While the fans of the Arsenal cup will not agree with this I say play our under 21 team and rest everybody for the second leg vs Real.

We have a shot at making the final, a realistic shot and we cannot risk injuries here, especially to Kante.

Just play Gilmour. Please.

Or this:

 

Kepa

 

James

Zouma

Alonso

 

CHO

Gilmour

Anjorin

Emerson 

 

Havertz

 

Abraham

Giroud

 

See if Tammy or OG can smash some in to show TT they are still good options.

 

44 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

While the fans of the Arsenal cup will not agree with this I say play our under 21 team and rest everybody for the second leg vs Real.

We have a shot at making the final, a realistic shot and we cannot risk injuries here, especially to Kante.

Not a lot will be with you on this one, but I am.

Like @Argo said - rather go gun blazing in the competitions we're in that worry if we're gonna be in them the next season.

6 minutes ago, Ledgerson said:

Not a lot will be with you on this one, but I am.

Like @Argo said - rather go gun blazing in the competitions we're in that worry if we're gonna be in them the next season.

Agreed. And if you look at the team I posted it should beat Fulham, and that involves only 2 players who may start (James and Havertz) but did not tonight.

Only player that we should rest for this game is Kante. 

16 minutes ago, Ledgerson said:

Not a lot will be with you on this one, but I am.

Like @Argo said - rather go gun blazing in the competitions we're in that worry if we're gonna be in them the next season.

I wouldn't go as far as playing a U21 (our squad depth is strong enough to rotate accordingly) but we for sure should have half an eye on next week.

We have played the same starting 11 for the last 2 games and we obviously lost some intensity in the second half against Madrid hence the triple substitution.  Most of our rivals for the 4th position have 5 games left while we have at least 8 games left. It is Imperative that we use our squad or we will be burnt out come may. 

                             

                               Mendy

            Azpi         Christensen    Zouma

James      Kante        Jorginho             Alonso

      Ziyech          Abraham        Havertz

 

Will bring on Kova and Gilmour for Kante and Jorginho at half time regardless of the score line 

3 hours ago, KonaKai Blue said:

Only player that we should rest for this game is Kante. 

And CP 

Issue is the Fulham game is absolutely must win. With Liverpool facing Utd and then with 4 easy games afterwards, and with us having such a tough run in after this Fulham game, we absolute need this win to build a potential 7 point gap. 

Id play all the fringe players, alonso, havertz, gilmour, hudson odoi, zouma, james. Just get them all on the pitch, possibly Ziyech too but he could be an important player come next week. Id prob play azpi in with zouma, as i wouldnt start him next week against real. The only issue is we cant afford any of our main three cbs getting injured, so maybe even play emerson at the back.

 

                              Kepa

           Azpi         Zouma    Emerson

James                                                 Alonso

                    Gilmour    Kova/Havertz

Hudson Odoi                      ZIeyech/Havertz

                       Giroud/Abraham

Edited April 28, 20215 yr by Oli

9 minutes ago, Oli said:

Issue is the Fulham game is absolutely must win. 

Are they all not that now?

Silva Mount Kante jorghino chilly pulusic and rudi all rested please tommy

mendy 

Dave  Christiansen zouma 

Callum billy kova alonso

ziyech Giroud havertz 

if that team isn’t good enough at home to Fulham we don’t deserve top 4 

Edited April 28, 20215 yr by turnyitb

At least not a lunch time kick off, think we may just nick it. Fulham hasn't been that bad, they just found a way to drop points, so all they need is a bit of luck and they will get something out of this game. Expect rotation, have to start with either Giroud or Tammy, for this game and get game time for the return leg. I fear the worst if Werner start again in the return leg. This is the kind of game we have been dropping points lately, can't afford another one.

3 hours ago, Browerkid said:

And CP 

Agree

Obviously, we have to win this. But we need to rotate players. Kova might be back ?

anyway 

mendy 

christensen zouma rudi

CHO gilmour kante alonso 

havertz tammy mount 

We need to win most if our remaining games and on paper this is the easiest of them all but in reality probably the hardest game there is. Players feel this is the snack between main courses. 

If I was Tuchel I would pick Tammy, CHO and maybe even Billy. Talk to them about having a chance of a lifetime to play in the remaining games if they produce here.

It would surprise me if we played well and took easy 3 points here. 

Edited April 28, 20215 yr by evissy

Time to uncork this bottle of goals we've been keeping under wraps and well hidden, so that we find our shooting boots in time for Champions League SF 2nd Leg.

8 hours ago, Oli said:

Issue is the Fulham game is absolutely must win. With Liverpool facing Utd and then with 4 easy games afterwards, and with us having such a tough run in after this Fulham game, we absolute need this win to build a potential 7 point gap. 

Id play all the fringe players, alonso, havertz, gilmour, hudson odoi, zouma, james. Just get them all on the pitch, possibly Ziyech too but he could be an important player come next week. Id prob play azpi in with zouma, as i wouldnt start him next week against real. The only issue is we cant afford any of our main three cbs getting injured, so maybe even play emerson at the back.

 

                              Kepa

           Azpi         Zouma    Emerson

James                                                 Alonso

                    Gilmour    Kova/Havertz

Hudson Odoi                      ZIeyech/Havertz

                       Giroud/Abraham

You’re right, the Fulham game is a must win game, however the issue, imo,  is what we appear to do a lot, underestimating bottom half PL opposition ? 

Even Fulham themselves must have given up on PL survival by now, but I’m sure nothing would please Scott Parker and his Fulhamite’s more that to give us a bloody nose and ruin our party.

I think it foolish and improbable that we will field almost a second team and expect to win - I expect some changes, but TT has to start with a team that can win this game in 60mins and then coast, with changes, until full time - there are 3 full days plus match day itself before we play Madrid and there is no travelling involved, so our core players can start this game, finish up around the 60 minute mark and have plenty of rest/recovery before Wednesday night imo.

After all, protecting key players by not playing them, doesn’t always work out - Kova, for example, injured in training ?! 

Finally, I’m not having Kepa, even with his new Barnet, blokes a wrong’un  imo 

 

Fulham are quite a physical side and play at a high tempo, real problem they have is scoring.

Lookman is probably their best attacking player and often cuts in from the left to shoot right footed.

I agree we need to rest and think Timo should give way to Abraham not my favourite striker yet puts in shift and can always come off at 70 mins if we need a goal.

Might also need Alonso for this one as long as Kante or Kova plays.

I would also try to get CHO and Havertz on. Havertz to replace Mount.

Try to rest, Azpi, Mount, Chilwell don;t think we can rest Kante until Kova is back.

 

 

 

Its a bit risky but one option is to play Kante against Fulham and have Kova play the second leg against Real.

Alonso, CHO, Havertz, James can all play, and Tammy as well

One line up:

Mendy

James Christenson Zouma Tony Alonso

Jorginho Kante/Billy

Havertz

CHO Tammy/Werner

 We don't need to play the U21s and we will have  players like Billy that will still struggle to get on the pitch.

 

I would rest Kante, T.Silva, Rudiger, Pulisic and Azpilicueta and still demand a win here 

16 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Or this:

 

Kepa

 

James

Zouma

Alonso

 

CHO

Gilmour

Anjorin

Emerson 

 

Havertz

 

Abraham

Giroud

 

See if Tammy or OG can smash some in to show TT they are still good options.

 

That defensive line is scary, hope TT does not read you! 😉 

28 minutes ago, RMH said:

That defensive line is scary, hope TT does not read you! 😉 

Lol it actually made me think of Sheff Uniteds back 3....from last season...when they were actually good.

Cannot say Alonso and James would not offer us the overlaps and delivery that they had then.

Defensively though yeah....maybe we could win 6-5 lol

I’d rotate a few of the senior players (Dave, Thiago, Kante) and give Pulisic’s hamstrings a rest but the rest are fit young lads and should be able to cope!