Next 5 games

[ENIAM NAM]

4 are at home.

Not over yet. Just a setback.

Pellegrini needs to play some mind games with his oppos.

[Tesl]

We were shit today. Worst we have played since we got beaten by Sunderland.

It worries me slightly that it has come right after the Chelsea defeat, and if we don't bounce back quickly then things could unravel very quickly for us if we aren't careful. I'll start to fear for us somewhat if we don't win the midweek game.

That said, if we can win the next couple of games and get going again then we should be fine. This has been an awful week for us and the momentum has massively swung from us to Chelsea, but there is still plenty of time left to catch them. Its definitely been a blow but its not yet critical.

We desperately need Fernandinho back ASAP too.

[PeterParker]

There are a lot of problems here. Zaba is tired, Negredo is not fit, Nasri, Sergio and Ferni are injured, Big Ed had a knock today. We have no defensive midfielder fit at the moment and so on.

We might not win the league because of this, but if that happens, we must learn from this and get rid of the dead wood from the squad. At the moment, there are a lot of players that should go.

A bit worried, but a long way to go.

However, i think in the next two weeks, we will say goodbye to the FA and Champions League.

[Ted Hughes]

There are a lot of problems here. Zaba is tired, Negredo is not fit, Nasri, Sergio and Ferni are injured, Big Ed had a knock today. We have no defensive midfielder fit at the moment and so on.

We might not win the league because of this, but if that happens, we must learn from this and get rid of the dead wood from the squad. At the moment, there are a lot of players that should go.

A bit worried, but a long way to go.

However, i think in the next two weeks, we will say goodbye to the FA and Champions League.

To say for sure is ridiculous.

Difficult no doubt, but definitely ? That's bollocks.

[Breks]

I'm seriously worried. Mourinho knows how to close out a game and a season.

[ENIAM NAM]

I agree, I think the FA cup and CL games may come at the wrong time for us, but I would be happy with the PL and a cup win against Sunderland. Beat Hull away, and win at home to 4 average teams then with 15 points from the next 15 available, we will be right in the mix. Hopefully we will have Fernandinho and Aguero back by then as well.

[South Stand Balti]

There are a lot of problems here. Zaba is tired, Negredo is not fit, Nasri, Sergio and Ferni are injured, Big Ed had a knock today. We have no defensive midfielder fit at the moment and so on. We might not win the league because of this, but if that happens, we must learn from this and get rid of the dead wood from the squad. At the moment, there are a lot of players that should go. A bit worried, but a long way to go. However, i think in the next two weeks, we will say goodbye to the FA and Champions League.

Which dead wood are we going to shift out?

[PeterParker]

There are a lot of problems here. Zaba is tired, Negredo is not fit, Nasri, Sergio and Ferni are injured, Big Ed had a knock today. We have no defensive midfielder fit at the moment and so on.

We might not win the league because of this, but if that happens, we must learn from this and get rid of the dead wood from the squad. At the moment, there are a lot of players that should go.

A bit worried, but a long way to go.

However, i think in the next two weeks, we will say goodbye to the FA and Champions League.

To say for sure is ridiculous.

Difficult no doubt, but definitely ? That's bollocks.

For me, we can`t pull this together. We can`t go all the way in all four routes, when we really have 15-16 players that are used almost every time. I think will give the cup away and with Barcelona we will see, it all depends on what we will do at home.

I think that the league Cup final and the league are Pellers top objectives

[Ted Hughes]

There are a lot of problems here. Zaba is tired, Negredo is not fit, Nasri, Sergio and Ferni are injured, Big Ed had a knock today. We have no defensive midfielder fit at the moment and so on.

We might not win the league because of this, but if that happens, we must learn from this and get rid of the dead wood from the squad. At the moment, there are a lot of players that should go.

A bit worried, but a long way to go.

However, i think in the next two weeks, we will say goodbye to the FA and Champions League.

To say for sure is ridiculous.

Difficult no doubt, but definitely ? That's bollocks.

For me, we can`t pull this together. We can`t go all the way in all four routes, when we really have 15-16 players that are used almost every time. I think will give the cup away and with Barcelona we will see, it all depends on what we will do at home.

I think that the league Cup final and the league are Pellers top objectives

We could get hammered in the Cup game but we could win with a corner kick in the 89th minute; anything could happen.

True it's evident that the squad is stretched & the current available players are a bit jaded & the Count is juggling them around trying to avoid any breaking down, so we have a problem in all competitions, but we are still fucking good & it could easily be the case that we find a performance from somewhere in at least one of those games.

I just want us to beat Sunderland for a start, then we can see how we look at the end of that game.

[phips]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

[zuricity]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

None, they have 3 days off. They are fit .

[Ted Hughes]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

We can't rest many players as we don't have enough available, we will have to use them in bits & pieces, as the Count did today with Negredo & Jovetic.

[zabbadabbado]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

We can't rest many players as we don't have enough available, we will have to use them in bits & pieces, as the Count did today with Negredo & Jovetic.

So what you are saying is Jovetic and Negredo were pulled to save them for Wednesday ?

lmao putting a positive spin on 2 shit substitutions,Must be what you were alluding to in the match day thread.

Maybe we should have concentrated on the 3 points at hand first.

[Ted Hughes]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

We can't rest many players as we don't have enough available, we will have to use them in bits & pieces, as the Count did today with Negredo & Jovetic.

So what you are saying is Jovetic and Negredo were pulled to save them for Wednesday ?

lmao putting a positive spin on 2 shit substitutions,Must be what you were alluding to in the match day thread.

Maybe we should have concentrated on the 3 points first.

Not to save then for Wed ffs, to keep them from getting too fucked up for the next 6 to 8 games, as Dzeko is also carrying an injury. We could easily lose all 3 here if we are not careful & then the fucking season really is over.

[sheblue]

It's a very tricky situation.

[phips]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

None, they have 3 days off. They are fit .

a few look quite tired. i fully expect to see Micah and Lescott midweek

[Beefymcfc]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

None, they have 3 days off. They are fit .

a few look quite tired. i fully expect to see Micah and Lescott midweek

Can I roll-out the old cliche - 'They shouldn't be tired, they're paid 200 grand a week'?

[Ted Hughes]

so which of Sunderland midweek and Chelsea at the weekend are we going to rest players in in prep for the CL?

None, they have 3 days off. They are fit .

a few look quite tired. i fully expect to see Micah and Lescott midweek

They look very tired to me, but all it usually needs is a game off & maybe a few half games here & there & players seem to get a 2nd wind.

I'm more worried about the strikers, as Jovetic is obviously not match fit, & the Count has just confirmed again that Negredo is still injured & that Dzeko's ankle is so bad he didn't want to risk him for more than 30 mins. (That may well explain why his shit brother has been seen more often recently).

I just hope we can get through this Sunderland game with 3 points, then just do what we can v Chelsea, whoever plays. If it's our day it's our day. It's the cup. I jut feel there is just that outside chance that Fernandinho may make a miraculous comeback next week & even if the players are tired, a home game v Barca is an ideal situation to blow that tiredness away.

Getting the 3 points on Wed could make a big difference to this season.

[blues2win]

Pellegrini saying that Dzeko has a ' very bad ankle' and could only play 30 minutes that Negredo hasn't got over his shoulder injury but had to play anyway. Obviously didn't fancy Milner in the holding role so Yaya did it which hugely limits his effectiveness. Absurd though it is we're down to the bare bones. We need an heroic effort over the next few games to avoid being effectively knocked out of the FA Cup and Champions League plus so far behind in the League that it will be hard to get back. This is a real crisis but Pellegrini needs to earn his corn now.

[Ted Hughes]

Pellegrini saying that Dzeko has a ' very bad ankle' and could only play 30 minutes that Negredo hasn't got over his shoulder injury but had to play anyway. Obviously didn't fancy Milner in the holding role so Yaya did it which hugely limits his effectiveness. Absurd though it is we're down to the bare bones. We need an heroic effort over the next few games to avoid being effectively knocked out of the FA Cup and Champions League plus so far behind in the League that it will be hard to get back. This is a real crisis but Pellegrini needs to earn his corn now.

All he can do is put out the players we have & hope it works.

They haven't got the energy to follow some tactical masterplan, even if he tried it. Someone would go missing.

These injuries & the fatigue is because we have tried to win 4 trophies going almost flat out in each one.

Next season I'm sure we will have a significantly stronger squad, but we still need to use a few of the EDS in the cups.