Alli's 5th yellow means he misses the Chelsea game. It coincides with Lamela coming back from suspension, and with Mason also fit it means we have choices to make come Sunday.
It was probably our best performance yesterday and the side looks balanced and very hard to play against. Changes ideally would be to a minimum.
These are our three choices for me....
A. KEEP IT SIMILAR.
A straight swap of Mason for Alli. It keeps us in virtually the same style as yesterday, with the solidity of the midfield and interchangeable two of Dembele and Mason.
...............Dier..MASON
Son..........Dembele........Eriksen
....................Kane
B. GO FOR THE JUGULAR
Replacing Lamela with Alli. Combatitive as Lamela is he isn't the ground-covering all-round player either Mason or Alli are, so it would restrict Dembele somewhat. It would however give us great fluidity in the three behind Kane, with all comfortable popping up anywhere across the three positions
..............Dier....Dembele
Son..........LAMELA.....Eriksen
....................Kane
C. PLAY IT SAFE
Lamela coming in for Son, which would take away some dynamism from our attack but shore us up a bit defensively. Still with the midfield three for the solidity we have currently. Two changes rather than one.
..............Dier..MASON
LAMELA....Dembele........Eriksen
....................Kane
I did have Son marked up for Thursday previously, and Lamela back in for Sunday, but I just don't think I can leave Son out after yesterday. Missing his finishing boots but he adds such dynamism to our forward play. I think Chelsea's defence would be delighted if we picked C as all the play would be in front of them. Son will be vital for pulling them about.
My head says A - keep it as similar as possible, and let Dembele have the freedom he has thrived on.
My heart says B - get right at them and give Lamela a crack through the middle, what I'd say is the position best suited to him.
No Alli v Chelsea...the options
posted on 23/11/15
Poch will play a strong team and rightly so, it is obviously not affecting the players having to play a couple of games a week, as was proved last week.
Emirates Sunday, great performance, then all the players off on International duty, Son halfway around the world, another great performance by the England boys, and then back again on Sunday to perhaps their most complete performance of the season. They obviously like to play as many games as they can. Only the softie JA606 supporters like Chronic think they should be playing just one game a week.
posted on 23/11/15
sandy still cant grasp the concept
such a simple thing but it evades good old sandy
posted on 23/11/15
Of course players CAN play 90 minutes twice in three days, but isn't the days when a crusty old spunker could go to work at the mill, sink 20 pints at the pub, and turn up and score 5 goals the next day.
posted on 23/11/15
HRH don't bother. sandy doesn't understand.
posted on 23/11/15
He will the type to be moaning when Rose or Walker switch off in the last 15 on Sunday after running their legs off twice in three days
posted on 23/11/15
I always want my players to Run two marathons with a 12 hour round trip flight thrown in over a 3 day period.
If sandy had his way he'd sack all but 14 players. Don't need the extra as they can play every game
posted on 23/11/15
comment by Hengy (U9129)
posted 5 minutes ago
I always want my players to Run two marathons with a 12 hour round trip flight thrown in over a 3 day period.
-------
absolutely. this is ideal preparation for a big London derby.
posted on 23/11/15
HRH King Ledley
Of course players CAN play 90 minutes twice in three days, but isn't the days when a crusty old spunker could go to work at the mill, sink 20 pints at the pub, and turn up and score 5 goals the next day.
No it is the days when Kane, Alli, Dier can play exceptionally well against Arsenal, France and West Ham all in the space of seven days. Stop wrapping the players up in cotton wool. The players do it, and yet you are still in denial they cannot do it. It always amuses me when you lot go on about the modern players apparently being fitter and better than they have ever been, but then saying they will be burnt out if the play more than one game a week. Get a grip fellas.
posted on 23/11/15
We played France on Tuesday and didnt have a game until Sunday.
Pretty much like Chelsea do this week.
England didn't play Thursday night in Azerbaijan then have a Midday game on Sunday
posted on 23/11/15
Chelsea did it last year - played the same XI until Xmas then limped home in 2015, scraping 1-0 wins.