Anzhi, Everton, Anzhi, Newcastle, Chelsea. Pretty important games seeing as the Anzhi games could make or break it for us in the group and 3 difficult games in the prem that we can use to claw back up the table or keep getting sub-standard results. With the injury problems lately as well, this will be a difficult few weeks for BR and how we juggle this. I know I want the points in the league more than the Europa league but I do like the Europa enough to want us to go on and win it, think it would be a big boost for the team to get back to winning an inter-continental tourney.
Big games all of them, looking forwad to the Everton match and to us being the first team to beat Chelsea this season.
My only hope is that when we play the better teams our game picks up. I am hoping this happens and we actually able to finish Everton, Newkie, and Chelsea off unlike how we did with City and United. Anzhi will be tricky as we need the results against them as they will probably beat young boys and Udinese.
Here is where Hendo, Shelvey can make a big impact as they can help provide that depth in the Europa games to give Allen, Sahin, Gerrard maybe a rest for the weekend games. If we had Lucas back that would be fantastic. Wondering how he will go in the back? If the past games are anything to judge by it will be the likes of Carra, Coates, Robinson, Enrique/Wisdom for the Europa. Think this would be a good time for Yesil, Morgan, possibly Ngoo or Sinclair to get more time in as well.
One of the current trio should be played, so that Shelvey is rested for the weekend imo. Yesil and Morgan should feature heavily in Europa.
Sadly, I think 3 points from the 3 upcoming league games should be considered a success. We may or may not beat Anzhi. We're a better team but will be unlikely to be full strength against them with the league our focus.
****, it's silly season..... And if we only get three points and go out of Europe, will we all be sacking Rodgers???? I expect to lose both Europa matches and get 3 points from the three league games. Any more than the three points will show progression. Just because we scraped past Reading, I would love to know where all this misplaced optimism is coming from???
Anzhi, Everton, Anzhi, Newcastle, Chelsea. play each game on its merits. 1. anzhi at home is a must win. if we don' we are out more or less... the question is are they interested? only time will tell and we'll see form thier team sheet. 2. Everton - big derby, everton looked good early but are not quite as good now. they can't score either. it could go either way so its about performance and who scores first. 3. anzhi away - very very difficult trip look for a draw here i think 4. Newcastle, actually are not half a sgood as they should be and i think we can get a win here if we go for it. 5. chelsea - they are conceeding goals! we can get something but thier front 3 need to be contained. its not like we can't go and do well but it is fair to say the block of 3 prem games are just as hard as the very tough start we had... but if we took 5 points from 9 i think that would be a big acheivement. take 6 i'll be happy, take 7 and its a great result. europa IMO is very difficult now and if we don't win we won't qualify.
EL: Anzhi (H) win PL: Everton (A) loss LC: Swansea (H) win PL: Newcastle (H) draw EL: Anzhi (A) loss PL: Chelsea (A) loss Edit: Just realised I have predicted one point from the three league games
I agree with all that. Whats bad news is having to travel to Russia on Thursday and then to the chavs on the Sunday.
We will have to leave our first team at home for this one. If we want to be able to make a game of it in London, we will have to send the whole reserve team to Russia. Where, who knows, they may get something.
I'm going to go for a shock 3 home wins in a row agains't Anzhi, Swansea and Newcastle. Happily take a point from each of the 3 away games but feel we may struggle against Chelsea with the form they are in.
