Man City Build up

[Liverpool]

Wednesday 7.45

mancs crying about us meeting the bus and atmosphere wont affect them, we'll see

should be interesting tactically wouldn't be surprised to see either manager throw a curveball and go 3 at the back, City possibly to play long balls in.

We'll be after their left full back, them after are right one. Surely we shift VVD over to help Trent?

My team would be

Karius
Milner VVD Lovren Robbo
AOC Henderson Can
Salah Bobby Mane.

Hopefully they have 1 eye on the title at the weekend. I think as long we as dont lose by more than 1 we should be ok going into the second leg.

[Tatterdemalion]

Hopefully the less successful mancs have a go at them. If they have any balls about them, they won't want City winning the league in that game.

Reckon we need to put a bit of clear red water between us in this one so they have to come at us in the second leg, though. I'd fancy our chances against Barcelona and all the other monied teams, but City can (still) rightfully claim they deserve it this year, on their form, if not their money.

So long as we're still in the running in the last quarter of the last leg, I'll be happy in retrospect, but think we have a genuine chance to win this.

Might avoid the match thread, as it will be full of pond life shouting corruption.

Slightly looking forward to this..

[labourRed]

Aye, I think it might be best to leave Alexander-Arnold out of this one as his confidence can't be great and we need to keep the first leg solid at a minimum. I'd go with similar to how we ended the Palace game.

Karius
VVD Lovren Matip
Henderson Can Oxlade-Chamberlain Robertson
Salah Firmino Mane

I doubt we'll bring Clyne back for this big of a game.

[Chris]

Tatterbellend you are dangerously obsessed, bit creepy tbh.

Anyway, on to football, can’t wait, a game to finally get up for which bellend stewards and police won’t ruin for once. Bit worried about the midfield mismatch, their greatest area is our weakest but we somehow often raise the level on occasions like this! These are a nothing club, beating European royalty would be one of their greatest achievements, let’s make sure it doesn’t happen.

[Rich]

Full on Anfield blitz and we might, might rack up a few goals. We are clearly the underdogs, City should go through, but that might play into our hands. Crucial we score early, get Anfield bouncing and go for the throat.

My team would be:

Karius
Clyne - VVD - Lovren - Robertson
Henderson
Milner - Ox
Salah - Firmino - Mane

[Saveloy]

I'd wind your neck in Chris. You're officially pond life now. Hard to come back from that.

I'm ****ting it about this game if I'm honest. I'd love to be confident we'll do them but there's something about city over two legs that makes me worried. We can blitz them and beat them in a single game but can we blitz them over two, as I can't see us winning the home leg and then containing them in the away. There's plenty of ways we can beat them, I just don't yet feel it in my belly

Still, it's Europe and I think they've still got a bit of an inferiority complex about the champions league. It could be on! (sorry, that's as close to a rallying cry as I can manage at the moment, it's why I never tried for the army )

[Chris]

I'd wind your neck in Chris. You're officially pond life now. Hard to come back from that.

I'm ****ting it about this game if I'm honest. I'd love to be confident we'll do them but there's something about city over two legs that makes me worried. We can blitz them and beat them in a single game but can we blitz them over two, as I can't see us winning the home leg and then containing them in the away. There's plenty of ways we can beat them, I just don't yet feel it in my belly

Still, it's Europe and I think they've still got a bit of an inferiority complex about the champions league. It could be on! (sorry, that's as close to a rallying cry as I can manage at the moment, it's why I never tried for the army )

Same, i'm very nervous, the dodgy 5-15min spells we can have worry me a bit for this or v anyone else we have to face. Mistakes at this level just get punished. Do an Arsenal away at any point v these and they will finish the tie. That said, they are absolute ****bags at Anfield so maybe we'll just **** them and I do think name/history counts for a little bit even if most of these weren't even born when we were the best.

[Tatterdemalion]

Tatterbellend you are dangerously obsessed, bit creepy tbh.

Anyway, on to football, can’t wait, a game to finally get up for which bellend stewards and police won’t ruin for once. Bit worried about the midfield mismatch, their greatest area is our weakest but we somehow often raise the level on occasions like this! These are a nothing club, beating European royalty would be one of their greatest achievements, let’s make sure it doesn’t happen.

Pot and kettle mate - it's a bit rich for you to start talking about obsession don't you think?

And by the way, grown up people don't feel the need to throw around *******ised versions of some-one's username as an insult. It's a bit playground.

[Chris]

The lad insulting people who weren’t even in the thread and chases me round the forum like a abandoned dog with dig after dig giving a lecture on maturity, that’s a good one.

[Frenchie]

not conceding is the most important thing in this game for me.. 1 or 2 nil would be great. With our front three I fancy an away goal... In fact ironically playing at home first is a weird advantage..

[Buzzo]

I'd play Wijnaldum in this one. These are the sort of games in which he excels.

[Chris]

I’d take any win, even a repeat of the league game, though that wouldn’t be ideal but we can defo get a draw there. Well tense mannn, don’t think we can win the tie in the first leg but we can lose it! The ref is the tit from Sevilla away, not ideal but hopefully he’s a homer.

[Chris]

I'd play Wijnaldum in this one. These are the sort of games in which he excels.

I’d back him to excel against Silva, De Bruyne and Fernandinho yet have no faith he’d show up v Wayne Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin on the weekend. What a weird player!

Wonder what he’ll do. Hendo is nailed on, wor Emre tends to be a big game god beast and was a monster at home v them, the Ox was also great at home v them and scored.

[baitman]

we cannot go into any game against ANY opposition and hope to play a containing game.

i fear the ball will play through or midfield like its not even bothered getting on the pitch.

the one [ok, two] saving grace/s is our defence has improved, and our attack is relentless

i reckon we could end up 2-2 after the first leg and then in the next leg city will try and come forward to finish us and we will nick the win at their empty stadium.
it'll be like a home game for us.

[RedReet]

not conceding is the most important thing in this game for me.. 1 or 2 nil would be great. With our front three I fancy an away goal... In fact ironically playing at home first is a weird advantage..

Statistically it isn't, but for this match I think it could well be.

City are capable of putting 4 or 5 past any team on their day and that could well have happened at the Etihad, meaning the tie would be over before it even reaches Anfield. With their record at Anfield and the atmosphere, we could well do that to them too. Any sort of win though gives us the advantage going into second leg and we'll always have a good chance against any team that comes at us. Like you say, away goals could play a big part too, so if we need to go for it second leg to get an extra away goal, we've nothing to lose (just a shame we don't really have to players on the bench to change it up or go gung-ho).

Can't see us keeping a clean sheet at Anfield though. 3-1 I'd take.