Different competition but facing Spurs at Wembley brings back some sharp & life-changing memories for me form our meeting in May 1981.
It was a painful moment, football-wise, as a 9-year-old at the time but also a defining one; the details of which can be seen in bold print in the “About me” tab on my blog.
v Tottenham Hotspur
 |
| Wembley Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).
If Pep wants any chance of winning this and equalling Liverpool’s League Cup record of winning the final 4 years running, then surely, he has to put out a strong side despite the semi-final first leg of the Champions League coming up on Wednesday night.
Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Jesus____________________
Foden__________________________________Mahrez
__________Gundogan_________Silva_____________
_____________________Rodri____________________
Zinchenko_______________________________Walker
____________Laporte___________Dias_____________
_____________________Steffen____________________
Subs: Ederson, Cancelo, Mendy, Ake, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Sterling, Torres, Aguero.
Zack has the ‘cup gloves’ and will be keen, I’m sure, to make amends for his ‘slip up’ in the F.A. Cup semi-final last weekend.
‘Going for it’, as I’m guessing Guardiola will; possibly our strongest back-4 sees Oleksandr, Aymeric, Ruben & Kyle all start (I think Pep will recognise that we’ll need Walker’s pace with the threat of Gareth Bale playing at least some part tomorrow afternoon (4:30pm KO BST)).
Then, I’m basically going for the same 6 ahead of the defence that played so very well against Aston Villa last Wednesday – Rodders, Phil, Ilkay, Bernardo, Riyad & Gabriel.
Ederson steps back as keeper cover; Joao, Benjamin & Nathan are the only defenders on the side. Fernandinho, Kevin, who may even be fit enough to start, Raheem, Ferran and even Sergio could all make up a decent-looking 5 that provides back-up to the midfield / wing / forward departments.
A reminder that should the match go to extra time, both teams are permitted 1-extra substitution this season and teams can hold back 'normal time' subs to add to that should they wish to.
Notable absences:
- Eric Garcia – Not selected.
- John Stones – Suspended for the 1st of 3, domestic games and is now-only available, domestically, for our last 3 games of the season. As for European competition, I’m just wondering whether he may also only make the bench; so that his manager can build some consistency / a partnership with Laporte & Dias for most of the remainder of the season. John could well have effectively ended his otherwise-excellent season early…
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result? The word…“depends” springs to mind.
Depends…
· …whether Pep is gonna make wholesale changes from our last domestic outing like he did last Saturday.
· …if he does, whether the incoming players ‘step up’ and give a better account of themselves.
· …whether Kev will have any involvement and, if he does, how close to 100% he is given that he was only injured 8-days earlier.
· …whether Harry Kane plays a part and, likewise, how fit he is after HIS ankle injury.
· …what impact their 29-year-old, interim manager has on the team / how the players respond to him-being in charge of a cup final so soon after taking charge.
· …how well we can nullify the attacking threat of, not just, but Son in particular.
In short? I think it’s so hard to call.
SO…I’m going for our manager to be bold ahead of our PSG clash this midweek coming and although he may not go with my full predicted side; I do believe he will pick a stronger one that he did against Chelsea. Obviously, there’s always a chance of injury to players but if we’re talking about recovery time / energy levels; then they’ll have a full 3 days to recover that includes just a short, 1-½ hour plane hop over to Paris.
Go into this match with some of our best quality and I’m going for us to win this in normal time, although it could be a close one. It’s a City win and a record-equalling 4 League Cup trophies ‘on the trot’, for me.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: N/A
Result: N/A
Expected weather conditions during the game: Perfect conditions to keep the players cool as they ‘leg it’ around on a big pitch. Sunny intervals and 12/13C with a brisk, easterly breeze throughout the game.
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