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Pointy End of the Season: 4 HUGE Games

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doctor_mac

doctor_mac

My cowboy name is Garland Justice
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So we've come back from the slumber of the international break and suddenly shit just got real. The next 4 matches are huge. Champions league quarter finals with Man City inter-spliced by two of our trickiest away fixtures at Palace and Everton. This could be an absolute nightmare or a very beautiful thing. What's the feeling? How do we make the most of our squad in these games? Who do you pick in these various games? It seems to me midfield is where decisions will need to be made, and also we have an issue about whether Clyne gets a look-in.
 
The derby is a tough one, because it's sandwiched between the two ties and if we get a shit result in the first leg, then it effects confidence going into the derby. Also, the CL ties are a bit of a distraction either side of that. I really hope Clyne is ready, because as good as TAA is, he'll be targeted by City bigtime.
 
mark1975 said:
The derby is a tough one, because it's sandwiched between the two ties and if we get a shit result in the first leg, then it effects confidence going into the derby. Also, the CL ties are a bit of a distraction either side of that. I really hope Clyne is ready, because as good as TAA is, he'll be targeted by City bigtime.
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My issue is Clyne has not played a game all season. I definitely wouldn't throw him in against City unless he's absolutely ripping shit up in training. I'd almost be tempted to play Milner at LB and Robertson at RB. Though part of me thinks we should trust TAA and back him. I don't know, I'm very conflicted, but it definitely is a key area.
 
The three I'm focusing on are against Bournmouth, West Brom and Stoke. If we get nine points from those, we surely qualify for next season's Champion's League.

Before that, I agree, it looks very ambiguous. The derby is a real bastard of a game in that slot (Ings needs to be psyched up to play 90 minutes in that game), and the Champions League games could undermine our league form either through deflation of elation. But if we're properly professional in the other games before Chelski, it's very much in our control.
 
doctor_mac said:
My issue is Clyne has not played a game all season. I definitely wouldn't throw him in against City unless he's absolutely ripping shit up in training. I'd almost be tempted to play Milner at LB and Robertson at RB. Though part of me thinks we should trust TAA and back him. I don't know, I'm very conflicted, but it definitely is a key area.
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Yeah I agree, I definitely wouldn't be throwing Clyne in, I just couldn't think of any alternative, but Milner is the safe bet definitely.
 
gkmacca said:
The three I'm focusing on are against Bournmouth, West Brom and Stoke. If we get nine points from those, we surely qualify for next season's Champion's League.

Before that, I agree, it looks very ambiguous. The derby is a real bastard of a game in that slot (Ings needs to be psyched up to play 90 minutes in that game), and the Champions League games could undermine our league form either through deflation of elation. But if we're properly professional in the other games before Chelski, it's very much in our control.
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Agreed, I think the latest point tally top 4 thingamijingy calculated us to 4 wins 1 draw from the last games to get to 76 points.
Chelsea will need 6 wins and 2 draws to get to that. So, I think 3 wins and 1 draw should be enough in all honesty.
Chelsea also have an inferior goal difference.
Win our home games and then what we pick up away will see us lifted towards 3rd etc.

Tomorrows game is a very important one for several reasons.
We need a win to set us up for the City game, and a win would see Chelsea 10 points behind us before they play Spurs on Sunday.

Tomorrow will be a big test though. Early kick off, after an international break and away to a Palace side who loves to beat us and with Roy/Benteke etc.
Bricking it..
 
gkmacca said:
The three I'm focusing on are against Bournmouth, West Brom and Stoke. If we get nine points from those, we surely qualify for next season's Champion's League.

Before that, I agree, it looks very ambiguous. The derby is a real bastard of a game in that slot (Ings needs to be psyched up to play 90 minutes in that game), and the Champions League games could undermine our league form either through deflation of elation. But if we're properly professional in the other games before Chelski, it's very much in our control.
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That is how I see things. Surely, thirteen or fourteen points won out of the remaining twenty one available would be enough to make top four, though obviously it would be nice to be more ambitious than that. However, as I have a nervous disposition when it comes to LFC these days, I would prefer if top four was done and dusted before we go to Stamford Bridge. Although we can probably afford to drop some points in the next few league games, I would prefer if we didn't
 
I'd be giving Salah Firmino and Mane only 60 mins tomorrow and in the derby. Klopp will ruffle feathers with a mad selection no doubt. Moreno on the wing
 
Fabio said:
I'm shitting myself for these games
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I'm super excited. Fuck it at least we are in the conversation in at this stage of the season and by no means are massive outsiders.

We should make top 4 and we have a good chance of beating City.

I'm loving this.
 
doctor_mac said:
My issue is Clyne has not played a game all season. I definitely wouldn't throw him in against City unless he's absolutely ripping shit up in training. I'd almost be tempted to play Milner at LB and Robertson at RB. Though part of me thinks we should trust TAA and back him. I don't know, I'm very conflicted, but it definitely is a key area.
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Why the fuck wouldn't you play Milner at RB?
 
Dreambeliever said:
I'm super excited. Fuck it at least we are in the conversation in at this stage of the season and by no means are massive outsiders.

We should make top 4 and we have a good chance of beating City.

I'm loving this.
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I really wanted us to win these games for once. You're a cruel merciless bastard under that happy-go-lucky façade.
 
Clyne won't be ready to start. Keep TAA at right back, and look to give him a bit of cover at right midfield ( maybe put Gini or Milner over on that side? )
 
doctor_mac said:
Haha. I suppose you could do that. I suppose I'm used to seeing him at LB, and he normally plays on the left side of midfield.
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True but fuck that he's right footed and has played on the right side of midfield loads of times at previous clubs.

I wouldn't disrupt Robertson who is in the groove at the moment and his crossing is improving. Putting him on the right would disrupt his progress and nullify his crossing.

The main reason to put Milner in at fb is his defensive superiority to TAA anyway.
 
Hansern said:
Agreed, I think the latest point tally top 4 thingamijingy calculated us to 4 wins 1 draw from the last games to get to 76 points.
Chelsea will need 6 wins and 2 draws to get to that. So, I think 3 wins and 1 draw should be enough in all honesty.
Chelsea also have an inferior goal difference.
Win our home games and then what we pick up away will see us lifted towards 3rd etc.

Tomorrows game is a very important one for several reasons.
We need a win to set us up for the City game, and a win would see Chelsea 10 points behind us before they play Spurs on Sunday.

Tomorrow will be a big test though. Early kick off, after an international break and away to a Palace side who loves to beat us and with Roy/Benteke etc.
Bricking it..
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21 points would be nicer though...

I am shitting it about tomorrow...strangely enough I want us to win it as much as I want us to win midweek... fingers crossed
 
Molbystwin said:
21 points would be nicer though...

I am shitting it about tomorrow...strangely enough I want us to win it as much as I want us to win midweek... fingers crossed
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Nah, I’d happily get beat tomorrow for a win against City.
 
doctor_mac said:
My issue is Clyne has not played a game all season. I definitely wouldn't throw him in against City unless he's absolutely ripping shit up in training. I'd almost be tempted to play Milner at LB and Robertson at RB. Though part of me thinks we should trust TAA and back him. I don't know, I'm very conflicted, but it definitely is a key area.
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Moving Robertson to RB to play Milner at LB is really unnecessary Doc. Makes no sense.
 
I think we will be ace tomorrow. Players will go out there and bleed fucking red blood to be part of the City game. We are good when we play to our normal standard and the point now is to not overdo things. A good game tomorrow will ease the atmosphere and put pressure on City. We have a good week in front of us.
 
This is the part of the season where squad rotation is key, 4 big games in 10 days. We have been reasonably lucky this season in terms of having our best players available most of the time, bar Clyne. Klopp is going to have to take a few selection gambles in the Palace and Everton game to keep the line up fresh against City. Id be starting the likes of Matip Lovren Wjinaldum Lallana Ox against Palace and telling them this is their chance to play themselves into the team against City.
 
Keep consistent best team for all 4 games - no rotation at the back and keep a consistent midfield 3, thats my view. If we are going to rotate, find a game later in the season if we continue in the CL past City. There is no point in rotating now if it means we have nothing to play for by the end of the season. I don't want to go to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season with a gap of less than 3 points between us.
 
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