v Norwich City

Despite my announcement at the bottom of my last blog-posting, I’ve just got a little time to get out a basic, pre-match blog-posting after returning from holiday and before our 3:00pm KO (BST) against our visitors from the south east.

 

v Norwich City

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which for me, blog-wise, was our Community Shield game: 10/11).

Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Jesus____________________

 

 

Sterling________________________________Mahrez

 

__________Grealish___________Gundogan________

__________________Fernandinho________________

Zinchenko______________________________Walker

 

_____________Stones__________Dias_____________

 

 

____________________Ederson__________________

Subs: Steffen, Cancelo, Mendy, Ake, Laporte, Rodri, Silva, De Bruyne, Torres.

Ederson continues in net.

I’ve just got a feeling that we’re gonna see an almost completely changed back-4 to the one used last Sunday; with Oleksandr, John & Kyle joining Ruben.

I think we’ll see our skipper, Fernandinho, once again ahead of the last line of defence, especially having-had a near-full week in-between games. Ahead of the Brazilian, I’m going for our manager to pick an attacking 4 of Raheem, Jack, Ilkay who, we are told, has shrugged off what looked like a very painful shoulder injury initially, and Riyad; although after last week’s poor showing (not just from the Algerian – I’m certainly not singling him out) I was wondering if Pep might be tempted to start Ferran Torres in his more-favoured role on the right-hand side.

At home against newly-promoted Norwich? Surely Gabriel should be looking forward to is first start of the season ‘up front’. That’s what I’m going for.

Zack is the reserve stopper; Joao, Benjamin and Nathan are the 3 defenders stepping aside, I reckon, and will be joined by Aymeric as the back-up defenders on the side. Rodders, Bernardo, Kevin & Ferran are likely to be the midfielders / wingers in ‘the 9’, with the Belgium international having a late test this morning after a ‘niggle’ prevented him from training yesterday.

By the way, that’s 9 substitutes in the Premier League and not 7 as I said in my last posting. That’s the second ‘subs fact’ I’ve got wrong early on this season after being convinced that I’d read that there was going to be a reversal to 7 for the 2021/22 season. Huhhhh…oh well.

Notable absences:

-       Phil Foden – Still out with a foot injury and there’s no updated news on a likely return date...but it doesn’t sound like he’s taken the ‘step up’ of training with his teammates as yet.

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

Yeah, I’d be happy with that.

Result? Having largely been The Canaries' bogey team in recent years, I would say from memory and without looking it up; it was a below-par performance mixed with defensive errors from us resulting in a shock 3-2 defeat when we met them on 'their patch' early on in the 2019/20 season.

Looking at the stats from their home-game-opener last weekend against Liverpool, although they failed to hit the back of the net and conceded 3; they did share 50% possession with the Merseysiders and managed 14 shots in anger against a team who usually like to control the game and press the opposition hard 'n' fast. That suggests to me a plucky performance / side who will be hoping to catch us on the break and do some damage, I’m sure.

As for us, aside from the opening 10 minutes at Spurs last Sunday, it was a fragmented performance to say the least with so many under-performing players and a few sloppy moments. THAT is something Pep and the lads will want to get out of their systems this afternoon and with a few 'player tweaks’, I think they’ll achieve just that.

I’m actually gonna give our visitors a goal…but I think we’ll crash 4 or more into their net...eventually. It’s a home win from me.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: Pretty awful. Although the sun might make an appearance or two, it certainly won’t be for long as it dips in & out of rain-filled clouds, some of which could be very heavy at times. Could get a bit of thunder & lightning too and there’s a suggestion of a fairly brisk, south-easterly breeze. Those conditions could be a bit of 'a leveller' on the pitch. At least it’s fairly warm rain for the fans (😊), with temperatures throughout the game at 18C/64F.

 Now that all-3 kits have been released, I'm hoping to do a small article on them in the coming week. Thanks, as always, for taking the time to visit & read.