http://www.skysports.com/podcast/0,20494,26960,00.html Check the sports science podcast it's quite informative.
Good luck to the traveling fans on the weekend I've already done my cup final for this week at least it didn't go to a replay. All or nothing at Everton please!
Play our best for both cups , like sterio , I think our situation is over thought and overworried . More silverware !
Do you think Everton will also be focussing more on the league as well ? They are still in with a chance of 4th - if they win their game in hand they are 5 points behind Liverpool. I see it as a good chance to beat them and give the players the belief we can then beat them there in the PL as well.
Everton had their Palace game cancelled and don't have a midweek game next week(?) though...meaning they can give us their full attention. Convenient! This is what I'd do over the coming weeks; Everton (A) [ FA cup ] - Sunday the 16th Feb, 1.30pm Play our first team and go for it....hopefully give Shelvey and Michu some minutes. Napoli (H) (EL) - Thursday the 20th Feb, 8.05pm Play our first team and go for it....definitely see some involvement for Shelvey and Michu, here. Hopefully at least 1 of them is able to start and play an hour (giving someone in midfield a rest) Liverpool (A) - Sunday the 23rd Feb, 1.30pm rest as many as we can, only play second choices and those returning from injury still in need of minutes. Napoli (A) [EL] - Thursday the 27th Feb, 6pm Depends how we did in the first leg. If we are still in it go for it. If we can go through see it through. If it becomes obvious we are going out, haul key players off. In the unlikely event we are coasting, do the same. Palace (H) - Sunday the 2nd Mar, 4.30pm Must win game...all hands to the pump. Arsenal (A) - Saturday the 8th of March, 3pm Providing there is no replay with Everton and no Europa games....go for it, but obviously rest anyone who is not 100% or who has had a shed load of minutes through necessity (maybe rotating the midfield). OR 6th round of FA Cup - Saturday 8th of March IF we are still in the FA cup the Arsenal game will be rearranged for later in the season and will most likely need to be written off...depending on where in the fixture list it is plonked. Possible Europa 1st leg - Thursday 13th March Obviously got to go for this, play reserves at Arsenal if this comes to fruition. West Brom (H) - Saturday 15th Mar, 3pm Must win, see Palace above. (will be on the Sunday if we are still in Europa) Possible Europa 2nd leg - Thursday 20th March Would depend on the outcome of a 1st leg. Everton (A) - Saturday 22nd Mar, 3pm Depending on Europa situation, go for it. If by some miracle we are still in Europa I'd rotate for this game...but wouldn't put out the reserves. Instead a few would need to play 2 games in a week...look to sub them. Norwich (H) - Saturday 29th Mar, 3pm Must win, all hands to the pump.
Everton in the Cup I would basically give away and concentrate on Napoli. Agree with the rest. Basically concentrate on the FA cup or Napoli
Stuck it in the schedule above. If we reach the Europa quarter finals we play 3rd and 10th of April. Semis - 24th April and 1st of May Final - Wednesday 14th May, 7.45pm (GMT) in Turin.
well they are supposedly fit athletes getting paid thousands a week, no reason why they cant play as you said full strength for the first two and await the results, take it from there
Napoli are a very tough draw , I'd play our best for the first leg , then play accordioningly the second leg . If we have a chance to move on then play our best , if things look bad for moving on then play players that need a bit of time and fringe players
Hopefully, we will have a full squad (with no further injuries) to select from, which will make rotation a whole lot easier than in recent weeks.
^^^^^^^^This! We need to win every game now, because it will consolidate our confidence, which is in need of boosting, the issue of League games is not so critical as there are not many left, of course they take priority, but remember Monk has our boys working on a better fitness system that they were under with Rodgers and Martinez, so I'm sure we can do this, and I'm going for a 2-1 win for the Swans, I also see that Britton has come out in the press and shown that the boys are now well up for all the challenges under Garry Monk!.............
As long as we are in it we must give everything we got to win. We have players we can rotate and as long as we play the system we are trying to play now then i trust every squad player whoever is chosen by monk to play to give a good account of ourselves. We must not go into the game with the attitude of just turning up because we don't want to lose by a huge margin as that can break any confidence that has been built up. As far as im concerned our situation has changed and we can now try and win every game we can whether it's the league,FA cup or European games. The players need to believe in themselves whoever is chosen to play and the fans can play their part making as much noise as possible to help Monk who i know will be shouting orders like a demented fan encouraging his players...If you are in it try to win it...
