A chance for some players to make their mark; a chance for some to perhaps have a little break ahead of our league game on Saturday, while a few others will have to ‘go again’, I assume.
Plus…some transfer news? 🤨
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| St James' Park |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).
A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3:
____________________Alvarez____________________
_Doku___________________________________Bobb_
_____________________________Foden____________
____________Nunes_____________________________
____________________Phillips____________________
Gomez____________________________________Lewis
____________Ake_______________Akanji___________
_____________________Ortega____________________
Subs: Carson, Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Grealish & Haaland.
Stefan to get his first start of the season in net; as he will, no doubt, be ‘pencilled in’ for both domestic cup competitions. Unless the currently in form Ederson gets himself injured or suspended, will that be enough to keep the German stopper with us beyond the 2024 summer transfer window? At least one European club was rumoured to be fishing in the summer transfer window just gone.
Surely we’ll see a change in defence for this one; giving opportunities to two fringe players as well as resting / protecting those who are likely to start on Saturday. If I’m correct in that assumption, I think we’re likely to see both Sergio & Rico flanking Nathan & Manuel.
Kalvin, according to his boss, is a definite starter in the defensive midfield slot, as most City fans would have expected anyway. Ahead of the England international is a likely quartet of Jeremy, Matheus, Phil & Oscar.
Julian could well find himself pushed right up-front playing as a lone striker tonight. That’s my guess.
8 from a possible 9 on the bench once again is likely, with our EDS being considerably weakened this season following departing players both on loan as well as being sold. It’s a very young second-string squad this season and it’s already telling, as the team who are so used to finishing the season as champions currently sit 17th after 5 games, with 1 win, 1 draw and 3 defeats; scoring 10 and conceding 13.
By the way, last season’s Premier League 2 table consisted of 14 sides. This season? A whopping 26! If you want an explanation of why that is, then you can read this.
Back to tonight…
Scott & Ederson provide double keeper insurance on the bench; Kyle, Ruben & Josko are the defenders on the side. Mateo & Jack are the only two midfielder / wingers waiting to get a run out, while Erling steps aside but ready to provide some additional firepower should it be needed.
Notable absences:
- John Stones – Still out with a muscle problem of some kind. Still no return date issued.
- Bernardo Silva – Out with a little, undefined injury and could be missing for another week to 10-days.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Recovering from a torn hamstring / surgery. Expected return around December / January.
- Rodri – Suspended for 3 matches following his ‘straight red’ for violent conduct.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result? Buoyed by a massive 0-8 win at Sheffield United last Sunday, a result that saw 8 different players hit the back of The Blades’ net; a lot of those players will be buzzing and might want to take that adrenalin onto the pitch as soon as possible.
However, if Pep is a little concerned about scheduling and possible player fatigue then their manager might be even more so; having kicked off 25-½ hours after us last weekend. I’ve no idea whether the Newcastle Manager intended to rotate his players considerably for this game / competition regardless, but that later kick-off at the weekend may just decide it for him.
Not knowing the strength of their intended side and not knowing how a much-changed City will fair, it’s a tough one to call. I was tempted, therefore, to ‘sit on the fence’ and predict a draw at full time; leading to extra time and possibly penalties.
However, I look at that still-excellent side of ours that’s also scattered with a lot of players who will be hungry to show Pep what he’s missing whenever they’re sat on the bench and as long as they don’t try TOO hard and end up over-thinking their passes & moves and allow their strengths to rise naturally to the surface, I can see a City win tonight. I think it’ll be a narrow one but it’s an away win for me.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: N/A
Result: N/A
Want some transfer news?
Yes, some late September transfer news. We’ve just made two signings!
Firstly, we signed a tall, ball-playing central defender from Manyoo, despite strong efforts from the Trafford-based side right to the very end to improve their offer and keep Harrison Parker; an ex-Arsenal Youth player who has just-turned 17.
A few days later and on either 22nd or 23rd September, after parting ways with West Ham United in the summer, we snapped up Divine Mukasa, a central, attacking midfielder who turned 16 years of age in April. Divine has represented England at Under-15s, 16s and is currently part of the Under-17s, so he’s likely to know a number of our lads from his international exploits. Both sound like excellent acquisitions.
We’ve also been linked with, and most-certainly not for the first time, 19-year-old, Argentine left-wing back, Valentin Barco. The all-action, flame-haired flyer currently plays for Boca Juniors and his contract is up in 15-months’ time. He currently also represents his country at Under-20 level and the rumour is that both clubs have agreed a fee; we’re likely to make the transfer official in January and I assume, as was the case with Julian Alvarez, we’ll allow him to remain at Boca until the end of their domestic season. Think of him as a slightly pacier, slightly less robust, for now at least, version of Stuart Pearce; certainly from some of the footage I’ve watched at least. He seems to like a well-timed tackle as well as getting forward.
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| Solidarity |
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