Man City V Barcelona Pre Match thread.

[raymondkl92]

Strongest eleven is available so they should start.

Hart

Zabaleta
Kompany
Demichellis
Kolarov

Silva
Toure
Fernandinho
Nasri

Aguero
Dzeko

Kolarov?nope

 

[carlosborba]

My team:

Hart
Sagna
Kompany
Mangala
Clichy
Fernando
Fernandinho
Lampard ( or Milner if available)
Nasri
Silva
Aguero

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Bravo
Alvez Mascharano Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Inesta
Suarez Messi Neymar

Is how I expect them to line up.

 

[sam-caddick]

Bravo
Alvez Mascharano Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Inesta
Suarez Messi Neymar

Is how I expect them to line up.

Xavi doesn't start that much, no?

I always thought Rakitic was used more as Enrique wants a more box to box direct style?

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Bravo
Alvez Mascharano Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Inesta
Suarez Messi Neymar

Is how I expect them to line up.

Xavi doesn't start that much, no?

I always thought Rakitic was used more as Enrique wants a more box to box direct style?

I think he'll go with the experience and did he not rest Xavi yesterday?

 

[sam-caddick]

Bravo
Alvez Mascharano Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Inesta
Suarez Messi Neymar

Is how I expect them to line up.

Xavi doesn't start that much, no?

I always thought Rakitic was used more as Enrique wants a more box to box direct style?

I think he'll go with the experience and did he not rest Xavi yesterday?

This season Xavi has usually come off the bench from my experience but you never know, I think he will go with Rakitic personally.

 

[ROCKET80]

I think we should see the below:

Hart
Sagna Kompany Mangala Clichy
Fern1 Fern 2
Navas Silva Nasri
Aguero

I think MP will go with 2 up top though.

 

[ZZmaestro]

Genuinely don't think Barcelona are all they're cracked up to be.

For sure Messi/Neymar/Suarez is some strike force, but it has been proven to be possible to keep a clean sheet against them and it's going to cost them some defensive capability if they start all three.

The days when Xavi led one of the most selfish, ball hogging midfields in the history of the game are gone, as have the days when they could pull a Sanchez or an Henry off the bench just when the opposing team thought they had them on the ropes.

Their full backs are good, but the central defense and goalkeeper are far from mistake free and the team as a whole are no longer marshaled with the same unity and tactical prowess they had under Pep.

Overall we are stronger.

Sure, they have been less dominant and looks like a weakened squad for three years in a row now.
But, don't ever think that getting past Barca in a CL round will be a walk in the park.

First, of all, they will raise their game and commitment for that occasion.
The last match, that they lost to Malaga 1-0 mind you, Barca players had clearly Tuesday in their heads.
Be sure that they will be up for it.

Secondly, when they loose domestic games, it is usually against teams playing with only one striker up-front,
formations that pack their midfield.
If we play our usual 4-4-2, we may be-in for a bad surprise.

And last, but not least, they are uefa/fifa/platini's favorites.
Expect us to have close to no decision going our way, and beware of the cheap penos & red-cards.

All in all, if we have in mind that keeping a clean sheet in CL is essential to get to the next round, we will make it happen.

 

[Larry Stranger]

Barca will play a lot of balls over the top so our offside trap will be tested. We should avoid trying to play out our own half especially with Yaya out. Barca likes to press the opposition deep in their own half and will try to play their front 3 in quickly when they win the ball. I don't know if we should play 2 strikers, but if we do Bony needs to start. I think he holds the ball up well from what I've seen. I think we have to try to play Aguero through much like we did against Bayern.

 

[Sergi0 Na5r1]

Secondly, when they loose domestic games, it is usually against teams playing with only one striker up-front,
formations that pack their midfield.
If we play our usual 4-4-2, we may be-in for a bad surprise.

And last, but not least, they are uefa/fifa/platini's favorites.
Expect us to have close to no decision going our way, and beware of the cheap penos & red-cards.

All in all, if we have in mind that keeping a clean sheet in CL is essential to get to the next round, we will make it happen.

You're completely right about their domestic losses. They are terrible against teams that pack a defensive midfield. A good example is that Valencia game where they tried and tried to get a goal but couldn't, until literally the last 30 sec of the game where a GK error let a corner in.