Newcastle as well (like today) simply because of how the next two games line-up ... then play them mid-week against Brighton, who will give them a decent footballing practice and not try to hack them down at every opportunity as some of those Newcastle thugs might so ... and then rest them again against Everton ... as they have some dirty players in there as well and that one is just the last one before the big game so no need to take any injury chances at all a week before the big game day ... and these B team players will just have to be happy playing the trophy lift game so that's that.
Keep in mind that Chelsea would have played their A-listers in the FA Cup Final a week before the last weekend as well and in that last game away to Villa, they'd be resting everyone of their potential CL Final starting XI as well. We would of course hope that they're fighting for the top four then, but their and Leicester's results this weekend have already sorted that for them.
2. I would play the “A team” against Newcastle and Everton, and the “B team” versus Brighton. I think we need to keep our rhythm going and don’t think that one game between now and then would be enough for that. Also think that an 11 day rest between the Brighton game and the final would be too long, whereas a 6 day rest is probably just about right. Maybe take some of the key players off around the 60 minute mark and give Sergio a farewell cameo vs Everton.
1. Yes. Keep the two teams apart. Maybe rotate between Dinho and Rodri. All the other positions are nailed on for me and I think Pep should and will go with the skipper over Rodders.
2. I would play the “A team” against Newcastle and Everton, and the “B team” versus Brighton. I think we need to keep our rhythm going and don’t think that one game between now and then would be enough for that. Also think that an 11 day rest between the Brighton game and the final would be too long, whereas a 6 day rest is probably just about right. Maybe take some of the key players off around the 60 minute mark and give Sergio a farewell cameo vs Everton.
My issue with that is both Newcastle and Everton will be kicking the shit out of our players all game and it’s unnecessary risk. Brighton on the other hand would be more interested in actually playing football ... so can you risk injuries or even knocks to the ankles of KdB or Foden or Gundo or Mahrez or lose Bernie or Ferna just before the final? I guess will also depend on where Everton stand on that final day, if they have fallen back and nothing to play for against us then they’d probably not be as overzealous but if they have a Europa league spot up for grab or a chance to finish above their red neighbours, I’d rather we wrapped up our starting XI for that one.
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