5 hours ago, Paddy said:

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 

 

    Kovas injury was inevitable. He always started due to Kantes injury and of course he had an accumulation of fatigue. Even Tuchel spoke about jorginho being fatigued yesterday hence him losing some simple passes. 

      Jorginho has played every single minute of every match since kova went down because we have to protect Kante. It is high time we have faith and use our whole squad because the difference in the second leg might only be due to freshness. I expect Real to rest 70 percent of their team against Osasuna this weekend. I don't expect us to change the whole team but Silva Rudiger Jorginho Mount Pulisic and Werner have to be rested for the second leg.

55 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

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!

TT also said Werner was tired as well yesterday so could be an indicator to him being left out.

Think you could also add Jorgi to your senior list as he is playing a lot as well.

Another consideration are those players fasting until may 12th for their faith, (Kante, Rudiger, Zouma, maybe others) so are not allowed to eat or drink during daytime hours. Seems to not affect Kante, but maybe should allow Rudiger a game off too.

25 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

TT also said Werner was tired as well yesterday so could be an indicator to him being left out.

Think you could also add Jorgi to your senior list as he is playing a lot as well.

Another consideration are those players fasting until may 12th for their faith, (Kante, Rudiger, Zouma, maybe others) so are not allowed to eat or drink during daytime hours. Seems to not affect Kante, but maybe should allow Rudiger a game off too.

If you rest Jorginho that means Mount dropping deeper where I don’t think he’s very effective. Bloody Kovacic being a selfish w**ker and getting himself injured!

12 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

If you rest Jorginho that means Mount dropping deeper where I don’t think he’s very effective. Bloody Kovacic being a selfish w**ker and getting himself injured!

Nah, play Gilmour and Anjorin instead 😉

5 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Nah, play Gilmour and Anjorin instead 😉

I think I’m more likely to get a game before Billy does...

1 minute ago, Munkworth said:

I think I’m more likely to get a game before Billy does...

Could be, maybe if you put on a pair of colorful socks to attract TT attention.

Just now, axman2526 said:

Could be, maybe if you put on a pair of colorful socks to attract TT attention.

I’ve received 9 pairs of white socks yesterday, I’m not ready for colour yet. 

3 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

I’ve received 9 pairs of white socks yesterday, I’m not ready for colour yet. 

Then maybe Billy is still in with a chance 👍

Maybe it's time we play Billy. We need Kante and Jorgi fit and sharp for the return leg

3 hours ago, The Don Antonio said:

    Kovas injury was inevitable. He always started due to Kantes injury and of course he had an accumulation of fatigue. Even Tuchel spoke about jorginho being fatigued yesterday hence him losing some simple passes. 

      Jorginho has played every single minute of every match since kova went down because we have to protect Kante. It is high time we have faith and use our whole squad because the difference in the second leg might only be due to freshness. I expect Real to rest 70 percent of their team against Osasuna this weekend. I don't expect us to change the whole team but Silva Rudiger Jorginho Mount Pulisic and Werner have to be rested for the second leg.

I honestly wouldn’t be able to compare Osasuna to Fulham in terms of what their game v RM means to them, but Fulham will be well up for us for sure, after all, they have almost nothing left to play for aside from pride and bragging rights ? 

I understand what you say about how we ought to be having faith in the whole squad, but I can only assume that TT doesn’t ? I know I don’t.

I’m guessing he doesn’t see in training what he wants to see and therefore, trust enough to take a chance on some players and that’s why they don’t play often if at all ? 

I believe that some of the guys you’ve mentioned will get a rest, Fulham are arguably the weakest team we will play in our PL run in and we are one very achievable result away from a Champions League final after all, the dichotomy is how much to twist or stick -  do you risk the result v Fulham by rotation to give the best chance of overcoming Real Madrid ?

We have no choice but to trust in Tommy, I hope his balls are made of crystal  🔮

That was scary clicked on something on this page and ended up on Munkworth's home page, thought i had arrived on Britney Spear's website 

@Munkworth

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Azpi - Zouma - Rudiger 

CHO - Kante - Gilmour - Alonso

Ziyech - Havertz - Pulisic

Btw Kepa seems taller when you write his whole name. 

Havertz to score. 1-0 win. 

10 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

That was scary clicked on something on this page and ended up on Munkworth's home page, thought i had arrived on Britney Spear's website 

@Munkworth

Scary in a good way though, right?

On one hand, we should be playing a full strength team to ensure the 3 points and staying in the top 4. But on the other, we have some big games coming up, so we could do with resting a few players. But we've seen how maing changes for games like West Brom and Brighton didn't exactly work out well.

Still, I would probably go something like:

Mendy

Azpilicueta   Christensen   Zouma

James   Gilmour   Jorginho   Alonso

Ziyech   Abraham   Hudson-Odoi

 

2 hours ago, Zeta said:

On one hand, we should be playing a full strength team to ensure the 3 points and staying in the top 4. But on the other, we have some big games coming up, so we could do with resting a few players. But we've seen how maing changes for games like West Brom and Brighton didn't exactly work out well.

Still, I would probably go something like:

Mendy

Azpilicueta   Christensen   Zouma

James   Gilmour   Jorginho   Alonso

Ziyech   Abraham   Hudson-Odoi

 

My thoughts too and over rotation might be our undoing ? it’s getting the mix right and there in lies the rub, as always.

Problem with your selection is, understandably, no Mount ? Nearly all of our creativity comes from Mount in that forward midfield position and without him we are a bit, to you , to me , back pass to CB, to you, to me, sideways pass to DM and repeat ad infinitum. Do you play Mason for 60 mins, hopefully get ahead, then haul him off and wrap him up in cotton wool until Wednesday ?

I don’t know where Kova is with being fit enough to return for the Fulham game, but if he was, would you start him ?

Suppose a lot depends on who TT sees as his ideal midfield pairing for the Madrid game and therefore, who plays v who rests, but for me, if he’s fit, start Kova with Kante, he needs real match practice and rest Jorginho.

If Kova isn’t fit then stick with Jorginho and Kante for 60+ then go with bring Billy on.

Dave looked f**ked the other night, I wouldn’t play him for this game , Rudi is an animal in every sense of the word, think I’d chance him for 60 or 70 minutes then give Emerson a run out.

For me, pick and start strong, get ahead hopefully, then make changes @ 60+ and coast for the last 20 or so. Mendy, James, Christensen, Kante, Mount, Kova, Ziyech, Rudiger are all young enough to play and recover before Wednesday night and after all, famous last word time now, it’s only Fulham ffs   !!

Mendy

Zouma Christensen Rudiger

James Jorginho Kovacic Alonso

CHO Giroud Ziyech

Save Werner, Mount, Silva, Azpi and Pulisic for Real. It's pretty mad how good our squad depth is.

It seems that every team that sends out their B team against Fulham get hurt. I think CHO needs to play and don't understand why he has not been playing? I do think we need to rest Kante, Puli, Azpi, and Silva. We have enough rotation to accommodate that if Kova is back.

At the very least those players that have been identified as tired should be left out.

Those being Werner, Pulisic, Dave and Jorginho. I would add to that list Silva. 

Kante is an animal so maybe he can coast like against West ham and we then hope he is ok for Wednesday.

Strongest side I would consider picking would be:

 

Mendy

 

Christensen

Zouma

Rudiger

 

CHO

Kante

Gilmour/Kovacic

Chilwell

 

Ziyech/Havertz

Abraham/Giroud

Mount

A bit worried that we're more likely to slip up here than we are against Real Madrid............

Please rest kante

2 hours ago, Bob stark said:

Please rest kante

Kova and Gilmour would be ideal, just no Jorgi, him being off the boil against West Brom cost us the game.

Not a huge amount to go on from Tuchel regarding Kovacic (Monday press conference):

"Hopefully he can come back against Fulham but he did not train with the team yet so I think that Tuesday will be too early unfortunately."

5 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Kova and Gilmour would be ideal, just no Jorgi, him being off the boil against West Brom cost us the game.

Need to find a way to win this game while resting as many as player possible. I won't risk puli, mount or kante here. 

Play

tammy cho Ziyech 

Alonso - Jorgi - Gilmour - James

Whoever not tired

Mendy 

Edited April 30, 20215 yr by Bob stark

I actually don't think TT will make many changes, think he realises we are in the business end of the season and you cannot risk slips up. I don't think they will have done any full training since facing Real Madrid just light work and tactics. 

I think Ziyech and Pulisic will start.

 

It's kind of funny that we're so obsessed with finishing in the top four we forget the reason why it's so important to finish in the top four. We're worried that if we drop points vs Fulham we may miss the chance to participate next season in the tournament..... we're currently two steps away from winning.

Ask yourselves, if you could win just one out of two, which one would you prefer? Of course it's the Real match. We've been waiting for another shot at winning the CL for a very long time, it's the toughest and the most presitigious club competition in the world and yes, you have to give it priority over finishing in the top four, if needs be. The CL winner gets automatic place next season, anyway.

I know we may miss out on both, but we have to make some tough decisions and fight till the end.

As for the Fulham game, I'd rest Kante, Chilwell, T.Silva, Pulisic, Werner and Mount. Give Kovacis some playing time to get his fitness back next to Gilmour in the middle and bring back Alonso, Havertz, Abraham/Giroud, CHO and Ziyech. Maybe start Jorginho and then sub him off for Billy if things are going well. Depending on how tired Azpi/Christensen are, perhaps play Rudiger in place of either. I'd go with something like that.

................................................................................MENDY.....................................................................................

.................................AZPI...............................CHRISTENSEN...............................ZOUMA.................................

CHO...........................................................................................................................................................ALONSO

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,GILMOUR.............................................KOVACIC.....................................................

ZIYECH...........................................................GIROUD...........................................................................HAVERTZ

 

Edited April 30, 20215 yr by abramovich