0-0 after the first leg in the Champions League against Real Madrid; we’ve never been so close to the final of this prestigious competition.
It’s important for us to, therefore, try to pick our strongest side on Wednesday night / protect our key players this weekend BUT…this clash on the South Coast is just as important in my book; it’s VITAL that we achieve a top-4 finish; preferably top 3…
My thoughts
In order to save time, I’ll simply ‘copy
& paste’ my thoughts that I put down in a forum yesterday, which was on an
article about just such a dilemma in terms of what strength team to pick with
Wednesday night looming.
Yeah it's a balancing act but it shouldn't be TOO much of a concern to
play key players needed for Madrid against Southampton too. I say that also because 3 points
against the Saints is a MUST!
Of course we'd want to avoid (more) injuries, a risk I accept as a concern, but in terms of fatigue; I don't see it being much of an issue. Withdrawing key players around the 65-minute mark would be ideal if we are in a position to do so BUT these players will have a full day of rest (and perhaps some travel unless they do that Sunday night from London, which makes sense to do so to me) on Monday then a full 1-1/2 days training / prep work on Tuesday, Wednesday morning / early afternoon.
Yeah a Saturday KO on the South coast would have been far more preferable but I can't emphasize enough that this game is just as important as the one on Wednesday for our club going into next season. Strong side needed on Sunday for me...
Of course we'd want to avoid (more) injuries, a risk I accept as a concern, but in terms of fatigue; I don't see it being much of an issue. Withdrawing key players around the 65-minute mark would be ideal if we are in a position to do so BUT these players will have a full day of rest (and perhaps some travel unless they do that Sunday night from London, which makes sense to do so to me) on Monday then a full 1-1/2 days training / prep work on Tuesday, Wednesday morning / early afternoon.
Yeah a Saturday KO on the South coast would have been far more preferable but I can't emphasize enough that this game is just as important as the one on Wednesday for our club going into next season. Strong side needed on Sunday for me...
v
Southampton
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome.
4-4-1-1:
____________________Aguero____________________
___________________Iheanacho__________________
____________Delph_________Fernandinho_________
_____________________Hart_____________________
Plenty of room for error in this predicted
line-up…
Despite some City fans on-line calling for
Joe not to be risked tomorrow evening, I just can’t see our manager agreeing
with that.
Having started against Real on Tuesday and
likely to start again this coming Wednesday; Gael & Bacary likely to be on
the bench and, so, Aleks & Pablo should come in. In between those is likely
to be Eliaquim & Nicholas as, unlike the ‘Joe thing’, I think Pellegrini will not risk Vinny
for this one.
Some players will have to ‘go again’ and,
so, alongside Fabian is likely to be Fernandinho. It’s a blessing, in a weird
way, that Samir isn’t in the Champions League squad; we should, therefore, have
a fresh and important player available for our league games. With the Frenchman
on the left I think we’ll see Raheem on the opposite flank.
2 ‘up top’ I think for this one with
Kelechi slightly behind Sergio, who I’m sure our manager would like to see come
off no later than the 65-minute mark.
Willy as keeper cover; the afore mentioned
Gael & Bacary alongside Martin as defensive insurance. Kevin on the side in
case we need some added creativity; Jesus for some late pace / slightly rested
for Wednesday Night's 'need for energy' and one striker option on Wilfried.
Notable absences: Vincent Kompany (not selected / rested / protected), Fernando (not selected / rested / protected) and Yaya Toure (only just recovering from an injury niggle).
Do I agree with Pellegrini’s (predicted)
line-up?
Yep…if he goes with
that I think it’s one with a good chance of coming away with 3, vital points as
well as resting some key players for our trip to Spain and having the
options there to withdraw some other vital players; swapping them with decent replacements too.
Result?
In my 8-game, mini season piece a few weeks ago I had this one down as a
draw. And the outcome this weekend depends a lot on which Southampton turn
up. I find them to be a team who are hard to read a lot of the time and a last 10 of, W L L D W W L W D W
is testimony to that.
Fatigue from our last game shouldn’t be an
issue at all, having-had almost a full, 5-days’ rest.
But even if our manager picks a team that is
well capable of coming away from St Mary’s with a win, I just wonder if some of
the players, who will have to ‘go again’ just 3 days later, might just play
with their foot 'lightly pressed on the gas pedal' on Sunday.
I’d love to say, “Win”…and I pray that’s the case of course. But, even
as I’ve been typing this, I’ve been wobbling between that much-needed outcome
and the one I predicted back on 22nd March and I’m afraid, all
things considered with us-being wrapped up in the Champions League, the earlier
prediction of a draw
has come out on top in my head.
Expected weather conditions during
the game: Brisk, South-westerly breeze, largely dry & overcast but not feeling TOO cold at around 10 to 11C.
