Redmond loves a good yarn with Pep. If Pep could just get in his face and tell him how good he is BEFORE the game this time it might help.
I would start Weds with our strongest team, but look to bring off three key players at half-time depending on how things are going. If miraculously it’s still 0-0 by then, keep them on and go for it. Line up: Forster - See if he really is bulletproof. KWP - Bring him off after 45-60 mins. Bednarek Vestergaard Bertrand JWP - Off after 45-60 mins Diallo Armstrong - Off after 45-60 mins Minamino Adams Tella
If we’re going to do this we may as well just rest players. Playing a weakened team for 45 mins against city will lead to defeat, no matter what happens in the first half. If KWP is fit then he must play. I assume they will have had 1 rest day and only light training between these games.
Weaken the defence, and the entire team will be drained because they will have to defend constant pressure for 90 mins. Better to change formation and play five at the back and one up front. Try and slow the game up as much as possible.
You can do that without playing KWP. If we brought him back too early and he got injured again that would potentially ruin the most important run of games this season.
“Can we have our ball back” type long ones? Might work. Just need to work on the world class fouling after that. We really needed Romeu for this game...
I think if KWP and Diallo are rested, then we should be playing five at the back. Without their quality we'd need to keep it tight and not lose 9-0 again, which is highly possible against any team City put out, especially if we're not at it/have another sending off/combination of both.
It does make me laugh, all the BUT 9-0 stuff. Neither of them actually matter unless you're obsessed with records and stats. Our goal difference is still better than Crystal Palace, who are the team directly above us.
Well there was a time when City were associated with underdog culture, but that's not really the case anymore is it?