Team vs CSKA

[Bus-Conductor]

Maybe I'm slow on the uptake or something, but it seems to me, that we go on and on about how important it is to finish in the top four to make the CL...then when we do (finally) manage it, loads seem to be advocating putting out a less than full strength side in that same tournement, to save players for the prem....so we can make the CL next year. Am I the only one who finds the logic bizarre?

Is it really that hard to grasp ? It's about building sustainable success. The money (and therefore the major benefit - in terms of revenue and turning that revenue into bigger wages and better players and more sustainable success etc)and kudos (if that's your thing) is in continually being in the CL, not being content with one heroic throw of the dice to get to the Quarter Finals once every six or seven yesrs.

And not all of us see some of the rotational options as being "weak" either, and believe that the only way to have a successful "whole" season, inc the CL is to make best use of the talented squad we have.

 

[DCSPUR]

Maybe I'm slow on the uptake or something, but it seems to me, that we go on and on about how important it is to finish in the top four to make the CL...then when we do (finally) manage it, loads seem to be advocating putting out a less than full strength side in that same tournement, to save players for the prem....so we can make the CL next year. Am I the only one who finds the logic bizarre?

to be fair think that for some they are not thinking top 4 but title....aim high and all that

 

[yankspurs]

Welp with the injuries...
Lloris
Walker Toby Vertonghen Davies
Wanyama Winks/Alli
Lamela Eriksen Son
Janssen

Vorm, CCV, Trippier, Wimmer, Alli/Winks, Onomah, Edwards

CSKA's not gonna know what hit em when we bring on Messi. They're gonna be so fucked.

 

[allpaths]

Lloris
trippier Toby Vertonghen Davies
Wanyama Winks
lamela eriksen Alli
Janssen

Vorm, Wimmer ccv onomah edwards son gkn

 

[ravo]

Games are Tues and Sun, so there is an extra day to recover...

Lloris
Walker - Toby - Verts - Davies
Wanyama - Alli
Lamela - Eriksen - Son
Janssen
​

 

[Lighty64]

Games are Tues and Sun, so there is an extra day to recover...

Lloris
Walker - Toby - Verts - Davies
Wanyama - Alli
Lamela - Eriksen - Son
Janssen
​

the trouble is the extra recovery day will be landing at Stansted or Luton around 4am, unless we stay over and travel back Wednesday afternoon, but either choice isn't the perfect choice for a rest day

 

[beats1]

100% a bobbly pitch in Moscow, in stange conditions is not going be to be where WInks starts. You need a bit of experience in these kind of away games.

Their pitch at the moment is really nice also its their first CL game there so it will be strange to CSKA as well

 

[guy]

the trouble is the extra recovery day will be landing at Stansted or Luton around 4am, unless we stay over and travel back Wednesday afternoon, but either choice isn't the perfect choice for a rest day

It's only a 4 hour flight, really shouldn't be too damaging to the squad

 

[McArchibald]

Games are Tues and Sun, so there is an extra day to recover...

Lloris
Walker - Toby - Verts - Davies
Wanyama - Alli
Lamela - Eriksen - Son
Janssen
​

I think it would be better to put Vertonghen in at left-back and put Toby and Wimmer in the centre of defence. Verts offers more going forward than Davies and with Wimmer you'd have more physicality at centre half

 

[Xeeleeyid]

Have a feeling we will see something along these lines:

Lloris

Walker
Alderweireld
Vertonghen
Davies

Wanyama
Alli

Sissoko
Lamela
Eriksen

Son

 

[Adam456]

Maybe I'm slow on the uptake or something, but it seems to me, that we go on and on about how important it is to finish in the top four to make the CL...then when we do (finally) manage it, loads seem to be advocating putting out a less than full strength side in that same tournement, to save players for the prem....so we can make the CL next year. Am I the only one who finds the logic bizarre?

The logic is sound (#NewStadium) but no you are probably not the only one

 

[Adam456]

Have a feeling we will see something along these lines:

Lloris

Walker
Alderweireld
Vertonghen
Davies

Wanyama
Alli

Sissoko
Lamela
Eriksen

Son

Sissoko has concussion and is not traveling

 

[buttons]

Think with all the players missing, the team rather picks itself now.

Would love to see Winks alongside Wabyama but not sure Moscow is the ideal place to blood him! Hopefully he, GKN and Edwards get a run out late on.

 

[iddebu52]

Have a feeling we will see something along these lines:

Lloris

Walker
Alderweireld
Vertonghen
Davies

Wanyama
Alli

Sissoko
Lamela
Eriksen

Son

Change sissoko, did not travel!

 

[talkshowhost86]

Huge blow to have Dembele, Dier and Sissoko out. Means we're going to have to hit them with the tippy-tappy rather than use our muscle, and we haven't been great at that so far this season.

The key is getting our balance right. I'm still a bit concerned when Eriksen and Lamela play together as they often end up in similar areas which leaves us very narrow, although hopefully Son will help with that.

I also really don't rate Alli in a midfield 2 just yet, particularly in an away game where we need to control the ball.

Having said that, it would be a huge game to throw Winks into, and we don't seem to have many other options. I'd actually be tempted to tell Eriksen to play deeper and push Alli forwards, as I think that deals with a couple of the issues I mentioned above, albeit whilst creating the issue of Eriksen's defensive frailties in midfield.

So.....I don't know.

If Poch has faith in Winks I'd go:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Winks

Lamela Eriksen Son

Janssen​

If Poch thinks it's too early for Winks I'd go:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Eriksen

Lamela Alli Son

Janssen​

But I suspect we'll see:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Alli

Lamela Eriksen Son

Janssen​

 

[waresy]

I can't see him putting Alli in as the other CM2 again, didnt work against Monaco. Only saw MOTD on Saturday so presume he didnt play him there again

 

[Bus-Conductor]

100% a bobbly pitch in Moscow, in stange conditions is not going be to be where WInks starts. You need a bit of experience in these kind of away games.

Alli makes most pitches look bobbly most weeks.

 

[Larryjanta]

With all the injuries, this is a tough call now. Not going to look at my previous post as I doubt I'd agree with myself.

Lloris

Walker
Toby
Jan
Davies

Wanyama
Winks

Son
Eriksen
Lamela

Janssen

I just want to see Winks given a chance and feel Eriksen has looked so much more dangerous as a number 10. This means Alli is left out of the side but I'd bring him in if we need him and start him against City.

Probably a mental call from me

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Huge blow to have Dembele, Dier and Sissoko out. Means we're going to have to hit them with the tippy-tappy rather than use our muscle, and we haven't been great at that so far this season.

The key is getting our balance right. I'm still a bit concerned when Eriksen and Lamela play together as they often end up in similar areas which leaves us very narrow, although hopefully Son will help with that.

I also really don't rate Alli in a midfield 2 just yet, particularly in an away game where we need to control the ball.

Having said that, it would be a huge game to throw Winks into, and we don't seem to have many other options. I'd actually be tempted to tell Eriksen to play deeper and push Alli forwards, as I think that deals with a couple of the issues I mentioned above, albeit whilst creating the issue of Eriksen's defensive frailties in midfield.

So.....I don't know.

If Poch has faith in Winks I'd go:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Winks

Lamela Eriksen Son

Janssen​

If Poch thinks it's too early for Winks I'd go:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Eriksen

Lamela Alli Son

Janssen​

But I suspect we'll see:

Lloris

Walker Alderweireld Vertonghen Davies

Wanyama Alli

Lamela Eriksen Son

Janssen​

The one tippy tappy game was Gillingham, which was the only game where we looked remotely fluid and with tempo, it's the other games (bar about 50 minutes at Boro where we again played more tippy tappy with a 433) where we've looked stolid and like bulldozers wading through treacle.

 

[talkshowhost86]

The one tippy tappy game was Gillingham, which was the only game where we looked remotely fluid and with tempo, it's the other games (bar about 50 minutes at Boro where we again played more tippy tappy with a 433) where we've looked stolid and like bulldozers wading through treacle.

What I meant was, at the start of the season where Dembele and Sissoko weren't options, we didn't get our tippy-tappy game going at all despite having those players on the pitch that should be able to play that style.

Monaco was the culmination of that, where bar about 15 first half minutes we looked dreadful until Dembele came on.

If we can get that game going then I agree it's both better on the eye and more effective, but it feels as if all of our brutes are out of this game and I much prefer it when we actually have an option either way.

I also want to see a game where Eriksen and Lamela both play at the top of their abilities in the same game. If they don't we always look unbalanced.