Chelsea (H) - Sun 8th Jan, 16:30 - FA Cup | Pre-Match Thread

Match Result Prediction

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BringBackSwales said:
I think Ake gets a rest today, and Cancelo will play (although needing to rest players on Wednesday makes predicting our side today more complicated than usual)
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Ideally Ake would be rested but he's the only left back option who can play in a 3 when Lewis pushes into midfield. If Cancelo or Gomez play left back Walker has to play right back.

If Laporte is fit he could play but I'm guessing he'll be saved.
 
We need to get Walker, Cancelo, Philips, Bernardo, Foden & Alvarez up to speed ASAP. We've home advantage, & Walker/Cancelo will hopefully be seriously pissed they were withdrawn at half time on Thursday & feel they have something to prove. However I still maintain it was the system that was more at fault against Chelsea.

Rodri was fucked when withdrawn & Gundog/KDB weren't far behind. If we can get the aforementioned players back to their best level, we've no need to rinse those I've named on the bench in every match. Using our squad to its fullest extent will make the difference between success & failure in this odd & fragmented season.

Ortega
Walker
Akanji
Aké
Cancelo
Philips
Bernardo
Foden
Palmer
Alvarez
Grealish

Subs: Ederson, Lewis, Gomez, KDB, Haaland, Gundog, Rodri, Stones, Mahrez
 
Prospect of several NW teams in the 4th round. City could play Blackpool. Fleetwood, Burnley, Accrington, Stockport.

Or Wigan.
 
Could be quite a fun game this. Very hard to predict Chelsea's team thoughts; after a couple more injuries, do they want to chase for a cup or cut their squad losses and attempt a push at the top 6? Whatever 11 they field, it's going to be at least 5 players from full strength.

City? Pffff, no idea. Previous tells me Pep is a full strength man, win the next game, but with a few players in and out of form I don't really know what that means this season. I'd predict Ake and Haaland to rest, Foden to be played again, maybe see an Alvarez start. Otherwise, fucked If I know. 4-2 City.
 
Manchester33 said:
Probably better to lose than to draw! Weird decision by the FA!
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For clubs down the pyramid a draw is extra revenue so badly needed at that level.

As well as being a season ticket holder at City for 43 years I am also a season ticket holder at Darlington FC and before the pandemic they got a draw at Walsall and the money from BT who did the replay probably saved the club.

For PL clubs its a nonsense though, not sure how they sort it.
 
KnaresboroughBlue said:
I'd like to see:

Ortega

Walker Akanji Ake Cancelo

Bernardo Phillips Foden

Mahrez Alvarez Grealish

Play a 4-3-3 and we'll look a lot better. Obviously would prefer Ortega as keeper, Stones and Laporte in CD, Rodri in CM and Haaland for Alvarez but otherwise it's about as strong as we can do. Some energy in CM and support for our wide players from FB.
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Uncle Wally One Ball said:
The rags devalued the FA cup forever. It hss never been the same since they did that
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It wasn't their choice. The PL wanted ManUre to represent them in Brazil (IIRC), so the FA Cup was sacrificed to allow this to happen.

To be fair, ManUre were left with the choice of huge fixture congestion, or being allowed non-participation in the FA Cup. For once this wasn't ManUre's fault...
 
I'd love us to win today. No overthinking, get them beat and hopefully we finally get an 'easy' domestic cup draw in the next round which is weirdly being done before our game.

Seems to be the first season we're really trusting the young lads so hopefully that can help with fixture congestion.
 
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