Bayern Munich v MAN CITY – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
9 Dec
Manuel Pellegrini has hinted that he will make a number of changes to the side that will line up in the final Champions League group game on Tuesday and with good reason, too. City are already qualified for the next stage, are hugely unlikely to top the group and have a far more important fixture against Arsenal at the weekend.
To that extent, I envisage a whole raft of changes, starting with Joe Hart in net. Micah Richards and Joleon Lescott are both expected to feature, with Dedryck Boyata a possibility in the centre of defence as Vincent Kompany is unlikely to play his third game in a week after a lengthy lay-off.
In midfield, Javi Garcia will start, as could Jesus Navas, James Milner and, for the first time in a while, Jack Rodwell. Yaya Touré is suspended but would no doubt have sat this one out, whilst Edin Dzeko is expected to be handed another opportunity up front as Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo are rested for crucial upcoming tasks. David Silva could be given some match time as he returns to fitness ahead of the Arsenal game.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3 – 0 MAN CITY – The home side are in destructive form and we’re likely to select a reserve team so although the Germans may make changes themselves, I’d still expect them to put on a show.
Love the line-up. Key players get rested for Arsenal game
MAkes sense – agreed.
Mind you I think 3-3 a more likely score (Garcia hat trick)
Agreed good selection, I would love to see a team like that put out, hope Pellegrini agrees.
Good team selection and a great opportunity for the fringe players to impress MP. I would only risk Silva for 45 mins as a fitness run out, we need his magic for the weekend.
Did you just say garcia hat trick? when has he ever scored? are you having a banana???
WELL PLAYED CITY, SO GLAD I BOUGHT MY FEED THE BEAST T-SHIRT. EVERYONE SHOULD GET ONE ON EBAY NOW!!!!!!
CITY WIN!!!!!!! THAT WAS AMAZING!!!!!! 3-2!!!!!!!!!! Best performance by City in a European competition EVER!!!!!!
I missed first half as training so only saw second half.
Saw lots of fans commenting on how poor Kolorov, Garcia and Demichelles were.
Then I watched second half and thought Kolorov was good and Garcia played ok (at last).
Zabaleta was outstanding, particularly given who he was marking.
Fernandinho everywhere; hope he’s not too tired for Arsenal (though will have a day extra rest).
Milner showed why he should start more often. An assist for the first; winning the penalty for the second then making a difficult conversion look easy.
Only negative was Manuel not realising a 4-2 win would send us top. Amateurish and, wait for it, typical City!!
Wonder who will play out of Silva; Nasri; Negredo and Navas against Arsenal. Got a feeling he’ll drop Navas and Negredo (not that I agree with dropping the Beast).
I think based on our home form he will play both aguero and negredo. Silva wll be on the bench. Nasri and milner start. Maybe navas instead of milner but with his performance against bayern milner deserves a start. Ferna must rest after arsenal’s game. He has been superb until now. Yaya will be rested so as NEGUERO so i’m expecting them to dominate the game.
As far as the bayern game…everyone has been superb. Major suprices:
kolarov – completely different player under pelegrini; EL CAPITANO
garcia – first game in a city shirt that he anticipated the game and his positions were good
Dzeko – played a major role in as winning + i saw him a couple of times returning back to defend when he lost the ball.
Great game guys. Bring on arsenal
Crispy – Agree with you that Aguero & the Beast should always be the first choice pairing when City play two up top. That said I’ve no problem with The Beast being rested or rotated as his intense physical style means he probably exerts an enormous amount of energy and takes quite a beating himself. I misunderstood a previous post of yours because when people say “dropped”, I tend to interpret that as subtext for “the manager has lost faith/trust”. My mistake.