Does the fact that our hosts, tomorrow afternoon, have mutually parted waves with their respected manager put a different emphasis on the game? Well…that can often be the case as we face a side with a Caretaker Manager in charge and, let’s be honest, any change for a side struggling so horribly as Huddersfield Town are can’t do any harm.
So, I’d say yeah – some fans, despite they perilous position, might have felt a little sad at the departure of their German boss but by the time we reach 1:30pm on Sunday afternoon, I’m sure the home fans will feel a sense of “reset an’ go again” and will turn the John Smith's Stadium into a noise-filled, scarf-wielding cauldron.
As for the players, we’ll have to wait ‘n’ see if-them-seeing David Wagner leave and Mark Hudson take temporary charge will have had any positive effect on them. And, of course, it’s up to OUR manager & players to deal with that and use our own motivations to good effect.
v Huddersfield Town
 |
| John Smith's Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from
starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).
Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Jesus_____________________
_________________Fernandinho__________________
Danilo__________________________________Walker
____________________Ederson___________________
For once, I’m gonna save myself a little bit
of a starting 11 write-up here and simply say instead that, for some reason, I’ve
got the feeling that our Manager will field the same side who faced Wolves
last Monday night. I might be wrong of course…
As for the bench, Aro is the reserve stopper
with Fabian & Nicholas providing cover-options in central defence,
left-wing back and defensive midfield. Ilkay gets a seat on the side too along
with Kevin, I’m guessing…and think what you like about whether he’s
being managed carefully back to fitness ahead of fixtures in all 4 competitions
or whether there HAS been a little spat following his substitution
the other week and Pep is just giving ‘the ginger one’ a little
reminder of just who is in charge. Riyad & Sergio provide wing &
striker options from ‘the 7’.
Notable
absences:
-
Benjamin Mendy – Has now had 4 or 5 training
sessions with the first team on his way back to fitness and following his
second, lengthy spell out...but won’t be ready for this game.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Absolutely.
Result?
I have no doubt that the men in light blue & white stripes will give their
all in this game…and those fans who have
watched them week in & week out might more than suggest that they’ve been
doing that most of the season, just with very little return.
I don’t think “effort” has ever been an issue
with Huddersfield Town players in the last 3 seasons or so and, certainly
against us, they’ve raised their game and give us a flippin’ good’n! The
question is, as I’ve already asked, will they raise it even MORE following
recent events?
I’m sure they will and despite their truly AFWUL
goal-scoring record this season they might even nick a goal, possibly from a
set piece. And, I have to remind myself, they ran us close at their ground with
a Raheem Sterling winner coming just 6 minutes from ‘the 90’ AND held us to a
0-0’er at our place in May 2018, albeit in a game 3 from the end of a season
where we finished 19-points clear of 2nd place.
But I would suggest that you can’t fix, in
less than a week, a league record that reads:
P22 W2 D5 L15 - F13 A37.
They’ll give us fight, for sure, and it might
even get a little feisty, as it did in the 96th minute in the same
fixture last season (hope not of course). But it was heartening to actually hear
Guardiola issue the same warnings in his pre-match press conference following those
difficult encounters last season and I’m damn sure he won’t allow his players to give
anything less than 100% tomorrow.
I think there’s definitely been ‘an interesting
edge’ added to this fixture but I do think it’s one we’ll come away from with 3
points, as well as a few bruises.
Last season’s,
corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Win
Result: Win
Expected weather conditions during
the game: Quite simply just grey clouds, dry and chilly at 4 to 5C.
Transfer rumours?
Well, first of all and by his standards,
Pep was practically “open” when asked AGAIN yesterday if we were looking to strengthen
any areas of the team. He admitted that we are looking at 3 or 4 optional
players to approach for the defensive midfield department and recognised the
need for competition at left-wing back; someone with specialist experience in
that position and not a ‘stand in’.
Of course, he stopped well short of suggesting
that any targets would be coming in by the end of January but here are just a few names who have been linked with the Blues in recent days &
weeks:
Zack Steffen – Goalkeeper
Gavin Bazunu – Goalkeeper (signed pre-contract / due
to arrive soon...)
Ben Chilwell – Left-back
Eder Militao – Centre defender
Ko Itakura – Central defender / Defensive midfielder (signed & loaned for 18 mths)
Declan Rice – Central Defender / Defensive midfielder
Frenkie De Jong – Defensive midfielder
Tanguy Ndombele – Defensive midfielder
Ante Palaversa – Defensive midfielder
Thomas Partey - Defensive midfielder
Christian Eriksen – Attacking / Creative midfielder
Isco (AGAIN!) – Attacking / Creative midfielder
Ivan Angulo – Midfielder / Winger
Everton Soares – Left winger / Forward
Paulo Dybala – Attacking midfielder / Forward / Striker
As Is say, this is only a few; there have
been more linked so feel free to take your pick of who from that list, if
any, is likely to join us either in January or the summer…
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