06 Feb 2020 09:34:44
ed001 if we win are next 3 league games, Would you expect a full strength team against Chelsea in the fa cup. Then players rested at home to Bournemouth ready for the 2nd leg against Atletico Madrid.

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea mate. A lot will depend on injuries and how fit the players come back from their break, who needs game time etc. Right now, I would think it would be more likely to be along the same lines as the initial team that faced Shrewsbury, but possibly a little stronger.}

06 Feb 2020 10:05:24
I don't think its just about resting players but also giving other players in the squad opportunities. For instance i would assume Adrian and Curtis will play throughout and so will the third choice CB (Matip and Lovern) if not both.

We have a very good squad and competition for places after a long time.

I love how Neco Williams has solved the back up rb problem and we probably do not need to go into the market for full back cover.

06 Feb 2020 10:36:36
Ed1 do you agree with how we approach domestic cups games? I know this sounds like unnecessary nit picking however. I get the efl cup giving the kids ago in the early stages and if we get knocked out so be it. But for me the fa cup has always meant something, probably because I remember the European van and that’s all there was really to play for. But my point is, we’re having a fantastic season! We’ve won the champions league, the cup winners cup and the world club cup, unless the wheels fall off we’ve won the league, we’re still in the fa cup and the champions league. If we could go onto winning one if not both of those cups wouldn’t that go down in history as one of the best seasons a club has ever achieved? Like I said before I’m not picking but I think this team can win everything at the minute so should be going out to win every game.

{Ed001's Note - I agree, I think winning is a habit and players play better when they are playing regularly as a team, rather than being swapped out for one game and back in for the next. The next match should always be the most important one, no matter what the competition. You can wrap players up in cotton wool and then they trip over at home and break their toe, ala Sofiane Boufal this season at Southampton. Just take it one game at a time and win it. Winning it improves confidence, which will make the following game easier and so on.}

06 Feb 2020 13:52:32
The defense will be much better with Matip and Lovren hopefully upto speed by then. Milner, Ox, Lallana, Shaq will also be back for the next round so a few kids will likely be benched against Chelsea.

06 Feb 2020 14:13:53
ed001 what have you thought about the 2 young left backs that have been given a chance in the cup games. I think lewis looks a yard short of pace in truth be told. not sure about Larouci though ed I think he could do with a loan to get a lot more football under his belt but Williams looks like he could be a class act and my be free trent up to go play in the middle of the park. he might even end up being a better right back than trent defensively. And he does put a good cross in to.

{Ed001's Note - Lewis is coming back from injury, I would not judge him on his performance, though I thought he did well personally.

Larouci just plays like Moreno for me. No thought behind his play.}

06 Feb 2020 15:04:17
I like Larouci, and like the way he pushes forward so well, but I agree I have been a bit disappointed by his delivery from out wide And the end product (admittedly off a small sample) . I think he’s a better defender than Moreno though, less prone to rash decisions (the other night being a notable exception) .

By contrast Lewis was always known for having a bit of a wand of a left foot before the injury, he used to get loads of assists. I suspect over time he might be the more dangerous one going forward in our system.

06 Feb 2020 18:40:27
SGRed, Larouci will have to do a hell of a whole lot to reach the level required for this level of professional football cos for me, he is a headless chicken and like Ed said, a mini Moreno, pushing forward with reckless abandon. Hopefully, he can improve.

06 Feb 2020 19:18:26
I reckon Williams is probably the reason we haven't dipped into the market for another RB.

06 Feb 2020 20:02:15
I understand the sentiment behind winning breeds winning no matter what the competition but they have so much fitness data on these players nowadays surely they use that to decide who needs resting etc.?

{Ed001's Note - so they can give them time off training. What's the problem with that?}