I can definitely see Xhaka getting himself booked on Wednesday, most likely just through normal play, but if he's not got a yellow by the 85th minute I can see him taking one intentionally. He's almost certainly going to get to trigger the ban before they reset so it makes sense to do it now. I actually think the exact opposite for Sadiki, reckon he might be under instruction to try extra hard to AVOID a booking. City with both him and Xhaka missing would be a massacre, and with AFCON coming up, I reckon they will try to get him through to the Mags game so that he has a "free hit" to take a yellow there - he'd serve his ban whilst in Africa, anyway.
If they dont get booked tomorrow night would anyone rest them at City and give others a chance . My view is that I would . Xhaka is so important for the mags game in my opinion
That's all good thinking apart from Sadiki having to play, the remainder of the derby, on a yellow card.
Thing is it's a hard call. Both are integral to how we play - especially Xhaka. Although it's a risk, unless Reggie asks them to take a booking, I would keep them in the team and then hope for the best
100% Sadiki and especially Xhaka MUST play in the derby to give us any chance. The filths midfield is very good
Agreed definitely xhaka but gertrudia could step into midfield for sadiki to add height and strength.
No I just mean if he got a yellow in the derby it wouldn't matter, not that he should intentionally try to get one
It would if it was in the first half, that's a long time on a yellow in a derby ... ... I just don't want to lose the game 'by default'. A defeat is fine if we've done everything possible to win.
It's worrying that they are both getting closer to the derby without getting the 5th booking. I'd rather they were both able to play in the next 3 but Xhaka would be a huge miss. I honestly thought they would have had the 5th by now!
And as the bar is obviously set far higher for their yellows, the odds of them getting 2 was ever going to happen!
Yep why not we want them for the big one i don't care about the next 2 games we will give Liverpool a game though can they get through these games though ? i hope
This whole situation is such a double edged sword. Me personally, we need both Xhaka and Sadiki against the mags that’s without question.. I thought Xhaka would’ve got booked against Fulham and missed Bournemouth, but now with hindsight it’s a good job he didn’t. So again I’d love him to get booked tonight, but if we win what way do we look at the City match? It’s a free hit, but if we beat Liverpool we don’t want our confidence to slip by fielding a weak team at City. I’d be ringing Pep and asking him to field their B team and we can play out a boring 1-0 loss with a weakened team
We have to accept we’ll be without Xhaka and others, at times, so need to believe whatever team we have can win us points and games. But the derby is different and we need the best possible team on the pitch … … losing Xhaka, to a daft booking, would be negligence by the club in my opinion. It’s not only a derby, it’s a home game against a team with indifferent form and a realistic chance of three points. It’s also a real ‘six pointer’ because it could put us above them coming up to Christmas and hopefully the New Year. Plus, and it’s a big plus, the Mags will be absolutely raging if Xhaka and Sadiki are both booked tonight
I notice none of the skunks got a booking last night so the 3 that needed yellows last night and Burnley are all ok. Have to hope Bayern kick them all over next Wednesday.
