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Festive fixtures


Deacs

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I said Norwich and Leicester were 'must win' if we wanted to stay in the Europe hunt. We're lucky that other teams have dropped points too so I'm foolishly letting thoughts along the lines of 'if we can just beat Newcastle and Stoke...' enter my head. Setting myself up for an epic festive downer...

You're certainly not alone

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Guest rusty747

I can see us losing all three if Howard starts. It's not that I have anything against him. He has been a great servant but his errors are now affecting the back four and some radical surgery s needed on our entire defence.

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The thing that most interests me is squad rotation and substitutions in the next 2 matches. Plenty of time to recover after Stoke to prepare for Spurs. But playing Stoke less than 45 hours after Newcastle means no time to recover properly. I'm sure this is a big problem for all clubs. I can't think of a bigger test of the claim -- Roberto's and ours -- that we have a pretty deep squad.

 

In his press conference, Roberto mentioned Jagielka, McCarthy, Pienaar, and Oviedo as being "involved" at some point in the 7 matches over the next 3 weeks. All well and good, but Roberto's late comment in the press conference said none of the 4 would play Saturday, and I inferred that none would play Monday. He also mentioned a minor injury for Naismith, so I wonder whether he's unlikely for Saturday, but possible for Monday.

 

But Roberto still has players who can help in this time-crunch next 2 matches. Will the back 4 play 90+ minutes in both matches? Galloway in for Funes Mori or Baines in either match? Robles? Or is Robles set only for Man City in the league cup? Will Roberto give some of Mirallas, Lennon, Naismith, Gibson, Besic, Osman a start in either match? Will Barry and Kone start both matches? Will a tiring Deulofeu play 80+ minutes both matches? Will Roberto use 3 substitutes in both matches?

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One day RM is gping to listen to the forum and make three changes after sixty mins....

 

Shortly after we will have two injurys and concede two goals to go from a winning position to a loss.

 

Substitutions should be utilised more o agree, but some people want to use them just because they are there.

 

I also want to see a change in our defence rather than the keeper.

A one on one is a bad defence, not a mad goalkeeper.

Get our defence to stop letting balls come over thier heads, get them to check runs etc.

And when you need to just hoof a ball

..then fking well hoof it.

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One day RM is gping to listen to the forum and make three changes after sixty mins....

Shortly after we will have two injurys and concede two goals to go from a winning position to a loss.

Substitutions should be utilised more o agree, but some people want to use them just because they are there.

I do tend to want to see 3 subs in the vast majority of our matches, saving the 3d for the 80th minute or after. Can be either to protect lead, player to push forward if need goal, or change of formation to attack opposing weakness, whatever. Long season, use deep squad if you actually think, as opposed to say, you have one. I admit I do want to see some of the other players get a chance. I think Lennon, Mirallas, Gibson are pretty good.

 

But the specific issue right now -- festive fixture crunch in next 2 matches -- is tired players on Monday. Unless all EPL players are easily capable of 90+ minutes on little rest. Certainly several managers complain about this crunch time, so it seems an issue managers are thinking about how to manage.

 

Get the ball to Deulofeu over and over and over. But at the first sign of petulance after 55 minutes, sub in Lennon. Deulofeu looks to wear out over the course of the season, emotionally as well as physically. Kone. And Barkley, if he's on one of his walkabouts.

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Guest rusty747

Happy Christmas to all from Dubai. Doing the family thing today. Tomorrow there are 4 live footie matches to watch here. Stoke v Man U followed by Liverpool v Leicester, Newcastle v Everton and Soton v Arsenal. Very understanding wife!

 

Hoping for 9 points from the next 3 games, would settle for 7, expecting 4 or 5 and wouldn't be surprised with less than 3!

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Happy Christmas to all from Dubai. Doing the family thing today. Tomorrow there are 4 live footie matches to watch here. Stoke v Man U followed by Liverpool v Leicester, Newcastle v Everton and Soton v Arsenal. Very understanding wife!

Hoping for 9 points from the next 3 games, would settle for 7, expecting 4 or 5 and wouldn't be surprised with less than 3!

Here's to hope :)

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