Fixture list next season

[Broner]

Team versus Arsenal?

---------- Reina ------------

--- Johnson --- Carragher --- Agger --- Insua

--- Maxi ----- Lucas ---- Aquilani ------ Babel(?)

---------- N'gog -------- Kuyt

[dww]

Team versus Arsenal?

---------- Reina ------------

--- Johnson --- Carragher --- Agger --- Inusa

--- Maxi ----- Lucas ---- Aquilani ------ Babel(?)

---------- N'gog -------- Kuyt

I see what you've done there.

[Rich]

I see what you've done there.

Spelt Insua wrong?

[Shaggy]

What a ****ing joke.

Part of the problem last season was losing our first game, confidence ebbed away and we're in the same boat again. ****ing Arsenal and City and United away before we've even got going. And Villa away to finish. **** this, every year we get screwed by the fixtures.

[Craig_H]

Is losing the first game really justified reason for the ****e season we had, lack of confidence or not?

[Exiled_red]

I don't think there is much point in playing an entire reserve team but I agree we do need to use it to develop a stronger squad. It could be used to rest some of the less durable players. The trouble is that many of those combine to form key units (i.e Agger and Carragher at the back, Gerrard and Torres, hopefully, in attack).

I think the failure to appoint a manager early is a problem for us no matter what. We seem to be deliberately minimising the time to get players in and plan any change in style. Madness if you ask me.

With a decent manager and a reasonable period of time to sort things I would be quite happy with Arsenal up first. We'd be a bit of an unknown quantity and might catch them cold with our players looking to make an impression at home at the start of the season.

By reserve team I meant more or less that. Rest the key players who are based on previous experience likely to get injuries (Gerrard, Torres, Johnson, Agger etc). I think that there is enough experience in there from the players that are unlikely to play week in week out in the league (Skrtel, Kyriakos, Lucas, Kuyt/Maxi, etc) to help the kids out.

Yes there are partnerships etc that are developed in games etc, which may cause us to lose a lack of understanding in such games, but to be honest I don't care too much about the Europa League at this stage.

Getting the manager sorted asap is the first issue though...

[Shaggy]

Is losing the first game really justified reason for the ****e season we had, lack of confidence or not?

It's not the reason obviously but I reckon it had a big effect and was one of many reasons. We were going for the title, then we lose the first game, confidence drains away in a matter of...what, two months, we had to completely re-assess our mindset. Carra's said as much, the players really struggled with the change from going for the title to 'going for the top 4'.

[Craig_H]

I dont buy that mate. Yes, the loss at Spurs would've ****ed us up a bit, but there's been talk about losing all confidence from it and that ruining our season.

All i'd say is, if our mentality is so weak that one defeat destroys confidence to such an extent, we were destined to **** up anyway.

[Exiled_red]

It's not the reason obviously but I reckon it had a big effect and was one of many reasons. We were going for the title, then we lose the first game, confidence drains away in a matter of...what, two months, we had to completely re-assess our mindset. Carra's said as much, the players really struggled with the change from going for the title to 'going for the top 4'.

Well at least we won't have to worry about that this season

[Rich]

What a ****ing joke.

Part of the problem last season was losing our first game, confidence ebbed away and we're in the same boat again. ****ing Arsenal and City and United away before we've even got going. And Villa away to finish. **** this, every year we get screwed by the fixtures.

If last year was down to losing at Spurs then that's a disgrace. Sadly I don't believe you.

[Shaggy]

I dont buy that mate. Yes, the loss at Spurs would've ****ed us up a bit, but there's been talk about losing all confidence from it and that ruining our season.

All i'd say is, if our mentality is so weak that one defeat destroys confidence to such an extent, we were destined to **** up anyway.

Haha quite. I don't think it ruined our season but I reckon it was one of a myriad of reasons.

Anyway...it's another tough start and if we **** it up the doom and gloom will descend immediately, the press will be all over us, the new manager comes under immediate pressure and it'll be a slog from there.

[Shaggy]

If last year was down to losing at Spurs then that's a disgrace. Sadly I don't believe you.

Part of the problem FFS

[Shaggy]

Well at least we won't have to worry about that this season

[Rich]

Haha quite. I don't think it ruined our season but I reckon it was one of a myriad of reasons.

Anyway...it's another tough start and if we **** it up the doom and gloom will descend immediately, the press will be all over us, the new manager comes under immediate pressure and it'll be a slog from there.

I'm calling for him to be sacked in the belief that we'll lose the Arsenal game and that'll be our season up the creek.

[Shaggy]

NEW MAN OUT!