Man City V Barcelona Pre Match thread.

[GaudinoMotors]

I'll be happy with any score that means Barca have to score at the Nou Camp, if that makes sense

As long as it's not for a record aggregate score ;-) that would represent a good result.

 

[CityFan94]

Tonight is a must not lose game.

I don't want us to approach the game with a negative attitude, but a loss has to be out of the question tonight.

My opinion is that in the Champion's League knockout rounds, keeping a clean sheet in your home game is the most important. If you score at home, great, but keep a clean sheet. Away goals are absolutely vital in a close Champion's League tie.

I'd like to see us go 4-2-3-1 tonight. Fernando and Fernandinho protecting the defence with Milner, Silva and Nasri behind Aguero. Bony is a fanastic option from the bench.

I think this tie is going to be very close. Last season the game against Barcelona was very even until the penalty and red card in the first leg. We more than held our own against Bayern this season aswell, only losing to a flukey last minute goal in Germany before beating them at the Etihad.

I'm predicting Man City 1-0 Barcelona tonight.

 

[whp.blue]

I really want to be positive but I just can't see us keeping a clean sheet which I think is worrying for the second leg.

Any of our players need to take any half chances we get tonight and that is why with a heavy heart I think there is no place for Dzeko tonight (and I class myself as a big fan of Dzeko) on a plus side I think it has done us a favour having Milner out as his ball retention and passing isn't good enough for this sort of game.

I also hope Nasri backs up his trash talking in the press with a 100% performance if he does he is perhaps our best chance to surprise Barca as they will be concentrating on Sergio and Merlin

 

[aguero93:20]

I really want to be positive but I just can't see us keeping a clean sheet which I think is worrying for the second leg.

Any of our players need to take any half chances we get tonight and that is why with a heavy heart I think there is no place for Dzeko tonight (and I class myself as a big fan of Dzeko) on a plus side I think it has done us a favour having Milner out as his ball retention and passing isn't good enough for this sort of game.

I also hope Nasri backs up his trash talking in the press with a 100% performance if he does he is perhaps our best chance to surprise Barca as they will be concentrating on Sergio and Merlin

Milner's fit, plus we missed him badly in the first leg last year.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

I really want to be positive but I just can't see us keeping a clean sheet which I think is worrying for the second leg.

Any of our players need to take any half chances we get tonight and that is why with a heavy heart I think there is no place for Dzeko tonight (and I class myself as a big fan of Dzeko) on a plus side I think it has done us a favour having Milner out as his ball retention and passing isn't good enough for this sort of game.

I also hope Nasri backs up his trash talking in the press with a 100% performance if he does he is perhaps our best chance to surprise Barca as they will be concentrating on Sergio and Merlin

Nasri is our most underrated player and one who must be well up for this game. He was not picked for the world cup so I am sure he’d love to make a point by scoring in this game. I am sure we will play Aguero up front and Silva behind which would mean Nasri will have possibly the best opportunity to find space and with a 5 man midfield he will have the license and freedom to play his attacking game.

 

[mancity1]

We just can't give them too much respect as we have Bayern and Barca and others at home in the past.

Play our natural game and play with the game style we can and with some luck going our way who knows?

Barca have just come off a poor result at home and are not the side they were even at this time last year.

5 years ago yes its hand on deck and hope they are off target on the night but this Barca side is starting to look old and in need of some major overhaul.

We will need to replace a number of players in the off season as well but as for this tie while I expect us to come up short over two games I don't think there is much between us if we are playing as well as we can given the opposition.

 

[Sergi0 Na5r1]

Nasri is our most underrated player and one who must be well up for this game. He was not picked for the world cup so I am sure he’d love to make a point by scoring in this game. I am sure we will play Aguero up front and Silva behind which would mean Nasri will have possibly the best opportunity to find space and with a 5 man midfield he will have the license and freedom to play his attacking game.

I agree, and think that our most important players for this one will be Nasri and Milner (if he plays which I think he will). Defensively Clichy and Zaba will also be very important as many of Barca's chances and counter attacks come through the wings.

 

[nikoman]

Man City 3 - Barcelona 0

Aguerrooooo - Fernandinho and Aguerrooooooooooooooooo

The ones who don't believe are the ones who will never reach greatness.

COME ON MANCHESTER CITYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

 

[supercity88]

We just can't give them too much respect as we have Bayern and Barca and others at home in the past.

Play our natural game and play with the game style we can and with some luck going our way who knows?

Barca have just come off a poor result at home and are not the side they were even at this time last year.

5 years ago yes its hand on deck and hope they are off target on the night but this Barca side is starting to look old and in need of some major overhaul.

We will need to replace a number of players in the off season as well but as for this tie while I expect us to come up short over two games I don't think there is much between us if we are playing as well as we can given the opposition.

That's a very naive way of looking at it and you've perhaps assumed that Barca are in some sort of turmoil. They've looked to play Xavi less this season and Rakitic has often played ahead of him. Messi, Suarez and Neymar have years ahead of them and in terms of their style of play they've altered that as well.

They keep the ball well still, but it's not the Guardiola style Barca. Instead they hit it to their front three quickly and look to attack teams early and with pace. It's quite similar to how we look to work the ball. They struggle against teams like Malaga that sit and ask them to break them down. If we do that they will at some stage make a mistake and we can hit them on the break. We try to attack them we play into their hands and with Messi, Suarez and Neymar against our back 4 we will have problems. Pellegrini will play this one as he played Bayern in the crucial home game that we won. Press them in the right areas and hit them on the break, BUT DON'T CONCEDE is the main target. We go to Barca with a 0-0 then it's all to play for over there.

 

[mancity1]

We just can't give them too much respect as we have Bayern and Barca and others at home in the past.

Play our natural game and play with the game style we can and with some luck going our way who knows?

Barca have just come off a poor result at home and are not the side they were even at this time last year.

5 years ago yes its hand on deck and hope they are off target on the night but this Barca side is starting to look old and in need of some major overhaul.

We will need to replace a number of players in the off season as well but as for this tie while I expect us to come up short over two games I don't think there is much between us if we are playing as well as we can given the opposition.

That's a very naive way of looking at it and you've perhaps assumed that Barca are in some sort of turmoil. They've looked to play Xavi less this season and Rakitic has often played ahead of him. Messi, Suarez and Neymar have years ahead of them and in terms of their style of play they've altered that as well.

They keep the ball well still, but it's not the Guardiola style Barca. Instead they hit it to their front three quickly and look to attack teams early and with pace. It's quite similar to how we look to work the ball. They struggle against teams like Malaga that sit and ask them to break them down. If we do that they will at some stage make a mistake and we can hit them on the break. We try to attack them we play into their hands and with Messi, Suarez and Neymar against our back 4 we will have problems. Pellegrini will play this one as he played Bayern in the crucial home game that we won. Press them in the right areas and hit them on the break, BUT DON'T CONCEDE is the main target. We go to Barca with a 0-0 then it's all to play for over there.

Not sure about naive and perhaps Nasri's comments are a bit simplistic but sometimes the aura surrounding the Messi's etc doesn't let you focus on what they should which as Lampard says is concentration and mindset.

Turmoil no not even by their lofty standards but they are not the side they were.

They hold no fears for me at all , its whether we believe we can match them above the shoulders that concerns me.