A balancing act and…flippin’ typical!

If we are to have any hope of progression to the final of the Champions League this-coming Wednesday night, then despite having-had a near-full 5-days since our match in Madrid; may I suggest that some of our star players will need a little TLC?

Using no substitutions whatsoever last Tuesday night in Spain will have drained the batteries of some of our key players for sure; especially those who are on the wrong side of 30 and who have so many game minutes under their belts already.

And…what the hell?!

Before their last outing on Monday 8^th May, The Toffees had managed just 3 wins since Sean Dyche took over on 30^th January. Each of those finished 1-0; all three were at home.

Under Sean’s tenure, his team had managed to score just 12 goals in 14 games – it was very obvious to all where their main / ongoing problem lay and why they’ve been flirting with relegation for most, if not all, of the season. Having said that and at the other end of the pitch, in those same number of games they also conceded 24.

Sean is a motivator but his players must have been lacking in confidence as the games – and defeats with occasional draws – ‘ticked by’.

It would have been nice, therefore, to have faced a side in-between two energy-sapping European fixtures feeling low and like they were fated to spend next season in the Championship but…OH NO; that wouldn’t be the City way, would it? Instead, we now face a team buoyed after thumping largely in-form Brighton AT Brighton 1-5!

I understand that we’re approaching a crazy part of the season and I also know that particular, unexpected result came on a Bank Holiday Monday, which saw a whopping 21 goals scored in just 3 Premier League matches but…REALLY? Struggle to score for months and months and then slamming 5 in away from home against a side that has received so many plaudits from so many sources all season?

I know I might sound like a ‘whinging wan’ it all my own way’ City fan but, huhhhh…the timing could hardly have been worse! 🙄

v Everton

Goodison Park

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 11/11)

A very fluid 3-2-4-1 / 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Haaland____________________

 

 

Foden___________________________________Mahrez

______________________________Alvarez__________

_________Gundogan____________________________

 

_____________________Rodri_____________________

Laporte___________________________________Lewis

___________Akanji______________Stones__________

 

 

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Ortega, Gomez, Walker, Dias, Phillips, Palmer, Grealish, Silva & De Bruyne.

Ederson to continue in net.

If we are going to rest / protect at least two of our defenders ahead of Wednesday’s clash then I can foresee the possibility of Aymeric & Rico stepping into the starting 11 – Aymeric to operate between left-back and the left-side of ‘a 3’, with Rico in a duel right-wing back / defensive midfield role alongside Rodri. I’m going for Manuel & John to have to ‘go again’ in-between those.

Rodders is likely to have to start again also and ahead of the Spaniard is where I think we’ll have most of the changes, which will see Phil, Ilkay, Julian & Riyad all providing the creativity behind Erling.

Stefan is the back-up keeper; Sergio, Kyle & Ruben are the defenders on the side. Kalvin, Cole, Jack, Bernardo & Kevin are the midfielders / wingers in ‘the 9’ and I would expect to see at least 4, possibly all-5 subs being used for this one.

Notable absences:

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

-       Nathan Ake – After his second injury breakdown in just a few weeks; Nathan is apparently getting better once more. A further assessment / training session was due to commence following Pep’s pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon so we won’t know any more until the team sheet is released around 1:00pm this afternoon. I’m going for the Dutch defender not-to-be-risked at all this afternoon.

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

It’s not a weak side by ANY means but it is weaker than it could be, of course and if I’m right. But, as I’ve said, I think they’ll be some sore limbs and fatigued bodies for some of our more-regular players and this change of personnel would be most understandable given the fixtures / type of opponents we are facing right now.

Putting out such a side could…COULD be problematic if our hosts are in high spirits and in the mood to hunt us down for their own survival reasons but there’s certainly enough quality and threat in that predicted 11 to cause them many issues too.

Result? It could be a bit of an edgy one at times for us IF they’ve now got wind in their sails. I’m not sure how they might start, to be really honest – will they ‘sit & soak’ and see how we’re operating on the day and then hope to hit us on the break OR, with them having discovered their shooting boots last time out; will they-instead have a few pops at us early on in the hope of gaining early advantage?

They could well breach our defences and, if so, we’ll just have to keep pressuring a side who have only managed to keep 4 clean sheets in 14 games under their current manager.

It might be one of those matches that will have City fans chewing their nails for a time, myself included of course, but come the final whistle; I expect us to be punching the air in celebration…even if might come with a sigh of relief too. It’s a City win for me.

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

Prediction: Win

Result: Won

(There was no pre-match blog-posting for that game due to being away on a short holiday)

Expected weather conditions during the game: The first half should start fairly sunny & dry but as the second half progresses, darker skies move in and could produce a little light drizzle to increase the zippiness of the grass. 16 / 17C is a reasonable temperature but it does-also come with a fairly brisk, north-westerly breeze.

Solidarity