Just occured to me that should we win this we'll be 2 games away from another trip to Wembley (well technically 1 but semi-finals at Wembley don't really count).

Another big opportunity for a trophy.

I'd got with the following:

Almunia 🙁

Sagna - Squillaci - Koscielny - Gibbs

Denilson - Song - Rosicky

Bendtner - Chamakh - Arshavin

Such massive changes have not worked this season but with a tough 90 mins against Barcelona gone, and with two vital games in Stoke and the LC final coming up, we have to rest most of the side really.

I'd rest Song. Would like to give Kos a breather too since he's started more games than anyone else this season, but Djourou has to come first if he's got a back problem.

Who would you guys play instead? It's not like we have loads of options. Cesc and Jack played 90 mins, Alex played 70.

And I'd feel a lot better about Song being back there with Mr Wrecklesslydiveinandcommityourselfleavingusexposedenilson alongside him.

I'd play Denilson. Rosicky for Wilshere, Nasri for Cesc.

I'd play Eboue, too, instead of Sagna. Don't want Backary anything less than 100% when he lines up for us a week on Sunday. The same for the rest of the big boys. Our best XI will have to play 2 games in 4 days as it is, and the second game is for a big fat trophy, so just get through this game with as little risk as possible.

Surely it's a bigger risk making Nasri play again? Hamstring isn't the sort of thing that is helped by playing too much.

He looked fine against Barca. He's just had two and a half week's rest too. It makes sense to at least give him an hour against Leyton.

Why risk it? Samir will get plenty of game time over the next week. I want him as fresh as a daisy for Wembley.

BTW - they're "Orient" for short. Just thought you might like to know.

Klaus wrote:

He looked fine against Barca.

It doesn't matter, Cesc played plenty of games in between his problems.

Song has only started 4 games in the last month, and came of after 45 and 70 mins in two of those games.

Right. You have to compromise somewhere though, and right now I'd rather have Cesc and Wilshere well-rested against Stoke than Nasri. I don't want Song to run out of steam either. We rely heavily on him and overexposed him last year. Along with Jack he's started the second most amount of games this season too. If he doesn't get a breather on sunday he won't get one against Stoke and Birmingham either.

Surely we could do with Aaron back right now? Would be ideal for this game, we only have 6 cm's and with Diaby out it means one of our starters will be playing in a game he really doesn't need.

apparently, kos was knackered after barca. i'd consider:

----------chesney
sagna-song-squillaci-gibbs
----------denilson
------fabregas-rosicky
bendtner-chamakh-arshavin

almunia, eboue, koscielny, djourou, nasri, walcott, van persie

i see no reason to play almunia, especially with that backline. chesney needs the experience and don't need to risk any f*ups from the spaniard.

In 2 minds about who to play. Think maybe one or 2 first teamers could be an idea but then maybe rest those players on Wednesday. Its a tricky time of season now in terms of selection and rotation. You really don't want to break up the first team but we don't need any of them picking up injuries from being over played either.

it's tricky, and nasri was a warning sign. djourou has a history of leg injuries as we all know, and back injuries are often caused by something not being right in the legs or feet - i'd be tempted to rest him, too. wilshere's young, so he obviously needs to be held back in order not to burn out.

honestly, the team i put up should deal with orient easily. of course, the matches aren't played on paper.

True enough Kami--United prob thought same when facing Crawley but were actually hanging on there at the end