Games are coming
think & fast again and including this-coming Sunday’s trip to the Borough of Trafford just west of Manchester; that’ll be 3 games all away from home
in 7 days and in 3-different competitions...4 away and in 4 different competitions if we take it back to last Wednesday!
Reflection on last Sunday
I really enjoyed that game and thought it
was a very measured and professional performance from our lads - I thought we
played very well without looking spectacular; with some precise passing moves.
Villa too, I thought, more than played their part in a decent cup final
and had short spells of attractive, attacking football. 2-1 perhaps flatters
them a little…but only a little.
I thought that was Foden’s
finest match for us and hey…we have a new, right-sided option in the lad from Stockport!
v Sheffield Wednesday
 |
| Hillsborough Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct
from starting line-up in the last game: 7/11).
Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 3-6-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Jesus_____________________
_____________________Rodri_____________________
____________Otamendi______Fernandinho__________
_____________________Bravo_____________________
5 to ‘go again’, 6 rotations is my guess…
Claudio started between the sticks in the last round and I get the
feeling he’s gonna be ‘domestic cup man’ this season and in this competition
also. Did himself no harm with a very good, vital save last Sunday…
I think we’ll see an almost completely new back-4 from last weekend;
with only Fernandinho keeping his place I recon. The others to come in are likely to be Benjamin,
Nicolas & Joao…and it’ll be interesting to
see how the Portuguese right-wing back reacts on a chilly night away at a
Championship ground in Yorkshire.
I could be wrong with this one in-thinking that Pep
will ask Rodders to start again but our hosts have a fairly prolific, 6’ 1” striker
in their ranks that our manager should be aware of and, therefore, he might
want to keep some height of our own in his side. That’s the thinking I’m
going for.
Ahead of the ‘big man’, a creative / attacking 4 of Raheem, Phil, Kevin
& Riyad.
Gabriel to be out ‘top man’ but, who, might be involved in a fluid,
attacking 5 rather than an out & out striker in front of 4 supporting.
Notable
absences:
- Leroy Sane – Closing in on a return
but his manager says not just yet; he’s not quite up to standard to be able to
return after such a long time out.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Looks good to me!
Result?
The Owls’ form is all over the place at the moment and their mid-table position
probably reflects that. League-wise, at least, they also concede almost as many
as they score.
What could be a threat is the fact that they
are both safe from relegation, baring any implosion I would say, but are also
far enough 'off the pace' that make it unlikely that they’ll finish in a play-off
place; although most of the immediate 8 teams ahead of them also seem to be in erratic
form in a crazy-looking division, from first glance at least.
That could mean that they’d be willing to
throw themselves right into this competition and, as I’ve already hinted, they
have a veteran striker in the form of Scottish international Steven Fletcher
who has impressive ‘goals to games’ ratios pretty much wherever he’s
been.
With a sure-to-be vocal home crown in a
packed, floodlit stadium; I can see ‘em breaching our defence…but I can also see
our class and continued, buoyed mood carrying us into the 6th round.
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: Quiet night really – very little chance of light drizzle, hardly a breeze and just a little chilly at 5C.
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