Bogey team, banana skin 
I’d go with
Alisson
Trent Matip VVD Tsimikas
Hendo Fab Keita
Salah Jota Mane
Subs Elliott, Konate, Milner, Bobby, Taki, Ox, Thiago, Kelleher, N. Williams
3-0 to the mighty Reds
I like the idea of bringing one or two more senior midfielders in to get ready for Chelsea.
Still, the Chelsea game only gives us as many points as this one, so one game at a time and all that.
Hopefully we will have a comfortable win. Ox is my main conundrum. He didn’t do enough last game to catch the eye, but I know there’s more to come from him. It’s a weird one, as he should be busting the door down to get in the managers thoughts, and there’s a sense that he isn’t doing enough.
Play him again. See what he can do.
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I’d like to see a few tweeks to start with to get players up to speed. Konate for Matip at the back, Hendo for Milner in midfield, and Bobby for Mane up front with Jota on the left. Somewhere around the 60 minute mark we should look at bringing Thiago and Mane on for whoever needs to conserve minutes.
There’s still lots of complaints on Twitter and Facebook about us not signing anyone but looking at the available squad, who do you buy and who makes room for them? We have a good group of players. The key is to keep them fit which is what crippled us last season.
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Smash them. They’re shit.
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Breaking news: there will be no post-match essay this week, either, as the missus has made alternative plans and I can’t weasel my way out of them. 
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Yo COG
If you have the time, how’s about a prophetic outline pre match then…?
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Will be interesting to see how we handle the next 2 games (of course that Chelsea isn’t quite the same as Norwich/Burnley and there’s even a certain difference between those two as well), the often called mini-league before the first international break.
Specifically, the midfield situation. Because I highly doubt we will change much in the back 4 or in attack (probably more Bobby and Jota sharing game time). And more specifically, the main likes of Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago.
I would expect Naby to keep his place for this one. I’d say Millie has a higher chance of keeping his place than Ox. Then it also depends how ready are the main mentioned trio. Possibly Hendo in for Ox? Fabinho in for Millie? Or in for Ox and Millie in his more natural advanced role?
Those are the questions for me over the next game or two. When do we start to introduce those 2-3 players and how much. Maybe we will not push Thiago as much, give him extra time and see how much can we get from Fabinho and Henderson in the next two games.
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Are we handing out plastic flags for the first home game?
1 or 2 changes in the midfield. One of Ox or Naby needs to make way for a more robust/physical midfielder, so maybe Fab.
Can’t wait to see a Kop in full voice full of flags and banners.
Can’t ever get enough of that sight.
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then pre-write the story and leave with @Hope.in.your.heart to post for you 
Haha @cynicaloldgit
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Matip make way for Joe or possibly Konate with Burnley been a bit more physical save Matip for Chelsea.
Could be. I think we’ll need our best players at dealing with aerial stuff though, so for me it makes sense to stick with Matip and Van Dijk.
Konate is a big boy, can definitely handle himself, but Burnley are…Burnley. Maybe better to give him a few games against normal football teams first 
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Yeah, I don’t see our CB’s changing for this mini-league before the break. We have enough time, they’ll all be needed (hopefully not because of too many injuries!).
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Agreed. A stable CB partnership is the key to sustained winning streak. The last place I would want us tinker until something is broken.
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He played in the Bundesliga against Lewandowski, I think he can handle some lads from Burnley
Yeah sure, it was a bit of a tongue in cheek remark, of course he can handle them.
Konate is a beast in the air in fairness, no worries if he plays.
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Think that Jurgen will let Konate savour the atmosphere this weekend and have him on the bench