28 Oct 2026 10:30:53
Starting lineup predictions for tonight?
I think it'll be
Marma
Araujo Gomez Jacquet Tsimikas
Nyoni McConnell
Rio Mac Munoz
Koumas
Maybe Endo could potentially play at CB or RB?
Would like to see Araujo get a rest tbh.
28 Oct 2026 10:59:23
I'd put out a strong team, win the game. Sub tired players off during the game. We don't play again until Sunday.
• next round is the QF.
• next opponents from:
- Bradford
- Fleetwood
- 114 City or Brighton
- Bournemouth or Villa
- Fulham or Palace
- Sunderland or Brentford
- Everton or Newcastle
A win here, a favourable QF draw and suddenly you're in a 2 legged SF.
28 Oct 2026 11:00:20
Is Szob fit?
He might use Gomez at rb and Endo at cb.
I would be tempted to give both Jacquet and Araujo a half at cb each, I think they both need a rest.
Will Munoz be fit to play?
28 Oct 2026 11:11:24
Munoz will not be in the squad at all. I expect Gakpo to start up front in place of Isak.
28 Oct 2026 11:25:05
Chelsea aren't in Europe so won't be going weak and despite suggestions they are having an awful season are only 1 place and 2 points off Liverpool who aren't having an awful season.
Too many changes and not taking this seriously will likely result in Chelsea being in the QF draw sadly.
Personally i hope AI boxes clever with this and goes quite strong (sorry Taurus mate but stronger than what you suggest) because Sunday is also a massive game.
28 Oct 2026 11:38:15
Agree with Ron
Get into the last 8 and a favourable draw could open things up for us?
28 Oct 2026 12:04:24
I'd love to go as strong as possible. Win tonight and we have a great chance in this Competition.
{Ed666's Note - I hope we go as weak as possible
28 Oct 2026 12:17:08
Mama
Gomez, Araujo, Jacquet, Tsimi
Nyoni, Macca, Grav
Rio, Koumas, Gakpo.
28 Oct 2026 12:51:14
I would like a strong team but I think the schedule has been so packed lately that some players need a rest to prevent injury being risked.
The main ones being Jacquet and Araujo. Maybe Macca too.
{Ed666's Note - rest em all and play the kids
28 Oct 2026 12:58:26
We've absolutely got to have the mindset of winning every competition we enter. There can be no other way. But, and it's a big but, player management is a crucial aspect of it, as everyone knows. Somehow find the right balance and player selections from the squad of 25.
Chelsea is not going to let us walk over them. So Iraola should choose his players accordingly.
28 Oct 2026 13:01:55
don't think I've read anywhere that Chelsea are having an awful season? , they are just hit and miss which was expected.
28 Oct 2026 13:17:39
Id go
Marma
Araujo. JJ. VVD. Tsimikas.
Nyoni. Macca
Rio. Wirtz Barcola.
Gakpo.
Id hold Isak back. Still worried on the injury front and overloading him.
I think we need to go strong.
28 Oct 2026 13:40:16
Iraola could be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
Imagine if he goes strong and Jaquet or Araujo gets injured? Or both. He'd be criticised for playing them in a nothing competition and jeopardising our league form.
Then if he plays the kids and loses (like Slot did last season) he'll be criticised for disrespecting the fans who have made the effort to go to the stadium.
That's the problem when you get a tough draw at this stage of the competition. You can't go too weak because you'll get hammered but you don't want to risk losing key players to injury.
I think he'll do a bit of both and be guided by the sports science people as to who needs a rest. I'd much rather start strong and make subs than start weak and bring big hitters on later but then the ideal scenario is to rest them and end up not needing them at all.
It's a tough balancing act tonight.
28 Oct 2026 16:50:10
No Palmer (Suspension) Martinez the first choice goal keeper had an operation for a fractured jaw on the 18 October so he's out, Pedro centre forward has a thigh injury and is also out for a couple of weeks, alonso said in his press conference yesterday. Three big players missing? a halfy/halfy strong team for LFC, big hitters on the bench if reqd for a cameo?
Little known wily old fox Sir Bill Shankly used to watch the players of opposing teams get off the team coach at anfield, to see who had not travelled on the official team bus? Sir Bill was using AI (common sense) circa 70 years ago, where have you all been! The warming up sessions on the pitch was also an indicator, now they don't warm up on the pitch before the official team sheets are both with the referee.
YNWA Andoni
YNWA Andoni.
28 Oct 2026 13:06:58
Why weak as possible Ed? I'd understand the decision to rest Virg or give Jaquet/Araujo 45mins each. Maybe take Macca and Isak outa the starting lineup but apart from that go strong as possible. Get through this game and Sunday then make wholesale changes, the whole 11 for all I care in Europe next week.
{Ed666's Note - because I think we have a real chance of challenging for the title and Sunday is a must win game. I don’t want to risk any of our big game players being injured or lethargic because of it. If we put out a severely weakened team against Chelsea and we lost I wouldn’t lose any sleep. But if we played a strong team today and as a result any of our players were injured and our starting 11 was weak on Sunday I’d be livid.
28 Oct 2026 13:13:33
How you doing Ed666?
Any chance of an Allez Allez Allez pod sometime soon?
{Ed666's Note - Hey mate all good how are you? Yes we’re doing a pod after the Arsenal game on Sunday. Don’t expect an award winning podcast tho because I’ll be out the night before so my apologies in advance for the quality or lack of ?
28 Oct 2026 13:35:17
I'd be more if ed666 mindset tbh although if u go too weak your hammered.
Mamar. Gomez endo araujo (vvd 2nd half) tsmi. Nyoni grav. Rio mcconnell chiesa. Koumas.
{Ed666's Note - agree mate.
28 Oct 2026 17:13:49
That's fair enough. Just think with the teams that would be out if we beat Chelsea we'd have a great chance at Andoni's first silverware. Imagine we get hammered with a shell side out and City go out to Brighton. we'd be kicking ourselves.
{Ed666's Note - I’d rather win the title than the PG Tips cup or whatever it’s called now
28 Oct 2026 18:03:47
Thing is though, a weakened team could get gubbed by Chelsea and that will hit confidence for the weekend.
I'm always in the "win the next game" boat, whatever happens in the one after is unpredictable.
Some players get injured or more fatigued by extra training.
Win this game then worry about Arsenal.
Totally appreciate Ed666's point, I just feel differently.
{Ed666's Note - I think this is one where we’ll have to agree to disagree mate.
29 Oct 2026 08:03:21
Five wins in the last five games, perhaps we should have a bit of faith in the coach and squad and let the opposition worry about us? We are progressing nicely. We are far from where we'll be in 12 or 18 months and (as ever) the current squad needs some work, RB, CM and RW but not, perhaps, quite as urgently as some would have us believe.
29 Oct 2026 10:15:52
All good here Ed666 cheers. Getting ready to freeze my tits off for the next 6 months but could be worse.
Looking forward to the pod!
{Ed666's Note - Talking about tits Ed’s 001 has the finest set I’ve ever seen..He’d make Katie Price feel inadequate!!