UEFA strikes again!
Liverpool are so vulnerable to the long ball though - as proven an Old Toilet last week so I expect at least a couple to be delivered.
Noted.... we’ll see if you’re straight on his back should he start!
I agree. I reckon Pep will rotate massively for the Anfield leg - similar to how we lined up at the Etihad for the league match and to surprise Klopp. No need to play so wide (with Sane and Sterling) and stretch their back line as Liverpool aren't the greatest defensively. It makes sense to be more compact and narrow to suffocate their front 3 who aren't natural wingers (although Salah can do anything on his day) and always look to cut inside (all their 4 goals against us were scored with no width) so I would play Fernandinho and Gundogan in front of the back 4. One would act as the pivot and always remain in front of the back 4 to prevent the counter attack and high press. The Silva's are more suited to playing Liverpool as they are diminutive and extract the 'tactical' fouls which are a lot easier to get in Champions League than the Premier League. Silvas/KDB/+Gundogan/Fernandinho can move forward, potentially with Delph/Walker given license to act as an extra man when needed.Most worldies are.
Sterling and Sane drop out for Jesus and B.Silva as D. Silva and Aguero are in our strongest line up. Mendy if fit gives us width on the left.
I agree. I reckon Pep will rotate massively for the Anfield leg - similar to how we lined up at the Etihad for the league match and to surprise Klopp. No need to play so wide (with Sane and Sterling) and stretch their back line as Liverpool aren't the greatest defensively. It makes sense to be more compact and narrow to suffocate their front 3 who aren't natural wingers (although Salah can do anything on his day) and always look to cut inside (all their 4 goals against us were scored with no width) so I would play Fernandinho and Gundogan in front of the back 4. One would act as the pivot and always remain in front of the back 4 to prevent the counter attack and high press. The Silva's are more suited to playing Liverpool as they are diminutive and extract the 'tactical' fouls which are a lot easier to get in Champions League than the Premier League. Silvas/KDB/+Gundogan/Fernandinho can move forward, potentially with Delph/Walker given license to act as an extra man when needed.
Sterling has never had a good game against them so I do not see the point in playing him as he seems to be affected by the booing. It makes sense saving Sane for the last half hour 60th minute to take advantage of Liverpool's tired legs which really showed in the last 10 minutes of the match at Anfield. I doubt Pep won't have forgot how they nearly threw it all away - from tiredness which resulted from the high pressing.
Ederson
Walker - Kompany - Otamendi - Delph
Ferna - Gundogan
KDB - D Silva - B Silva
Jesus
Of course the clock of history stopped ticking with Manure, Liverpool, Chelsea, Forest and Villa even...... Ha ha. No-one else is allowed to make history. I enjoy the 'no history' banter. Our best days lie in front of us. We took that banner down as a down payment for what's to come.Most Bluemooners probably saw this last year but I've managed to persuade the publisher to make some of my articles on the early years of Manchester football free to download until after the Qtr Final. The reason I'm posting them here is because we're going to get lots of 'City have no history' type abuse at the LFC games and the Manchester derby and these help to explain that City's success played a key part in establishing Manchester as a footballing city. It'd be worth quoting/tweeting the link to any Red (either club) who says we have no history etc. Anyway, here's the first about 1904 and how it established Manchester as a footballing city: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14660970.2014.961378 and here's another which talks about Josh Parlby - the visionary who created a club for Manchester: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09523367.2015.1055727?src=recsys. The more these are downloaded the better the chance the articles will lead on to other research etc. Thanks as always.
This is our biggest game since Madrid, QPR, the other titles and Cup Finals. Cannot see Pep leaving out the players so key to his success so far.Cant see us dropping Sane to the bench. His pace and dribbling have been and could well be the difference.