The players need to use…

…the Champions League win & progression to grow in belief & increased confidence, as we head into a crucial, packed schedule that includes 4 different competitions in 4 games; starting with a real tester against a restructured Chelsea side.

v Chelsea

Wembley Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).

Fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-6-0 / 4-3-3:

______________________________________________

 

 

Foden___________________________________Mahrez

 

________De Bruyne___Gundogan___Silva___________

 

___________________Fernandinho_________________

Zinchenko________________________________Walker

 

_____________Stones____________Dias____________

 

 

______________________Steffen___________________

Subs: Ederson, Cancelo, Mendy, Ake, Laporte, Rodri, Sterling, Torres, Jesus.

A change in keeper for this competition is likely to see Zack step in ‘between the sticks’.

No changes in defence from last Wednesday night’s win in Germany, though-I-reckon, with Oleksandr, John, Ruben & Kyle all protecting our goal.

Also helping to keep The Pensioners out is another change from midweek; as I’m going for our captain, Fernandinho, to start in the defensive midfield role.

In another ‘no recognised striker’ formation that I’ve suggested, I’m guessing we’ll see same attacking midfield 5; as Phil, Kevin, Ilkay, Bernardo & Riyad will be asked to ‘pull on their reserve tanks’ of energy, which I hope will have mostly refilled by the time we come to 5:30pm (BST) in the evening. Of course, any of those midfielders / wingers are capable of acting as a 'false 9' and, indeed, they may well rotate that position between them as the play dictates.

Ederson takes a rare ‘back seat’ as reserve keeper; Joao, Benjamin, Nathan & Aymeric make up the defence cover from ‘the 9’. Rodders, Raheem, Ferran & Gabriel are the midfield / wing / attacking choice-options from the side. A reminder that 5 substitutes are allowed on no more than 3 occasions in this competition this season.

Notable absences:

-       Eric Garcia – Not selected.

-       Sergio Aguero – Still hasn't recovered from a slight muscle niggle to be ready for this game.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Yeah, I love it. On the big pitch that is Wembley and after an energy-sapping game just 69-½ hours earlier; I think we’re gonna need a packed midfield against a side who, I reckon, will deploy similarly.

And with the fresh, fast-attacking legs of Raheem, Ferran & Gabriel on the bench as late-game options when legs are tiring on both sides; I think it’s good to have that in our armoury too.

Result? Real tough one to call, is this. There’s no doubting that Hard task master, Thomas Tuchel, has solidified his new side in the 2-½ months, there abouts, that he’s been at SW6; tightening the defence from his predecessor’s reign and building a more robust midfield, as he’s ‘chipped away’ at results; gathering mostly decent draws or good wins.

It’s not his team yet, however, and despite also progressing to the semi-final stage of the Champions League and parking themselves in 5^th place of the Prem ready to strike for a 4^th or even 3^rd-place finish; they did get walloped 2-5 at home to all-but-doomed West Brom, admittedly when down to 10 men after 29 minutes, and did lose their home leg of the quarter finals of the Champions League, so they are by no means impenetrable.

But, in the main, they are more of a solid unit than they were when we put 3 past them on 'their patch' in early January and so for me, it’s all about whether we’ve got our decision-making heads & shooting boots on because…as our opponents have solidified, they have, in general, become a little less threatening at the ‘business end’ of the pitch.

Get those crucial, in-the-box decisions right and put the correct boots on and I can see us winning this in normal time…but at the same time I can also easily envisage a draw in ‘the 90’ and then it becoming a game of who has ‘the legs’ and the concentration to finish it off. I just hope it doesn’t come to penalties, as I don’t think we’d come out of that too well...

I think our lads will be buzzing after beating a very good Borussia Dortmund side twice, 2-1, and will take that fizz into this game like having an extra man on the pitch. It’s a City win for me.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: Lovely. Not exactly t-shirt weather, especially in the shaded areas of the ground as the sun dips away, but 12C with sunny intervals sounds like a perfect evening for a game of footy.