Hope Kante & Baka are rested mid week and they do double shift against City. Would prefer a back 5 of Zappa, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpi, Alonso. Of course Alonso well rested mid week.
I broadly get what you are saying, but having had a year out the C.L and our main aim at the start of last season was to get back in it, are we really going to now play a fringe team in our hardest fixture in the group!?!? This is the C.L not E.L.
CL is lottery. You need grit and not quality. This is group stage and point is what we are looking for.
Wouldn't say that. You need grit AND quality. You always need some quality. We wouldn't have beaten Atletico last night if we hadn't had quality.
If Kante, Baka, or anyone, cannot pull off two games in a week, this early in to the season, then they do not deserve their salary. Conte made the right decision in starting with a strong XI vs Madrid, and we reaped the benefits. I have a feeling we will do well against City.
Yes you go with your best 11 and not too many passengers in there. I think only one of Cahill or Cescy will start. Would drop Cescy tbh. Have a very good chance against City
I would start with Courtois Rudi Christensen Azpi Alonso Kante Baka Moses Hazard Pedro Morata That is our strongest XI imo with Luiz banned, otherwise I would have him over Christensen. Though I suspect Conte will start Cahill over Christensen. Looks a very strong team.
He is a good player, he is just unpredictable. I was a little worried defensively at the start of the season, having got rid of Ake and loaning out Zouma. But Rudi and Christensen have been great additions to the team. My other fear was whether Morata would hit the ground running, which he seems to have, so I am now feeling confident of a top 3 finish and a title challenge. Whether we actually win it or not.....think its 1 in 3 between us and the Manc clubs. But we have as good a chance as either of those imo.
I'd go with the same XI again but Christensen for Luiz. Seems the natural replacement, so comfortable on the ball, perfectly suited to the middle. Conte trusts him too, threw him on at the end of the Madrid match and left the 30M guy on the bench. Love that. It'll be hard but we need to stop De Bruyne, he's the best player in the league and makes them tick.
I agree with you re Christensen, he looks a natural for the middle of back 3. The kid will be a star by seasons end if he gets decent game time. I think he will start on the bench though and Cahill will start, but who will play in the centre of defence? Pretty much all the team played well against Atletico, though Moses looked a bit untidy with his passing. City will be our biggest test I think, and am a bit worried about their pace on the break and speed of passing. For that reason I hope Fabregas doesn't start, but comes on when a bit of sting has gone from their attack. Conte does take a safety first approach, so I can't see too many changes, but Zappa deserves a trot out . Hope we carry our attacking form against Atletico into the match, and expect a pretty good showing against City who look the goods ( so far) for the title.
Aguero is out for this game which takes away some of the threat up front but they still have enough quality to punish a mistake. I'm optimistic about this game and I think it'll be a fantastic game.
Aguero and Mendy being lost in the past week will surely dampen them a little after what has been a fantastic start. Hopefully we will edge it but we certainly can't afford to lose and go 6 points behind. Could be a tough weekend with United guaranteed 3 points in a home banker v Palace.