Guess the starting XI

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I can’t see why benson would want to leave at this stage in his career unless it was a very big club wanting him - we need some central quality not more wingers imo anyway , a strong centre mid with physicality and the ability to pick a pass and score a goal or two , I’d be happy at that.

Twine seems to have bulked up over last season's injury ravaged campaign, I noticed he was not getting knocked off the ball or bullied so easily during the latest friendlies. He can certainly play football, perhaps he might be the answer to your prayers army88?

[barrie_burn]

I think James Trafford has expressed his views and I don't think we would have signed him for potentially £19m unless we were going to start
with him.

[Vintage Claret]

Based on the matches I have been able to watch in our pre-season, Muric is a better goalkeeper than Trafford at the moment.

Trafford is at an age when he can improve, but against Manchester City it should be Muric in goal.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Based on the matches I have been able to watch in our pre-season, Muric is a better goalkeeper than Trafford at the moment.

Trafford is at an age when he can improve, but against Manchester City it should be Muric in goal.

A no-brainer V_C it's got to be Muric.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Friday night is only 5 more sleeps away (that's what my grandson just told me), he's got the new blue away kit and very nice it is too, so I suppose we should make a guess at the starting line up.

Muric,
Roberts, Beyer, Ekdal, Taylor,
Koleosho, Cullen, Twine, Cork, Zaroury,
Rodriguez.

I expect a right regal stuffing.

[outwoodclaret]

Trafford,
Roberts, Al-Dakhil, Beyer, O’Shea,
Redmond, Cullen, Brownhill,
Amdouni, Foster, Zaroury.

[army88]

Friday night is only 5 more sleeps away (that's what my grandson just told me), he's got the new blue away kit and very nice it is too, so I suppose we should make a guess at the starting line up.

Muric,
Roberts, Beyer, Ekdal, Taylor,
Koleosho, Cullen, Twine, Cork, Zaroury,
Rodriguez.

I expect a right regal stuffing.

I’m going to say

Trafford
Robert’s , Beyer , O’Shea , Taylor
Cullen, JBG , koleosho , Zaroury
Amdouni

Don’t understand VK obsession with JBG tbh but I think he’ll play - if cullen unfit weghorst

Yesterdays game was a run out I get that - but we played people out of positions - where I think we went wrong is we should have played the starting team together at some point ( exception of cullen )

Unless VK thought Pep was watching and created a false sense of security to trick
Him into thinking we were clueless- I hope that’s what it was 👍👍👍

As an after thought I’d play Townsend if fit as he likes to score a worldly against City - and he’s a very very good player.

[sinkov]

God knows what the team will be, but as it likely won't include Maatsen, Tella, Benson, Cullen or Barnes I can only imagine it will be weaker than the one we finished with in the Championship. Which would indicate something has gone amiss.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

God knows what the team will be, but as it likely won't include Maatsen, Tella, Benson, Cullen or Barnes I can only imagine it will be weaker than the one we finished with in the Championship. Which would indicate something has gone amiss.

The balance of the squad is all wrong mon ami, in reality the best striker at the club is Jay Rod and the paucity of choice in the midfield is ridiculous.

Obviously we cannot know how Amdouni and Koleosho will pan out but out of our entire squad the only one I would truly consider a "walk-in" to most EPL teams is Beyer.

The rest have left me feeling a bit meh.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

You must be feeling pretty confident though army88 you are going to take on City with just ten players. Are you giving them a chance or what?

Trafford
Roberts , Beyer, O’Shea, Taylor
Cullen, JBG , Koleosho , Zaroury
Amdouni