No replays. Extra time + penalties possible. 5 subs allowed.
Most of our players get a well deserved / much needed rest. Some might return from AFCON (don’t think they will be used here). Some might return from injury.
This match will be used for some to gain match fitness and I don’t think we will go full strength here.
Kelleher
Neco Gomez Konate Kostas
Morton Milner Curtis
Gordon Taki Jota
Would be great to have Harvey, Thiago and Origi at least on bench.
Cardiff are four points from the relegation zone. They are DWLL so far in January and will play two more games before playing us. On the other hand, while we will be rested, we will lack match sharpness.
A bit of a shame because I felt we were on the rise again, regardless of our drop in the second half/last 55 minutes or so yesterday. Some of the stuff we played for almost the whole first half yesterday was arguably the best football we played this season. Hopefully there are no new injuries and we get a few bodies back fit. Continue where we were and keep on improving.
This is my view also. Cardiff kicks us off before we go on to face;
Thurs 10 Feb - Leicester (H) - PL
Sun 13 Feb - Burley (A) - PL
Weds 16 Feb - Inter Milan (A) - CL
Sat 19 Feb - Norwich (H) - PL
Sun 27th - Chelsea (N) - EFL Cup final
Sat 5th Match - West Ham (H) - PL
If we beat Cardiff, the 5th round clash will be taking place at some point around Wed 2 March, before WHU come to town.
If we are to have any hope of keeping the pace with Man City now, we have to win all of the PL games next month. The fixtures could be way worst than they are, and a nice smashing of Cardiff, with a strong line up, taking advantage of the 5 changes, will be ideal before facing Leicester. From there on in its one very hard fixture followed by an okay one. For me this first game of the month is all about getting into the swing of things for a relatively short yet crucial period of football before the final international break in March. I’d expect it to be first and foremost about getting minutes in the legs where they are needed, and after that, think about who else gets a go.
