No complacency here as we look to ‘gain some ground’ in our group stage.
There’s a blog announcement at the end on this piece…
 |
| Jan Breydel Stadium - A good, old-fashioned-looking ground. |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 8/11).
Fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-6-0 / 4-3-3:
______________________________________________
Grealish__________________________________Jesus
___________________De Bruyne __________________
___________Foden______________Silva____________
_____________________Rodri____________________
Cancelo_________________________________Walker
___________Laporte____________Dias_____________
____________________Ederson___________________
Subs: Steffen, Carson, Zinchenko, Ake, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Palmer, Mahrez, Sterling.
In addition to the starting 11 and with 12 allowed on the bench in this competition, clubs are allowed to carry 23 players with them in their respective squads. However, for what the reason(s), City have chosen only 20 to travel to Belgium for this evening’s game.
Ederson is likely to take up the gloves once again, following a forced rest at the weekend.
After some changes on Saturday, I think we’re likely to see a more-usual back-4 of Joao, Aymeric, Ruben & Kyle.
Rodders is likely to continue in his deeper-lying midfield role with a fluid, interchangeable, attacking 5 of Jack, Phil, Kevin, Bernardo & Gabriel ahead of him.
Zack & Scott are two reserve stoppers on the side; Oleksandr & Nathan the only defenders on the bench. Fernandinho, Ilkay, Cole, Riyad & Raheem make up the midfield / wing change-options in ‘the 9’.
Notable absences:
- Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.
- John Stones – Is not in the squad for what is described by the club as…‘personal reasons’.
- Ferran Torres – Out with a foot injury until around Christmas time.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result? Tough game tonight, I reckon – they went to RB Leipzig and came away with all-3 points and held PSG at home to a 1-1 draw. In their domestic league, they sit second on goal difference only and have only been beaten once, which is 2 better than any of their rivals. From listening to Pep’s pre-match press conference, they’re a very aggressive, attacking side. Game on!
Our manager rested players at the weekend and I think that’s a big bonus for us. We’ll certainly have to be ‘on it’, as you need to be in any game not least in Europe, and I suspect we will be; we’re in decent form and have a game under our belt following another interrupting international break.
I think they’ll ‘rock us’ and give us a scare and I get the feeling that this will be a close one; a match that could have a fair number of goals in it. That being said and even though we may concede, I think we’ll come out of it with a win. That’s what I’m going for.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: N/A
Result: N/A
Expected weather conditions during the game: A lovely evening. Dry and warm for the earlier-than-usual, 5:45pm KO (BST). A fairly strong, southerly wind will be blowing in at around 14MPH but I can’t see that causing any issues game-play wise.
This will be my last blog-posting until the beginning of November, as I’m away on a week’s holiday starting on Saturday and won’t even have an opportunity to produce a pre-match posting before our Premier League game away at Brighton & Hove Albion before I leave.
There’s a very good chance I’ll get to see that Brighton fixture soon after arriving; I won’t get to see the midweek West Ham / League Cup match, sadly, but I should be home in time to catch our home-league game against Crystal Palace. Let’s hope we’re looking at 3 wins from 3 there; 2 league wins at the very least.
Thanks, as always, for taking the time and I’ll be back writing soon enough.
No comments:
Post a Comment