Pre Match Spartak Moscow v Leicester

[glyn]

Same team that played against Man Utd please.

Agree

It’s clear qualification from this group is going to need some work from here, so I don’t know why we would be resting players for a upper mid table league battle at this stage. I’d much rather we got a foothold in the group and tried to do something in Europe.

 

[Brown Nose]

We've got ourselves into a mess in this group. So, we have to go stronger than we would ordinarily want to in this game because we have to get three points. Also, playing Wednesday/Sunday instead of Thursday/Sunday helps.

I'd not take Evans and Vardy to Moscow because they have to be protected.

Schmeichel
Amartey Vestergaard Soyuncu
Ricardo Soumare Tielemans Castagne
Perez Daka Barnes

Subs: Ward, Jakupovic, Albrighton, Choudhury, Dewsbury-Hall, Lookman, Maddison, Iheanacho, Bertrand, Thomas, Benkovic.

 

[Lako42]

Full strength team.

Anything less and there is no point in football.

Any supporter wanting us to go half strength so we can concentrate on on the league so we can qualify for Europe is a right dullard.

 

[Payne74]

Full strength team.

Anything less and there is no point in football.

Any supporter wanting us to go half strength so we can concentrate on on the league so we can qualify for Europe is a right dullard.

Some on here want us to exit European football so we can concentrate on the league and qualify for, Erm yeah European football...

 

[Brown Nose]

Some on here want us to exit European football so we can concentrate on the league and qualify for, Erm yeah European football...

I've not seen anyone with that attitude.

The quality of opponents in the group we're in mean that we should be able to rotate our squad and qualify. Just like we do every single year in the early stages of the FA and League Cups.

In the Euro Club Index, Napoli are rated as the 18th best team in Europe, we're 25th, Spartak are 111th, and Warsaw are 120th. For context, Norwich are 102nd.

Our performance and result in Warsaw was dreadful. There was no way we should be losing to them. Now we've got to win our next three group matches.

That should be relatively straightforward if we play anything like our normal levels. We should be able to leave key players out and still win them. In not, what the feck have we spent a fortune building the depth of the squad up for over the last couple of years?

We now have a squad specifically designed to be able to compete in all competitions. All the teams in Europe make several changes every game at this stage of the season. A good test case this year is West Ham. They are in Europe but have a small squad. We'll see how that works out for them as the season goes on. My prediction is that they'll fall apart due to injuries and fatigue later in the season.

 

[Miles Away]

Must win

 

[Joe_Fox]

Must win

Will win

 

[Graz]

Will win

Let's win

 

[Volpone]

Russia yesterday reported a record high of 34,325 new cases and almost 1,000 deaths in one day, as it faces a fourth wave of Covid-19 with just a third of the population inoculated.
Let's hope our boys keep safe.

 

[Jeff]

Russia yesterday reported a record high of 34,325 new cases

The UK yesterday reported 49,156 new cases.

 

[Lako42]

The UK yesterday reported 49,156 new cases.

Yes but we are pretending it isn't happening here now

 

[City Fan]

Russia yesterday reported a record high of 34,325 new cases and almost 1,000 deaths in one day, as it faces a fourth wave of Covid-19 with just a third of the population inoculated.
Let's hope our boys keep safe.

If they’re all jabbed, they’ll be safe enough.

 

[Red Leicester]

If they’re all jabbed, they’ll be safe enough.

unless they are over 70.

 

[City Fan]

unless they are over 70.

Don’t think we have too many players over 70.

 

[camberwell fox]

The UK yesterday reported 49,156 new cases.

And about 100 deaths, so what’s your point?

 

[Jeff]

And about 100 deaths, so what’s your point?

Did you read the post I replied to?

 

[camberwell fox]

O

Yes but we are pretending it isn't happening here now

Did you read the post I replied to?

Yes I did, but pointing out cases while ignoring deaths leaves a bit of a hole don’t you think?

I believe it is called context.

 

[Jeff]

O


Yes I did, but pointing out cases while ignoring deaths leaves a bit of a hole don’t you think?

I believe it is called context.

FFS, it's not difficult to understand the point I was making.

Volpone was concerned for our players due to the number of new cases in Russia.
I was pointing out that it's lower than in the UK, so there's no reason to be unduly concerned.

The death rate is irrelevant in this context.

 

[bocadillo]

Volpone was concerned for our players due to the number of new cases in Russia.
I was pointing out that it's lower than in the UK, so there's no reason to be unduly concerned.

Add the fact that the population of Russia is more than twice that of the UK and there is even less to worry about.

Anybody know if Kelechi has got his travel documents sorted?

 

[Rock Fox]

I expect news of our win and performance against ManUtd will have reached Spartak Moscow by now.
I don't know how SM play normally but I'm wondering whether we've built up a bit of a 'fear factor' that will influence how they will set up and play against us - (assuming we play some of our 1st team players). Any thoughts on what we can expect?