Chelsea (H) | Pre-Match Thread

[RayCTID]

Its going to be a slog but we will win.

 

[The Black Shed]

Chelsea also have the FA Cup final to think about, if anyone is going to make a lot of changes it will be them.

 

[lasereyes]

Go strong on Saturday. This is a test match if you will.

As in they park the bus and it takes us 5 days to score?

 

[lasereyes]

In the semi final we didn’t play foden mahrez gundogan ederson Walker
And we played mendy
Totally different game the final

We had Mendy at LB also ...

 

[ninjamonkey]

I was also thinking the same but losing to them twice before a CL final may be bad for our mentality (even if it was our B-squad both matches). I can positives for going full strength or weak strength squad on saturday.

I don't believe that really has any telling impact on us if it were to happen, both times will have been against a largely second string side and as long as its a narrow defeat at worst they'll go into it knowing they've got a much stronger side in the final. And seeing as we will go into the final as league champions and strong favourites beating them with a strong team this weekend isn't really going to do our confidence much good, the players will already be confident as favourites. Just think Pep will lend more value to not letting Tuchel experience a game against our best side just weeks before the real deal over an early league win

 

[JGL07]

It’s a very big match against Chelsea. If City win, it will secure the title and leave Chelsea looking over their shoulder at West Ham and Liverpool.

City would be able to rotate for the rest of the season, while Chelsea face tough matches which they need points. They play Arsenal, Leicester, and Villa in the league plus Leicester and City in Cups.

City need to go strong on Saturday. I would bring in Cancelo, Laporte, Rodri, and possibly Aguero or Jesus. I assume that Stones will still be suspended. Fernandinho needs a rest as does Walker.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I don't believe that really has any telling impact on us if it were to happen, both times will have been against a largely second string side and as long as its a narrow defeat at worst they'll go into it knowing they've got a much stronger side in the final. And seeing as we will go into the final as league champions and strong favourites beating them with a strong team this weekend isn't really going to do our confidence much good, the players will already be confident as favourites. Just think Pep will lend more value to not letting Tuchel experience a game against our best side just weeks before the real deal over an early league win

Pep will want to win this game, both for the title and for the psychological edge it can give the players.

Also, we act like the CL Final is next Weds, not 3 weeks away! Pep should play the best fit & recovered (read:ALL OF THEM!) players he can play.

Putting the title to bed early is a big deal for the rest and recovery he would like to provide the entire squad between now & the CL Final.

There are plenty of games to play the squad players, and this game isn’t it! Lose twice in a row to Chelsea when there are TITLES on the line, and we send out a bad message to our players and create a growing sense of confidence in them.

If anything, we should be 24 hrs fresher than them (for a change!) and this could be a statement game.

They have a tough run in of PL fixtures, coupled with the FA Cup Final, before they can even START to think about the CL Final. If we take care of business on Saturday, at home, then the ONLY THING we have to think about is keeping players fit and fresh for that game!

THE. NEXT. GAME.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

It’s a very big match against Chelsea. If City win, it will secure the title and leave Chelsea looking over their shoulder at West Ham and Liverpool.

City would be able to rotate for the rest of the season, while Chelsea face tough matches which they need points. They play Arsenal, Leicester, and Villa in the league plus Leicester and City in Cups.

City need to go strong on Saturday. I would bring in Cancelo, Laporte, Rodri, and possibly Aguero or Jesus. I assume that Stones will still be suspended. Fernandinho needs a rest as does Walker.

Same sentiment, at same time. ;/)

 

[citymad]

Didn’t realize they’ve kept 18/24 clean sheets with Tuchel. These two games will undoubtedly be low scoring game if any at all. I would hate for the final to go to penalties.

 

[creed]

Ederson

Cancelo
Dias
Laporte
Mendy

Rodri
Gundogan

Jesus

Torres
Aguero
Sterling

2-1, job done