MAN CITY v Barcelona – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
17 Feb
Joe Hart will return in goal to replace Costel Pantilimon, whilst Martin Demichelis and Aleks Kolarov are expected to join Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany in the back four. I’d prefer to see Joleon Lescott and Gael Clichy retain their places after we looked so solid during the victory over Chelsea, but Manuel Pellegrini favours Demichelis’s reading of the game and Champions League experiences, whilst Kolarov’s threatening delivery into the box creates chances. On the flip side, however, is his shaky defending which Dani Alves will no doubt relish exploiting.
Fernandinho will surely play, even if selecting him after his lengthy injury lay-off will be a gamble, but his energetic qualities are necessary if we are to upset Barcelona’s rhythm. Javi Garcia was much improved at the weekend and I’d be tempted to start him alongside the Brazilian, with Yaya Touré pushed forward into his more advanced role, but I suspect Pellegrini will include an extra attacking option, likely to be Samir Nasri, behind Alvaro Negredo.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Jonas Eriksson.
Prediction: MAN CITY 2 – 2 Barcelona – It’s a mightily difficult task to predict the outcome of this encounter. Both sides are awash with thrilling attacking talents and there are likely to be plenty of chances created. Should Barcelona manage to get themselves on the scoresheet, they will be delighted with the benefit away goals bring, but from a City perspective, restricting the Spaniards is essential. I’m predicting goals from Alvaro Negredo, Samir Nasri and a brace from Lionel Messi.
I knew the editor wouldn’t back City
3-1 City
fancy a cheecky fiver on 3.1 city
My Team would be :-
HART-ZABALETA-KOMPANY-LESCOTT-CLICHY
GARCIA-DINHO
YAYA-SILVA-NASRI
NEGREDO
CITY 2 BARCA 2
Fasten your seatbelts, not sure of the score could get very wild, a hair raising 4-nil to city’ f*** it why not???
@Glenn. Like the way you’re thinking…
I can’t see Pellers changing his formation but with the movement Barca produce I’d prefer a 433 to give less space for their attacking flair when we are not in possession, which could be for extended periods. The way Garcia played Saturday he could do a good job with Yaya and Fernie and allow the big man more opportunity to move the ball around from rather further forward. It would mean losing either Naz of Zeus to the bench but I think a price worth paying. If he sticks to a two man midfield then I’d prefer to see Clichy’s defensive qualities that AK’s offensive ones.
Shame we can’t have both
…………Hart
Zaba…Vince..Demichelis..Kolarov
….Garcia..Yaya..Fernie
…Nasri..Negredo..Silva
Pants, Jove, Navas, Milner, Dzeko, Les, Clichy can all offer something useful from the bench. It’s a very decent squad but Messi is the difference, especially in the absence of Kun Aguero.
I think it will be 1-3 Barca but anything could happen if we turn up like we did last Saturday and not like we did at home to BM.
Alph