Southampton (A) - 6pm 29/12

alderz

Because when players play three games in a week they are more likely to get injured and people don’t want him to get injured

Lukerz

I just think the side needs a freshen up.

We played yesterday afternoon, play again tomorrow & then play Friday at Everton.

It’s not wise to only any of the side in those 3 games for 90 mins & expect flawless performances.

Bring him back in against Everton, which is an away game & who are 2nd, but give him a rest tomorrow. Same goes for a few other players (Ogbonna could come out for Diop). Cresswell, Rice & Soucek are others who have played a hell of a lot of games this season.

IronHerb

So no player will play 3 games this week then? We played Monday (21st), Sunday (27th), Tuesday (29th) and Friday (1st) then not again until the Monday 16th. That's 4 games in 12 days then 15 days off until the next league game. Bear in mind its pretty much the same for all clubs.

Lukerz

Well if you look at us playing Brighton (Sunday), Saints (Tuesday) & Everton (Friday), that’s 3 games in 6 days.

Southampton, by contrast, played Fulham (Saturday), then us (Tuesday) & then Liverpool (Monday), spread over 10 days.

Everton, Villa & Leeds, 3 games in 7 days. Newcastle, 3 games in 9 days. It may not seem much but we have definitely got the worst case scenario as we played Sunday & have a game on Friday. Moyes will rotate.

thornburyiron

It’s all down to which broadcaster has the games.

IronHerb

Southampton v Liverpool doesn't really matter. Everton will have played Saturday, Tuesday and us on Friday. 3 games in 7 days, that's a 1 day difference.

MrsGrey

It's not just about how many games in a period, but how long are the gaps (recovery and preparation time) between games.

Lukerz

Yeah so one full day between Brighton & Saints. Two full days between Saints & Everton.

That will need rotation. It happens every Xmas period. Pelle did it last year I remember when we lost at home to Leicester.

ASLEFshrugged

IronHerb said:

We played Monday (21st), Sunday (27th), Tuesday (29th) and Friday (1st) then not again until the Monday 16th. That's 4 games in 12 days then 15 days off until the next league game.

Apart from Stockport in the FA Cup, Monday 11th

OutcastLondoner

Fredericks looked better in the back 5 system before Coufal came in. Coufal’s pretty robust so hopefully he’s good to play but I don’t think it’d be a major problem for Fredericks to rotate in.

Lukerz

Also, I really like Coufal, but I do think he is wasteful for a lot of the play we have down his side. He has been pretty much the outball since Masuaku’s injury & I feel for the amount of possession he has down that right, he has been wasteful over the last few weeks. I feel we lose a lot of momentum when he controls it, stops, then either has a burst or goes backwards. His crosses are often hopeful than targeted. Fredericks may just give us a fresh option & we know he has pace. Think it may just help the flow better than having a right-footed LWB keep checking in on one side & Coufal’s stop start approach on the other. Not denying that he is a very good defender.

Cuz1

Well for someone you really like, I wouldn’t want to be an enemy lukerz

OutcastLondoner

I agree about Coufal’s crossing. We’ve got two spectacular goals from crosses he’s out behind the attackers but otherwise not been great. I feel like other elements of his attacking play have improved though, so hopefully the crossing will come. I’ve always felt Fredericks wasted the positions his pace got him into though. Hopefully sticking with a back 5 will give Cresswell the opportunity to be a threat again, like he was when Masuaku was playing.

Cuz1

Fredericks crossing was constantly row z and for me defensively nowhere near as strong as coufel but that’s only imo

OutcastLondoner

Our crossing overall is awful, with Coufal it seems more obvious to me because he’s so often in the right position but he’s not the worst at all. Only Cresswell is useful. Bowen was good last season but doesn’t seem to cross as much this season.

Cuz1

And for me I’d rather have a rwb who can first and foremost defend

alderz

If we aren’t playing attacking players we need the wingbacks to create, though. We don’t create a huge amount through the middle, so it comes down to our wingbacks & Cresswell to put good balls into the box. Coufal is not a great crosser. If he can improve that then he’ll be a dream

Cuz1

But at the same token if our wing backs can’t defend it defeats the object of attacking wing backs, easier to get a left back who can defend allowing us to play a creative player who can cross a ball

Hamstew

Lanzini has to start. He just has to.

BubblesNeverDies

Speaking of crosses, the quality of them yesterday as well as many of the corners was rubbish.

Brother_Sledge

Coufal has been great but I Just think he would benefit from missing this one - it's a big ask playing the full length of the pitch - and Brighton were quite strong on their left yesterday. Also it is a position where we have a good and fit alternative.

Brother_Sledge

both goals yesterday came from left footed inswinging crosses from the right. maybe Cresser or Yarmo should be taking those corners even if Bowen is on the pitch ?

steve

Yarmo looks like he can cross a ball ,Thats when hes not messing about with it

Lukerz

I just don’t know about Yarmo.

Whenever he has the ball it’s like somebody has thrown a load of marbles under his feet.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Torn on Yarmo, find him such a frustrating player to watch

When he actually puts his foot through the ball, he has wonderful ability and has talent...that cross was fantastic, and some of his goals have been wonderful finishes

But so often he just holds on for it too long, attempting countless stop overs and flicks (on the spot as well) that just slow us down, he doesn't drive at the full back and beat them once, he tries to beat the same player 3 or 4 times

There was one point when he was on the right byline Coufal was overlapping and he backheeled it to him....despite the fact he already had it on his left foot and facing the right way....so he could've just passed it, but the backheel had barely any pace on it so coufal had to slow down his run

But Bowen looked very flat, think he deserves a rest the most out of our midfield, so Yarmo may have a chance. Perosnally still prefer him off the bench to starting, as he has that ability to score/assist out of nothing

Cuz1

I prefer fornals starting with Bowen too we look like we can counter with a bit of pace

Fortuneseeker

All these comments about how poor our crossing is so is it any wonder Haller doesn't get any decent service.

OutcastLondoner

Fortuneseeker said:

All these comments about how poor our crossing is so is it any wonder Haller doesn't get any decent service.

The crossing and service is a large reason for Haller not being threatening in front of goal.

But Haller’s other work has a lot to do with us not building attacking moves as well as with Antonio.

Thought there were small signs of him linking up with Bowen by having them closer to each other but it didn’t last

IronHerb

ASLEFshrugged said:

IronHerb said:

We played Monday (21st), Sunday (27th), Tuesday (29th) and Friday (1st) then not again until the Monday 16th. That's 4 games in 12 days then 15 days off until the next league game.

Apart from Stockport in the FA Cup, Monday 11th

That's a rotation game.

alderz

I’ll be really annoyed if we don’t go for the cup this year. We’re not likely to get relegated, we’re not likely to be fighting for Europe, why not have a proper go for the cup?