Barcelona

[Beefymcfc]

Feeling confident? I'm hoping we saved ourselves for this and from what we did today I'd suggest we're going all out.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

As I posted earlier:
The fact that we were so negative and cautious at home to them doesn't fill me with confidence we can go there and dominate.
It will take a huge, fearless performance. Even then though we've seen that if Barca are struggling, they always get that bit of help. Remember when they were losing to Arsenal and then RVP shot about a second after the whistle went for offside and he was shown a second yellow? Either that or they all start diving and the referee willfully obliges.
Worse than the Rags they are.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

I predict we won but don't go through

[South Stand Balti]

I can see Garcia at centre back in this one. Not my selection but MP may go that way. Personally I would pick our best, and league winning, left sided centre half.

[Wooders]

They just lost toa team who is 17th in la liga so they are nit infallible

[Beefymcfc]

They just lost toa team who is 17th in la liga so they are nit infallible

We should beat them 3-0?

[gillie]

I have said before fuck it go balls out in Barca we have nothing to lose really as all the hacks and some on here think it's mission impossible.Just remember IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING.4 at the back 5 in midfield and Sergio up front.Push on when we have the ball and when we don't suffocate them in posession.

[patrickblue]

I have said before fuck it go balls out in Barca we have nothing to lose really as all the hacks and some on here think it's mission impossible.Just remember IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING.4 at the back 5 in midfield and Sergio up front.Push on when we have the ball and when we don't suffocate them in posession.

Totally right. TBH the hacks know no better, but I really don't think there's much difference in quality between the teams, apart from Messi. I really think we'll have a good go and quite possibly pull it off.

[Goaters 103]

We have zip chance of getting through the tie.

Will be a high scoring game, but the way we are playing lately and the players they have makes me think 3-2 Barca.

[bleedBlue]

They just lost toa team who is 17th in la liga so they are nit infallible

We just lost to a championship team..

[Goaters 103]

Last May, the team prioritised for a new manager. Today the team prioritised for a game we have little/no chance of winning. What a waste

[South Stand Balti]

Last May, the team prioritised for a new manager. Today the team prioritised for a game we have little/no chance of winning. What a waste

I agree but even if we had prioritised today, MP would still have picked daft Martin. Any opposition would target him.

[bigblue]

Fred will be back and he will be buzzing after finally making an impact for the national team. Plus he will be more fit than last time after getting a few more games under his belt.

Fred, Zabba, Kompany, and (somewhat) Silva should be fresh after resting this weekend.

Yaya should be up for it since he is playing in front of his old fans.

The spanish contingent should be up for it since they get to the chance to prove in front of the spanish people that their move to England was justified.

Nasri and AGUERO will be back. Massive.

The League Cup win should still leave positive feelings with the players, while at the same time everyone should be seething/well up for it after getting knocked out of a cup 3 days previous and losing to barca a few weeks ago by slim margins.

We have nothing to lose and will be forced to play with a sense of urgency. Barca are there for the taking if we put in a solid performance. Despite the loss today, I'm already buzzing about the game and confident that we'll make it a competitive tie.

[Bleed_Blue]

The spanish contingent should be up for it since they get to the chance to prove in front of the spanish people that their move to England was justified.

I hope the spanish contingent doesn't include Negredo, if Demi starts we can as well forget about winning. It would have been great to have Dzeko or Negredo with a good crosser of ball against barcelona, but looking at their current form of both of them, we should beat barca at their own game of passing.

If Negredo or Dzeko are not starting we need midfield which can do intricate passing, Milner covering for Kolorov on the left defensive position while overlapping with Yaya and making runs forward will be good.
Preferred formation for me :

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Lescott - Kolorov
Ferdy Milner
Yaya
Nasri Silva
Aguero

[AG7]

I hope the spanish contingent doesn't include Negredo, if Demi starts we can as well forget about winning. It would have been great to have Dzeko or Negredo with a good crosser of ball against barcelona, but looking at their current form of both of them, we should beat barca at their own game of passing. If Negredo or Dzeko are not starting we need midfield which can do intricate passing, Milner covering for Kolorov on the left defensive position while overlapping with Yaya and making runs forward will be good. Preferred formation for me : Hart Zaba - Komps - Lescott - Kolorov Ferdy Milner Yaya Nasri Silva Aguero

Demi is suspended for this one ... and so is Pellegrini ... not sure about the second but the first is surely a good thing!

[aaron bond]

The spanish contingent should be up for it since they get to the chance to prove in front of the spanish people that their move to England was justified.

I hope the spanish contingent doesn't include Negredo, if Demi starts we can as well forget about winning. It would have been great to have Dzeko or Negredo with a good crosser of ball against barcelona, but looking at their current form of both of them, we should beat barca at their own game of passing.

If Negredo or Dzeko are not starting we need midfield which can do intricate passing, Milner covering for Kolorov on the left defensive position while overlapping with Yaya and making runs forward will be good.
Preferred formation for me :

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Lescott - Kolorov
Ferdy Milner
Yaya
Nasri Silva
Aguero

That's definitely the way to go.

It's a good thing Demichelis is suspended, and hopefully Nastasic is still out too. That means Pellegrini is forced to play our only 2 good centre backs. Quite incredible that he has to be forced into such a position.

Milner should definitely play this game - he's a big game player, and can do the defensive duties as well as pose a strong attacking threat. There should be no sitting back for this one - we have to go for it. Pellegrini will probably play Garcia though...

[Ted Hughes]

Watching Aguero v Wigan, he is feeling some kind of injury. Didn't appear to be hamstring, more like shins or something, but he wasn't right.

If he plays 90 v Barca, we may get a shit Aguero v Hull & effectively spew the league, as Negredo is currently a great big bag of fucking shit & Ed is struggling to score.

Tricky call this.

[gillie]

Watching Aguero v Wigan, he is feeling some kind of injury. Didn't appear to be hamstring, more like shins or something, but he wasn't right.

If he plays 90 v Barca, we may get a shit Aguero v Hull & effectively spew the league, as Negredo is currently a great big bag of fucking shit & Ed is struggling to score.

Tricky call this.

I noticed Aguero feeling his shins and not looking too comfortable as well Ted.

[Bianchi on Ice]

They just lost toa team who is 17th in la liga so they are nit infallible

We should beat them 3-0?

Sounds like a lice result

[lets all have a disco]

Watching Aguero v Wigan, he is feeling some kind of injury. Didn't appear to be hamstring, more like shins or something, but he wasn't right.

If he plays 90 v Barca, we may get a shit Aguero v Hull & effectively spew the league, as Negredo is currently a great big bag of fucking shit & Ed is struggling to score.

Tricky call this.

I noticed Aguero feeling his shins and not looking too comfortable as well Ted.

This happens after muscles injuries he will struggle for another week or two im afraid.