Hull (a) Pre Match Thread

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MarsLlama said:
Losing to Hull would be a disaster on a far, far bigger scale than losing away to Liverpool. We need to rotate smartly, if at all, to try and win both.
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Except that we're not bothered about Hull picking up points. Both equally important.
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
Completely disagree. I want us to do well in
the FA Cup after last season's disgrace vs Chelsea. It may likely be the only thing we have a chance of winning this season and I hope the club has not become so arrogant that they cherry pick the competitons
We should compete for everything.
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Why was it a disgrace. We were put in an impossible position by the mugs who run the competition and had little option. I hope that won't happen again but I fear that is wishful thinking.
 
Danish Blue said:
Have the likes of Liverpool really played that many games less than us as individuals? Everytime i turn on the telly i hear "experts" telling me about the hideous over rotation by Pep. Are our players playing a lot more football than the others?
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How could you get that so wrong? The over rotation means our players on average have played less than other teams, not more. That's why their argument is that if he didn't rotate as much, they'd get more used to the system.
 
We've won two on the bounce and without European games this is the time we need to really show our title credentials. Chelsea are on an excellent run but only 7 points ahead. We need to keep winning to keep the pressure on. Considering our recent run of results over the last ten or so games, and Chelsea's it's positive we're within 7 points still. Especially as we lost to them. A poor result for them on Boxing day, where they're without Kante and Costa and we're only 4 points behind with a tough trip to Anfield.

We know how Liverpool will play, they'll give us no time at all to settle on the ball. Aguero being available is a big conundrum for Pep. Throw him in after such a long spell on the sidelines or stick with the system we've been playing with a false 9?

Looking at Hull specifically, they'll be hugely disappointed to lose against West Ham, they should have won that game. It is the sort of game we should be winning by a considerable margin but equally on our form this season one we might well lose. Win it, and comfortably and we're on a really good run which is brilliant.

The Liverpool game in my opinion will be a huge test of Pep's tactical nous. I'd play a similar system to them. Henderson and Can up against Yaya and Fernandinho, only one winning pair. Starve those two of the ball and you can't see Firmino, Lallana or Mane doing too much. It's similar to the Arsenal game. I think we can outscore them considering their back four and our options up front. We're due a win at Anfield and I think we'll get one this time.
 
Len Rum said:
"We need to rotate smartly, if at all" - you've lost me with that one.
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Some people are suggesting we rest all our key players against Hull because it'll be 'easy'. The reality is that if we don't beat Hull it'll be a massive confidence knock. It should be easy, but oly if we take it seriously. Some rotating might be needed, but we can't go out and play Bravo, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Clichy, Fernando, Aleix García, Silva, Nolito, Navas, Iheanacho and expect to walk it.
 
cibaman said:
Except that we're not bothered about Hull picking up points. Both equally important.
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Let me rephrase that- Losing to Hull is something that basically no other team has done, while losing to Liverpool is a confidence knock we could probably recover from because they're probably as good as us on current form. If we lose to Hull we likely go into the Liverpool game three points behind them.

I'm not saying we should prioritise one above the other, but wins against Liverpool and Arsenal carry less weight if we don't beat the struggling teams like Hull.
 
Anybody who thinks Hull will be easy is at best being naive. They need the points as much as we do. We must play our strongest team. Hopefully they will not have eaten too much christmas pudding!
I think the best way is to start with your strongest and then make three key subs later. I have never gone with a weaker team to start and the better players on the bench. You could argue it both ways but I would always start with the strogest possible.
 
Does anyone know if Guardiola is doing his press conference today or tomorrow?
 
MarsLlama said:
Some people are suggesting we rest all our key players against Hull because it'll be 'easy'. The reality is that if we don't beat Hull it'll be a massive confidence knock. It should be easy, but oly if we take it seriously. Some rotating might be needed, but we can't go out and play Bravo, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Clichy, Fernando, Aleix García, Silva, Nolito, Navas, Iheanacho and expect to walk it.
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I would never expect to walk any game. But that 11 is exceptionally strong compared to the team that Hull are like to put out. Plus there are a fair few scrappers in it. I would be quite happy if we started with that 11 (assuming Zabaleta is fit) and then brought Aguero (if fit), KDB, Sagna, Kolarov, Fernadhino, Yaya & Sterling in for the Liverpool game.
 
Pep: I spoke with some players about what it means to play on Boxing Day against Hull City… We have to be prepared

Pep: We're going to train tomorrow and on the 25th, then get a bus in the afternoon to Hull. We're going to prepare like it’s not Christmas.

Pep: [On January transfer window] I am happy with what we have, I am confident in the players that we have.

Pep: [On January transfer window] I am not denying that we will look for something

Pep: Of course Gabriel Jesus is coming, we will have another striker and we will finish the season with almost all of our players
 
Pep: "Vincent is still out and Zabaleta has a small problem, but we are hoping that he will be able to train w/ the team before Boxing Day."
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
Completely disagree. I want us to do well in
the FA Cup after last season's disgrace vs Chelsea. It may likely be the only thing we have a chance of winning this season and I hope the club has not become so arrogant that they cherry pick the competitons
We should compete for everything.
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So do i, hence the wink at the end ;;;;-))))
 
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