Let's see some youth in the return leg!

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Caballero
Zaba Tosin Stones Angelino
Delph Fernandino silva
de bruyne Iheanacho Sane

good mix of youth and first team players

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Bravo
Zaba Stones Otamendi Clichy
Sane Delph Fernando( or Yaya ) De Bruyne Angelino
Iheanacho

I feel one of Yaya/Fernando are leaving so whichever isn't starts

bravo cant play

 

[bluebrickroad]

Let us just leave it up to the Boss.

 

[Yates]

bravo cant play

Neither he can, well Caballero Starts here unless he thinks Gunn is a option in the future

 

[Father Paul]

Aleix Garcia can't play, he's not registered and hasn't been at the club long enough to be u21 qualified.

Pity as A.Garcia is probably one of the few ready to step up. There really is not much point playing youngsters for the sake of it if they are not in contention for a squad place. This is particularly true as we are currently introducing a new system and need to get people who may have to fill in during the season a run out.

 

[K-Bo]

Realistically i could see a start for iheanacho, tosin and angelino. And as a speculative punt maybe angus gunn if pep wants to try something different to caballero. probably only 2 of the 4 though.

 

[CityStu]

Will players who are potentially being sold this summer be cup tied for the CL if they play in this fixture?

 

[117 M34]

Will players who are potentially being sold this summer be cup tied for the CL if they play in this fixture?

In short, no.

 

[Silva_Spell]

------------- Iheanacho
Nolito - Delph - De Bruyne - Navas
- Angelino - Fernando - Zabaleta
--------- Kolarov - Stones
------------- Caballero

Hart/Gunn, Sagna, Adarabioyo, Clichy, Toure, Sane? (Celina), Aguero

• Rest Silva, Dinho and Sterling. It's early in the season but Silva should be rested when given the opportunity and there's no need to risk injury to Dinho and Sterling, probably our 2 best players so far.
• Think KDB might still need match fitness and time to learn the system.
• If Kolarov is going to be used at CB at times during the season I'd play him back there, esp. given that Otamendi has only just returned from injury, tho I could understand starting Otamendi with Stones for continuity.
• If the above is true and we're not going to sign a LB it would make sense to give Angelino minutes in the system in a competitive match like this. Personally think he'll kill it there given time

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

------------- Iheanacho
Nolito - Delph - De Bruyne - Navas
- Angelino - Fernando - Zabaleta
--------- Kolarov - Stones
------------- Caballero

Hart/Gunn, Sagna, Adarabioyo, Clichy, Toure, Sane? (Celina), Aguero

• Rest Silva, Dinho and Sterling. It's early in the season but Silva should be rested when given the opportunity and there's no need to risk injury to Dinho and Sterling, probably our 2 best players so far.
• Think KDB might still need match fitness and time to learn the system.
• If Kolarov is going to be used at CB at times during the season I'd play him back there, esp. given that Otamendi has only just returned from injury, tho I could understand starting Otamendi with Stones for continuity.
• If the above is true and we're not going to sign a LB it would make sense to give Angelino minutes in the system in a competitive match like this. Personally think he'll kill it there given time

Well, we have a new manager who makes very different demands on the players than Pellegrini and who seemed to be coaching endlessly from the touchline last Saturday and on Tueseday because the players were not playing as he demanded: then we have David who missed the final chunk of last season, played in the euros and arrived back late. He seems to need games rather than a rest. Then there's Sterling whose confidence is surging back after a poor end to last season and persecution after the euros. What purpose would resting him serve? Fernandinho wants to play not rest and we need him at least until Illy can play regularly. The backbone of our team need to play together to play the way the manager demands, something they won't learn on the bench or in the stands. Otamendi is apparently fit now - it isn't usual to leave a player out because he's no longer injured! Nor would it be sensible to give Angelino minutes in a system the more established players have not yet come to terms with.

I have to admit that i find the obsession some of our fans have with "rotation" and "throwing on the kids" is quite ridiculous. I can only assume that it fills some deep psychological need to please rags and/or the Daily Mail.