I wouldn't have blamed him for doing it before today's injuries but I think it has to be done now. It will still include Matic,Salah,Mikel,Cole,Lampard and Ba. Throw in the likes of van Ginkel,Kalas,Ake and Oscar. Not ridiculously poor. Need a 2nd cb.
guess, we would still beat them that will light a fire under the backside of some of our main players..
"When the Premier League decide to put that Liverpool game on Sunday, when Liverpool refuse to play on a Saturday, it is a decision I have to make with the club, if the club wants to go with everything in direction of the Champions League I am ready for that. "We represent English football and we are the only English team that is in European competition. Spain has four and gave them all the conditions to try to have success. "The Premier League should [fight for our match to be played on Saturday]. We have a big match on Wednesday that can give Chelsea another Champions League final, we ask, ask and asked again to play on the Saturday. "I know what I would do, but I'm not the club. I have to speak with the club."
No brainer for me. The league has gone but we have given ourselves a good chance of making the final. Even if we beat Liverpool we are still outsiders for the title. We have a few injuries and suspensions for Madrid to contend with and can not afford any more injuries. Not a single player who will start on Wednesday should start at Liverpool IMO even if the game was Saturday.
I disagree, I'm sure some of our players can play Sunday/wednesday If Terry, Eto'o and Cech are out Wednesday then the team to face Atletico would be something like Schwarzer Azpilicueta-Ivanovic-Cahill-Cole Luiz-Ramires Willian-Oscar-Hazard Torres I think John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard, Nemanja Matic, Mo Salah and Andre Schurrle with Demba Ba up top is a decent enough top six. But I am sorry to say we cannot go sending Ake and Kalas out to be lambs to the slaughter to Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling. I would stick the same back five that is going to play against Atletico in against Liverpool. Not one for throwing a game
I agree they can play 2 games in 4, I'm more concerned with someone like Cahill, Dave, Luiz or Ramieres getting injuries.
I understand the potential for injuries to occur, but I still feel we lose all integrity playing a weakened side and if guys like Ake or Kalas get roasted by Liverpool, they may never make it to the first team in the future. Oh to have Zouma and Bertrand in the squad right now
I'd rather lose integrity and get to a CL final myself. And anyway after Blackpool the Prem League took the rule away that you have to put out your 'strongest' team. It's a squad game.
Exactly. I'd rather play fit and hungry youngsters in some positions then players who may be too afraid of missing a big game when there's a 50/50 ball to be won. Easier to swallow a loss to if we are forced to pick a weakened side. Liverpool have the wind in their sails and will probably beat us regardless. Biggest way we can shove it back down their throats is to win old big ears again.
I think Jose's playing some very clever mind games. All along this season he's been trying to play the underdogs tag, saying it's City's title to lose etc, even when you were top of the table. Playing Liverpool at Anfield is a really tough ask with the way they are playing, even if you had a full strength team. It's much better to play a slightly weaker team (I don't think he'll make wholesale changes but rest a few players certainly, maybe 4 or 5 of them) and then anything that you get from the game is a bonus, and it puts much less pressure on him and the team. As some of your other posters pointed out, even if you somehow manage to beat Liverpool you'd still need them to drop points elsewhere to win the title, and with your injuries it's going to be a massive ask. Much better to focus on the CL, if you win next week (which is definitely on the cards) then you only have the CL final that you will hopefully have a number of players available again.
It's a no brainer really. We have enough players that can't play next week to put out a decent side with out risking anyone else.
It's not like it would be all kids. Lamps,Mikel,Matic,Salah,Ba,van Ginkel,Oscar are all good players.
Schwarzer Kalas Cahill Ivanovic Cole (needs match fitness) Matic Lampard - Van Ginkel to come on at a later stage for one of these Salah Oscar/Willian Willian/Schurrle Ba
Depends if Jose plans on moving Ivanovic to cb in place of Terry. If he does I wouldn't risk Cole. It's just not worth it.
Defence is the only issue. The front six picks itself with Lampard - Mikel - Matic Salah - Ba - Schurrle Cole and Schwarzer prob need a bit more match practice. Ivanovic would not be too bad to be played as he did not play last night. That leaves two places in the back four. I think Mourninho is playing games. Likely to line up Schwarzer, Azpi, Ivan, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Matic, Lampard, Schurrle, Salah, Ba Hazard to come on for match fitness, Van Ginkel to get a run out as he might be needed against Atletico and probably Oscar as he did not play against Atletico.
There's an obvious need for you to balance the two games by resting players. It's not going to be as bad as he's making it out obviously - you have a few players to come in and players that are banned for the second leg of a pretty high quality. Jose is just putting some pressure on Liverpool whilst protecting his players.
While you have a chance of the league and Champions League you should play your strongest availble team in both games.
