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

[jamesha]

Come on blues....this is the big one (as if you need me to tell you).... feeling nervous for you...

Very best of luck..and hope the referee is strong, and doesn't allow Rudiger to kick shit out of Haaland again....

Control the ball, keep Vinicius quiet....and hopefully the outcome looks after itself...

All the very best.....

Appreciated mate. How are you feeling about last night? I think promotion would have been too early for you in the same way it was for Joe Royle's City team.

 

[Dax777]

I would like to see this team

Ederson
Walker Dias Akanji
Bernardo Rodri
DeBryne Gundogan
Marez Halland Foden

Just feel Bernardo will make up for his poor show last week and is more dynamic in the midfield intercepting and creating break aways. Also Foden over Jack ad more of a goal threat and less of a red card risk.

Grealish starting isn't up for debate.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Alvarez is our best presser though

Not sure he is to be honest. There are so many nuances to pressing that Bernardo is just absurdly good at. In terms of high energy hustle and bustle, chasing people down etc, then yeah Alvarez is the best. But do we really press like that any more? To me we seem to focus on blocking passing lanes, forcing them to a particular area of the pitch and then hopefully setting the trap to either win the ball high or force a clip forwards that our centre backs win easily. And Bernardo is a master of that kind of pressing, often pressing two players at once with intelligent positioning, whilst also covering a passing angle to a player behind him. There was even a quote recently from Alvarez where he said he apologised to the team in the dressing room once for pressing the goalkeeper too aggressively which left us a bit out of shape and we conceded. That might look like great pressing, but it wasn’t. Sometimes he can be too eager to press high aggressively when the trap hasn’t been set yet and it’s the wrong moment. Bernardo is more intelligent and tactically-minded with the pressing.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Odd decision. I imagine Ancelotti doesn't think he'll get away in Manchester with what he gets away with in Madrid (and Porto…). Doesn't want to find the team down to ten men.
Actually, given the source, I reckon that's dust thrown into the eyes.

I genuinely would not trust anything being banded about that those fuckers. They'll try every trick in the book pre match to unsettle us and try every little cheat during the match itself. Horrible club.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Maine -Even better.

I petitioned the city to allow me to rename my long driveway to “Maine Road” but was rebuffed, as there is already one in the municipality.

Still put up a sign at the end of it to that effect, with a tiny little “private way” in the bottom corner to make it legal.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Loving the confidence on here this morning.

I'd love it to be an easy affair where we win by a few goals (ideally after 20 mins!)

I think it's going to be a nervy affair, so the crowd will really have to keep the lads going.

Would love a Kev masterclass where you can't get near him, as he can win us the game on his own no problem.

Only change I'd make from last week, is Mahrez for Bernardo, but I just can't see Pep thinking that way so I'd expect the same team.

 

[Mike N]

SS3 away bit & a few posh seats I believe.

Cheers. They were very poor last year, considering it was a champions league semi.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Cheers. They were very poor last year, considering it was a champions league semi.

Not much of an away culture in Spain.

 

[nicko]

Grealish starting isn't up for debate.

Or stones

 

[nicko]

Eddie
Walker
Dias
Akanji
Stones
Rodri
Gundo
KdB
Grealish
Haaland
Bernie/Foden/Marhez

I’d go with Foden. Marhez and/or Bernie on in 2nd depending on how’s it’s going