I also have said all season it should be Cesc and Iniesta together Xavi is past his best..Totally agree with you.
Not brave enough.Cesc,Iniesta and Xavi will start.
Great read man :beer2:Here is my line-up predictions for both sides, and I think the only real tactical importance of the first leg is whether we field 2 or 3 forwards. Also, will be very interesting to see if Pellegrini has them actual try and play or whether or not we see another bus. Here is how I see it:
Make your football formation with this11.com
Sorry, lots of arrows I know but I'll try and explain it here rather briefly.
In sum, I expect both coaches to take a rather conservative approach since we are both either missing or just regaining key players (Neymar, Aguero, Fernandinho etc.) and will try to save the firepower for the 2nd leg. Tata will want control more than dynamism so with Cesc up top, the midfield overload will look to hold possession in the first half and open up play in the second. Its more methodical but as long as the defense holds up, it usually gets results.
Pellegrini on the other hand has the tricky decision on how aggressive he wants his team to be. The common tactic is to sit deep and try to play on the break but especially with Navas and Negredo, they have good reason to press more and try to go for a result so they can sit back more in the 2nd leg. Which approach he chooses will also obviously have an impact on how the game plays out but basically I think it all boils down to this:
City can win if...
a) Silva/Nasri can exploit the space behind Dani Alves, particularly if Kolarov provides solid overlaps. I'm a bit worried about how we will do on Xavi's side of the field defensively whenever we lose the ball. He really needs to sit deep, almost as deep as Busi preferably, in order to ensure we aren't overran from the center. If Nasri or Silva can get into space behind Dani with time, we will have massive problems.
b) Yaya gets forward. Since most of City's moves will flow through Silva and Nasri, his late runs into the defending area would cause a lot of problems.
c) They can collectively keep >40% possession. Whichever team holds the ball more in the opposing teams half will be the victor and if Nasri and Silva can do enough to force our MF back, they can have space to attack down the wings.
Barca on the other hand can and should do this:
a) Dominate through the left. If Iniesta and Cesc can control the ball on their side, it will do a lot to neutralize their direct approach. By starving Navas of the opportunities to run at Alba and provide service into Negredo, we will have compromised a big part of their game plan offensively.
b) Alba and Alves force their lines backwards. City are a possession team like us and the deeper they drop, the less lethal they will become. Silva and Nasri are not the best work horses defensively and if they are forced to chase the ball a lot and play further from the net, City will struggle. If Alba and Alves can hold possession in their half, we can do so, going back to whomever has the stronger fullbacks will win, which brings me to my next point...
c) Pedro and Messi can lose their markers. If Pedro can exploit the space Kolarov leaves in behind from his runs forward, City will have a lot of problems especially off the break as it opens up space for Messi. Speaking of Messi, I am unsure if either Demichelis nor Garcia can contain Messi by themselves, which will force back Yaya and force him to play more defensive.
All in all, I am hoping Tata takes a more aggressive approach and fields 3 forwards, particularly if Neymar can start. Three forwards would force back their lines more and force them to play more defensively. Against Bayern especially they showed that if they aren't dictating the flow of the game, they are extremely susceptible. With Neymar-Messi-Pedro with Iniesta and Cesc behind them, City would be chasing the game all 90 mins.
But since Neymar probably isn't ready for a full 90 yet and Tata's track record for these big games, I expect a more conservative approach, which in my opinion, somewhat plays into City's hands a bit. He is relying an awful lot on the midfield overload of Cesc, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta being able to control the game in their half and while on paper it is very much fesible, it may not be nearly as easy as we might expect.
I foresee a much tighter affair than many would expect so the first goal will be crucial. If we score first, I could see it going 2-0. If they, 1-1. But I will go out on a limb and say a 0-0 draw, leaving it all open for the return at the Camp Nou.
Hope I'm wrong, hope Neymar is fit and ready to start. With Neymessi in full effect, its too much for any team to handle, let alone City. Even still, I still think Pedro-Messi-Alexis with Cesc for Xavi would be very advisable but I think both teams will try to win this in the 2nd leg.
Here is my line-up predictions for both sides, and I think the only real tactical importance of the first leg is whether we field 2 or 3 forwards. Also, will be very interesting to see if Pellegrini has them actual try and play or whether or not we see another bus. Here is how I see it:
Make your football formation with this11.com
Sorry, lots of arrows I know but I'll try and explain it here rather briefly.
In sum, I expect both coaches to take a rather conservative approach since we are both either missing or just regaining key players (Neymar, Aguero, Fernandinho etc.) and will try to save the firepower for the 2nd leg. Tata will want control more than dynamism so with Cesc up top, the midfield overload will look to hold possession in the first half and open up play in the second. Its more methodical but as long as the defense holds up, it usually gets results.
Pellegrini on the other hand has the tricky decision on how aggressive he wants his team to be. The common tactic is to sit deep and try to play on the break but especially with Navas and Negredo, they have good reason to press more and try to go for a result so they can sit back more in the 2nd leg. Which approach he chooses will also obviously have an impact on how the game plays out but basically I think it all boils down to this:
City can win if...
a) Silva/Nasri can exploit the space behind Dani Alves, particularly if Kolarov provides solid overlaps. I'm a bit worried about how we will do on Xavi's side of the field defensively whenever we lose the ball. He really needs to sit deep, almost as deep as Busi preferably, in order to ensure we aren't overran from the center. If Nasri or Silva can get into space behind Dani with time, we will have massive problems.
b) Yaya gets forward. Since most of City's moves will flow through Silva and Nasri, his late runs into the defending area would cause a lot of problems.
c) They can collectively keep >40% possession. Whichever team holds the ball more in the opposing teams half will be the victor and if Nasri and Silva can do enough to force our MF back, they can have space to attack down the wings.
Barca on the other hand can and should do this:
a) Dominate through the left. If Iniesta and Cesc can control the ball on their side, it will do a lot to neutralize their direct approach. By starving Navas of the opportunities to run at Alba and provide service into Negredo, we will have compromised a big part of their game plan offensively.
b) Alba and Alves force their lines backwards. City are a possession team like us and the deeper they drop, the less lethal they will become. Silva and Nasri are not the best work horses defensively and if they are forced to chase the ball a lot and play further from the net, City will struggle. If Alba and Alves can hold possession in their half, we can do so, going back to whomever has the stronger fullbacks will win, which brings me to my next point...
c) Pedro and Messi can lose their markers. If Pedro can exploit the space Kolarov leaves in behind from his runs forward, City will have a lot of problems especially off the break as it opens up space for Messi. Speaking of Messi, I am unsure if either Demichelis nor Garcia can contain Messi by themselves, which will force back Yaya and force him to play more defensive.
All in all, I am hoping Tata takes a more aggressive approach and fields 3 forwards, particularly if Neymar can start. Three forwards would force back their lines more and force them to play more defensively. Against Bayern especially they showed that if they aren't dictating the flow of the game, they are extremely susceptible. With Neymar-Messi-Pedro with Iniesta and Cesc behind them, City would be chasing the game all 90 mins.
But since Neymar probably isn't ready for a full 90 yet and Tata's track record for these big games, I expect a more conservative approach, which in my opinion, somewhat plays into City's hands a bit. He is relying an awful lot on the midfield overload of Cesc, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta being able to control the game in their half and while on paper it is very much fesible, it may not be nearly as easy as we might expect.
I foresee a much tighter affair than many would expect so the first goal will be crucial. If we score first, I could see it going 2-0. If they, 1-1. But I will go out on a limb and say a 0-0 draw, leaving it all open for the return at the Camp Nou.
Hope I'm wrong, hope Neymar is fit and ready to start. With Neymessi in full effect, its too much for any team to handle, let alone City. Even still, I still think Pedro-Messi-Alexis with Cesc for Xavi would be very advisable but I think both teams will try to win this in the 2nd leg.
