Huh…“predictions” v Swindon Town

Well…having been slowly prepping my pre-match blog-posting throughout the week, this WAS gonna be something like the piece I was going to put out…

Opportunities

Tonight’s F.A. Cup game gives Pep the perfect opportunity to rest some clearly-tiring [from our previous game / late win last Saturday] first team legs and give some ‘game time’ to both our young and fringe players.

v Swindon Town

Energy Check County Ground

I think it’s worth noting that our EDS side are at Blackburn Rovers on the same night and, so, if we do include a good number of youth players in this first-team fixture then it will dramatically weaken our second team as they face the Premier League 2 bottom side (KO just 1 hour ahead of this fixture).

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:

_______________________________________________

 

_____________________McAtee____________________

Grealish___________________________________Kayky

 

__________Gundogan___________Palmer___________

 

___________________Fernandinho_________________

Wilson-Esbrand____________________________Walker

 

_____________Ake______________Stones___________

 

_____________________Steffen____________________

Subs: Carson, Slicker, Lewis, Mbete, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Jesus.

Zack is highly likely to be handed this competition by his boss and, so, the American international should take the gloves tonight.

I’m going for a back-4 of Josh, Nathan, John & Kyle; the latter very much in need of some game time to help with his recovery and shake off any rustiness he may have.

I think Fernandinho will be given another starting run-out in the defensive midfield role and an-assumed, much-changed side sees our fluid, interchangeable, attacking 5 made up of Jack, Ilkay, James, Cole & Kayky.

Two reserve keepers on the bench, I’m guessing, which come in the form of Scott & Cieran. Rico & Luke may be the only defensive replacement options chosen to be on the bench, with Rodders, Kevin, Bernardo, Raheem & Gabriel making up the back-up midfielders / wingers / attackers in ‘the 9’.

9 on the bench and 5 subs allowed at this stage of this competition, for the time being at least.

Notable absences:

-       Ederson – Not selected / rested.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.

-       Joao Cancelo – Not selected / rested.

-       Oleksandr Zinchenko – Possibly not recovered in time from-having caught Covid-19; with a possible isolation date having only just about finished in time for this fixture.

-       Aymeric Laporte – Not selected / rested.

-       Ruben Dias – Not selected / rested.

-       Phil Foden – The same as Oleksandr - possibly not recovered in time from-having caught Covid-19; with a possible isolation date having only just about finished in time for this fixture.

-       Riyad Mahrez – Away on international duty.

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

I like the look of it – a good mixture of youth & experience with some ‘heavy artillery’ in reserve should we need ‘game changers’ to come on.

Result? Victory for our hosts in their last league game halted a recent slide where they lost 2 & drew 2 of their previous 4 games. That last win saw them come out 5-2 winners against 2^nd place Northampton Town; a game that saw 5 goals in a crazy, 16-minute, second half period! They currently sit 5^th in League 2 just 2-points off the play-offs after 22 (of 46) league games played.

Harry McKirdy & Tyreece Simpson are their two-main danger men, from what I can tell; Tyreece, who is in on loan from League 1 side Ipswich Town, in particular has a better conversion rate and goals-to-games ratio this season so far. Both forwards have only been at the club since the start of the season but it seems they’ve struck up a decent partnership – both weigh-in with assists too and Harry, in particular, seems very versatile in the forward positions…although it is noted that he can be a bit of a hothead / liability at times.

As for us, many changes can, of course, upset the side but having said that; any youth team players who might come into the first team are trained to play in the same style as their more-senior colleagues.

I think it’s definitely gonna be a tough and perhaps bruising encounter and whoever our starting 11 may be is almost sure to be in for a rough ride. However, they are-apparently a side who like to play out from the back and “play football”; so, I’m not suggesting for one second that they’re just a rough side who like to muscle teams out of games and ‘hoof it’.

At least one goal for them? Well, it is the F.A. Cup and, therefore, I have little doubt that they’ll pose a threat and…yes; I think they will hit the back of our net and that the home crowd will act as their ‘12^th man’.

It might take some time for us to settle ourselves into some sort of pattern but, eventually, I think we’ll progress into round 4.

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: Well, not only do our players and fans have to "endure" League 2 surroundings and all that brings with it; it's gonna be pretty chilly to say the least. 2C is the 'in game' temperature and it comes with a fairly brisk, westerly breeze too. Should be dry though, at least, as daytime rain fades away well before kick off (8:00pm GMT).

Since then - and with ‘the camp’ being decimated with Covid-19 cases both staff and players alike (7 players up to now) - who the ‘eck knows?!

Really looking forward to the game, though…