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Anyone got any thoughts for our lineup for this one? Seems a decent squad sent by Pep, id of thought the kids alone would have gone.

I think:

Bravo

Walker Tosin Mangala Danilo

Yaya Gundo

B Silva Foden Diaz

Aguero(assuming Jesus starts at OT).

Thoughts?

I don't want us to get embarrassed against what is still a decent team who need a win.
There is definitely a case for Foden. And Yaya.

Just as an aside, I can't wait to have Stones back to choose from. We have really missed him.

pep's comments about "respecting the competition" have me worried that he's going to start some of our first XI. hopefully it's just lip service but we'll see. we don't need to do UEFA (or napoli) any favours - they sure AF wouldn't do any for us.

I am torn on this one. I thought we had 2 options.

1. Send a secondary team and let the main squad stay in Manchester and just concentrate on the utd game. Leave KDB, Silva, Sergio, Fernandinho, Ederson, Ottamendi, Walker, Delph and Sterling in Manchester. Let Pep stay too if it doesnt break the rules. Even the players that go and dont play still lose 2 days preparation and rest. 3 days lost for the players that do play.

2. Send a really strong team to try and get the juices flowing again. A few goals might bread a bit of confidence and rediscover the clinical finishing that has been missing of late.

Due to the amount of games we have played of late and the amount of games upcoming, i was leaning towards option 1 and hopefully the team will reflect this.

Also, Pep could use this game to introduce some new tactic or variation of tactic without much consequence if it doesn't gel straight away. It is a unique game where we will be playing a team who badly need to win while we are in the comfort zone and dont have any pressure on us

FA cup winners 2006 wrote:I am torn on this one. I thought we had 2 options.

1. Send a secondary team and let the main squad stay in Manchester and just concentrate on the utd game. Leave KDB, Silva, Sergio, Fernandinho, Ederson, Ottamendi, Walker, Delph and Sterling in Manchester. Let Pep stay too if it doesnt break the rules. Even the players that go and dont play still lose 2 days preparation and rest. 3 days lost for the players that do play.

2. Send a really strong team to try and get the juices flowing again. A few goals might bread a bit of confidence and rediscover the clinical finishing that has been missing of late.

Due to the amount of games we have played of late and the amount of games upcoming, i was leaning towards option 1 and hopefully the team will reflect this.

Also, Pep could use this game to introduce some new tactic or variation of tactic without much consequence if it doesn't gel straight away. It is a unique game where we will be playing a team who badly need to win while we are in the comfort zone and dont have any pressure on us

They only need a draw.

FA cup winners 2006 wrote:I am torn on this one. I thought we had 2 options.

1. Send a secondary team and let the main squad stay in Manchester and just concentrate on the utd game. Leave KDB, Silva, Sergio, Fernandinho, Ederson, Ottamendi, Walker, Delph and Sterling in Manchester. Let Pep stay too if it doesnt break the rules. Even the players that go and dont play still lose 2 days preparation and rest. 3 days lost for the players that do play.

2. Send a really strong team to try and get the juices flowing again. A few goals might bread a bit of confidence and rediscover the clinical finishing that has been missing of late.

Due to the amount of games we have played of late and the amount of games upcoming, i was leaning towards option 1 and hopefully the team will reflect this.

Also, Pep could use this game to introduce some new tactic or variation of tactic without much consequence if it doesn't gel straight away. It is a unique game where we will be playing a team who badly need to win while we are in the comfort zone and dont have any pressure on us

The squad was announced full squad minus KDB and SIlva. A little dissapointing.

I remember Negredo played in the semi final second leg against west ham after we had romped 6-0 at home and hurt his shoulder and was never the same again. Such an unnecesary risk for him to be even playing that game. I fear we could make same mistake again.

Full strength for me.

Batter them then go into the derby full of confidence and keep the winning run going.

Interesting Donetsk fact (although we're actually playing in Kharkiv) - the town was originally called 'Hughesovka', after its founder John Hughes.

Surprised we're taking the full squad out, unless it's for some conditioning/cold weather training, or just some squad bonding.

Burt wrote:Full strength for me.

Batter them then go into the derby full of confidence and keep the winning run going.

A decent side with key players on the bench for me ... gotta keep the winning mentality going!

BlueinBosnia wrote:Interesting Donetsk fact (although we're actually playing in Kharkiv) - the town was originally called 'Hughesovka', after its founder John Hughes.

Surprised we're taking the full squad out, unless it's for some conditioning/cold weather training, or just some squad bonding.

could be this... i see snow is forecast* for manchester this coming sunday


(*according to the apple weather app)

Fuck it. Rest and smash rags. The run is sweet but that game trumps our run.

If I was given the choice of which players pep should rest, Kev and Dave would be top of the list to be fair

Shaktar only need a point , got 0 - 0 all over it this one a training excercise for both teams . Will be a tad nippy though which is a concern .

london blue 2 wrote:Fuck it. Rest and smash rags. The run is sweet but that game trumps our run.

I agree. This is a nothing game. We are through as group winners.
We need our best 11 fully rested and fit for the Rags. No risks to be taken on this nothing game.
Sure bring lots of the squad out there if we are doing explicit training for the Rags game - great - but do not play whoever will be up against the Rags.
Explicit training should be focused on set pieces, corners and high balls into the box (a Rag special)

The Rags game is going to be a tough bruising encounter.
We know what to expect, poss 25/75, shots 4/30 shots on target 3/12, etc...
But that might be all they need, a set piece and a corner and a ball lumped into the box, three attacks, three goals, etc...

So no messing with this CL game, forget it. Get training, practice those drills for the Rags and get rested.

FA cup winners 2006 wrote:I am torn on this one. I thought we had 2 options.

1. Send a secondary team and let the main squad stay in Manchester and just concentrate on the utd game. Leave KDB, Silva, Sergio, Fernandinho, Ederson, Ottamendi, Walker, Delph and Sterling in Manchester. Let Pep stay too if it doesnt break the rules. Even the players that go and dont play still lose 2 days preparation and rest. 3 days lost for the players that do play.

2. Send a really strong team to try and get the juices flowing again. A few goals might bread a bit of confidence and rediscover the clinical finishing that has been missing of late.

Due to the amount of games we have played of late and the amount of games upcoming, i was leaning towards option 1 and hopefully the team will reflect this.

Also, Pep could use this game to introduce some new tactic or variation of tactic without much consequence if it doesn't gel straight away. It is a unique game where we will be playing a team who badly need to win while we are in the comfort zone and dont have any pressure on us

I think a few of our players look knackered, we lost John Stones because of him unnecessarily turning out for England in 2 meaningless friendlies.

If Pep decides he is going to play Silva,Walker,Sterling,Jesus in a dead rubber Champions League game.Then I don’t want to hear him complain anymore about fixture congestion after turning up his Nose at a golden opportunity to give a badly needed break to our entire first team.

I think it is insanity to make them travel 4,000 miles play in a dead rubber before the biggest game of the season.

*KDB suspended (thank fuck)

In an ideal world we send out the under 18s, or whoever we can legitimately play and leave as many first teamers resting at home.

Failing that, then can we sign Dickov, Goater, Horlock, Noël Gallagher, James H Reeve and a couple of others and see how it goes?

If that is not allowed and I suspect Pep wants to play a decent side then play something similar to what we saw in the League Cup. If Foden is going to get minutes for the first team then surely this type of game is it?

Dimples wrote:

london blue 2 wrote:Fuck it. Rest and smash rags. The run is sweet but that game trumps our run.

I agree. This is a nothing game. We are through as group winners.
We need our best 11 fully rested and fit for the Rags. No risks to be taken on this nothing game.
Sure bring lots of the squad out there if we are doing explicit training for the Rags game - great - but do not play whoever will be up against the Rags.
Explicit training should be focused on set pieces, corners and high balls into the box (a Rag special)

The Rags game is going to be a tough bruising encounter.
We know what to expect, poss 25/75, shots 4/30 shots on target 3/12, etc...
But that might be all they need, a set piece and a corner and a ball lumped into the box, three attacks, three goals, etc...

So no messing with this CL game, forget it. Get training, practice those drills for the Rags and get rested.

This is not a nothing game with our extraordinary winning run. Never saw Liverpool play weakened team when they were winning everything years ago. Go for it. This team wants to play and smash records!

london blue 2 wrote:Fuck it. Rest and smash rags. The run is sweet but that game trumps our run.

I agree. It's not long since Pep was talking about the need for a winter break. Now we are flying the likes off Delph and Vince over there and back. Injury prone players should be left at home. Walker and Fern as well.....bit of rest.

-------------------------------Ederson----------------------------
----------Otamendi---------Tosin-----------Mangala----=---
Danilo----------Gundogan--------Yaya---------------Sane
-------Bernardo------------Aguero-------------Diaz-----------

Bench: Bravo, Walker, Kompany, Delph, Fernandinho, Sterling, Jesus.

this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.