Not a bad headache for a manger to have, of course, but when you look at the quality of who might find themselves watching some or all of the match from the bench, then…wow!
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| Etihad Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 7/11).
Fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-1-2-3 / 4-3-3:
_____________________________________________
___________________Torres____________________
Grealish_________________________________Jesus
_________Gundogan__________Silva_____________
____________________Rodri____________________
Cancelo________________________________Walker
_____________Ake____________Dias_____________
___________________Ederson___________________
Subs: Carson, Zinchenko, Burns, Mbete, Fernandinho, Foden, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling.
This is a ‘stick or twist’ scenario for me…
Ederson has the gloves…and will be hoping he won’t be using them as often, or at all, to pick the ball out of his net as he had to last Wednesday.
I think our manager will stick and what I mean by that is, despite returning players [from injury] being fit enough to play some part in our midweek game, I can imagine Pep thinking…why change a winning Premier League side that’s won the last 3 league games a total of 11-0?
With one forced change, it’s back to a familiar-looking defensive 4 of Joao, Nathan, Ruben & Kyle.
Rodders to roam in front of those and ahead of him, a fluid, attacking 5 of Jack, Ilkay, Bernardo, Gabriel, back on the right, and Ferran the most advanced / central attacker.
Scott continues to be our reserve keeper; Oleksandr, Finley & Luke are the defensive replacement options from ‘the 9’ (I’m guessing that we’ll promote two of our central defenders from the EDS in the absence of both Laporte & Stones, even though that may severely affect our young side as they too have a 3:00pm KO today in Premier League 2). Fernandinho, Phil, Kevin, Riyad & Raheem are the rather impressive, back-up midfielders / wing men on the side.
Notable absences:
- Zack Steffen – Although the date where the 10-days Covid-19 isolation is up, there’s been no update about the availability of Zack and, therefore, he may well be in the process of travelling back from the USA and / or being assessed fitness wise.
- Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.
- Aymeric Laporte – Injured with a number of muscular niggles.
- John Stones – Similar to Aymeric, out injured with a muscular problem.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result? I think we’re gonna have a lot of walls to knock down this afternoon – a real ‘work for it’ sort of game. Some fans of a certain disposition will have to try ‘n’ show a little patience, I would suggest.
Their manager has already been asked the question in midweek how he feels about facing a side that’s scored 17 goals in the last 4 matches and having not won a game so far but have drawn the last 3, at least; I’m sure he wouldn’t mind making it 4 draws in a row but will, of course, be delighted to hit us on the break and nick a win. We need to be careful as well as hard-working here today and going of Pep’s words in his pre-match press conference yesterday, he knows it too.
Unless we pound them to the point where they just don’t have the legs to defend anymore and eventually ‘crack’, I’m not expecting a big scoreline like we’ve seen in recent weeks but I do envisage a win. Another 3 points to us is my guess.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Win
Result: Won
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: It’s mid-September and as the ref blows his whistle to start the game this afternoon, we’ll be at or around 70F. After showing its face in the morning, the sun might just dip behind a layer of grey stuff but with a southerly breeze washing over the stadium, it’ll feel very pleasant indeed for those in the stands. Leave jackets at home, I say…
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