Quick posting – time constraints and a quick-turn-around of fixtures ‘n’ all…
v Lyon
 |
| Parc Olympique Lyonnais / Groupama Stadium (sponsors name) |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct
from starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).
Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Aguero____________________
____________________Ederson____________________
Ederson
has the gloves.
I can see a little team rotation for this game following our last
league game being just 3 days earlier and I think we’ll see an almost completely
different back-4, with only Kyle being asked to ‘go again’; joined by
experienced Vinny, rested John and with Danilo taking up a left-wing-back slot.
Fernandinho likely to start in front of those but, if the game suits, I
can see him being subbed not long after half time. He needs a rest!
Leroy & David, I think, both get starts again but joined by a rare-starting-place for Phil...and Riyad to come in for Raheem, who gets some well-earned ‘time
on the side’ after a busy & fruitful time for both City & England and before domestic work starts again on Saturday.
Sergio to ‘go again’ also.
Aro is the keeper insurance; Oleksandr, Nicholas, Aymeric & Fabian
give Pep cover-options at left-wing-back,
central defence, defensive midfield and left-sided, attacking midfield. Brahim
& Raheem (sounds like that should be some kind of shop) provide
more-advanced change-options from ‘the 7’.
Notable
absences:
-
Ilkay Gundogan – Not travelled – not being
risked following a small issue with a bone in his foot.
-
Bernardo Silva – Not travelled as still
recovering from injury from last week and, apparently, not far away off a
return. Was expected to be out for this
one; possibly back for Saturday’s league game.
-
Gabriel Jesus – Not travelled and,
apparently, is due to a little bit of a muscle problem late on in training. However, I’ve got to go with my ‘City instincts’ - I could be wrong
but I thought he looked a bit fed up to me on Saturday after coming on late in
the game, where he got a very late assist. Watch this space…perhaps he needs
some ‘Guardiola head management’ time because of a lack of first team chances?
I’m guessing of course.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Apart from Vinny’s
slowing pace being of some concern, I’ve no
issues with the quality and positioning of any of those players.
Result? We
[now] know these are a good outfit following our early defeat at home and they
do sit 2nd in their domestic league. They play
with a high tempo and love to test & stretch the defence. I expect similar
and perhaps even more so, especially on ‘their patch’ and knowing themselves
that they can get at and beat us.
As for us - and despite injuries forcing us
to involve personnel who wouldn’t have necessarily played otherwise - we’ll be
more ‘switched on’ to how our hosts play and I can’t see them rocking us onto
our heals quite as much as they did in the first encounter.
All things considered? I think this’ll be a
score draw.
Last season’s,
corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: N/A.
Result: N/A.
Expected weather conditions during
the game: Nothing much happening really – dry, chilly at around 4 or 5C and barely a breeze.
