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Full Speed Ahead! Damn the Torpedoes!

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Those immortal words were uttered by Admiral David Farragut at the battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War….. on August 5, 1864 with the Gulf of Mexico being the last Confederate Port open his flotilla was ordered to attack.

Despite been heavily mined he ordered his fleet into an all-out attack and when some of his ships suffered casualties and the fleet was about to turn back he grabbed his signal trumpet and uttered those famous word.

He won a convincing battle against the rebels and the rest is history. He won that decisive battle by taking the battle to the enemies against overwhelming odds. I doubt the enemy thought there was an officer foolhardy enough to try to run through such a heavily mined bay.

149 years later, we are in a situation where we need to take the battle to our opposition. The auguries certainly favour us. We have nothing to lose. We are playing away from home (so no fan pressure). We have superior players, and above all we have our pride and a point to prove.

I will suggest that we play an expansive game with a back 4 of Cole, Cahill, Ivanovic and Azpi. A single DM in David Luiz (if fit) or Ramires solely tasked to screen the back 4 and play it simple. (Swansea are going to seat deep and hit us on the counter) Hazard, Mata and Marin with both Hazard and Marin ask to stay wide put in first time crosses into the box.

Torres should start behind Demba Ba and both strikers should be asked to attack the crosses and run at the Swansea defenders. If we can get a goal within 15 minutes, we should be able to turn this around. Benitez can make a little history today just like RDM did against Napoli but he would have to damn the torpedoes and take the game to the opposition with is selections and formation.

History is written by men / women who dare. Farragut became the first Admiral in the history of the United States because he dared, Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. Full speed ahead boys let`s show them that we can walk were the eagles dare.

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