Monaco (h) Pre-match (team news page 26).

[cibaman]

It's a tough one for Pep. Do we play a false 9 i.e De Bruyne so that we keep the ball a bit better and are possibly more fluid? Perhaps bring Ferny into the middle? Or do we play Aguero, who can come alive in these games and carry the team, who could kickstart his season again with a decent performance? Maybe play Ferny at left back for his energy and ability on the ball there?

It's a tough one. I think Pep will go strong because it's a home game and just be wary of their counter attacking. In the away game we might see a different setup but I can see something along the lines of Caballero, Sagna, Stones, Kolarov, Ferny, Yaya, Silva, De Bruye, Sterling, Sane, Aguero.

He'll have faith that we'll keep the ball for most of the game, control possession, not give it away in silly areas and create chances with that side.

Should be a cracking game, I don't rate Monaco that highly. I think they're a good side but Spurs were pisspoor in Europe by their usual standards and Leverkusen are well down the Bundesliga. Winning their group wasn't a huge "success". They're decent but we should be beating them home and away.

On the couple of occasions that I've seen De Bruyne play as a false 9, he's looked very uncomfortable in the role, made very little impact. Did he play that position in Germany?

 

[St.Pauli support]

On the couple of occasions that I've seen De Bruyne play as a false 9, he's looked very uncomfortable in the role, made very little impact. Did he play that position in Germany?

Nope. Mainly OM, sometimes on the wing. KDB prefers to play OM.

Anyway the bench wouldn't really lift Sergio's low confidence.

 

[SWP's back]

________________Willy_______________


Sagna__Stones__kolorav__F/dinho


Sane__Silva__Yaya__Kdb__Sterling


_____________Aguero_____________

Yes please.

 

[City Raider]

Monaco would terrify me under the previous management. I trust Pep to have a plan that let's us play but reduces their threat.

 

[kaz7]

Weren't we scared about Seville? we took them apart on their ground,a strong aggressive game here and we can win,somehow have to stop them scoring lol

 

[MarsLlama]

I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up winning comfortably after they put in a disappointing performance. I also wouldn't be surprised if we lost 3-0. Very hard to call because I don't know what they're like compared to a team of our quality.

 

[mancityscot]

Weren't we scared about Seville? we took them apart on their ground,a strong aggressive game here and we can win,somehow have to stop them scoring lol

reckon this monaco team is much more of a threat than that Sevilla team we played last year

 

[Mike N]

The Seville team we knocked out were a very good, consistent, side. Great effort by City and the same level of performance should give us a lead to take back to France.

 

[uteblue]

I watched the Nice match earlier this year when they lost 4:0, granted it was earlier in the year but what Nice did was control the midfield with physical play and hit balls into the channel to Balotelli who scored 2, if we play similar and if aguero can put away his chances we can get something out of this

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

A load of seats in block 137 and 138 have gone on sale...the front (ish) row seats that are quite often empty and in full view of the cameras...what's that all about the day before the game.... it's like we are trying to leave seats empty! Presume it's tickets we have given elsewhere and last minute retd which asks the question why give those seats in the firstplace, give them the back 4 rows of SSL3 instead

We sit in 137 row f and for European games these are covered over with mesh netting ,something to do with photographers I think ,probably something to do with that ?