v Monaco

Following my last two, brief posting updates my many I.T. issues have mysteriously – and apparently – sorted themselves out (had planned for an Engineer to visit on Thursday). Huh…tech stuff hey? 

 

But with ongoing family issues still to sort out, I’ll ‘crack on’ with a brief one.

v Monaco.

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome.

Fluid 4-4-1-1:

____________________Aguero____________________

___________________De Bruyne__________________

Sane___________________________________Sterling

_____________Silva_____________________________

____________________________Toure_____________

Kolarov_______Stones______Otamendi_______Sagna

___________________Caballero___________________

(NO LINE-UP SUMMARY TODAY).

Subs: Outfield player with gloves on, Clichy, Zabaleta, Fernando, Delph, Fernandinho, Iheanacho (assuming we’ve been allowed to re-include him in the Champions League squad…and assuming also that he was moved aside following the purchase of Gabriel Jesus – I did say I’ve been out of touch lately).

Notable absences: Vincent Kompany (injured – likely for just a few days this time…we’ll see about that), Ilkay Gundogan (injured for rest of season), Jesus Navas (not selected), Nolito (not selected) & Gabriel Jesus (injured – possibly for the rest of the season).

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

Looks fine to me – looks strong for the most part (needs to be).

Result? I don’t know much about these other than, like us, they’ve had a lot of money spent on them in recent years; that they sit 3 points clear at the top of their domestic league and that Pep has a lot of respect for the way their fullbacks play like wingers, their wingers are like attacking [central] midfielders and they have a deadly 'strike force'.

All in all, I can see this game having goals at both ends but for some strange reason – and without knowing our ‘oppo’ too well as I say – I think they’ll score more and we might lose this one. Sorry…

Expected weather conditions during the game: Heavy rain for most of this afternoon and into the evening will likely make our otherwise fine pitch a bit slippy under foot. As for during the game itself, more rain is expected, which might become heavy again in the second half. Mild temperature-wise for the time of year at 11C but not feeling mild in a 15 to 17mph average wind that could gust higher at times.