Fill up the tank and ‘go again’.

Well, I’m sure the fuel tank of most of our players will have been almost empty after yesterday’s frantic, amazing encounter with Spurs in the Champions League quarter final 2^nd leg; a game that had almost everything! A thriller and one of the best games I’ve witnessed in many ways.

4 goals in the first 11 minutes; 5 goals in 21! An uncharacteristically bad game from Aymeric Laporte that handed our visitors their first 2 goals; a 10/10 performance from Kevin De Bruyne - the Belgium must still be on his knees this morning he worked so very, very hard with end product aplenty.

Fffffff…lippin’ V.A.R., hey? I’m sure, when it comes in fully, we’ll have plenty of games where we’ll be glad of it but last night it wasn’t our friend whenever called on. Forgetting about the blasted thing for a moment, I leaped around like crazy when our ‘5^th goal that wasn’t’ went in; hugging anyone within reach. Oh, the feeling to be pulled right back down again to a point where I had my head in my hands just seconds later was awful.

Moved on quickly.

Once I’d absorbed what had just happened after the final whistle, I honestly then thought to myself, ‘Well…that’s us now winning the Premier League’. I’m sure I recall also muttering that to some other disconsolate City fan; I’m sure I recall him agreeing with me too.

But it’s all about not only how our players recover physically – Spurs have to do likewise of course – but how they react mentally. With the likes of Pep, Kompany and a number of other calm, extremely experienced players & staff in the camp, I honestly can’t see that being an issue once Champions League disappointment lifts.

But we’ll need both strong minds and bodies in order to ‘go again’, with yet ANOTHER encounter with The Lilywhites in just 2-days’ time before the Trafford v Manchester Derby 4 days later! I’m not for one second saying that league games will be easy after that but come out of those 2 games with 6 points and I think we’ve got one hand on retaining the Premier League trophy (and I think it’s more-a-case of ‘advantage us’ with Liverpool having-to-also concentrate on a certain Champions League semi-final…and a certain Barcelona).

Blog announcement.

I want to take this opportunity to say that it’s highly unlikely that I’ll have the time to get yet-another pre-match posting out ahead of Saturdays, early KO game (12:30pm BST) and in this intense period of fixtures where I’ve not yet missed getting a pre-match posting out but I hope to be able to do one before we travel to the Borough of Trafford on Wednesday.

Chin up Blues – the treble for our record-breaking club is still well & truly on!

Big game to turn it around.

League Cup won, in the final of the F.A. Cup and, although second, having a game in hand means that we have it in our own hands to win the Premier League. Only in this competition are we behind and we have an opportunity to correct that tomorrow night. 

 

Although not in work, I’ve got stuff I need to do later and, so, I’m gonna ‘stick this one out’ before Pep’s pre-match press conference; leaving more room for error in my pre-match predicted formation, line-up & subs.

v Tottenham Hotspur

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 8/11).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

___________________Aguero_____________________

Sterling__________________________________B. Silva

__________D. Silva____________De Bruyne_________

__________________Fernandinho__________________

Mendy____________________________________Walker

____________Laporte___________Stones____________

_____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Gundogan, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus.

I could even be wrong with the formation, here; he might deploy that sort of 3-6-1 thingy…

Anyhoo…Ederson in goal.

Benjamin had a decent game defensively, at least, last Sunday and providing he’s not feeling to strain following a long time out, he should be a contender to start again. Likewise, Kyle had a better game and should have recovered enough to start too. Aymeric likely to be joined by John in between those, I’m guessing.

Apparently Fernandinho didn’t come off the pitch too good following the first leg. I’m not buying that and I think he was simply left out altogether at the weekend to completely rest / protect him for tonight.

Ahead of him and in the middle, I also thought David had a fresher look about him and he too had a good last outing. I am, therefore, going for him to have it in his legs to ‘go again’ and make up that holy trinity with Kevin being the 3^rd of those. If Bernardo has indeed recovered enough; I’m going for him to start on the right with Raheem shifting over to the left.

Sergio to head all of those.

Aro is the reserve stopper; Danilo & Vincent make up the defensive replacement options from the side. Ilkay, Leroy, Riyad & Gabriel provide more creativity, width & attacking options from ‘the 7’.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Continues his comeback rehabilitation training.

-       Oleksandr Zinchenko – Probably now fit enough to make the bench…but doesn’t.

-       Nicholas Otamendi – Not selected again.

-       Fabian Delph – Not selected.

-       Phil Foden – Not selected.

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

Does it for me!

Result? I honestly think we’ll turn this around with a blistering display. A home win…and one I hope we can repeat when we face ‘em at home on Saturday (AGAIN!) too.

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

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: Really quite nice and even the sun might still be (just about) up as the ref blows his whistle to start the game! Dipping to 13C with a light breeze later on in the game; a jacket for fans would still be wise but it’s not a bad’n at all after a warm, Manchester day in April.

Hyperlinks incomplete on this one...

The ‘London theme’ continues…

Having recently played away at Fulham, had a trip to Wembley last weekend in our semi-final of the F.A. Cup followed by a trip to Tottenham’s new stadium last Wednesday; the London them continues with a trip to Crystal Palace before a trio of 2 visits from Spurs followed by a trip to Manyoo. 

 

It’s all a bit too much Bow Bells, ‘Knees Up Mother Brown’ for me…

Firstly, a quick word on last Tuesday’s game.

I don’t think I was alone in looking at the team news just over an hour before the game and taking a small gulp of air; slightly concerned that we looked a little on the weak side to face strong, Premier League opposition in the 1^st leg of a Champions League away at their new ground. I wasn’t even aware that Fabian Delph was fit and due to some other shock selections and omissions; subsequently I only managed a woeful 6/11 correct of my team prediction against Pep’s selection.

As it turns out, Bernardo Silva was apparently injured; Delph had another below-par game (the Manchester Evening News actually gave him 2/10 and our left-back position CONTINUES to be an issue, which is something I feel like I’ve been saying for 10 season or more) and Riyad Mahrez did nothing to win over an increasing amount of doubting fans, with a largely anonymous first half and largely ineffective second.

Irritable.

Walker, Otamendi & Laporte also seem to be finding their negative-angry side too often in recent games, I’ve noticed, and that worries me a little at a time when we need everyone available & focused. Thank God, last Wednesday, we had the midfield calming influence of David Silva and, once-hothead himself / less-so now, Fernandinho on the pitch. Having said that, Fernandinho let himself down with a very silly & nasty elbow in the back of Harry Kane’s head while the Spurs man was face down on the pitch.

Delph goes without saying and Spurs were no saints on the night either, I have to add.

I have no doubt that I, along with thousands of other Blues, will look at Pep Guardiola’s odd-looking team selection from last Tuesday in a few weeks’ time and say something like, “Aahhh…I can see why he did that now”.

However, at the time I was a little disappointed with ‘the 11’, I have to say, and even more so his decision not to bring both Kevin De Bruyne & Leroy Sane on a good 15+ minutes earlier. Had he done so, I’m confident the outcome would have been much different.

Priorities?

But I also understand that retaining the Premier League is also very important – perhaps even more so to the majority of City fans over the manager / management team – and that particular, season-long competition is running so very close at the moment.

I understand also that our manager has to manage the fitness & energy levels / recovery time of his players as best he can because, after this weekend’s game, it’s…BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!

-       Wednesday - Champions League 2^nd leg

-       Early Saturday - Premier League and Spurs again

-       Wednesday - A Trafford v Manchester Derby

-       Sunday - Burnley in the league…

…before fixtures spread themselves out again (unless we progress in the Champions League of course).

Oh well, that’s what expensive, big squads are for, many fans of other teams will scream relentlessly at us…

v Crystal Palace

Selhurst Park

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 6/11).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

___________________Aguero_____________________

Sane____________________________________Sterling

_________De Bruyne__________Gundogan__________

__________________Fernandinho__________________

Mendy____________________________________Danilo

____________Laporte___________Stones____________

_____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Muric, Walker, Kompany, Foden, D. Silva, Mahrez, Jesus.

No news that Ederson hasn’t recovered from his very heavy hip landing in midweeks and, so, should be the man with the gloves on Sunday.

Similarly, no signals that Benjamin isn’t okay and should, therefore, take up the left-wing back slot. Danilo on the opposite side of the defence with Aymeric & John in between would be my guess.

Fernandinho likely to start in this ‘must win’ but likely to be withdrawn / protected if it feels right to do so. Leroy & Raheem the likely attacking wide men and joining Kevin in the middle, I think we’ll see Ilkay in a more attacking, creative role despite his manager disagreeing with the German’s assessment of the reasons why we lost last Wednesday.

Sergio the likely striker but, like Fernandinho, could get withdraw quite early in the second half if the situation suits.

Aro on the side in case Ed’s hip flares up; Kyle & Vincent the likely defensive replacement choices from ‘the 7’. Phil and the slightly quiet, form-wise, David are the more attacking / creative central midfield change-options from the bench with Riyad & Gabriel providing width & striker change possibilities.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Continues to train in his comeback rehabilitation.

-       Oleksandr Zinchenko – Continues to improve in his recovery but possibly not in time for weekend. Unlikely to be risked I’d say.

-       Nicholas Otamendi – Not selected / rested.

-       Fabian Delph – Not selected.

-       Bernardo Silva – Has apparently made some progress in his return efforts following whatever injury it was that he picked up in training ahead of last Tuesday’s match. Apparently, also, Pep is unsure whether he will be quite ready for Sunday. I’m assuming not and won’t be risked ahead of Wednesday…

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

Well, aside from my ongoing defensive concerns about Mendy and, also, his potentially disruptive effect he can have – and has had – on Sane; I’m fine with that.

Result? In a strange way, I’m glad we’re playing them at their place. Why? Well, simply put, they have a considerably better away for than they have at home; picking up 7 points more ‘on the road’ with 3 of those coming from their visit to the Etihad.

That’s not to say that Palace is an easy place to visit – the home crowd are right on top of the play and can make a right ol’ noise and Roy Hodgson can get his team very organised; a team with some talent sprinkled throughout it.

We’ll have to be ‘right on it’ and play our ‘A game’ relentlessly to break our hosts down, I would suggest, and that’s what I’m going for us to eventually do. It’s an away win for me.

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

Prediction: Win

Result: Draw

Expected weather conditions during the game: Another ‘not much doing’ day, weather wise. Largely overcast with a chance of some sunshine as the game progresses; a little Easterly breeze and feeling a little chilly at just 9C. A coat & shades just in case for the fans.