West Brom (a) League Cup pre-match thread

[Cobra]

--------------------- Bravo --------------------
Danilo --- Kompany --- Mangala --- Mendy
-------------------- Gundog -------------------
--------- B. Silva ------------ Delph ---------
Sterling ----------- Jesus -------------- Sane

If all's going to plan after 60 mins, Foden for Delph, Yaya for Gundog. After 80 mins Tosin for Vinny or Zinchenko for Mendy.

0-2.

So you don't think Brahim should even get minutes from the bench?

 

[Kompany is King]

Hope Gundogan starts and both Foden & Diaz feature for 20 months minutes plus.

Agree on no De Bruyne or Aguero. They have bigger matches coming up.

 

[Mcfc_Tom]

Does anybody know when the official coaches leave the Etihad tomorrow? I think it's 3:15pm but they haven't sent a confirmation email so don't have a clue!

 

[Father Paul]

Hope we go for it tomorrow. Winning is a habit want to see us competing in every trophy we can for as long as we can. Obviously there will be changes but I hate losing to pullis especially. Last season when we threw on in against Utd we started to wobble. Another win and our momentum builds further.

Sorry but the wobble started much earlier than the game against the Rags. Celtic and then Spurs called our bluff and the season wobbled on from there.

This is a non entity of a game for both teams and we should be well able to win with a weakened side. Anyway a team which could field Vinny, Mangala, Denilo, Yaya, Sane, Gundogen, Bernardo and two of the best young prospects in the league Foden and Diaz should be able to beat 95% of the sides in the competition hands down.

The others need to rest up for three big games in a week which if we can win really will build momentum.

 

[daveyboybluemoon]

Sorry but the wobble started much earlier than the game against the Rags. Celtic and then Spurs called our bluff and the season wobbled on from there..

i'd argue that the wobble started at Swansea in the league. Yes we won 3-1 but we were much below the level we had been in that games before that.

 

[OB1]

To throw kids & players short of match practice all together at the same time is counter productive imo & carries a strong chance of getting beat.

A strong team with a couple of changes, one or two kids in it & changes from the bench is the sensible way to go imo.

Then the kids & players who need it, get a run out in a proper team situation, where it does them good, playing proper first team football & we have a better chance of staying in the competition, rather than risk it turning into a fiasco, which ends up no better than a training game, & getting knocked out.

The ideal position for rotation would have been fullback, but we don't really have a viable young player available.

I agree, although I'd only consider starting on kid: Foden and then maybe have one or two on bench for use if we can kill WBA off relatively early.

Obviously we have the potential to make several changes and still be very strong but there's still a danger of disrupting the flow. Not sure we are at the point where how we play is so embedded in the players that we can change (virtually) the whole team; although I think we will get there but that will come from regular rotation and everybody eventually getting used to playing with everyone else in addition to knowing the system inside out.

Also, it would be a really good thing for Pep to win this tournament this season.

 

[Odd socks]

I think we will get a better understanding of the managers intent once we know the team, if he fields a strong side then the momentum from the last 3 games will continue and Palace coming on Saturday we might be looking at a mid 20 for and 0 against going into European home game and the possibility of a clean sheet, so by Chelsea game we might have still only shipped 2 goals.
Those stats will kill all this talk of city still needing backs and the media can concentrate on the bottomless pit of money theory they peddle.
Pep is managing minutes and not trying to please players and they appear to be very happy group at the moment.
Winners never look tired and can never wait for the next game. The love in after every goal, Aguero passing to Jesus and Stirling taking the penalty all points to a team mentality rather than individuals making it about themselves.
Not winning a trophy last year might be the biggest motivation Pep has faced and if tomorrow's team looks like our best starting 11 then we can take it this season will be guns blazing on all fronts.
With the rags facing an easy tie I still think they will try to score as many as they can with a strong side so media can claim they are statistically better than city.
Strong side for me and a fantastic season ahead.

 

[argyle]

Probably already asked but is the game being shown anywhere tomorrow so there's a stream?

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

So you don't think Brahim should even get minutes from the bench?

I think there are other priorities at the moment:

1. Trying to win a trophy. Neither Sane or Sterling have played too much recently. As better players, I'd go with them.
2. Gundogan and Yaya need fitness, which was the reason for one of the selections/subs.
3. I've suggested Foden, Tosin and Zinchenko for 2 ofthe other subs, and we can only make 3.

So no, on this occasion. As I said though, that's if all goes to plan (which it never does). I would have him on the bench in case anything happens to the front 3. What would be your selection?

 

[Blue Til Death]

Complete second string in every position and we will still win, we need to concentrate on the PL and the CL
Domestic trophies, whilst important in the scheme of things, they should play second fiddle to the big two now ...
We seem to have found a nice balance in the team and we are capable of winning anything with our full strength squad available..