Team for Plzen

Hart
Zabba, Kompany, Nasty, Clichy/Kolarov (if Clichy unfit)
Yaya, Fernandinho
Navas, Nasri, Aguero
Dzeko

Is Silva not available?
If so i would go:

Hart
Zabba Kompany Nasty Clichy
Yaya Fernandinho
Navas Silva Aguero
Negredo

Silva was supposed to be missing for 3 games.

I would rather have Lescott at left back than Kolarov, but not sure Vinnie will be fit yet?

Massive game this IMHO, win and we've crossed a major bridge, lose and who knows, early limp out like last year?

Lose and bye bye methinks.

Kompany is supposed to be fit for this...

The accepted wisdom to progress out of the CL groups is winning all three home games and picking up a point or two on the road.  Our best shot at getting a cheeky away point or three is from this game and, given I don't feel we'll do more than draw with Bayern, we could do with hitting the ground running and beat Plzen.  In theory, we're good enough to do it.

Who we play is largely irrelevant, it's HOW we play that matters.  They're not going to sit back and play for a draw, so we need to go for the jugular.  As long as we don't do any of that tippy tappy bollocks, please Mr. Pellegrini!

Let's be honest here, Plzen should be the whipping boys of the group. If Bayern and CSKA beat them home and away, we have to be doing the same. If we don't I can see us heading for the Europa. I don't want to be going to Bayern in the last game needing something to get through.

Frankly, we could find ourselves in a carbon copy of our first season in the CL, where Villarreal were the whipping boys.  With everyone bagging six points off them, it's effectively a three way tie.  I expect Bayern to get through without any fuss, so it's going to be a straight fight between us and CSKA and, given we're in a lower pot, we need to finish on more points than they do.  We really need to make our home games count.  If we beat Plzen home and away, beat CSKA home and draw away and have a home draw with Bayern, that's 11 points and should just be enough to see us over the line even if we do lose at the Allianz.

The further thought occurs that, if Bayern are already qualified and have a tough league game to come, they might not be too concerned and play a weakened side, which might just work in our favour, just in case!

They are not the push over people think, they have beaten Atletico Madrid and Napoli to name just 2 in the Europa league in recent years. We take them lightly at our peril, remember Cardiff?

So Vinny plays! Hope Dzeko and Aguero play well tonight...
no injuries please!!