Sheffield United (N) - FA Cup SF - Sat 22nd April, 16:45 | Pre-Match Thread

[Scottish Cityzen]

I’ve not got a great track record predicting Pep’s line-ups but this one will be next to impossible.

I do expect 7/8 changes and that the 3 or 4 that might remain will be after an assessment of their fitness and perceived robustness from the medical team.

The Ake injury will highlight concerns that we’re getting into that time of the season that wear and tear from so many games close together are a big worry. I think that will make Pep risk averse ahead of Arsenal.

I still trust that we’ll have enough in the tank to get by the blades.

 

[Ducado]

I happen to believe he will put a strong team out and try and get the game won in short time, the players might be tired today but by late Saturday afternoon?

 

[blue b4 the moon]

As always I want a win but, as the last two Prem games are away it's likely if we do win the league the title will be won away and an FA Cup final will be a chance to celebrate another league with blues before (again IF we beat Madrid) a CL final.

Not all of us are going to be able to afford/get tickets for Turkey.

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

Makes me wonder if players like Phillips look at this forum because if he did, even if played, his confidence would be so low! He hasn’t actually done anything wrong for us and people are slating him like he’s some bloke we picked off the street to be in our squad. We paid 40 mil for a reason. If he had a run in the team I have no doubt he would shine. Trouble is Rodri is just a rolls Royce of a defensive mid!

I am not writing him off, as he had been injured so much but he doesn't look like he wants to be here in the minutes he does get.

If he does start and plays even 6 or 7/10 then that would be huge in terms of rotation options for the rest of the season.

Last night I though Gundogan needed replacing second half but there was no option to do so because Phillips can't be relied upon as it stands.

 

[PaulTheOctopus]

Would love to see Alvarez starting
He deserves a lot more game time

 

[shevtheblue]

I don't think we really have a choice in this game, we will have to rest players considering we have a game on Weds. Grealish and some of the others looked fucked last night, i think in that area of the pitch we are ok. Midfield and defence is going to be a tough one. Ideally you'd want to play Rodri next to Phillips for that extra assurance, but i don't think we have that luxury.

 

[PaulTheOctopus]

To be honest I haven’t seen Sheffield played at all. Are they a decent team?
Or maybe we are giving them too much respect

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

There's a chance we beat Arsenal, United and one of the Milans. The I 90s treble.

 

[paulchapo]

I am not writing him off, as he had been injured so much but he doesn't look like he wants to be here in the minutes he does get.

If he does start and plays even 6 or 7/10 then that would be huge in terms of rotation options for the rest of the season.

Last night I though Gundogan needed replacing second half but there was no option to do so because Phillips can't be relied upon as it stands.

It's the most annoying thing about this season. For 40 million most blues, myself included, were okay with us buying Phillips. A decent steady player and doing okay for England. I have no idea where that player has gone. Every game he's played or come on to play he's been awful. Can't run, can't pass, can't close down and can't tackle. No positional awareness. In short fucking useless.

 

[paulchapo]

To be honest I haven’t seen Sheffield played at all. Are they a decent team?
Or maybe we are giving them too much respect

A decent hard working side but limited. Without McAteer and Doyle they'll be weaker. Playing our second string evens it up though and being at Wembley they'll raise their game.