FA Cup Semi-Final | City v Chelsea pre-match thread

[Legal Alien]

There will need to be rotation, but I'd start Eddie and hopefully Stones and Ake are fit to start. I think we'll need to match their workman-like midfield so i'd deffo start Rodri too.

Ederson

Lewis
Stones
Ake
Gvardiol

Nunes
Rodri
Kovacic

Bobb
Alvarez
Doku

 

[SWPISHOME]

It's going to go to penalties.

Chelsea will win on penalties.

Bluemoon will have a meltdown that Ederson wasn't subbed on for the penalties in place of Ortega...

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

not gonna be easy this, ball over the top to runners were our undoing in the last game time and again, hope pep has a plan

We have had problems with this all season. The big problem we had with Chelsea last game was how easily they beat the press and how quickly they got up the pitch. Jackson caused us lots of problems. They should have scored 3/4 at our place and are in better form. Won’t be an easy game at all given what the players went through last night.

 

[TonyTony]

We still have some spaces left at Wealdstone FC for our Fanzone on Saturday, City fans ONLY.

Car parking for £7.50 with a Bar and BBQ, just a 7 minute walk to the Station and a 20 minute journey against the crowds to Wembley.

Been hosting Man City for years now and always a fantastic atmosphere.

For more details, video of your visit last year and booking - Click here

 

[TINY]

It’ll be good to play with eleven players on Saturday.

Eddie
Walker
Stones
Akanji
Gvardiol
Rodri
Bernardo
KDB
Foden
Grealish
Alvarez

 

[blue cigar]

Ortega
Akanji
Stones
Ake
Guardiol

Rodri
Kovacic
Foden

Grealish
Doku
Alvarez

Maybe nunes for rodri but history shows that pep doesn't fuck about in these games.

 

[Bluewars II]

120mins, Pens, 40+ games, 'we are tired? F**k you!'

Teams are scared shit of us, all they do is low block and camp, it'll be the same on Saturday and next season. We need to start finding solutions to it now.

Ironically Gundo, Mahrez and Palmer are players that are more creative in the pockets and imo we need this profile more than anything this summer.

Put out a strong team on Saturday inc Rodri, Foden, Haaland and Bernie, Chelsea are shite.

 

[Tbilisi]

The odds unexpectedly moved greatly in Chelsea's favour after all those minutes put on our legs. We're still heavy favourites to go through, though. I imagine the game plan will surround Palmer. It's not hyperbole to say everything goes through him. Chelsea have found a bit of form of late as well.

Ortega
Lewis Stones Gvardiol Ake
Nunes Kovacic
Bobb Foden Doku
Alvarez​

I like that, although I think Phil needs a rest. Could we move Bobb to the middle and have Gomes switching with Doku? Suspect not.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Our FA Cup Semi Final Record under Pep is actually pretty dreadful as we've only beaten Championship Brighton and Sheffield United, and lost to Arsenal (twice) Liverpool and Chelsea.

We've also had some weird starting lineups, but on this occasion I think Pep's options are limited, especially if Haaland De Bruyne and Akanji are all nursing injuries.

This is your big chance Nunes.

 

[Frankie lad]

The odds unexpectedly moved greatly in Chelsea's favour after all those minutes put on our legs. We're still heavy favourites to go through, though. I imagine the game plan will surround Palmer. It's not hyperbole to say everything goes through him. Chelsea have found a bit of form of late as well.

Ortega
Lewis Stones Gvardiol Ake
Nunes Kovacic
Bobb Foden Doku
Alvarez​

I like the look of this.League now takes precedence.