I don't think so, entire first 11's have been rested before a Final, Swansea got smashed 5-0 before the most recent one...what on earth is it you read??
Mostly porn. Though even there, I really just look at the pictures. Oh, sorry, I guess you were talking to someone else...
We probably won't. I expect more twists and turns and all 3 teams to drop points. Arsenal are just like United in that sense. Experience and know how to grind out results with a fair bit of luck along the way. I don't think you'll need to worry about Southampton, fully expect you to be fired up and take the game to them. Might be a bit of a backlash given their last performance but Lennon (I I assume he's back) will reinvigorate your game. Going into the game against us knowing you have to win might be more beneficial, you will know what result you need and can play with more aggression and less caution than if you needed say, a draw. If we lose to United though, it' becomes a must win for both sides.
Not always though notso. Swansea rested the entire first team but that happens rarely. I'm asking if a team plays its near or full strength squad. Now I'd have to think hard as to where I read that but I don't hallucinate,I certainly read it and I can't be held responsible for what's written in articles I start to read can I notso?
Must win game. Simple as. They will be without Fox and Ramirez after suspensions, correct? If we won't win this, it's pretty much season over, IMO. Well, we'll be relying on other teams rather than deciding our own fate. - that never works out well for us!
Who said always?, most, is not always, and once again you're pointing out odd exceptions everyone is more than aware of. In the main, if there's little to play for league-wise, teams field weaker sides before a Final, that 2nd string may pull off a result, so what?, but mostly they don't.
I did want to go but with shaw out, gaston out, fox out...... nobody to play LB. And our CB's did not perform well at all against west brom. Glad I'm not going. In my head I've written this one off. Schneiderlin will be key for us, hopefully he will be al over Bale like a nun sandwich!
Being without Fox is more of a blessing than a hindrance to be perfectly honest, even if we either have to play someone out of position or blood our young LB Matty Targett from the U21s as a result. Ramirez is a quality player but has not yet settled into making consistent contributions to the team and in reality he wouldn't have started anyway. The big miss is Luke Shaw to injury, our defence with/without him is an entirely different prospect. (For comparison, look at defence pre-Shaw August-November, to with Shaw November-April, and then without Shaw again in our games against QPR, West Ham and West Brom). I think we match up well with teams such as yourself as you can see from our recent successes at home against top sides, these days we almost prefer to play a City, Chelsea etc. than we do a West Ham or West Brom, the difference is though is that unlike the other big teams we have had success against is that you will/should absolutely muller us on the counter. I like to be optimistic going into games but I think your boys will really have to not turn up or Gareth will have to decide he can't stand to beat the team that raised him twice in one season and score an own goal or two for us to get something from the game. That is unless Pochettino has something else up his sleeve as our usual tactic of high pressure, committing men forward will only serve to create space behind us for Bale and Lennon to run into. If Bale has the ball at his feet running at Hooiveld I may have to cover my eyes and look away.
This is going to be a painful watch with our lack of a decent left back. I think it's still too early to call up Targett. Is Lennon back for you guys yet?
Lennon should be ok. He came on against Wigan after being out through injury, so we expect him to start this one, having had another week to get back to fitness. It's a huge game for us. I really hope we can get a comfortable win with a good performance. We're desperate for results now and we need as much confidence as possible going into our final 3 games, which will also be tricky.
Spurs stalwart Graham Roberts went to my school and lived just a couple of streets away from me. His younger sister was even tougher than him and played Rugby for Southampton ladies...
You've got some big scalps this year. I was afraid with an intact squad it might be 4-3 either way. Now that I know you've got serious injury problems...I think it might go 4-3 either way. You just don't know who or what will turn up for us. On the rare occasions we're at our best we've scorched both sets of Mancs and left Inter in the dust. But other than those three times, two of which were periods of twenty minutes, we tend to play tight games most of the time, with a periodic total collapse thrown in.
I am coming to this one...don't get to go that often due to costs so am hoping for a good day...does help us that they are missing 2 players and are pretty safe (7 points from relegation zone and a hugely better goal difference) but that may let them play without fear. Hopefully we will come out in the way we ended the city game ... lennon would add much needed width if he manages to start
Lennon gives us the much needed width whether he plays well or not, he still gives FB's something to think about, they're also less likely to push forward as much, and if he hugs the touchline, and gets some distance between his FB and the CB, it opens the space in the channel Bale likes to drift into these days.
We talk about how vital Lennon is for our width, but he offers us so much defensively too. Right now, walker is scaring the life out if me, so Lennon in the first team is massive for us!
Walker and Lennon against an untested left-back? Something that we really need to take advantage of. Be nice to see a balanced team selection this time.
We are chasing Paul Ince's sprog from Blackpool who can play on both wings as competition for Lennon,let's go for it.
talked the other day about missing Lennon,probably more than Bale,and was shot down in flames,prehaps i was right!!
I can tell you with some confidence that he is very high on our wanted list. We have been monitoring him for most of the season and currently have a scout watching him every game.
