Real Madrid (H) - Wed 17th May, 20:00 | Pre-Match Thread

[SebastianBlue]

I think we go with:

————————————— Eddie —————————————
——————— Stones ——————— Dias ————————
Walker ———————— Rodri ————————— Akanji
———————— KDB —————— Gundogan ——————
Mahrez ——————— Haaland ——————— Grealish

Difficult to take Bernardo out but I think Riyad is in better form right now and playing Kyle at home alongside John allows us to free up Mahrez to keep the width further up field and I don’t think Camavinga will be able to cope with his touch and dribbling.

Just need to get it won by the 65th minute so we can bring on Scott Carson for Kev and have him give Rudiger the ‘De Bruyne Welcome’ ze German originated.

 

[Ste68]

We are going to smash Madrid. We need to be hostile as a crowd and be on the front foot on the pitch from the off. We are better than them , they know we are better than them and we need to remind them from the first whistle.
Forget the chess match , lets rip out there throats.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I think we go with:

————————————— Eddie —————————————
——————— Stones ——————— Dias ————————
Walker ———————— Rodri ————————— Akanji
———————— KDB —————— Gundogan ——————
Mahrez ——————— Haaland ——————— Grealish

Difficult to take Bernardo out but I think Riyad is in better form right now and playing Kyle at home alongside John allows us to free up Mahrez to keep the width further up field and I don’t think Camavinga will be able to cope with his touch and dribbling.

Just need to get it won by the 65th minute so we can bring on Scott Carson for Kev and have him give Rudiger the ‘De Bruyne Welcome’ ze German originated.

Love the all action,incredibley dangerous,Mahrez we saw at weekend,cant abide the frustrating,selfish,half arsed,version we get at other times......

I'd choose him ahead of Bernie if we can guarantee the former.

Foden from the bench cannot be underestimated either,i just have a sneaking suspicion he has a big part to play.

Love the Carson idea,although Philips could also achieve legend status in a similar way.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Love the all action,incredibley dangerous,Mahrez we saw at weekend,cant abide the frustrating,selfish,half arsed,version we get at other times......

I'd choose him ahead of Bernie if we can guarantee the former.

Foden from the bench cannot be underestimated either,i just have a sneaking suspicion he has a big part to play.

Love the Carson idea,although Philips could also achieve legend status in a similar way.

Indeed, Phillips taking one for the team in stoppage time when we are 3-nil up would go a long way to winning over the fan base to his side.

 

[Eds]

 

[SebastianBlue]

Absolutely no way they know the team more than 24 hours out.

 

[supercity88]

I don't know how he does it but Pep just makes me so calm and confident, no wonder the players perform well for him. He's such an analytical thinker. Kyle's there saying "we owe the owners and fans the CL" and Pep immediately says "the players don't owe the owners of fans anything". He finishes off by saying "I think we will do it" and not only am I reassured, I feel like he's already seen the game and knows how it plays out!

 

[FantasyIreland]

Absolutely no way they know the team more than 24 hours out.

What do you think could change in that line up?

 

[blueparrot]

Absolutely no way they know the team more than 24 hours out.

Madrid are a bit odd for naming their team early though.

 

[SebastianBlue]

What do you think could change in that line up?

Not much, to be honest, but that doesn’t mean they know anything more than you or I do.

It’s akin to confirming Dias, Rodri, Kev, and Haaland will start for us tomorrow.

Heard it here first.