I’d go with:
Raya
White-Saliba-Gabriel-Kiwior
Rice-Jorginho-Havertz
Sterling-Jesus-Martinelli
I like Trossard against Atalanta, saving Martinelli for City.
This is the team I want against City (injury luck permitting).
Martinelli-Jesus-Saka
Rice-Partey-Havertz-
Timber-Gabriel-Saliba-White
Raya
So for Atalanta I feel like we can rest both wingers for sure with Trossard and Sterling coming in, then Jorginho is an easy replacement for Partey, either Kiwior or Calafiori (if fit) an easy replacement for Timber, and then the outstanding question is whether Jesus is fit enough to start Thursday/Sunday. If so, great. If not, then give Nwaneri a CL debut against Atalanta instead, moving Havertz up front.
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Why CL games on Thursdays ffs. Have a day off on Thursday, so Wednesday night game would’ve been so good for me 
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Just heard we are the third favourites to win the CL according to some bookies, behind Madrid and City. I would place us the same way, but it’s nice to hear that from an outside source.
:ramsdale:
We haven’t been rated so highly since 2004/05 when we were the first favourites to win it after going unbeaten. We are truly back.
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Regardless of the bookies making us third favourites based only on what their financial liability dictates, we have so much to prove in Europe. We’re nowhere near being the third most likely team in Europe to win the CL at this moment.
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needs to have context.
let’s say Real has 45% chance
City has 40% chance
Arsenal, 2%.
We are third but you know the probability.
Being third means nothing.
Even by that logic, we are not the team that’s third most likely to win the Champions League. There are clubs with far more know how in this competition who can bridge a gap in quality over two legs.
We were put out in relatively handy fashion by one of them last season.
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In reality we probably have the same chance like Villa in the CL.
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Yeah I think we’re down the pecking order to win the UCL. We underperform in Europe most years… but I wonder whether a league format could actually be better for us.
till we have a strong 25-men squad then we can talk.
Get out of the CL group, and concentrate in the league, that’s the best we can do.
Let the bench/young players to take care of the cups.
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Actually, thinking about it further…
I think we should be the second favourites.
We did have a better direct score against City in the PL last season, didn’t we? PLUS, the Community Shield…
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Even if he’s fit please rest up Bukayo for City on Sunday.
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If Saka is fit, Saka will play.
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Friday 12:30 AM for a CL game, wtf is this format??
I expect us to play our strongest team. We aren’t savvy enough in Europe to risk playing a weakish team.
And City play today at home while we play a day later away. I guess we just have to get on with it.
i think we should play full strength and not worry about city right now, we might end up dropping points in both if we mess with our team against atlanta. we should be able to beat them with our first team without odegard, maybe rest the players after 60 odd minutes
Raya
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori/Timber
Partey, Havertz, Rice
Sterling, Jesus, Trossard
My expected lineup. Think Saka will be rested due to his knock. If Calafiori is back it’ll be a good place to give a first start for him
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Saka 100% starts. What are you all smoking.
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I’d prefer Jorginho over Partey here as I think Partey starts against City.
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yes, i would also rest partey, tempting to rest Timber as well but dont know whats up with Calafiori, Zinchenko and Tomi.
both Calafiori and Saka took part in training session today
what happened to zinchenko, he was okay before intl break but absent against spurs
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