Everton (Away) C1 SF 1st Leg : Pre Match Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
leth said:
It's an interesting dilemma to now have more of our squad fit to play. We need to get some returning players back involved this week and try to reduce the workload on the certain players who have clocked up a lot of minutes over the last couple of months. All the while without weakening the team too much with players who are bound to be a bit rusty or limited by the amount of minutes they can contribute.

Everton will be a tough game. On one hand we don't strictly need to win - not losing would be okay. On the other, it would be a real bonus to take a significant advantage into the second leg. Looking ahead to the weekend, Norwich should be an easier proposition. They will have the advantage of having not played in mid-week, but perhaps they might still rest some players with one eye on the league games next week. With a chance to get some quick revenge for recent defeats against Liverpool or Stoke at Wembley seeming so close, i feel like tonight's game is the one to prioritise. If we do well tonight i'd be happy to take a few more chances with the line-up on Saturday. If we did lose against Norwich then at least we avoid a fixture pile-up and while i would obviously prefer to avoid a replay, so would Norwich and i'd strongly fancy our chances at home. Going a little weaker for Saturdays' game is a risk worth taking.

So, for Everton (A) i'd go with:

Hart
Sagna
Clichy
Otamendi
Mangala
Fernando
Fernandinho
Navas
Silva
Aguero
Sterling

Bench: Cabellero, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Toure, Delph, De Bruyne, Iheanacho

Then, for Norwich (A) i'd go with:

Cabellero
Zabaleta
Kolarov
Demichelis
Mangala
Fernando
Delph
Toure
De Bruyne
Iheanacho
Sterling

Bench: Hart, Clichy, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, Aguero

Obviously, i highly doubt Pellegrini will start Hart tonight, or indeed not have Demichelis on the bench to see out the last minute. I would really love to see Kelechi get 30 minutes tonight and a start on Saturday. I expect Manuel has other ideas though.
Click to expand...

Would prefer not to see Fernando in either!
 
We have gone full strength to get to this point so I predict the same tonight i.e. no changes from the starting line up in the last two games:

Hart
Sagna
Kolarov,
Otamendi
Mangala

Toure
Fernandinho

De Bruyne

Silva
Sterling

Aguero


I would personally look to freshen it up and I’d take Yaya out and put Delph in to give more energy in midfield. I don’t know how fit Clichy is but I’d be tempted to start him as I think Coleman could give us problems. From there I’d go for early subs with Nacho for Aguero and Navas for one of (KDB, DS, RS) subject to how it’s going, both planned for 65mins. I’d try and get Zab on toward the end and plan to start him and Yaya at the weekend.
 
Im afraid it will be a merseyside final can't see us having the work rate to go through.

Hope I'm wrong!
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Would prefer not to see Fernando in either!
Click to expand...

Fair enough. So would i to an extent. I'm just assuming he might be a bit ahead of Delph in terms of fitness given Fernando made the bench for the Watford game. I wouldn't envisage using Fernando in any of the the forthcoming league games, but if he's got any useful role to play in our squad, cup games away from home where it's more important we don't lose looks to be it. Whatever his footballing abilities, it does feel to me like we should be at least starting games with someone really sitting offering protection to whatever combination of centre-backs we can currently field. The key is to stay in the game at the outset. See how the games are panning out and throw a more attacking option on for him at the right moment.

Also, i do feel we should take the opportunity to rest Yaya in one game and Fernandinho in the other at some point this week as it's rare that we have that option open to us.
 
leth said:
It's an interesting dilemma to now have more of our squad fit to play. We need to get some returning players back involved this week and try to reduce the workload on the certain players who have clocked up a lot of minutes over the last couple of months. All the while without weakening the team too much with players who are bound to be a bit rusty or limited by the amount of minutes they can contribute.

Everton will be a tough game. On one hand we don't strictly need to win - not losing would be okay. On the other, it would be a real bonus to take a significant advantage into the second leg. Looking ahead to the weekend, Norwich should be an easier proposition. They will have the advantage of having not played in mid-week, but perhaps they might still rest some players with one eye on the league games next week. With a chance to get some quick revenge for recent defeats against Liverpool or Stoke at Wembley seeming so close, i feel like tonight's game is the one to prioritise. If we do well tonight i'd be happy to take a few more chances with the line-up on Saturday. If we did lose against Norwich then at least we avoid a fixture pile-up and while i would obviously prefer to avoid a replay, so would Norwich and i'd strongly fancy our chances at home. Going a little weaker for Saturdays' game is a risk worth taking.

So, for Everton (A) i'd go with:

Hart
Sagna
Clichy
Otamendi
Mangala
Fernando
Fernandinho
Navas
Silva
Aguero
Sterling

Bench: Cabellero, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Toure, Delph, De Bruyne, Iheanacho

Then, for Norwich (A) i'd go with:

Cabellero
Zabaleta
Kolarov
Demichelis
Mangala
Fernando
Delph
Toure
De Bruyne
Iheanacho
Sterling

Bench: Hart, Clichy, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, Aguero

Obviously, i highly doubt Pellegrini will start Hart tonight, or indeed not have Demichelis on the bench to see out the last minute. I would really love to see Kelechi get 30 minutes tonight and a start on Saturday. I expect Manuel has other ideas though.
Click to expand...

Pretty in line with your thoughts. Just had a closer look at the schedule in Jan and Feb. Terrible! Now I would go a step further and go full strength today for the silverware in the C1 cup and bring a "B-team" in the FA cup. Giving key players a rest for the tight and more important PL and CL season.

Thus Hart must start today and Willie in the FA cup. I hope Pellers is flexible enough for this agreement.
Pellers hinted at going for some rotation by saying "you cannot win every competition". I hope he even has the guts to bring a B-team in the FA cup - of course trying to go as far as possible - reducing the fear of possible replay matches for the key players.

Biggest problem for me is how to reduce the workload of our wingers. I see Sterling in both your lineups, leth....

I'd like to see some boring but energy saving 1-0 wins like Milan, Chelsea, Atl Madrid and Tottenham regularly used to do in away games. But maybe times have changed and it is not as easy anymore nowadays.
 
I was just thinking that we have 3 injured players so that makes the size of our first squad 19 for tonight's game; just imagine the meltdown here if it is Kelechi who won't make the squad. :)

I hope he gets at least about 30 mins irrespective of the result, and minimum the same amount on Saturday against Norwich.
 
My interpretation of Pellegrini's recent comments (http://www.espnfc.us/manchester-cit...ni-would-rather-have-prem-title-than-new-deal) is that he is going for the Capital One Cup (obvsly) and is really not too enthusiastic about the FA Cup. Being that we are in a good position in CL, I honestly think we will see a real shake up with the team selection on Saturday with some youngsters given the nod. I know this isn't his style, be it sounds to be like he really would love to get out of the FA cup ASAP.

Same lineup tonight as Watford.
 
TexasCityzen said:
My interpretation of Pellegrini's recent comments (http://www.espnfc.us/manchester-cit...ni-would-rather-have-prem-title-than-new-deal) is that he is going for the Capital One Cup (obvsly) and is really not too enthusiastic about the FA Cup. Being that we are in a good position in CL, I honestly think we will see a real shake up with the team selection on Saturday with some youngsters given the nod. I know this isn't his style, be it sounds to be like he really would love to get out of the FA cup ASAP.

Same lineup tonight as Watford.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't surprise me given the lack of respect we gave it last year. I suppose it depends on the result tonight to some extent.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
✖
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.