Shakhtar (A) Pre Match Thread

[DannyBoy2890]

3-0 win

 

[jimharri]

Delph if not ill snd Vinny who Pep says is a not available to play today would have been on the bench as well most likely.

Hope Vinny comes up for Sunday as it will be interesting if Mangala starts in the derby.

"Interesting"? Well; that's one word for it, I suppose!

 

[pardoeofftomexico]

It was always obvious that it was going to be a reasonably experienced team. It would do no one any good to play all kids as some would like and have them beaten out of sight.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

we as fans have to be patient with foden, he might not have an amazing game tonight, but he is only 17 and still has a long way to go. i hope we dont see a load of posts on here saying hes not good enough afterwards if he does play poorly.

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

The ones in the starting line up I'm surprised by are Sane, Dinho and Ederson. I suppose the boss has taken the view that Sane and Dinho had a day off at the weekend so they'll be ok. Hopefully they'll only play part of the game and don't pick up an injury. I half expected one of Jesus or Aguero would play, maybe half each. Can't think why you wouldn't play Bravo in this one though unless he's injured.

Here's hoping they come out of it ok.

 

[nktakm]

There’s a few on here can’t cope with City being a proper team. They’re so stuck in the mindset of all the crap English managers they hold in contempt but can’t see it. Mick McCarthy, Tony Pulis, David Moyes don’t put proper teams out. If it was Barcelona, Messi, Suárez et al would all be playing. Ronaldo would be turning out for Madrid but we’re supposed to put out ‘a team of kids’. I know many fans hold Europe in contempt but Pep and his team wouldn’t disrespect the competition. You never know, we might need someone to win the last game one year and we’d be gutted if another team put out kids and reserves and got turned over 3 or 4.

I'll quote myself.

You'll be surprised when you see the lineups for his Barca dead rubber CL games before an important league game. There were two instances.

Jorquera, Sylvinho, Pique, Busquets, Caceres, Keita, V.Sanchez, V.Vazquez, Hleb, Pedro, Krkic in 2008. Before Busquets and Pedro were starters.

Pinto, Maxwell, Fontas, Bartra, Montoya, dos Santos, Thiago, Sergi Roberto, Pedro, Cuenca, Rafinha in 2011.

None of the 22 started in the weekend league game.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Bollocks. A couple years back I saw Barcelona field a bunch of kids in the CL and they won. Pep was the manager then too.......

Couple of years ago? He left 5 years ago!

 

[mccity]

They always include Pep in there right in the corner, as if it could have been someone else this match. And the formatting for his icon is different to everyone else's too.

It just bugs me lol

 

[ninjamonkey]

I'm going for Fernandinho in a back 3 with Danilo and Sane wingbacks. Foden Gundogan and Yaya as the midfield 3 and Bernardo and Jesus upfront. I'm all for him trying different formations in this game, however, Sane was an atrocious left wing back and he looks very disinterested in playing that position and Fernandinho should be nowhere near tonight's starting 11, he's got an incredible engine but he's 32, played most of the season already and we don't have a like for like replacement if he were to be unavailable. Utter madness from Pep, if him and to a lesser extent Sane, Ederson and Jesus are playing we best bloody win now.

 

[mancity1]

It was always obvious that it was going to be a reasonably experienced team. It would do no one any good to play all kids as some would like and have them beaten out of sight.

The back line is with respect about as inexperienced as we could muster.

Clearly wants Walker and Oti available for the match and hoping that Delph recovers from his sickness.