CL Atletico at home Wednesday 17th Sept 8pm

[danperkins]

Why are we thinking that Atleti at home in the CL is an opportunity to rotate? This will be a very difficult game.

they are an excellent side with lots of quality, very awkward opponents & we aren't exactly playing very well ourselves. Get points on the board with the option to rotate later vs lesser sides & when Isak & Mac get up to speed.

[peterbread]

The team also needs as much time playing together to build connections with the new players. I think you could rotate some players but let the attack stick together for now.

Maybe something like this

Ali
Bradley Konate VVD Kerkez
Gravenberch Dom
Salah Wirtz Gakpo
Ekitike

Kerkez needs games to get going and he was very good against Arsenal but made a bad decision against Burnley that messed up the rest of his game time. He’ll learn from that. And that defence is a lot more settled and used to each other apart from Kerkez which will help.

Gravenberch with Dom as Alexis can be rested as I’d like him fit and firing for the derby. Jones to come off the bench.

Keep the attack as is to help it build and you have Chiesa, Isak and Rio to come off the bench. Both Chiesa and Rio have already shown they can make an impact and I don’t need to say anything about Isak Slot said he’s ready for 45 minutes so maybe he’ll get 10-20 depending on how the game is going.

[RedReet]

The team also needs as much time playing together to build connections with the new players. I think you could rotate some players but let the attack stick together for now.

Maybe something like this

Ali
Bradley Konate VVD Kerkez
Gravenberch Dom
Salah Wirtz Gakpo
Ekitike

Kerkez needs games to get going and he was very good against Arsenal but made a bad decision against Burnley that messed up the rest of his game time. He’ll learn from that. And that defence is a lot more settled and used to each other apart from Kerkez which will help.

Gravenberch with Dom as Alexis can be rested as I’d like him fit and firing for the derby. Jones to come off the bench.

Keep the attack as is to help it build and you have Chiesa, Isak and Rio to come off the bench. Both Chiesa and Rio have already shown they can make an impact and I don’t need to say anything about Isak Slot said he’s ready for 45 minutes so maybe he’ll get 10-20 depending on how the game is going.

Chiesa not in squad.

[Scratch]

I don't see Isak playing 45mins, he hasn't had a pre-season as such as he was training in isolation and he hasn't been able to spend much time with his teammates since joining us. I think the fact that he wasn't even on the bench at Burnley suggests we feel he is some way off match fitness. Maybe he'll be on the bench and get 20 mins but I would be surprised if he got much more than that.

I based it on Slot's comments post-Burnley, so he will either be involved against Athleti or Everton, and I picked this match as the "safer" option in terms of physicality .

"Sweden did the right thing of giving him good sessions without playing him a lot, because if you play the player you cannot give him good sessions.

They did the right thing [and] we did the same, so now he will be able either Wednesday or Saturday to play 45 as a minimum, and maybe a little bit more.

But if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don’t expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday, because his body is not prepared for that, in our opinion."

[Exiled_red]

Get points on the board early so you have the option of heavy rotation when the supposed easier games roll around.

That way we get to rotate when the domestic cup games are kicking in on top of the PL games.

I think if we start dicking around with our team for CL games it will come back to bight us on the arse. A change here or there to protect a player or develop his condition, yes, but anything more than that is asking for trouble IMHO.

[peterbread]

Chiesa not in squad.

Completely forgot about that. More chances for Rio.

[Exiled_red]

I based it on Slot's comments post-Burnley, so he will either be involved against Athleti or Everton, and I picked this match as the "safer" option in terms of physicality .

"Sweden did the right thing of giving him good sessions without playing him a lot, because if you play the player you cannot give him good sessions.

They did the right thing [and] we did the same, so now he will be able either Wednesday or Saturday to play 45 as a minimum, and maybe a little bit more.

But if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don’t expect him to play 45 or more on Saturday, because his body is not prepared for that, in our opinion."

Maybe he's closer than I thought, I guess giving him minutes in the CL probably makes more sense with use 1 forward down there (Chiesa not in the CL squad), but given he hasn't played at all I would be surprised if he went straight in to 45mins, I would have assumed a couple of 20-30min sub appearances, then 45 mins then and hours or so working up to 90. But what do I know?

[Scratch]

Maybe he's closer than I thought, I guess giving him minutes in the CL probably makes more sense with use 1 forward down there (Chiesa not in the CL squad), but given he hasn't played at all I would be surprised if he went straight in to 45mins, I would have assumed a couple of 20-30min sub appearances, then 45 mins then and hours or so working up to 90. But what do I know?

It was quite a good post match interview...I like the way Slot explains it all as well, like he did when he talked about the tactics he employed versus...United?...and everyone was like "ooooh, that's impressive". He dumbs it down enough so that everyone can understand it (even Roy Keane) but without it sounding condescending.

[SB]

I wouldn’t be advocating so much rotation if it was an away match but at home surely it’s an opportunity to have a few players on the bench in preparation for the derby on the weekend.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I wouldn’t be advocating so much rotation if it was an away match but at home surely it’s an opportunity to have a few players on the bench in preparation for the derby on the weekend.

Given it and the derby require no travel, the rest/recovery time for those that will start both games is increased a little bit.

Would be going close to full strength in the first game and full strength in the second.

[Irishnev]

Seems Alvarez didn’t travel, went off injured at the weekend and hasn’t recovered. Probably bull**** but I read its the first game he missed through injury ever, I didn’t validate that stat

[Harv]

Why are we thinking that Atleti at home in the CL is an opportunity to rotate? This will be a very difficult game.

This.

First CL game against a tough opponent and people think we're rotating??

Madness

[Angryred]

Seems Alvarez didn’t travel, went off injured at the weekend and hasn’t recovered. Probably bull**** but I read its the first game he missed through injury ever, I didn’t validate that stat

Maybe just for Atletico.

[Buzzo]

This.

First CL game against a tough opponent and people think we're rotating??

Madness

Yeah, strongest XI for this for sure.

[Mark79]

Strongest XI is more important for Saturday imo.

If that means some rotation here then fine.

Blitzing the CL group stage is a waste of effort anyway with this ridiculous format. As we found out last season.