Manchester City

------------------------ D.Costa -------------------------

Kristensen ---- Kalidou ---- Romero ---- Robertson

------------- Bellingham ---- Declan Rice ------------

Gnabry ---------------- Bruno ---------------- R. Leao

------------------------ Haaland -------------------------

Slonina, G.Inacio, Kamara, Sabitzer, J.David, G.Ramos, A.Gouiri

Obvs up against a fantastic outfit and will be a very hard game, but we go in looking for 3pts no point anything else or we will get pumped, a nicely balanced side imo with plenty of experience and youth mixed, pace and power throughout and looking to cause some damage to their back line with a very quick and dangerous front 3/4 with attacking fullbacks to boot.

Back 4 led by Kalidou, he is the spare man allowing the other three to man mark when Lesta are driving forward, if they play 2 up top he will man mark the 2nd striker leaving Romero the tough tackling no nonsense CB to take care of the main man, both stick to their jobs, give the striker a yard or two, dont sit right on him as if he is lost then the striker is away, giving them a wee bit of room allows them time to adjust to where he is going and gives them that extra second to manouver into position to stop the threat and stop the attack, dont dive in, just shimmy the player to give him second thoughts on what he is doing, allowing our boys to win the ball and get it away from danger, boot it away if you have too. Fullbacks sit in a flat four when we defend their fullbacks are obvs a danger so keep tight with help of our wingers, push the wingers and fullbacks wide and keep them away from the box and shooting areas, try and stop the cross coming in so be onto the early, when attacking they both go at the same time, with Rice sitting this allows them to do so, get on the outside of the wingers and pressure there defensive line with that extra man, forcing there attacking players back, use Bruno as the man in the middle to pass and sprint passed the wingers giving Bruno that option of playing wide or more central to Haaland or the players moving inside.

Bellingham and Rice must be patient, provide some support to our defense when we are in retreat they harrass the man with the ball with Rice doing the marking job on the AM/SS sometimes having to become a 3rd CB and Bellingham doing the running when others come forward, be onto them quickly stop the ball getting to the forwards and into danger areas, when attacking Rice still sits in as the fullbacks attack he will be there to give our two CBs support just in case we lose it so we always have at least 3 back. bellingham will move up alongside Bruno to give us numbers up top, like said, if we push forward they have to crawl back, so even if we lose the ball they do not have the numbers up top to unleash a counter giving us time to get back, pass and move quickly and precisely and move into a dangerous area, demand the ball be confident in his abilities, shoot if he can and has an opportunity to do so.

Bruno is the link between midfield and attack, he can control the game form a number 8/10 position, he will be direct with his passing, wether out wide or to our striker, he will orchestrate play and quite simply pull the strings, if he wants to play a risky ball to get us in then he will, I want him to be aggressive in his play as we are definitely up against it, let the pass go as players come onto him, as this will take them out them game and less for our attackers to worry about, plenty options for him to aim for if he decides not to go for goal himself. Defending, his workrate in good, his pressing is aggressive and immediete so will always help out Bellingham and Rice so will drop back to help and as we win the ball he will then look to start attacks very quickly.

Our wingers are extremely quick, young and full of energy, when we don't have the ball they drop back a bit to make up the numbers as opposition attack, make sure their fullbacks attacks are nulified, push into the faces of the opposition to force them into mistakes and hopefully in the end they lose the ball, Gnabry and Leao will cause them problems drifting in an out, taking men on and getting in behind their fullbacks, thus allowing Bellingham and Bruno more time and space to pick there moment to move into space as an attacking threat and eventually to Haaland who can beat any defender with power/pace and the other wingers who will look to get into space to get a shot off, if their defense is on top then we can always go direct at times and fire early crosses especially from deep from the fullbacks to midfield and Haaland, we must always make sure Haaland is well supported, especially wingers who at times will be right on his shoulder or alongside.

Captain - Kalidou
Pens - Haaland
Set Pieces - Bruno

Losing -
65 Mins - G.Ramos for Bruno, we go a bit more direct in a 4-4-2, get it wide and crosses in
75 Mins - Sabitzer for Bellingham, J.David for Gnabry fresh legs

Winning -
75 Mins - Kamara for Bruno sit in a mid 3, keep tight in midfield
80 Mins - J,David for Gnabry

Drawing -
70 Mins - G.Ramos for Bruno 4-4-2, J.David for Gnabry
75 Mins - Sabitzer for Bellingham