[nine nine nine]

“To speak about the title race after a defeat is a bit strange, especially if this is the fourth defeat of the season, after 16 games. When you have that it’s impossible to think you are in the race, my experience tells me if you want to stay in the race in the first part of the season you can lose once or twice.

‘After 16 games, if you lose four it means you never got started. We started with a defeat at home to Burnley. We lost another game, against Man City, but we have reasons to justify that. Then when you lose to Crystal Palace, who were bottom, and West Ham, who are in a bad position, you can lose points in these games but it means you are not in the title ”

Difficult to disagree with Conte personally the title chase for Chelsea was over a while ago imo whether City lose to United or not the only real challenger would be United bar a complete collapse and City and Pep are too good for that and probably too good for United too in the long term.

Today’s loss to West Ham was only damaging to Chelsea’s chase for the CL places and we need to get back to winning ways on Tuesday away to Huddersfield if possible.

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[nine nine nine]

Credit to Moyes he set West Ham up well and they had the advantage of practicing their game plan last week.

Very frustrating from a Chelsea perspective, poor throw ins, poor passing, poor finishing and poor creativity with none of our big players at their best despite circa 70% possesion.

But congrats to West Ham they worked really hard for that win.

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[nine nine nine]

Me neither Jim but “he who pays the Piper calls the tune” unfortunately.

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[nine nine nine]

As goat says there are no easy teams in the Round of 16 also there’s a lot of water that will flow under the Bridge between now and February when the Round of 16 is played including the January transfer window.

Here are the latest SkyBet odds for the winners of the Champions League:

PSG
7/2
Manchester City
4/1
Real Madrid
5/1
Barcelona
13/2
Bayern Munich
8/1
Manchester Utd
14/1
Tottenham
18/1
Juventus
20/1
Liverpool
20/1
Chelsea
22/1
Roma
66/1
Besiktas
100/1
Porto
100/1
Sevilla
100/1
Shakhtar Donetsk
200/1
Basel
250/1

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[nine nine nine]

Seventh heaven for Liverpool tonight. Congrats to all the Liverpool lads on here.

Great to see all 5 PL teams go through with Chelsea the only PL team not to grab top spot.

The CL starts for real now with the Round of 16 draw on Monday with some tough teams potentially awaiting all but at this stage of the competition they are all good teams.

Even so I’m hoping for Besiktas.?

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, I completely get where you are coming from mate.

Although I wouldn’t worry too much even a defeat for City at OT will only make the title race extend to post Christmas the outcome will ultimately still be the same a comfortable City title win. Cheers 999

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[nine nine nine]

Hot balls? ?

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[nine nine nine]

Clattenburg loves the limelight. Refs can’t mould the rules to suit themselves that game got out of hand because Clattenburg didn’t send players off when he should but it’s all water under the Bridge now.

Hasn’t Clattenburg got a book coming out??

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, based on what Pep said in his interview I can only see him playing a very strong team v Shaktar.

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[nine nine nine]

I have put the City squad for Shaktar away up on the CL thread.

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[nine nine nine]

As expected City name strong squad for Shaktar away:

John Stones and Benjamin Mendy are ruled out with injury. De Bruyne is suspended.

The travelling squad to face Shakhtar:

Claudio Bravo

Kyle Walker

Danilo

Vincent Kompany

Raheem Sterling

Ilkay Gundogan

Sergio Aguero

Eliaquim Mangala

Fabian Delph

Leroy Sane

Bernardo Silva

Tosin Adarabioyo

Fernandinho

Nicolas Otamendi

Ederson

Daniel Grimshaw

Gabriel Jesus

Yaya Toure

Phil Foden

Brahim Diaz

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[nine nine nine]

I agree very good discussion lads.

Personally I don’t think any of it makes too much difference either way City are through as Group winners already and even if City go with a strong squad and go into the United game tired and United win it it will make things a bit more interesting for a little longer but that’s all imo because I really can’t see City losing the title from here even if they get beaten at OT.

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[nine nine nine]

banjo, I think both United and Liverpool need a point to make sure Chelsea will need a win to top their Group but there’s plenty still up in the air elsewhere and the PL teams topping their Groups narrows down who you can draw so much to be revealed.

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, from what Pep said it seems he will definitely take a strong City squad and field a strong City team.

I’m not sure it’s bloody mindedness I think it’s more to do with who Pep is and his footballing values.

banjo, I’ve done a lot of long distance flying fortunately more often than not via first class thanks to regular upgrades and it still takes it out of you plus the time difference too. United have no travelling this week which is to their advantage.

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[nine nine nine]

The coach was straight onto his players in the aftermath of the West Ham win to gauge their effort and commitment ahead of Wednesday’s game, and does not value throwing a game away as good preparation for their next three league matches.

“I asked for players in the locker room for anyone that doesn’t want to play against Shakhtar to let me know because the moment we take the bus and the plane to Ukraine I am going to prepare to win the game,” he said.

“To respect Shakhtar and to respect Napoli and for the competition – because it is a big opportunity to win 18 points for the prestige of the club – we are going there to prepare to win.”

“Of course we have already qualified and kevin will ahve two or three days off becasue he is suspended.”

“We are going to see how the players are but the best way to prepare for the United, Swansea and Tottenham games is to play good and do what we have to do against Shakhtar.”

The above suggests that Pep will take a strong squad to Shaktar and play a strong City team in order to respect Shaktar,Napoli and the competition and tbh that’s exactly what I would have expected of him.

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, as I said mate I’m not sure of the rules in respect of playing weakened sides in the last CL Group game when something substantial rests on the outcome of the game for another team in the Group but whatever City do I’m sure it will be within the rules of the competition.

Whilst imo there’s nothing wrong and probably everything right in resting some of City’s big name players even leaving them behind in Manchester to avoid all the travel playing a side made up of primarily of a B list players wouldn’t imo be in the spirit of the competition especially if it contributes to getting Napoli eliminated from the competition and Shaktar going through.

Pep is a CL winner as both a player and a Manager and someone who cares deeply about the game itself the spirit of the game and I suspect the Champions League as a competition and whilst I wouldn’t expect him to take a full strength City squad to Ukraine or indeed play a full strength team v Shaktar I would be both surprised and disappointed in him if he left with a complete scratch squad with a swathe of players that have never played in the City first team and looked to play those same players v Shaktar.

All football fans are selfish when it comes to their teams and only want what’s best for them and the game at Old Trafford could be pivotal in deciding the destination of the title so I completely sympathise with where you are coming from. As you rightly suggest we will know soon enough. Cheers 999

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, City would almost certainly be required to field a match day squad of 18 by UEFA which would probably mean a travelling squad of 20/22. I don’t believe you can change the squad even to replace injured players until the next registration of Squads for the Round of 16.

I’m not sure about the UEFA rulings on fielding weakened teams though especially when it could sway the positions in the table Napoli could get eliminated from the competition by City fielding a complete scratch side v Shaktar should Shaktar win that game.

At best it could be deemed disrespecting the competition and at worst it could impact on who goes through especially as City fielded strong sides in both games in beating Napoli home and away having said that I’m sure there would be room for resting certain key players.

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, no you’re right and there’s another 8 B list players you can add to the list I supplied circa 14 first team players would have to go to the Ukraine though but you could leave a few behind.

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[nine nine nine]

Massive miss for United shame because as a neutral you want to see the best of both taking the field next Sunday. But Pogba has only himself to blame.

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[nine nine nine]

Jim, I don’t think so mate the team/ squad to face Shaktar have to be taken from the declared CL Squad for the Group games.

City probably need a squad of at least 20 players to go to the Ukraine and consequently it will be a strong City squad going to Ukraine the majority of which will form the 18 chosen to face United although I get why you would prefer it wasn’t.

Here’s City’s squad registered for the CL Group stages 2017 there’s a wee bit of tolerance but not a lot:

Goalkeepers

1. Claudio Bravo, 31. Ederson, 49. Arijanet Muric

Defenders

2. Kyle Walker, 3. Danilo, 4. Vincent Kompany, 5. John Stones, 15. Eliaquim Mangala, 22. Benjamin Mendy, 24. Tosin Adarabioyo, 30. Nicolas Otamendi

Midfielders

7. Raheem Sterling, 8. Ilkay Gundogan, 17. Kevin De Bruyne, 18. Fabian Delph, 19. Leroy Sane, 20. Bernardo Silva, 21. David Silva, 25. Fernandinho, 42. Yaya Toure, 47. Phil Foden, 55. Brahim Diaz

Forwards

10. Sergio Aguero, 33. Gabriel Jesus

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