Whisper it...

We are at GIDCON 2, repeat GIDCON 2.

Originally Posted by AK14

Ditch the two cups as far as I’m concerned

Although an FA cup run could be nice though and allow us to keep the reserves up to speed

Europa should be binned ASAP.

It’s a tough one that though, because Liverpool winning on Sunday could dent us and revive them. They’re on the floor right now, I don’t want any invitation to let them up.

Originally Posted by Dasilvatwins

The gulf in class in europa is huge. It really is poor, I remember our run when Jose was manager , in so many games we rode our look due to opposition making the wrong pass or with poor finishing.

A rough team of

Henderson

Williams
Axel
Eric
Telles

Matic
VDB

James
Mata
Lingard

Greenwood

Should be enough to carry them to the quarters/semis with ease. Add diallo and who knows even pellestri and a couple others from the U23s and the first team get a good run at the premier league without having to play in poor conditions and travel to Europe every other week.

Much rather have Ole home working with the first team for league games than jetting off to back end of Russia etc.

Bin it and let’s concentrate on the league.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

It’s a tough one that though, because Liverpool winning on Sunday could dent us and revive them. They’re on the floor right now, I don’t want any invitation to let them up.

True

Sheff united in the week is the better game to rotate I suppose.

I’d give Bruno the night off against Liverpool though and let’s see what Beek can do against a decent team.

Wins breed confidence.

I don't get all this talk of going out the cups, if the team is winning its a good thing, some squad rotation along the way to keep players happy and fresh.

A win Sunday will do us much more good than a loss. The team is on the crest of a wave and needs to keep going, lose Sunday and who knows how they might react. Its all fairly new to them but one thing that is debatable for me is the mentality of this team. They have shown the fight at coming back in 90 minutes but a few defeats could really knock them imo.

Europa league whilst shit is a good opportunity to rotate and win a trophy. We also dont know what position we will be in by the time it comes around, the league could go at any moment. Liverpool are 6 off the top and there's talk as if its over, which imo it probably is for them which shows how tough it will be imo. League goes in mid March and we would be hoping to still have a cup to play for.

Fergie was the master at it, every time he made the final of the CL he won the league.

Other teams that did well in the cups tend to throw away their league campaign to do it, or visa versa. Chelsea and Liverpool spring to mind

Originally Posted by AK14

Much rather have Ole home working with the first team for league games than jetting off to back end of Russia etc.

Bin it and let’s concentrate on the league.



True

Sheff united in the week is the better game to rotate I suppose.

I’d give Bruno the night off against Liverpool though and let’s see what Beek can do against a decent team.

I’d make changes, but in no way is losing a good thing. Sheffield United is the priority though. Full strength for that.

Originally Posted by barca99

Wins breed confidence.

I don't get all this talk of going out the cups, if the team is winning its a good thing, some squad rotation along the way to keep players happy and fresh.

A win Sunday will do us much more good than a loss. The team is on the crest of a wave and needs to keep going, lose Sunday and who knows how they might react. Its all fairly new to them but one thing that is debatable for me is the mentality of this team. They have shown the fight at coming back in 90 minutes but a few defeats could really knock them imo.

Europa league whilst shit is a good opportunity to rotate and win a trophy. We also dont know what position we will be in by the time it comes around, the league could go at any moment. Liverpool are 6 off the top and there's talk as if its over, which imo it probably is for them which shows how tough it will be imo. League goes in mid March and we would be hoping to still have a cup to play for.

Fergie was the master at it, every time he made the final of the CL he won the league.

Other teams that did well in the cups tend to throw away their league campaign to do it, or visa versa. Chelsea and Liverpool spring to mind

Very true. Many of our best spells and seasons down the years were when games were coming thick and fast. I don’t want us to just disregard the EL, it just provides us the chance to be more flexible. If we had two vital league games with a CL game in between, we’d want all our best players for all three. If it’s EL, then theres room to leave a couple out. Hardly sticking out the reverses, but it makes squad management so much easier.

Originally Posted by barca99

Wins breed confidence.

I don't get all this talk of going out the cups, if the team is winning its a good thing, some squad rotation along the way to keep players happy and fresh.

A win Sunday will do us much more good than a loss. The team is on the crest of a wave and needs to keep going, lose Sunday and who knows how they might react. Its all fairly new to them but one thing that is debatable for me is the mentality of this team. They have shown the fight at coming back in 90 minutes but a few defeats could really knock them imo.

Europa league whilst shit is a good opportunity to rotate and win a trophy. We also dont know what position we will be in by the time it comes around, the league could go at any moment. Liverpool are 6 off the top and there's talk as if its over, which imo it probably is for them which shows how tough it will be imo. League goes in mid March and we would be hoping to still have a cup to play for.

Fergie was the master at it, every time he made the final of the CL he won the league.

Other teams that did well in the cups tend to throw away their league campaign to do it, or visa versa. Chelsea and Liverpool spring to mind

Yep. If United are in a competition they’re expected to try and win it. We can’t just blow off the cups a la Klopp for the last 3 years and play the kids, sadly.

Hope we win all 3 tbh.

Originally Posted by barca99

Wins breed confidence.

I don't get all this talk of going out the cups, if the team is winning its a good thing, some squad rotation along the way to keep players happy and fresh.

A win Sunday will do us much more good than a loss. The team is on the crest of a wave and needs to keep going, lose Sunday and who knows how they might react. Its all fairly new to them but one thing that is debatable for me is the mentality of this team. They have shown the fight at coming back in 90 minutes but a few defeats could really knock them imo.

Europa league whilst shit is a good opportunity to rotate and win a trophy. We also dont know what position we will be in by the time it comes around, the league could go at any moment. Liverpool are 6 off the top and there's talk as if its over, which imo it probably is for them which shows how tough it will be imo. League goes in mid March and we would be hoping to still have a cup to play for.

Fergie was the master at it, every time he made the final of the CL he won the league.

Other teams that did well in the cups tend to throw away their league campaign to do it, or visa versa. Chelsea and Liverpool spring to mind

Any other season and I’d agree

But this season is crazy busy and our quality of depth is pretty suspect tbf. I’m not suggesting we throw the fa cup and especially not against the dippers, but going forward the likes of Bruno, Maguire, Rashford should be kept for the league. They’ve basically been playing constantly for almost 18 months now and it’ll catch up eventually.

Europa is a needles distraction imo and the sooner we’re out of it the better.

It’ll be interesting to see what kind of side Klopp out this weekend.

They have Spurs in midweek and they’ll be desperate to win. Play a full strength team and lose and it’s another blot on their record and they’re £#%&!ed for Wednesday. Play the kids and they can write off any loss as ‘not a real Liverpool team’ and save their players for Wednesday.

I think Ole will know his side anyway and nothing has affected it.

Originally Posted by dunk

Yep. If United are in a competition they’re expected to try and win it. We can’t just blow off the cups a la Klopp for the last 3 years and play the kids, sadly.

Hope we win all 3 tbh.

Agree with this, although I also think he'll see it as an opportunity to rotate 4 -5 players at the same. Probably see Matic, Greenwood & Donny starting the vast majority of Europa League games, and rotating Bailly and Lindelof in and out (depending on who started the game before). He'll probably rest one or two of Martial, Rashford and Cavani; and either Pogba or Fernandes.

Although the 'problem' with Fernandes is that the little superstar seems to want to play every minute of every game he can, it's just that we risk losing him by doing so.

I think that's the best we can hope for in terms of rotation for the Europa League, which is fine by me as I would like to win it and we do have good options to come in to those game fresh.

Vardy out for a few weeks, needs surgery.

Augero return delayed with covid.
De Bruyne out for 6 weeks with hamstring.

Jota and Gomes out for weeks. Van Dijlk (sp?) out for foreseeable.

#ON.

£#%&! the Europa off pronto.


League is there for us this year.....

I'd be wanting to bin the Europa even if we were only challenging for the top 4.

Ole needs to be seen there obviously but the actual side should be kids and fringes so the first-team squad can stay back and train/prepare.

https://twitter.com/goal/status/1352612650392432651

https://twitter.com/LCFC/status/1352620732526829573

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

It’ll be interesting to see what kind of side Klopp out this weekend.

They have Spurs in midweek and they’ll be desperate to win. Play a full strength team and lose and it’s another blot on their record and they’re f***ed for Wednesday. Play the kids and they can write off any loss as ‘not a real Liverpool team’ and save their players for Wednesday.

I think Ole will know his side anyway and nothing has affected it.

i suspect Klopp is going to field a pretty strong squad as he rested both Firmino and Salah against Burnley. I can't see him going into the match wiht a weak squad especially after losing in midweek. You know Ole is going to play a full strength squad and probably the same group that played against Liverpool at Anfield with maybe a change at CB.

Have a feeling this could be on...

Originally Posted by Vida_15

i suspect Klopp is going to field a pretty strong squad as he rested both Firmino and Salah against Burnley. I can't see him going into the match wiht a weak squad especially after losing in midweek. You know Ole is going to play a full strength squad and probably the same group that played against Liverpool at Anfield with maybe a change at CB.

I can’t see it mate. I think we’ll definitely make changes. 4 or 5. Henderson in goal too.

If Klopp loses with a full strength side that’s a nightmare scenario. I don’t think Firmino was rested so much as dropped. I think he was trying to freshen it up and it didn’t work. He wouldn’t rest players in an important league game to play in the FA Cup. I reckon both sides with make 4 or 5 changes to their usual 11.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

I can’t see it mate. I think we’ll definitely make changes. 4 or 5. Henderson in goal too.

If Klopp loses with a full strength side that’s a nightmare scenario. I don’t think Firmino was rested so much as dropped. I think he was trying to freshen it up and it didn’t work. He wouldn’t rest players in an important league game to play in the FA Cup. I reckon both sides with make 4 or 5 changes to their usual 11.

Not normally, no - but the fact the cup game is against us might have made a difference?

You are most likely correct though.

We will make more changes than them, we will win regardless.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

I can’t see it mate. I think we’ll definitely make changes. 4 or 5. Henderson in goal too.

If Klopp loses with a full strength side that’s a nightmare scenario. I don’t think Firmino was rested so much as dropped. I think he was trying to freshen it up and it didn’t work. He wouldn’t rest players in an important league game to play in the FA Cup. I reckon both sides with make 4 or 5 changes to their usual 11.

if hope you're right that Ole makes 4 or 5 changes...i think Ole may bring in Telles for Shaw, a cb change, Matic probably will start with McT and the front 3 might be Mason, Cavani and Rashford

He needs to freshen it up and give a couple guys some minutes off like Bruno...no way he should play

This is a game that you utilize the squad....

i see you guys talk about the europa cup but Sociedad is 6th in the La Liga so they won't be a walkover opponent....is this cup priority of the FA Cup?

that thursday/Sunday could be troublesome when you are fighting to win the league