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

[Tony - MCFC]

Ederson
Walker
Stones
Dias
Akanji
Rodri
De Bruyne
Gundogan
Grealish
Bernardo Silva
Haaland

Sorry just seen this, I posted after.

 

[madloaf]

Just had a brief moment of thinking how we're the better team, how chelsea cut them open a few times at stamford bridge etc...then i thought about the refs fucking us over:

 

[chickaroon]

Alvarez is our best presser though

He is but he also loses the ball in bad areas.

 

[madloaf]

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.

Is stones injured, coz that's the only way he shouldn't play. i think i'd play him even if he had his leg chopped off.

 

[Shaelumstash]

This is the lineup for tonight;

Ederson
Walker
Stones
Dias
Akanji
Rodri
Gundogan
De Bruyne
Bernardo
Haaland
Grealish

Same team 1st leg.

Has to be the team

 

[woody1968]

He is but he also loses the ball in bad areas.

Agreed-he really needs to work on that as possession (especially in that half way line area) is a prerequisite at City

 

[chickaroon]

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.

Agree with all of this and Alvarez will learn.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I do wonder whether the booing particularly in a game of this magnitude helps or hinders....

Hinders

 

[Durham Blue]

Tib Street tavern is good in NQ
Try cask in Ancoats

Thanks , will give them a go!

 

[SSL2]

Thanks , will give them a go!

cask usually decent before a match mate, plenty of blues in there and is a short walk down the canal to the ground