Bournemouth V Liverpool

[Frogfish]

That's rather disingenuous because we all know City can field two teams capable of the Top 4 so in their situation, where there is already talk of the 'Quadruple' you can understand that it hardly matters which 11 Pellegrini puts out !

We are not in that happy situation and an injury to one of our senior players, with 5 injuries already stymying us, could prove disastrous. We need to protect our players wherever possible. I'm sure winning against Everton will be a far bigger confidence boost than the 3rd round of the FAC away to Bournemouth.

 

[Molbystwin]

I agree completely, I love the cup and think its important and very much worth winning for all kinds of reasons but by the same token we need to get winning in the league again and beating Everton would be a massive result towards getting us back in the CL. It has to be our main focus due to our current injury situation.

Truth is apart from the outrageous class of Suarez, Everton are our equals and indeed they have better players than we do in a depressing number of positions.

 

[Mystic]

I agree completely, I love the cup and think its important and very much worth winning for all kinds of reasons but by the same token we need to get winning in the league again and beating Everton would be a massive result towards getting us back in the CL. It has to be our main focus due to our current injury situation.

Truth is apart from the outrageous class of Suarez, Everton are our equals and indeed they have better players than we do in a depressing number of positions.

At least we own the best parts of our squad, however yes, you're unfortunately right.

 

[StevieM]

If only we'd signed Gareth Barry when we had the chance.

 

[gkmacca]

I am worried about injury more than fatigue, specially when Agger got injured in the last game. Just imagine one of the CM getting injured when Lucas is already injured

Using Agger as an example of unexpected injuries is like choosing a Beatles song in a music round of Pointless.

 

[Woland]

I'm in Bournemouth this evening.

That is all.

 

[nealmac]

Sterling should play rb for at least one half, see if he can do it cos it'd solve a huge problem in the shape of Cissokho.

Hmmmm....don't you mean "in the shape of Johnson?

Or are assuming Johnson would play LB?

 

[TheRedCrusade]

Using Agger as an example of unexpected injuries is like choosing a Beatles song in a music round of Pointless.

well i just wanted to make my point that 4th position trophy is much more important than trash FA cup, specially because the position we are in . Its absurd if we think we cant even field 4-5 fringe players to get over some championship side, we should not even think of top 4 in that case

 

[gkmacca]

Precisely.

 

[Woland]

Even in 2009 the squad was that thin that taking anyone out was kinda like playing Jenga. Just one first team player out replaced by the shite we've got on the bench and the whole thing comes crashing down.

If you do it with four or five it's doomed.

Not that I'm arsed about the FA Cup.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Hmmmm....don't you mean "in the shape of Johnson?

Or are assuming Johnson would play LB?

I'd put Johnson at lb yeah.

Even Johnson in this form is a better bet than any youngster we have & is miles better at lb than Cissokho, mostly cos the opposition know he's capable f something, even he's not currently demonstrating it, so they can't let him simply have the ball like villa did with Cissokho at the weekend.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

It's not about 4 players or 1 player, if BR gets the balance right and play it with a clear game plan, we should win. So just get some result and come back home safe. Btw Ibe or Sterling are the same players we wanted to go on loan to some championship club so here is their chance to play against them

 

[nealmac]

I'd put Johnson at lb yeah.

Even Johnson in this form is a better bet than any youngster we have & is miles better at lb than Cissokho, mostly cos the opposition know he's capable f something, even he's not currently demonstrating it, so they can't let him simply have the ball like villa did with Cissokho at the weekend.

Personally I'd rather see Flannagan at LB. I thought he gave a great display the last 2 or 3 games he played there.

I'm all for trying Sterling at RB though. Especially against Bournemouth.

 

[refugee]

I don't understand the sudden clamour for Sterling to play left back.

We have a young player in decent form, so lets move him to a unfamiliar position!!

 

[cloggypop]

In the last week I have seen Henderson and now Sterling suggested for left back. Madness.

 

[gkmacca]

I don't understand the sudden clamour for Sterling to play left back.

We have a young player in decent form, so lets move him to a unfamiliar position!!

Because cup time means crazy time. Cissokho should stay in, cos he's crap, Aspas needs to come in cos we don't think he's any good either, several youngsters that we don't think are ready for a chance in the league should come in cos they're more likely to thrive in a more frantic away environment where the tackles will come in thick and fast, and of course the reserve keeper needs a go even though we think he's shite because it's not as if there's a reserve side any more and that one game could get him just right for an unexpected league start in April. But we'll still have a couple of big stars on the bench just in case they need to go on with twenty minutes left to try in vain to save the game whilst pulling their hammies and picking up groin strains. It's as if fans of the opposing side have established thought control in order to sabotage our cup runs. Get the tin foil on your hats, sharpish!

 

[TheRedCrusade]

frrack go ahead and play the strongest 11 against some crap team and then play with 11/2 against Everton because everyone is tired by then

 

[gkmacca]

And then get back in the time machine and travel forward again to an era where players are actually quite fit. There's caution and there's neuroticism, and this is all veering to far towards the latter. You can't keep most of your players wrapped up in cotton wool because you fear that anything might happen to them. In terms of injuries, they're more likely to get crocked, and miss loads of league games, playing in a derby game, so on that logic our long-term league prospects would be better served by resting top players in that match. You just can't control these things with such cold calculations of risk. But you do need to try to win matches. All matches.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

And then get back in the time machine and travel forward again to an era where we have ennough depth......

its about not cotton wool, its the money made from it. If you spend fucking 7m on players and dont give them a chance to play in a cup game or spend loads on academy development and still cant figure how and when to use them. Better keep on buying Suarezs, Studges, Coutinhos...because Henry's biatch cums oil every time

 

[gkmacca]

We know how and when to use academy players - I prefer Rodgers' strategy to Hodgson's (v Northampton). As to buying the odd disappointing player - I think booting them back out is preferable to weakening the team by playing them. Play people because they've earned the chance. It should always be on merit - not Buggin's turn.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

In the end I hope, the players who deserve to get a chance get a chance in this game and on tuesday we can beat those neverton bastards.

 

[nealmac]

I don't understand the sudden clamour for Sterling to play left back.

We have a young player in decent form, so lets move him to a unfamiliar position!!

Right back, is the position in question.

I completely accept your point. However:

A: It would just be an experiment against a lower division team in a cup game, and B: He can't be much worse than Johnson.

 

[StevieM]

frrack go ahead and play the strongest 11 against some crap team and then play with 11/2 against Everton because everyone is tired by then

Fuck me.... Professional footballers playing more than once a week occasionally.

Thank god we get 4 hours more rest till the derby than the Everton squad.

 

[StevieM]

Right back, is the position in question.

I completely accept your point. However:

A: It would just be an experiment against a lower division team in a cup game, and B: He can't be much worse than Johnson.

Why do we need to experiment with Sterling at RB?

What purpose will it serve for Sterlings long term development?

After all these years, watching laborious performance after laborious performance with successive managers unsuccessfully trying to fit square pegs into round holes, you'd think even we'd all have cottoned on to the grand idea of playing players in the positions they're best suited too.

 

[Best Believe It]

I would certainly play the same defence against Bournemouth as I would against Everton. Not having a settled back four has been a major problem for us this season, so I'd use the Bournemouth game to establish one.

I'd almost be tempted to play Kelly and Flanagan as the full backs (if the latter is fit) because I've run out of faith in Johnson and Cissokho being any good.

 

[nealmac]

Why do we need to experiment with Sterling at RB?

What purpose will it serve for Sterlings long term development?

After all these years, watching laborious performance after laborious performance with successive managers unsuccessfully trying to fit square pegs into round holes, you'd think even we'd all have cottoned on to the grand idea of playing players in the positions they're best suited too.

Refer to points A and B in my previous post.

 

[Brizzle]

Sterling at RB is not a good shout, when we were 352 I think he was an option for RWB but he is currently showing his worth as an attacker so why change that?

 

[nealmac]

I don't think anyone was suggesting it be a "change" as such. At least I certainly didn't. 1 game against a lower division team.

Hey, @FoxForceFive this was your suggestion. You can't just fuck off and let me take the rap 😉

 

[StevieM]

Refer to points A and B in my previous post.

Alright.

What's the point of the experiment?

Doing it because it's a team from a lower division isn't justification.

And yes.... he could be a lot worse than Johnson.

 

[StevieM]

Sterling at RB is not a good shout, when we were 352 I think he was an option for RWB but he is currently showing his worth as an attacker so why change that?

The only reasons I can think of are insanity, stupidity or the influence of mind altering substances.