http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...ming-of-capital-one-cup-fixtures-8824477.html It's bad news for us, that we have such a packed schedule, BUT AVB can and I think should solve the Villa dilemma by starting a completely different XI to Sunday. If we lose so be it, and I want us to win cups, and so feel a hypocrite in ways for writing this, but I think this is a game too far, and may be needed to be sacrificed Still Brad 'Kyle II' Kab Vlad Zek; Azza Lewis Sandro Chadli Kane JD wouldn't be too bad if all are fit and available. If we need to play youngsters like Coulhirst, Stewart whoever, then do it. I think our key players shouldn't even travel to Villa, let alone play.
If AVB thinks this bad, then God forbid we are still in the League Cup come the new year. IMHO this is exactly the test of him and the squad in terms of rotation. We assume Villa will be playing anything up to a PL strength side. Not knowing much about Tromso, I would be looking at the weakest possible team for that game. Call that Team1. Call the lineup for Cardiff Team2. Call the Villa lineup Team3. On paper I would be looking for : - as few of Team2 to be in the starting XI for Team1 as is possible. - Team3 to be a stronger version of Team1, with as few of Team2 starting as is possible. - A starting lineup for Team1 capable of demolishing Tromso in the first half, so that 3 subs can be made to play most of the 2nd half. All that remains is to decide the lineups for Team1/3.
We've got a lot of players. If we can get Lennon, Chadli, Adebayor and Capoue fit again, then having a packed schedule might actually be beneficial. Friedel, Naughton, Kaboul, Sandro, Lamela, Holtby and Defoe should start tomorrow and so should Chiriches, if his permit turns up. The same players can go in for the Villa game, assuming everything goes ok.
Team1 : Friedel, Naughton, Kaboul, Dawson, Fryers, Holtby, Sandro, Lamela, Defoe. Who else to start ??
If everyone's fit then I'd go with this as our first XI: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose; Sandro, Paulinho; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Soldado. Which would make this our second XI: Friedel; Naughton, Kaboul, Chiriches, Fryers; Capoue, Dembele; Lennon, Holtby, Towsend; Defoe. Still leaves Sigurdsson, Gomes (gone?), Adebayor and outside shots, like Kane and Dawkins. For the Tromso game it looks like we'll be missing a few, so I'd go with: Friedel; Naughton, Kaboul, Dawson, Fryers; Sandro, Dembele; Lamela, Holtby, Sigurdsson; Defoe. Maybe start Kane and play Holtby deeper, if Dembele's not 100%. Switch back to the team that started against Norwich for the Cardiff game, injuries permitting and then see how we look for Villa. Hopefully get Chiriches and Chadli in for that.
AVB is going to have to put a bit more trust in the Academy kids in the cup campaigns up to the new year. Which may mean the likes of Dawkins, Stewart etc get run-outs as well as Kane and Fryers.
our "second team" should be strong enough to beat Tromso tomorrow. That means "the first team" can come back for the important premier league game on sunday. As for tuesday... I say that we just use a mixture of second string players and fringe youngsters like Kane who don't get much of a look in. There's no way we can go for every competition, even with a squad like ours. - Not if we want a CL spot that is. our squad is good enough to compete for top 4, europa success and the FA cup games. But those 3 competitions + the COC on top, means a schedule involving too many games too frequently. I couldn't care less about the result against villa on Tuesday. - something's got to be sacrificed this season, IMO.
I've seen a couple of reports saying that Dawkins is in the provisional squad for tomorrow. He's registered in the UEFA list for the qualifying stage, so I guess he could be involved. Gomes isn't. Are Brazilian keepers not allowed to play in England now?
The issue with "sacrificing" cup campaigns is that every one exited is less available games for the squad to get competitive games in. Assuming no replays, there are only two League Cup ties as possibles after this one until the new year. January is where it gets nasty (two FA Cup rounds, League Cup SFs etc) .
Well said, as I say I feel a hypocrite over this, but I'm sorry the Lge Cup has to be the 'last priority' ATM, and if that means going out against Villa, so be it. IIRC when we got CL, we weren't in Europe that season, (and may even have gone out in the Lge Cup early) the 'lack of games' was a massive factor in getting that elusive qualification
The League Cup is also the easiest cup to win, and I hate to lose our chance to win a cup due to some dogshit football organization making a mockery of fair play. Though I guess I should be used to it.
Fair comments RWB. Normally I'm all for giving the Lge Cup a go, I'll never forget 2008 or 1971 for example. But I'm afraid something's got to give and I don't want it to be our players' legs. Actually, I'm not against us playing Tuesday, because if it was Wednesday I have a horrible feeling AVB would knacker some of our stars for Chelsea on Sat lunchtime. Incidentally IIRC we played away once in Europe on Thurs night then played and lost at Chelsea Sat lunchtime, now that was some ludicrous congestion, and I believe we actually agreed to it to get the TV money!!!!!!! AVB has a clear call to me, the priority is Chelsea and Cardiff and if we go out to Villa, so be it. I hate to say it, but for me that's how this cookie has crumbled. I'll be furious with AVB if he starts anyone on Sunday and Tuesday, and if they then get injured on Tuesday!!!!!!! Well, I'll probably get a 'topic ban' as I did with Lloris, because I will go on and on and on about it
AVB's right to be annoyed. From a quick look at the Sunday games it's only City us and Cardiff. Maybe if our clubs get execs throughout the Premier League and FA, like United, we could get a favour or two every now and then. I'd actually rather we played a stronger team for this League Cup game than the side we put out against Tromso as I'd like us to make some progress in it. We can't go out by having a bad result against Tromso but we can against Villa and also Tromso at home should be the easier fixture. I guess it's because Birmingham have a home tie too but there must be a better way of sorting it out, same with City and it's no surprise that it's United that get the priority from the authorities in that one. I've no idea why Cardiff are getting screwed over though, they're playing away against West Ham and there are no London games on Wednesday so far as I can see.
I think you're referring to the ludicrous Braga/Chelsea combo, JPG. Played away on Thursday with the game finishing after midnight and then played at Stamford Bridge at lunchtime on Sunday. Our players ran out of steam and Berbatov got injured with the score at 3-1. Defoe hit the bar at the end and it finished 3-3.
We played Saville in spain on the Thursday night...we finished the match at 10pm...then played Chelsea at 12.30 on Saturday giving us just 38 and a half hour between matches!
Hi PNP and RCL, I think it was the one RCL was talking about. I'm pretty certain we lost 1-0, it was an absolute farce and I'm afraid IIRC we agreed to it to grab the TV money. This time it's not about the TV money as the problem is the Tuesday not the TV Satuday game. There's no problem with tomorrow's game as we have until Sunday, so we can play a 'strongish team' tomorrow. We can't on Tuesday as the recovery time, plus the travelling makes this too risky. AVB can't afford to gamble IMHO, especially as he's highlighted the problem. It's here he earns his money, good luck to him As I say, I think we've been done a favour by giving us the Tuesday slot as it allows us to rest all our key players for Saturday, were it on a Wednesday I think AVB would make a mistake and play some of our 'stars'. All about opinions, mine doesn't count, his does. Here's hoping he gets it right.
"IIRC when we got CL, we weren't in Europe that season, (and may even have gone out in the Lge Cup early) the 'lack of games' was a massive factor in getting that elusive qualification" And therein lies the fallacy. Because the season we were in it, by the time we went out, the PL campaign faded with a slow whimper. Now, being in the CL on alternate seasons is arguably better than not at all. But the idea is to permanently remove another of the Sky 4 or Sugga Daddy FCs from the trough. Now we look like we have a squad that may deal with the rigours of 50+ games a season and still be CL capable.
