The importance of the next two fixtures

[Captain...]

2 minutes ago, Thracian said:

Some sound thinking there and I'm not dismissive of the likely need for changes.

My concern is about getting ahead of ourselves.

Too many people are talking about six points from Stoke/Sunderland as if they're a given. They're not.

So start with our established first team against Stoke, get them properly focused and motivated then see what transpires.  

I'm with you 100% about listening to the sports science people and, if necessary, taking action to prevent problems before they arise if the signs look iffy.

But we need to maintain our momentum and to play with passion in the Stoke game as every other.

And that's where the first team differs from the rest. Passion.

To a man our first choice team has this massive desire to play and to win.

Time and again over three seasons they've shown themselves able to defy the odds.

The question is who among our replacements can be trusted to have the same need, willpower and winning instincts in adversity?

I keep thinking back to that Millwall game and when I do, I find no answers. Just a team with too many players prepared to accept defeat, the same as at Hull the year before.

Yet, some of those players have been winners in different circumstances but others not nearly often enough.    

And that's what bothers me about making changes. The wrong mentality.

Anyone can skip around looking interested. But I'd rather have a tired winner giving his last few breaths and collapsing exhausted at the end than a loser getting shoved off the ball or not taking responsibility for what's needed.     

Ulloa is someone I would trust to come in and give his all and of course Kingy. You would hope that playing in a team giving their all would bring the best out of players like Gray and Amartey. 

 

In his games so far though Craigy is doing a very good Pearson impression with his subs. We can manage players fitness with clever use of subs not just rotating the starting line up. In 4 games he has failed to use the full quota of subs twice and has only subbed off Okazaki before the 70th minute. Also considering Drinkwater has an ongoing issue that needs to be managed he has played every minute under CS.

[Gerard]

10 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Exactly!

 

During our title winning season our best win streak was 5 in a row. We are taking for granted that we will win the next two despite being toilet for most of the season. 

 

Its certainly possible but one of the best things about the Premier League is that any team can beat any other. 

 

We we need to focus on one game at a time and hope the boys play with the same effort and desire shown in the last 4 games. We will get a setback eventually, it's just how we cope with it. 

 

I don't think anyone is taking it for granted we win the next two, it's a hypothetical situation that IF we win in our next two then should we prioritise the Champions League over the Everton match if we have 36pts?

 

My own personal opinion is I would be delighted to see a second XI for the Everton match if it makes us more prepared for the Atletico match.

[Thracian]

4 minutes ago, Captain... said:

Ulloa is someone I would trust to come in and give his all and of course Kingy. You would hope that playing in a team giving their all would bring the best out of players like Gray and Amartey. 

 

In his games so far though Craigy is doing a very good Pearson impression with his subs. We can manage players fitness with clever use of subs not just rotating the starting line up. In 4 games he has failed to use the full quota of subs twice and has only subbed off Okazaki before the 70th minute. Also considering Drinkwater has an ongoing issue that needs to be managed he has played every minute under CS.

I keep wondering about Ulloa. At one stage I got the impression he might be back in the fold but now I wonder if he's made his intentions so plain he's hardly under consideration at all. Also I have concerns about his match fitness. It's been so long since I saw him, it'll feel like a reunion if it happens. But fit, well and determined to do himself justice, yes, I'd trust him. He's a decent player going to waste at the moment, much as we wasted Schlupp.

 

Sadly though, I'm still looking for a genuine Shinji replacement. An energised central midfielder who can also assist a striker in the last quarter when Shinji's on empty. Sadly, there's no-one to be seen. An impish terrier with passing ability and an eye for goal.   

[FoxFossil]

Deffo need to rest some of the squad, and listen to the sports science boffins, but also need to match these changes to the opposition. Tricky.

So who do we think needs a rest or is carrying a slight injury? Drinky, Vardy, Huth.? Rotation adds match fitness to subs and gives the players a chance to adapt to different styles and gives better cover for injuries.

Then back to 'full strength' like proper lager for Athletico.

[norwichfox]

2 minutes ago, Thracian said:

I keep wondering about Ulloa. At one stage I got the impression he might be back in the fold but now I wonder if he's made his intentions so plain he's hardly under consideration at all. Also I have concerns about his match fitness. It's been so long since I saw him, it'll feel like a reunion if it happens. But fit, well and determined to do himself justice, yes, I'd trust him. He's a decent player going to waste at the moment, much as we wasted Schlupp.

 

Sadly though, I'm still looking for a genuine Shinji replacement. An energised central midfielder who can also assist a striker in the last quarter when Shinji's on empty. Sadly, there's no-one to be seen. An impish terrier with passing ability and an eye for goal.   

I'd like to think that Bartosz Kapustka  will fill that role, hopefully he'll a) Stay with us and b) Prove top be the player we hoped he'd be. We'll hopefully get some sort of a chance to watch him during the international breakgiven he's been selected for Poland again.

[Devonfox1884]

Realistically, you've got to look at Stoke, Sunderland, Watford and Bournemouth at home as our best chances at 3 points. Win these games and we are safe. Add to that good chances of points away to West Brom, Palace, and an Arsenal in disarray, we'll be just fine. I'd fancy our chances against Man City and to a slightly lesser extent, Everton at the minute too, in fairness.

[Thracian]

1 minute ago, Devonfox1884 said:

Realistically, you've got to look at Stoke, Sunderland, Watford and Bournemouth at home as our best chances at 3 points. Win these games and we are safe. Add to that good chances of points away to West Brom, Palace, and an Arsenal in disarray, we'll be just fine. I'd fancy our chances against Man City and to a slightly lesser extent, Everton at the minute too, in fairness.

Again, you may or may not be right but it's just wishful thinking. We've already lost to Sunderland, Watford, Bournemouth, West Brom and Everton while drawing against Stoke and Arsenal so I'm hardly either convinced or encouraged by your "realism". The only time I count points (or otherwise) is when a game's over.        

[Devonfox1884]

1 minute ago, Thracian said:

Again, you may or may not be right but it's just wishful thinking. We've already lost to Sunderland, Watford, Bournemouth, West Brom and Everton while drawing against Stoke and Arsenal so I'm hardly either convinced or encouraged by your "realism". The only time I count points (or otherwise) is when a game's over.        

That's fair enough, and I do actually agree with you - points aren't earned 'in theory', they are earned on the pitch.

 

HOWEVER, it is clear that while we have already lost to these teams, we are a very different beast to a few weeks ago. We had lost to Liverpool and Hull too (I won't count Sevilla). Of course, it would be classic Leicester to go on and lose the next two - it could happen, but I'm convinced it won't. This isn't 'wishful' thinking, this is a conclusion drawn from watching us completely transform as a team from Claudio's departure. With the way we are playing, I believe it is realistic.

 

Games aren't played on paper, they never have been, and never will be. But a bit of confidence never hurt anyone.

[Guest MattP]

The problem I had with Raineri changing his side for games like Millwall was there was no evidence of tiredness from the team, we seemed to be changing for the sake of it, tinkering.

 

Now you can see the tiredness in the players and it's no wonder given the extra yards they are covering going back to what we did last season, we simply have to make sure for those 180 minutes against Atleti they will be as close to 100% fresh as we can make them.

 

For that reason only I'd be resting a few of them against Everton whatever now, a Champions league QF is too important for us to leave our players absolutely shattered more than 24 hours after Atletico have played (thanks to the Spaniish league who look after their teams) - we can't sit there with "what ifs" on what is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

It shows how important the Stoke and Sunderland games are, if we can get 4 points from them we can do this with no worry, 6 and we are laughing.

 

 

[Marvin]

Not sure why but the comprehensive home victory against Stoke I found one of the most satisfying results of last season.  

 

I don't hate Stoke, I just want to be a lot better than them.   

 

This is a really important match. 

[Thracian]

10 hours ago, FoxFossil said:

Deffo need to rest some of the squad, and listen to the sports science boffins, but also need to match these changes to the opposition. Tricky.

So who do we think needs a rest or is carrying a slight injury? Drinky, Vardy, Huth.? Rotation adds match fitness to subs and gives the players a chance to adapt to different styles and gives better cover for injuries.

Then back to 'full strength' like proper lager for Athletico.

And there's the rub. You seem to be suggesting Atletico and the Champions League is more important than our Premiership game. It's not.

We'll be back to being an "also ran" club if we're relegated.

Indeed, it's such a pity we failed to focus for anything but CL football in the earlier part of the season, because if we'd performed up to our capabilities in the other matches, as we should, we wouldn't have had any concerns about relegation now.

I sincerely hope we've learned our lesson now.           

[st albans fox]

16 minutes ago, Thracian said:

And there's the rub. You seem to be suggesting Atletico and the Champions League is more important than our Premiership game. It's not.

We'll be back to being an "also ran" club if we're relegated.

Indeed, it's such a pity we failed to focus for anything but CL football in the earlier part of the season, because if we'd performed up to our capabilities in the other matches, as we should, we wouldn't have had any concerns about relegation now.

I sincerely hope we've learned our lesson now.           

I'm not sure anyone is suggesting resting anyone for Stoke or sland. Decisions for Everton and palace are surely dependant on the results from those games and those of the sides below us. If all goes well then surely we will rotate. Otherwise, shakey has some tough decisions to make. I suspect that the management team and the board will think that what could be their only chance to make a champions league semi will take precedent over the Everton game. 

[simFox]

Well we got our 6 points, sitting 11th and people around us are losing, so a 2nd team at Everton may be a possibility.