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To play devils advocate for a minute, for anyone who has read the books on Pep, the first one talks about the weeks after Bayern wrapping up the league. Once they started picking and choosing which matches to care about and dropped the overall intensity the season went off the rails, dropping points in the league and being pumped by Madrid in cl.

11 games we will play in December. Isn’t what having a Squad is all about?, rotating players in and out the side.

We can’t expect we will keep playing the same 13 players Game in, and Game out and getting away with it. It is winter, cold weather “Ham String” season. Ham String injuries are notorious healers 4-6 weeks. These injuries are caused by over use of the thigh muscles, too many games.

I don’t wont us to lose any games, nobody does. Fans are simply being realistic when they are calling for mass changes for a dead rubber. They rightly see it as an ideal opportunity to rest the spine of our team for a big game this weekend.

We lose David Silva/Kevin De Bruyne it will be akin to a front Wheel coming off an articulated Lorry travelling at speed, such will be the impact on our season. We have seen the effects just rotating them out of the side to player lesser sides has. The impact it has on the Pitch is scary, this alone should be enough evidence one needs to reflect on this. This is why fans want caution.

I would even put Walker/VK/Fernandinho in to that bracket. They are integral part of our side.

Like I said we all want to win every game. With our star players turning out.Right now in December in the middle of a marathon it is about pacing your self to make the Finnish line. Nobody sprints for 26 miles it is not possible.

zabbadabbado wrote:11 games we will play in December. Isn’t what having a Squad is all about?, rotating players in and out the side.

We can’t expect we will keep playing the same 13 players Game in, and Game out and getting away with it. It is winter, cold weather “Ham String” season. Ham String injuries are notorious healers 4-6 weeks. These injuries are caused by over use of the thigh muscles, too many games.

I don’t wont us to lose any games, nobody does. Fans are simply being realistic when they are calling for mass changes for a dead rubber. They rightly see it as an ideal opportunity to rest the spine of our team for a big game this weekend.

We lose David Silva/Kevin De Bruyne it will be akin to a front Wheel coming off an articulated Lorry travelling at speed, such will be the impact on our season. We have seen the effects just rotating them out of the side to player lesser sides has. The impact it has on the Pitch is scary, this alone should be enough evidence one needs to reflect on this. This is why fans want caution.

I would even put Walker/VK/Fernandinho in to that bracket. They are integral part of our side.

Like I said we all want to win every game. With our star players turning out.Right now in December in the middle of a marathon it is about pacing your self to make the Finnish line. Nobody sprints for 26 miles it is not possible.

My team below does not include Silva, DeBruyne ( they've not travelled anyway) Jesus, Sterling, Walker, Kompany, Delph or Fernandinho - only Ederson, Otamendi and Sane would play on Sunday from the Shaktar team - eight would be rested.

Whatever the team is for Sunday none of them should be playing in this game.

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

sheblue wrote:Whatever the team is for Sunday none of them should be playing in this game.

not possible given who has travelled sadly

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

sheblue wrote:Whatever the team is for Sunday none of them should be playing in this game.

not possible given who has travelled sadly

I know but it's still fucking madness.

johnny crossan wrote:

zabbadabbado wrote:11 games we will play in December. Isn’t what having a Squad is all about?, rotating players in and out the side.

We can’t expect we will keep playing the same 13 players Game in, and Game out and getting away with it. It is winter, cold weather “Ham String” season. Ham String injuries are notorious healers 4-6 weeks. These injuries are caused by over use of the thigh muscles, too many games.

I don’t wont us to lose any games, nobody does. Fans are simply being realistic when they are calling for mass changes for a dead rubber. They rightly see it as an ideal opportunity to rest the spine of our team for a big game this weekend.

We lose David Silva/Kevin De Bruyne it will be akin to a front Wheel coming off an articulated Lorry travelling at speed, such will be the impact on our season. We have seen the effects just rotating them out of the side to player lesser sides has. The impact it has on the Pitch is scary, this alone should be enough evidence one needs to reflect on this. This is why fans want caution.

I would even put Walker/VK/Fernandinho in to that bracket. They are integral part of our side.

Like I said we all want to win every game. With our star players turning out.Right now in December in the middle of a marathon it is about pacing your self to make the Finnish line. Nobody sprints for 26 miles it is not possible.

My team below does not include Silva, DeBruyne ( they've not travelled anyway) Jesus, Sterling, Walker, Kompany, Delph or Fernandinho - only Ederson, Otamendi and Sane would play on Sunday from the Shaktar team - eight would be rested.

That looks decent enough.I think KDB suspension might be divine intervention from above .

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

how many top football teams have you managed in your career?

Dubciteh wrote:

FA cup winners 2006 wrote:I am torn on this one. I thought we had 2 options.

1. Send a secondary team and let the main squad stay in Manchester and just concentrate on the utd game. Leave KDB, Silva, Sergio, Fernandinho, Ederson, Ottamendi, Walker, Delph and Sterling in Manchester. Let Pep stay too if it doesnt break the rules. Even the players that go and dont play still lose 2 days preparation and rest. 3 days lost for the players that do play.

2. Send a really strong team to try and get the juices flowing again. A few goals might bread a bit of confidence and rediscover the clinical finishing that has been missing of late.

Due to the amount of games we have played of late and the amount of games upcoming, i was leaning towards option 1 and hopefully the team will reflect this.

Also, Pep could use this game to introduce some new tactic or variation of tactic without much consequence if it doesn't gel straight away. It is a unique game where we will be playing a team who badly need to win while we are in the comfort zone and dont have any pressure on us

The squad was announced full squad minus KDB and SIlva. A little dissapointing.

I remember Negredo played in the semi final second leg against west ham after we had romped 6-0 at home and hurt his shoulder and was never the same again. Such an unnecesary risk for him to be even playing that game. I fear we could make same mistake again.

Man I sure did love pre injury Negredo. Completely agree, we need to ensure all fit and firing come Sunday

i will be shocked if Diaz and Tosin start. Foden maybe but more likely the youngsters will come on after the 75th minute
id like to see Sterling given a break

I would rest pretty much everyone who will be starting against United.

We’ve looked tired in recent games and the Shakhtar game is the least important one we have in the next month.

We don’t need to take unnecessary risks. A win on Sunday leaves us 11 points clear and will demoralise United.

Although looking at the squad it seems not everyone will be rested.

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

the squad. sorry i thought that was obvious.

Sideshow Bob wrote:

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

the squad. sorry i thought that was obvious.

Is there an alternative? We can only play those who are eligible.

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

how many top football teams have you managed in your career?

none, just like everyone else on this site. i dont need to be a pro mgr to see the players need rest, and this is by far their best chance. can you recall the last time we had a true dead rubber mid season? yeah, me neither.

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

the squad. sorry i thought that was obvious.

Is there an alternative? We can only play those who are eligible.

do the kids have to be registered? i honestly dont know.

Sideshow Bob wrote:

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:

johnny crossan wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

what is?

the squad. sorry i thought that was obvious.

Is there an alternative? We can only play those who are eligible.

do the kids have to be registered? i honestly dont know.

If they're at the club 2 years they don't.

I dont care if Begiristain, Pep, Artetta and Brian Kidd line out in this one.
All that matters is Sunday and ANYTHING that puts that in jeopardy is crazy...

Sideshow Bob wrote:

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

how many top football teams have you managed in your career?

none, just like everyone else on this site. i dont need to be a pro mgr to see the players need rest, and this is by far their best chance. can you recall the last time we had a true dead rubber mid season? yeah, me neither.

it's not a dead rubber though
we could be the first english team to register 6 out of 6 wins in the group stages of the cl
only 5 teams have managed to achieve that since the group format was introduced

ac milan 92/93
psg 94/95
spartak moscow 95/96
barca 02/03
real 11/12 and 14/15

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:

Nigels Tackle wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:this is f*king lunacy!!!!!! if our season goes tits up, this will be a big reason why.

how many top football teams have you managed in your career?

none, just like everyone else on this site. i dont need to be a pro mgr to see the players need rest, and this is by far their best chance. can you recall the last time we had a true dead rubber mid season? yeah, me neither.

it's not a dead rubber though
we could be the first english team to register 6 out of 6 wins in the group stages of the cl
only 5 teams have managed to achieve that since the group format was introduced

ac milan 92/93
psg 94/95
spartak moscow 95/96
barca 02/03
real 11/12 and 14/15

What about the rags?

Oh sorry, Basel! PMSL

sheblue wrote:I dont care if Begiristain, Pep, Artetta and Brian Kidd line out in this one.
All that matters is Sunday and ANYTHING that puts that in jeopardy is crazy...

They should just give a walkover and be done with it!!!