DaRick

f**k.

Knowing them they'll go on to win 4-0 now. *please let this be a jinx*

Let's look at Mooy.

sh*t their defense was actually half-effective? That's really something. They're still making history then. From the first Azerbaijani side to compete in the CL to the first to gain a point.

Holy crap, Azpi and Conte pull back from the brink, pulling subs and formation changes out of the hat ala West Brom last year at home. Will Conte finally get the hint and change the starting formation? Or will he think that a corner has been turned and stick with the current starting formation? Hopefully the former for as long as Kante is out. Also, will he finally bench Captain Cahill lest he turns into another Ivanovic?

Told ya he was a super-sub, Antonio.

Conte is channeling Mourinho 2015-16. Never thought I'd see him do that.

Pedro scores some absolute scorchers.

Cahill starting instead of Christensen? Hope Conte knows what he's doing.

Was dismantled.

What a joke.

Why Willian instead of Pedro?

If Morata isn't available, I would play a false 9 with Hazard in the centre, Willian and Pedro playing around him and Bakayoko and Luiz providing the midfield shield (assuming Luiz is available of course). Later on I would introduce Cesc and maybe Musonda if we have the goals on the board. Later on in the game, a sort of 3-5-1-1 with Batshuayi at the top with Cesc feeding him might be possible too. It depends on how things unfold. We should really be winning this game nonetheless.

Was gonna mention Rudiger, but I felt that Christensen was the best of the lot.

In general, a rather tired and lethargic performance. Disappointed but not surprised given the exertions of midweek plus the extra day Man City had to rest, plus the easier opponent they played (Shakhtar is definitely not Atletico Madrid). Having Drinkwater available would have been ideal because then we could have rested Cesc while he would have provided more defensive security. I had thought the combo of Cahill/Azpi might have been overly defensive, though to their credit both defended reasonably well. I was concerned that Cesc would not have the legs to start and that Willian was off-form, but I would have elected to gamble with starting Cesc in lieu of better options. Unfortunately, that didn't come off. Morata going off injured was a body blow that would likely have affected the result even if we had been playing particularly well beforehand TBH, but especially here because he was one of the few players who was troubling City's defence. Hazard was left frustrated. Surprisingly Cesc didn't release him very often, maybe because Bakayoko/Kante were tired and couldn't win the ball often enough. On the bright side, Christensen impressed.