Carabao Cup 2018/19 - Quarter-Final Match Chat

[Stan 9,012]

Tuesday 18th December, 2018
Leicester vs Manchester City, 19.45
Middlesbrough vs Burton, 19.45

Wednesday 19th December, 2018
Arsenal vs Tottenham 19.45
Chelsea vs Bournemouth, 19.45

[Cicero 3,545]

Should rotate wisely for this with Leicester at the weekend. 

Willy

Zappacosta----Rudiger----Luiz----Emerson

Cesc

Barkley---------Ruben

Willian-----------------Odoi

Giroud

[Stan 9,012]

3 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Should rotate wisely for this with Leicester at the weekend. 

Willy

Zappacosta----Rudiger----Luiz----Emerson

Cesc

Barkley---------Ruben

Willian-----------------Odoi

Giroud

mate you could put an actual reserve side out for Saturday and still win.

[Dan 1,294]

We've lost something like 12 quarter finals on the spin, that stretches as far as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy & the Champions League. If that doesn't stress what a bizarre last 10 years we've had nothing will.

We will be absolutely pummelled. Last year was the chance and we blew it, even more galling with Bristol City in the semis and a floundering Arsenal in the final. We weakened our team when they weakened theirs significantly. This time they're playing Aguero, de Bruyne, likely Mahrez and have even more depth. They'll have Stones and Otamendi rather than Mangala and Adarabioyo.

Meanwhile we're likely to be without Vardy.

Genuinely never felt less enthused for what's a big game for us. I can't believe they're going to be allowed to show this before 10pm.

0-3.

[True Blue 850]

17 hours ago, Cicero said:

Should rotate wisely for this with Leicester at the weekend. 

Willy

Zappacosta----Rudiger----Luiz----Emerson

Cesc

Barkley---------Ruben

Willian-----------------Odoi

Giroud

Maybe keep Luiz and Rudi out, but with Christensen and Cahill we are shaky as shit.

[Bluewolf 3,886]

Class goal by De Bruyne 

[Bluewolf 3,886]

Bit of a waste of some good play there by Leicester... 

[CaaC (John) 2,326]

 

[Stan 9,012]

a half-fit KDB is still on a different level to us. Good goal.

We've been okay at best. No quality when going forward (rinse and repeat for this season pretty much). Having only one striker on the pitch is such a hindrance because when we get in good positions the cross or pass has to be inch perfect for Iheanacho. No one (Ghezzal) supports him. Ghezzal is just a passenger. No idea what he offers to this team. 

[CaaC (John) 2,326]

13 minutes ago, Stan said:

a half-fit KDB is still on a different level to us. Good goal.

That guy is unbelievable, the best player in the EPL and he is world class to boot. 

[Stan 9,012]

Middlesbrough 0-1 Burton!! 

[Stan 9,012]

Yes! Get in Marc! Great ball from Wilf and Albrighton takes it down well and smashes it past Muric. 

[Bluewolf 3,886]

Cracking goal... 

[Cicero 3,545]

Great control and finish. Striker esq

[Stan 9,012]

Love it. 

 

[Stan 9,012]

Equally so, loving this from Man City fans. 

@Happy Blue

[Stan 9,012]

I fucking hate players who stutter on run ups for penalties. Fuck off Maddison. Fuck off Soyuncu. Give your heads a fucking wobble. Pit your foot through it low and hard for fuck sake. 

Once again we only have ourselves to blame for not winning this. Gave ourselves a good chance to get to penalties and we fuck it up with that shitshow in the shootout. 

[LFCMike 1,463]

Some truly awful penalties there

[Cicero 3,545]

Sterling lol

[Happy Blue 1,005]

4 hours ago, Stan said:

Equally so, loving this from Man City fans. 

@Happy Blue

We have always had some of the best fans around, massive following,  even in the lower leagues we had more support than clubs like Everton and classy gestures like above are common place, even Fergie  got a get well soon message from us

Edited December 19, 2018 by Happy Blue

[Happy Blue 1,005]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

I fucking hate players who stutter on run ups for penalties.

Jesus? the best penalty taker at City 

[Dan 1,294]

Last year we got to the quarter finals and drew Man City at home, equalising from 0-1 down to take it to a penalty shoot-out that we lost.

This year...

The annoying similarity is we once again chose to not field our strongest team. Vardy in for Iheanacho and again, I think they've actually got something to worry about. He is so, so slow to react to everything to the point he's effectively a waste of a shirt. I'm not even convinced it's laziness anymore it's just stupidity.

Surprise surprise, we look better when we have players who press like Albrighton. I think him and Okazaki need to be in the team until we've truly managed to be good enough to not rely on our intensity to unsettle sides because without it we are hopeless. I also think Choudhury tonight did any prospects he has of making the first team the world of good as he had a good game I thought. Again, fits into the intensity.

Story of us under Puel. Nearly men and entirely self inflicted. It's a shame because tonight was better, but once again we pay for our passivity.

Oh, and last year Man City drew lower league opposition in the semis. Not even a doubt in my mind they'll get Burton.

[LFCMike 1,463]

I don't understand a side like Leicester resting players here. They're not going to go down and they'd do extremely well to finish top 6 so why not go all out in this?

[Stan 9,012]

13 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

I don't understand a side like Leicester resting players here. They're not going to go down and they'd do extremely well to finish top 6 so why not go all out in this?

That age old argument! 

Vardy wasn't fully fit anyway and he'd only just come back from a groin injury so was unlikely to play anyway. I can understand a bit of rotation because of all the games at this time of year but because we played better 2nd half, if does beg the question if penalties would have been required if we started with a stronger team. 

[LFCMike 1,463]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

That age old argument! 

Vardy wasn't fully fit anyway and he'd only just come back from a groin injury so was unlikely to play anyway. I can understand a bit of rotation because of all the games at this time of year but because we played better 2nd half, if does beg the question if penalties would have been required if we started with a stronger team. 

It's true though. Can understand teams at the bottom or the top doing it but a team who's neither here or there. I mean I don't know enough about your best 11 so don't know how many changes you made but anymore than a couple and I think that's too much

[Stan 9,012]

16 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

It's true though. Can understand teams at the bottom or the top doing it but a team who's neither here or there. I mean I don't know enough about your best 11 so don't know how many changes you made but anymore than a couple and I think that's too much

We made quite a few.

Ghezzal, Iborra, Simpson, Soyuncu were probably the unforced ones. Ward is our standard cup goalkeeper. Oh and Choudhury (I do like that Puel gives youngsters a go though). 

Fuchs and Iheanacho were forced changes because of the injuries to Vardy and Chilwell. 

So quite a few changes. 

I agree with your point though - I don't see why a club in our position with no threat of relegation and an outside chance of qualifying for Europe can't challenge for a cup competition on top of league competition. We have the squad and stature to do it. Another golden chance of making a semi-final gone up in thin air at the hands of Man City partly due to our own naivety. 

[True Blue 850]

Watched the second half, but those Leicester penalties were just dreadful. That was a perfect chance to make it to the semi final.

[CaaC (John) 2,326]

 

[Cicero 3,545]

I like that team. Been impressed with Sarri's rotation as of late. (even at Wolves) 

[Stan 9,012]

Strong Spurs squad, that. Expect them to get something.