The only place to be

Christensen will probably play in the youth cup the next day (WHS reminded me that was coming up), Ake is probably third choice left-back which we might be down to if we rest Cole and Kalas is third choice right-back and probably fourth choice centre-back right now. I'd rest Cahill entirely now. He's too important with JT being out and would probably be captain on Wednesday with Cech, JT and Lamps all missing. Ivanovic has had a few days rest so could start both games, although I'd probably want him in central defence against Atletico with Luiz in midfield. Luiz struggles with the rigours of midfield work, so I'd rest him completely on Sunday. So if we start Azpi, Ivanovic, Cahill and Cole on Wednesday then I think it'd be pushing it to go with anything to different from Azpi, Ivanovic, Kalas and Ake on Sunday. But we'll see. Jose could go first-choice in both games - 3 games in 8 days is tough but not earth-shatteringly so.

Baker doesn't play in the Youth Cup. What it does mean is that there's zero chance of Loftus-Cheek being involved, although with Lamps, Mikel, Matic, Van Ginkel and even Baker and Swift available that was always fairly unlikely. Christensen will probably be starting in the youth cup so I don't know how likely it is he'll be used. Ake and Kalas are both ahead of him anyway. Ivanovic has had a rest so he could be involved in both the Liverpool and Atletico matches. I can't see Luiz playing all three especially considering his problems with lasting 90 minutes in midfield, whereas Azpi seems to be able to keep going non-stop.

The question is what do we have a greater chance of winning? The CL is in our hands, the league isn't. Does playing our starters for the Atletico game in the Liverpool game diminish our chances of getting a result on Wednesday? If the answer is maybe then why take the risk? As for throwing away the league we already did that against Villa, Palace and Sunderland.

OK. Maybe. Maybe not. Good away to Steaua and Schalke, fairly anonymous away to PSG and got less than a minute against Galatasaray. OK. No, but I'd have expected us to have got a goal at home to take to the away leg. That's the beauty of two-legged ties. At the moment it's half-time and we're level. Lamenting the shoulda, woulda, couldas of a goalless draw away to a top European team is the point at which I'd probably find something else to moan about. I wasn't patronising you....well actually I was earlier with the timeout comment. Here I was just repeating your own analysis back to you. But it's interesting you now just want to commit just a couple of guys forward and leave everyone else deep. That's a brilliant way to create holes for teams to exploit and was essentially the root of a lot of problems when we had Mata in the side and had a disconnect between attack and defence. As a designed tactic it seems like a good way to lose a game. I'm not trying to spin anything. I think the comment you made was stupid enough without me having to apply context to it to make it patently obvious how absurd it was. As for the victimisation point, give it a rest. You have a right to post what you want about Jose and so do I. I simply think there's a narrative being built where he's being criticised for his ability to get teams attacking when the truth is that he's not had the right resources at this point in time. You're bitching about us getting a 0-0 draw in a Champions League semi-final. That's like a 10 year-old being taken on a spending spree at Hamleys and crying because they aren't allowed a Happy Meal on the way home. Well that's a simplistic way of viewing my argument. Every gameplan has advantages or disadvantages - the best managers weigh up the risks associated with both and make a judgment call that tends to favour them. That's what Jose did, that's what Jose does and I think on the balance of things he got it about right although if he didn't and we lose the tie I'm sure you'll be amongst the first to point out his mistakes. When we had Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o and Nemanja Matic available.

Right....but wouldn't some of those same players be involved in defending as well?? Or are we going to call a timeout when we lose possession and bring on the defensive unit? Decent. Not good, not excellent....decent. OK. I'm not sure Oscar has even been a decent counter-attacking threat since the game away to Southampton on January 1st. I think the risk simply wasn't worth it, especially when you lose your first-choice keeper and then your defensive lynchpin and also have a second leg to play. You're also looking at the possibility of a player on a yellow card being slightly out of position and having to make a tackle whilst running back towards goal. Again, why risk it? I could give a fuck about the advantage we might have when the most important thing is that we're not at a disadvantage going into it. Someone once said that Atletico are more adept at sitting deep, defending and hitting teams on the counter....and they'll punish us for it too. Well if we're chasing the game in the second leg from the off surely that plays into their hands doesn't it? As it is both teams probably need to score, and we'll hopefully have some key attacking pieces back who were missing in the first leg. But it's good to know we're still in the tie. I'll go and get my shirt off the barbie. Do you know how many teams have won CLs back to back? None. It's actually quite a difficult trophy to win, and sometimes quality and skill means nothing. I've even heard of some teams fluking their way to a victory in the competition. But Jose has been in the last five CL semis. He's actually got there more than anyone else and his record is comparable to Fergie's in terms of actually going through. You may think you're 'stating facts' (which of course absolves you of actually having to say anything vaguely committal) but what you're actually doing is regurgitating statistics without applying any context or meaning to them. In light of that I find much to agree with in your final sentiment.

Earlier in the season we were still trying to forge a new identity and style as a team. Earlier in the season we had control over our destiny in the league, something we don't have anymore. That's our own fault, but now we have to look at where our greatest chance for success lies and that it undoubtably in the CL. We win two games and we're champions. In the league we need to win three games and hope a few things go our way elsewhere. It's a pretty simply equation at the end of the day. Not sure where the rotation argument fits in. We're at a point where I don't think it has much impact on what we do in the 8 days that encompass the Atletico and Liverpool games. Hazard picked up his injury in a CL quarter-final and Cole has struggled for about 18 months now with games in quick succession because of those ankles. Anyway, here's the team I'd be happy with based on the fact that we need players like Luiz and Oscar fresh for the semi. Schwarzer Azpi Ivanovic Kalas Ake Lamps Mikel Matic Salah Schurrle Torres It's rather unfortunate that we actually have an extra midfielder (Van Ginkel) when we need defenders. Luiz struggles with multiple games in quick succession in midfield so I'd rest him completely. Cahill is too important now that JT is out so you have to risk Ivanovic and Azpi and hope their fitness holds out. I'd wrap Cole in cotton wool with the expectation he'll play at left-back, with Ivanovic and Cahill in the middle and Azpi at right-back (although maybe Jose goes with Ivanovic at right-back in either of the next two games). Ake has played a lot at left-back in the reserves and looked good going forward. Kalas finally gets his PL start. Matic and Salah are nailed-on and Schurrle starts with the expectation Hazard is back. Up front it's a coin toss supposing Eto'o is back, so one of the other two starts. Personally think it's going to be one of the worst match experiences I can remember but you have to look past this game and focus on the more attainable prize.

But wouldn't a change in tactics have possibly led to Atletico finding it easier to break us down? Our counter was led by Torres and our player of the season was injured. In the return leg there's a chance that both Hazard and Eto'o are back. Why risk it? Maybe Jose sees a link between the way a team defends and the way it transitions into attack? PSG were also supposed to score against us if I remember correctly. Contrary to popular belief amongst some on here, Jose is a pretty good coach. It's not just the home crowd, it's the possibility of having some of our better players back and the expectation that Atletico might adjust their tactics as well. I guarantee that if we had drawn the first leg 0-0 then certain people would be writing our obituaries already, but the fact is we're very much still in this tie despite having Jose in charge. If you actually want to criticise the CL record of a guy who has been in more semi-finals than anyone else and has the chance to become the first guy in history to win 3 of the fuckers then maybe you've run out of things to say. Maybe it's time to learn Spanish, sign up to the Atletico forum and pronounce how the problem all season has been an inability to break down teams who defend (who knew??).

Real also had Benzema and Ronaldo to lead their counters, with Alonso and Modric to start them off. Real Madrid are in a completely different stage of development from us, in no small part thanks to Mourinho.

You don't know that. Sorry if you feel like I'm going to 'blast' you for your opinion, but bear in mind it is just your opinion. Jose clearly didn't want to lose the tie in the first leg but keep us very much in it when we'll have our most potent attacking threat back in the side. Now we've got home advantage and can set up to be a bit more attacking having stopped the leaders of La Liga from scoring against us (apparently breaking down teams who set up to defend is tough.....who knew?). He should've should he? Why? Why risk losing a 0-0 result to maybe get a goal against one of the best defences in Europe marshalled by one of the best keepers in the world? And he should've done this after our keeper was replaced by a 41 year old making his debut in the knockout stages of the Champions League and before or after we lost our skipper and defensive lynchpin? No he shouldn't have done that...he could've done but why? That's just not how Jose thinks and it's worked out pretty well for him so far.

In any language the idea of Hazard leaving us for Madrid this summer sounds like nonsense.

Fantastic improvisation because the ball is played a little bit behind him, but the most impressive thing about him is I'm pretty sure he could do that on his left-foot too.

No chance. The people bitching and moaning haven't got the balls to do something like that because deep down they probably admit that this club is finally moving in the right direction even when they're wanking over the 2009/2010 dvd and longing for the days we were a glorified cup team in the late-90s.

Things don't change overnight. Barcelona's style didn't arrive with Pep, it was decades in the making so when people continually criticise the style of football being played this season I do find it fucking annoying. This year was always about building a platform, something stable which we haven't had for years. People lament the days of Ballack, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba etc. but don't realise that the foundation for that team was built during Jose's spell when some people labelled us boring. Yet all of a sudden it's supposed to spring up in Jose's first year?? Do one. Some people need to be a little bit more patient because they really do embody the 'I want it now' bitching that has been a cancer at this club for much of the last decade. THIS is the point in time when supporting a club isn't a matter of simply going on Facebook and taking the piss cause we won at home again. THIS is the point where you do have to take some bad results on the chin and feel like crap for a few days. We are a work-in-progress, a team in transition and a team with some mighty obvious holes in key positions but we have one of the finest managers in the world steering the ship now and the club and the supporters need to get behind him. The mood at the ground is 180 degrees from where it was last season yet a few people on this forum continually pour shit on this club's efforts, as if their entitled to instant success. Grow up or fuck off.

We should probably aim a little higher than Arsenal and Spurs. We also have Matic who provides that steel in midfield, so what we need alongside him is someone who can kick the ball better to put it in mightily simple turns. Ramires is great without the ball. Unfortunately someone in his position tends to get about 50 touches a game. So until we signed Matic then?

Possibly. Sometimes I wonder if it's one of the most hated clubs on this forum too. Having said that I think every supporter thinks their club is victimised in one way or another.

Be interesting to see where Moye's dismissal leaves the Shaw transfer. With us you know there's always people like Emenalo who are involved in recruitment but I wonder who fills that void at United now. Clearly Moyes had some input on their deals with him getting Fellaini and apparently scouting potential targets so one wonders if the new guy might want something different. One less club in the race would be beneficial.

Barca's transfer ban suspended so they can sign players this summer.....what a suprise. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/barcelona/10782069/Barcelona-transfer-ban-on-hold-pending-appeal.html

The other point is that if he wants to field a weakened team then he needs the full backing of everyone above him, from Emenalo right up to Roman. That's clearly what he was getting at after the match yesterday and I think it's one of those moment of truth times where he needs to be trusted to do things the way he wants. Whatever happens on Sunday, it was the results at Villa, Palace and home to Sunderland which have seen us lose the league. We're one game away from a CL Final and it's all in our hands.

Oh, that's interesting. Will they be paying us in rainbows or lovehearts? But I agree we need more middlefielders. Maybe a couple of topfielders, and at least 7 bottomfielders.

Or what? It needs to change or you'll throw your toys out of the pram and support Liverpool? Please. No Hazard. No Matic. No striker. No first-choice left-back. Having to play Mikel in midfield. Keeper gets injured. Captain and defensive rock gets injured. Yet we come out of the first leg probably with the advantage going back to the Bridge. People like you expect him to work miracles and change the squad overnight yet ignore the miraculous result right in front of your fucking eyes. He just put out a team that includes a left-back who is unfortunately past his best and doesn't play anymore. A midfielder who is actually a defender by trade. A striker who is the biggest flop in this club's history. Another midfielder who was replaced in the January window by a much better player and a 35 year old Frank Lampard. Oh, and this was all against the team top of La Liga. This isn't Jose's team yet. It's still got the remnants of a dozen fucked up transfer windows stretching back to 2006 running through it but it's getting there.

He's utter shit. Hasn't scored a goal against us in 8 Champions League meetings so is clearly overrated. Oops, sorry. That's Messi, not Costa. Personally I think it's quite amusing that some are finally realising that teams who set up to defend are hard to score goals against (I know!!!! ). But yeah, let's judge this guy on the match in which he was facing a well-drilled bus.

I'd really love to see Van Ginkel get some minutes against the scum but with Matic cup-tied and Mikel and Lamps suspended there's no real need to. I think I'd be pretty happy with those teams. If you wanted to rest Cole's ankles then you could always chuck in Ake at left-back, and I think Schwarzer would probably benefit from another 90 minutes just to sharpen him up.

Absolutely delighted for the lad that he's back. It shows incredible character to come back from that injury so quickly and to have already attained a good degree of match fitness means he's been working his bollocks off. Could be a key player for us still this season.

Well clearly Atletico and Simeone are clueless when it comes to attack because they found it hard to break down a team who set up to defend. Obviously their full-backs weren't overlapping enough, because when we struggle to break down teams it's the lack of Luke fucking Shaw which kills us. Fantastic result though, and yet another example of the toll taken on a club when they have to play CL football as well. We'll get them back to the Bridge and hopefully have another of those great European nights.

Oh well, it was good whilst it lasted. In fairness, it was a monumental task for any guy to take on but he simply wasn't close to being the right choice. Ed Woodward seems to be getting a bit of a free pass on this one but he can't fuck up again. Can't see Klopp going there, I think Van Gaal is an uninspired choice albeit an upgrade but I think the most exciting option is Simeone. He seems to me to be a guy who doesn't have any fear of idols whereas Moyes always seemed to be in awe of the job. It could go either way if they got him, but they need someone who is a clear change from Fergie whereas Moyes was an attempt to get more of the same.