Everton (H) | Pre-Match Thread

[greasedupdeafguy]

Dreadful lol

 

[HelloCity]

 

[chesterbells]

Anyone know when next seasons fixtures are out?

Wed 16 June

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Missing out on the ballot last week was horrible. I’m still gutted a week later. Enjoy all you lucky ones !

 

[supercity88]

Must admit I expected Pep to play the fringe players at Brighton and give the CL starters a run out against Everton. But having played a very strong team in midweek in a game which, because of the red card, turned into one of the most tiring of the season, it doesn’t really make sense to play them again at the weekend.

Reuben Dias has played 61 games this season, for City, Portugal and Benfica. He also played 9 games in the summer when football re-started. It will be 5 days between the Brighton and Everton matches which would normally be adequate recovery time, but after such a tough midweek match at the end of a gruelling season the chances of muscle injuries must be relatively high.

If we play a strong team on Sunday it will mean that Monday and probably Tuesday will be about rest and recovery. If we give the CL starters the weekend off we dont have that constraint, can prepare for Chelsea as the coaches would like.

I also think that Chelsea will be buggered because they’ve had such a tough end to the season, physically and mentally. We ought to try to capitalise on that advantage

Yeah on reflection I agree mate. And as I said, I stalked how he has approached finals with Barca and he did rest players leading up to the game. Form dropped off considerably too, which has been a concern for some blues.

But a one off game like the CL final will see every single player naturally want to give it their all mentally and physically because it is the pinnacle. Especially for a side that has won everything else domestically. And you would rather go into that having had more rest and less pressure leading up to it.

Regardless of how much pressure Chelsea have had on each game this month due to top 4 push and FA Cup, you can't take that and then be ready for the CL. If they make the top 4 that will be a huge relief but they then just go straight into 6 days of focus on something even bigger and it probably will take its toll.

We have had whole seasons with pressure, fighting for trophies but Chelsea are early in their development and it is relatively new to a lot of them.

 

[christopp]

Covid test needed for going the game tomoz?

 

[BlueDan91]

Covid test needed for going the game tomoz?

No

 

[Blu3m00n91]

Really want to go to this game now gutted I don’t have a ticket

 

[chesterbells]

Is it Christmas Day yet?
Cannae wait for this afternoon.
Bring The Trophy :-))

 

[Norbiton]

Signalling problems on the West Coast line for any coming by train like me. Fingers crossed....