Shakhtar Donetsk (h) pre-match thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Should be a comfortable win, but, Palace caused involuntary sphincter tremors early doors. If they start in a similar fashion they could be punished.

4.0 for me.
 
HarrytheBlue said:
From what I've heard and seen, Danilo is equally adept at left back, right back and midfield. That's why Pep signed him.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you've seen this season but Danilo has looked top class at right back, but not far off a mess at left back. He's not equally good on either side, he's very clearly a right back playing on the wrong side when he's played on the left. Very much like zab could play left back.
 
Dipsis_LTU_MC said:
Does that mean Vinny won't be ready to face Chelsea?
Click to expand...

I think fans are past caring a little bit about Vinnie. We have been too over reliant on him for too long and i honestly think the reason for only 1 league cup in 3 years is a lot down to his injuries and missing influence.

He had a great end to the season coinciding with our upturn in form. He got a good pre season under his belt & started the season well for me as the team settled. We all know his presence is vital & i think Pep realised that too. The defence is still a problem area & if we lose Vinnie and say Stones can you imagine having to put Mangala and Ota back together again for a big game or fudging something else. A lot of our fans still don't see the problem with this but it will bite us, the same applies for if Ferna misses a big game, especially away. We are still a top centre half (van dijk) & midfielder away from completing the squad.

I reckon Vinnie came back for a few days last week, trained normally as the videos on the site proved and felt something again on the Thursday. He hasn't been seen since, was not on the training video on Fri and not one journalist has pushed Pep as to why hes not been involved. I hope i am wrong and he just saves him for games like Chelsea but i reckon he would have been seen training if that was the case. Last season Vinnie was ready for Monaco away and travelled but he chose Kolorov and we know the rest, Pep does it his way.

This is Vinnie's fault this time though. To go and play against Gibraltar and get injured in the last 10 minutes while trying to stop at counter attack at 9-0 up is brain dead. That two week break was vital after all he'd been through, the staff had done everything to help him to that point. Why not just go along and see the lads for that first Belgium home game then get back to the CFA for a weeks training before Liverpool. Belgium were always going to qualify. Pep won't stand for it and he will just press on without him now. We will suffer though as that Kolorov decision last season proved.
 
Maine Rd said:
I think fans are past caring a little bit about Vinnie. We have been too over reliant on him for too long and i honestly think the reason for only 1 league cup in 3 years is a lot down to his injuries and missing influence.

He had a great end to the season coinciding with our upturn in form. He got a good pre season under his belt & started the season well for me as the team settled. We all know his presence is vital & i think Pep realised that too. The defence is still a problem area & if we lose Vinnie and say Stones can you imagine having to put Mangala and Ota back together again for a big game or fudging something else. A lot of our fans still don't see the problem with this but it will bite us, the same applies for if Ferna misses a big game, especially away. We are still a top centre half (van dijk) & midfielder away from completing the squad.

I reckon Vinnie came back for a few days last week, trained normally as the videos on the site proved and felt something again on the Thursday. He hasn't been seen since, was not on the training video on Fri and not one journalist has pushed Pep as to why hes not been involved. I hope i am wrong and he just saves him for games like Chelsea but i reckon he would have been seen training if that was the case. Last season Vinnie was ready for Monaco away and travelled but he chose Kolorov and we know the rest, Pep does it his way.

This is Vinnie's fault this time though. To go and play against Gibraltar and get injured in the last 10 minutes while trying to stop at counter attack at 9-0 up is brain dead. That two week break was vital after all he'd been through, the staff had done everything to help him to that point. Why not just go along and see the lads for that first Belgium home game then get back to the CFA for a weeks training before Liverpool. Belgium were always going to qualify. Pep won't stand for it and he will just press on without him now. We will suffer though as that Kolorov decision last season proved.
Click to expand...

Suddenly chucking him in the team v Chelsea is not on imo, unless those involved tonight have a nightmare. City have not conceded a lot of goals (albeit got away with several dreadful mistakes) & breaking up the unit, for a bloke who can't be relied upon to play two games, is not the way to go.

If he can't stay fit, he should be treated as a utility player when he is fit, not a mainstay of the team.

He should only be reinstated as a priority player, if the others fail imo. The fact that Pep was using Walker as a cb on Saturday, when we only have 3 senior fullbacks, suggests he has no faith in Kompany (which makes his decision to gamble on him, all the more stupid).
 
Neville Kneville said:
Suddenly chucking him in the team v Chelsea is not on imo, unless those involved tonight have a nightmare. City have not conceded a lot of goals (albeit got away with several dreadful mistakes) & breaking up the unit, for a bloke who can't be relied upon to play two games, is not the way to go.

If he can't stay fit, he should be treated as a utility player when he is fit, not a mainstay of the team.

He should only be reinstated as a priority player, if the others fail imo. The fact that Pep was using Walker as a cb on Saturday, when we only have 3 senior fullbacks, suggests he has no faith in Kompany (which makes his decision to gamble on him, all the more stupid).
Click to expand...

Spot on! and like i said if someone like Stones gets a niggle tonight who is playing in that back 4 in our biggest game of season to date on Sat? Baffling not to sign a top centre half when prepared to spend 60m on Sanchez.
 
They might dig in but i doubt they'll be a massive threat going forwards, perhaps nick a goal at most. Up to us to break em down and score 2 or 3 (or more!).

On evidence i think we can. 3-1 City.
 
This should be a very good test for our team - a gauge to see just how good we truly are. Shakhtar are no pushovers.

I expect a win which put us in good position for winning the group.

Would like to see Gundogan and Kompany start assuming that they're back from injuries.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
✖
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.