A couple of omissions in the starting 11 last Saturday that surprised me a little despite this next, important Champions League game coming just 75 hours after our match against Burnley in the Premier League.
So, with that and a few players who had a rest during the international break, I expect a couple changes to our starting 11 tonight.
v Shakhtar Donetsk
 |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct
from starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).
A fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Aguero____________________
__________________Fernandinho__________________
____________________Ederson____________________
Ederson
to continue in net, of course.
Just one change from the back-4, I would suggest, with Nicholas being
added to Benjamin, Aymeric & John, who is likely to continue at right-back.
Fernandinho to ‘go again’ in his deeper midfield role; same for Leroy,
David & Bernardo but I think we’ll see Raheem back on the right-side of
attack despite Riyad’s best game for City last Saturday.
Sergio to have another outing also.
Aro is security for Ederson; Vincent & Oleksandr the only defenders
in reserve from the side (hard to see
Zinchenko being rolled out alongside Pep for
the pre-match press conference and not at least make ‘the 7’…plus good flanking
defence cover). Phil, Kevin & Riyad make up impressive attacking
midfield / wing replacement options and Gabriel finds himself on the side as
back-up again too.
Notable
absences:
-
Kyle Walker – Has travelled with the squad
and it’s unclear as to whether he’ll be risked following a niggle. I would
suggest that with Spurs away on the horizon on Monday, he won’t be risked
and will, instead, be ‘ear marked’ for that encounter.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Nothing wrong with
that.
Result?
In my season predictions piece on 11th September 2018, I suggested
that although we have a wonderful squad of talented players, we still lack
extra quality in depth to challenge right to the end of this competition. That’s
not to say that we don’t have a chance of getting to the final, at least, but I
raised a little smile when our
manager appeared to agree with that assessment when asked yesterday. It’s nice to share the same opinion with ‘the
master’.
As for tonight in our next group game, our
hosts have an impressive league record so far this season as they sit on top of
their domestic league with W10 D1 L1 / F31 A6.
Impressive indeed with both their goal-scoring and defensive record!
So, defenders beware - perhaps, especially, our
makeshift right-back.
Other than that, I don’t know their
individual players / main threats and have no idea as to the quality of
opposition they face week in / week out in their own country.
We’re playing ever so well at the moment and
we were so-very clinical against a hard-working, often-organised Burnley at
the weekend. I have to think that we’ll take that into tonight’s match. And
with our next game a full 6 days away; I can see us throwing a lot of energy
and threat into our gameplay tonight too.
They clearly carry a threat; will be aware of
our various threats too and they did beat us last time at ‘their place’. It should
be a really good game and with goals at both ends, I would think; I’m going for
us to win by a goal or perhaps 2 if we catch ‘em on a break at some point.
Last season’s,
corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Draw
Result: Lost
Expected weather conditions during
the game: A little chilly ataround 8C, dry with light cloud and just a gentle or, at times, stiff, Southerly breeze. No conditions that will affect the game at all.
Going on a
week’s holiday soon so there’ll be no pre-match blog-postings before the Spurs,
Premier League away game on Monday night; nor before the Thursday home game in
the League Cup against Fulham and it’s 50/50 whether I’ll get one written & posted prior to the Southampton home league game the following
Sunday. Thanks, as always, for continuing to read!
