Fitzhugh Fella Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 of spending good money to go to Selhurst Park, Swindon A, Torquay and PNE at home, etc if the club, at the end of the day, just treat it as a training exercise or a chance to blood youngsters who ordinarily would get nowhere near the 1st team. I fear fans are getting ripped off. Genuine question. A lot of travelling Saints supporters have spent good dosh to go to the Palace tonight but is it really worth it as the club (rightly or wrongly) don't seem too bothered about progressing. The Carling Cup now resembles the 1960s Combination Cup and no one went away to watch those games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 to see saints play...? every single club does it in the league cup...EVERY SINGLE CLUB it was even advertised that we would this time round. as for progressing...in the short term NO...in the long term who knows, how else would a 16 year old rising star get 90 mins in the first team..would you have in the team against Boro..? would you give reeves a run out on sat..? short term it was a gamble...long term, it can only be a good thing...rightly or wrongly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 It can't have been a surprise for them. It was clear it was going to be a weakened side beforehand, as was Crystal Palace's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisPY Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 You've just told me that we've played weakened teams against Torquay, Swindon and PNE. Would be reasonable to think it'd be a weakened side again (as it would the previous 2 rounds). People who bought tickets did so knowing they were going to see some of the fringe players get a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfc4prem Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Feels like a waste of money tbh. Disappointed Saints fan heading back home tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 All clubs great the Carling Cup like it. Was pretty clear to the 2000 that went that the team would be weak. Not a suprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 It was quite clear we'd be playing other players within the squad, anyone who assumed we wouldn't was a bit naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 As has been said a few times, it was clear in advance we would be fielding a weakened team. And its not like anyone has trouble getting tickets for home matches, is it ? How often do we sell out ? Its not like tonight was a scarce chance to get the see the team for any non-ST holders or something.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichsaint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 I enjoyed it . 15 quid, good night out, no one forced anyone to go did they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 As has been said a few times, it was clear in advance we would be fielding a weakened team. And its not like anyone has trouble getting tickets for home matches, is it ? How often do we sell out ? Its not like tonight was a scarce chance to get the see the team for any non-ST holders or something.. Totally agree with you...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopGun Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 You've just told me that we've played weakened teams against Torquay, Swindon and PNE. Would be reasonable to think it'd be a weakened side again (as it would the previous 2 rounds). People who bought tickets did so knowing they were going to see some of the fringe players get a game. Exactly right. Any person with a reasonable knowledge will understand that promotion is the priority and Saints would have always been playing juniors or fringe squad players tonight. I'm sure Saints expect most fans to realise that so it's a case of take your choice and pay your money to go, or not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dune Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 There is no point. However if and when we get back up there is a point because we'll be where we want to be and the cups are our only chance of silverware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Did the ticket price reflect the likely team selections ? Not that it helps travel costs etc. In truth the league is priority and it was abundantly clear that a weakened team would play. The only time I have felt 'cheated' by the team selection was in the cup v ManU in 2005 when Redknapp - again for good reason - put out a weak side and the tickets were top price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 It's a game of football where both teams rested players.... in a competition where there is a history of resting players..... where tickets prices are reduced due to it's devaluation by the participants not taking it vitally seriously. Yes, we lost.... but the circumstances behind it cannot be a surprise and it is a sporting contest where you may lose. People may be upset right now but come-on!!! Man up!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Owen played (and scored) for united tonight so would have been cup tied in the later rounds anyway. No loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatlesaint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Dont really see why you have singled this out as Saints tbh, this could have gone in General Sport as a debate about 75% of Prem and Championship clubs doing this until around the Quarter Finals. Everyone who travelled knew as they did when they went to Swindon, as I did when I went to the Torquay and Preston games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokyo-Saint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Just got back, kids were fine, Cork too small to be a centre back but good on the ball. The only reason I would request maybe a couple of quid back was Forte who is not really a footballer. Would have prefered to see Sinclair up front and have Lost 3-0 - as would have thought it was for the greater good. Possibly gone the whole hog and put Shaw in at left back as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackedoff Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 As long as the club doesn,t moan when sub 10K crowds turn up for future early round cup games, so be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammysaint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Dont really see why you have singled this out as Saints tbh, this could have gone in General Sport as a debate about 75% of Prem and Championship clubs doing this until around the Quarter Finals. Everyone who travelled knew as they did when they went to Swindon, as I did when I went to the Torquay and Preston games. Agree with this beatlesaint, every team does it and waits till around the QFs before they take it serious, no championship club whos looking to get playoffs or promotion would play 1st team regulars in early rounds unless its a derby match, why make your best 5/6 players play 48 plus games of 90 mins. I think you have to play young stars and fringe players vs the lower league teams to get them game time and to prove a point, tonight with it being a decent side who played mostly 1st team players we seemed to do ok, players like that clyne at RB for them will be a prem player soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Dis someone force you to go? You have a choice in these matters you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicestersaint Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Poor show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleysfc Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 I enjoyed it . 15 quid, good night out, no one forced anyone to go did they? This. I enjoyed tonight despite the result. It was good to see some more youngsters coming through and £15 is hardly going to break the bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 It can't have been a surprise for them. It was clear it was going to be a weakened side beforehand, as was Crystal Palace's. ^ This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 I enjoyed it . 15 quid, good night out, no one forced anyone to go did they? ^ and this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 I said to my companion on the train that we will probably lose but it will be interesting seeing some of the fringe players, and indeed it was interesting and worth the £15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swannymere Posted 25 October, 2011 Share Posted 25 October, 2011 Is Fitzhugh Fella becoming a broken record? Any chance to have a dig at the club seems to be taken with relish these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graffito Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 FF, when you say the club doesn't seem bothered about the cup, did you bother to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manji Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 I agree with Fitzhugh. Its just typical of the way this club is going. A fanontheboard would put a stop to this sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericofarabia Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Owen played (and scored) for united tonight so would have been cup tied in the later rounds anyway. No loss. Just as well we didn't get through then!! He wouldn't have been able to play for us against Utd in The Final. The big problem now is that he won't want to come down here in Jan with the possibility of a Final at wembley and a Cup Winners medal on the horizon. What is he going to do with all those houses that he has bought down here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JibMcdo Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 of spending good money to go to Selhurst Park, Swindon A, Torquay and PNE at home, etc if the club, at the end of the day, just treat it as a training exercise or a chance to blood youngsters who ordinarily would get nowhere near the 1st team. I fear fans are getting ripped off. Genuine question. A lot of travelling Saints supporters have spent good dosh to go to the Palace tonight but is it really worth it as the club (rightly or wrongly) don't seem too bothered about progressing. The Carling Cup now resembles the 1960s Combination Cup and no one went away to watch those games. That's modern football for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SO16_Saint Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Fan in unrest shocker despite being top of the league playing the best football in a generation and being on the cusp of something special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzhugh Fella Posted 26 October, 2011 Author Share Posted 26 October, 2011 FF, when you say the club doesn't seem bothered about the cup, did you bother to go? No I didn't but I went to Swindon and the two home games. I accept this is not just Saints but most clubs which is why I have come to the conclusion that unless you give it 100% in a competition with your best players (remember the JPT anyone) then what is the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzhugh Fella Posted 26 October, 2011 Author Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Is Fitzhugh Fella becoming a broken record? Any chance to have a dig at the club seems to be taken with relish these days. Swannymere - I would be grateful if you could direct me to recent "dig at the club". I am extremely happy at our progress this year and very impressed with what NA has achieved. I was merely saying what is the point of the Carling Cup. It seems the only clubs who take it seriously are middle table prem clubs - but even then the Europe route it provides is increasingly being undermined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dellman Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Fitzhugh Fella is a sad and bitter fella and seems to lack common sense as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzhugh Fella Posted 26 October, 2011 Author Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Fitzhugh Fella is a sad and bitter fella and seems to lack common sense as well Go and read some of the comments on the "just back from the game thread" - that is assuming you can read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorpie the sinner Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 I enjoyed it . 15 quid, good night out, no one forced anyone to go did they? Nail on head!! I would thought £15 would have been worthwhile to see how JWP played as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 No I didn't but I went to Swindon and the two home games. I accept this is not just Saints but most clubs which is why I have come to the conclusion that unless you give it 100% in a competition with your best players (remember the JPT anyone) then what is the point? To give fringe players and/or younsters a run out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Saints Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Rightly or wrongly, this has been the case for 4/5 years now in the Carling Cup so the fans know it will be a weakened side when they buy tickets. Nothing new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidthesquid Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 I went to the two home ties & enjoyed seeing the young/fringe players getting a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 We entered a competition and OUR players played in it, albeit some were not 1st team starters. Everyone knew some 1st eleven players would be rested. We lost. Get over it - it happens sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSFC Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 heres a radical idea. Why not rebrand the competition as the 'English Cup' and make it that clubs may only play 'English qualified' players? This will help develop our nations players quicker, possibly encourage clubs to focus more on english players, and also fans would have a much better expectation of who was playing and the quality to be expected. And yes it would mean more kids and probably a lower quality overall but at least it would aid the national teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 heres a radical idea. Why not rebrand the competition as the 'English Cup' and make it that clubs may only play 'English qualified' players? This will help develop our nations players quicker, possibly encourage clubs to focus more on english players, and also fans would have a much better expectation of who was playing and the quality to be expected. And yes it would mean more kids and probably a lower quality overall but at least it would aid the national teams. I like that idea a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSFC Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 and what if all the main leagues in europe did the same in their 2nd cup competition and all the winners competed in the 'european nations' cup or league? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowgli Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 Would love to have been there last night to see some of the youngsters in a truly competitive match. Very envious and respectful of those that made the trip. You can't win every game and there is no real evidence that the defeat was down to the team selection. The game was still winnable with Guly, Barnard and Lambert on the pitch. Try to see the bigger picture. If in doubt - look at the league table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960saint Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 OH NO.... Not another MOANING thread .++BE POSITIVE A Saints fan is forever not just the premeirship.++BE POSITIVE Top of the leauge and playing good football==BE POSITIVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokingFun Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 of spending good money to go to Selhurst Park, Swindon A, Torquay and PNE at home, etc if the club, at the end of the day, just treat it as a training exercise or a chance to blood youngsters who ordinarily would get nowhere near the 1st team. I fear fans are getting ripped off. Genuine question. A lot of travelling Saints supporters have spent good dosh to go to the Palace tonight but is it really worth it as the club (rightly or wrongly) don't seem too bothered about progressing. The Carling Cup now resembles the 1960s Combination Cup and no one went away to watch those games. Simply to support the team and have a night out at a venue that's fairly close to us maybe? As far as wanting to win is concerned, I believe that NA wanted to win the game but he is trying to balance that with ensuring that players are fit for the main campaign and also giving our better youngsters a chance. As it happens, we were not let down last night by our youngsters, more the performances put in by Butterfield, Harding, De Ridder and Forte. Those guys are all senior players with experience of the standard and were very poor indeed hence NA's comments about fringe players not doing themselves any favours. I think he will have found out last night that we need a little strengthening of our back-up options and that the young lads involved have a decent enough future, particularly Ward_Prowse who did nothing exceptional but rarely wasted the ball when in possession and looked very composed and comfortable in midfield. Back to the subject of is it worth going? Well, that's a decision for each individual and at least the club has been up front about the fact that they would be using the competition to rotate and blood players. As that is the case, no-one can really complain about the team on the pitch last night as they could have chosen not to go. In fairness, I didn't heard too much dissent around that issue where I was stood or on the train back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 (edited) This was the weakest team we've fielded in the competition, even though we were on the cusp of the big time in the competition. We didn't get a sense that NA would rest so many players until well after I bought my tickets - indeed, Im sure NA didn't know he was going to do that until after the Reading game. I can't complain - I live in London (its the shortest I've had to travel for a game this season); but I do feel a bit of sympathy for those who traveled up - 2500 don't just travel up for a reserve game. It really was a spiritless and lacklustre performance. Anyway, it happens all the time - and unlike Arsenal, we have a genuine shot at winning or achieving something elsewhere. It will be quickly forgotten if the rested players come out over the next 2-3 games fresher and taking no prisoners. Edited 26 October, 2011 by shurlock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SO16_Saint Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 heres a radical idea. Why not rebrand the competition as the 'English Cup' and make it that clubs may only play 'English qualified' players? This will help develop our nations players quicker, possibly encourage clubs to focus more on english players, and also fans would have a much better expectation of who was playing and the quality to be expected. And yes it would mean more kids and probably a lower quality overall but at least it would aid the national teams. Like the idea a lot. It will never happen though, is it not discriminatory in one way or another?? Would be good though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 The place to give fringe players and young players an opportunity is in a proper reserve league. You all say everyone knew Saints and Palace would put out weakened sides and that everyone does it - this is why the Carling Cup has been devalued. It should NOT have been devalued. The top sides have huge squads with top players not getting games; the reserve set-up needs strengthening with better coverage and a cup competition with a prestige final. Maybe it is time to make the Carling Cup a proper reserve competition and restrict the use of players in the later rounds who have played more than a certain number of first team league games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Saint Posted 26 October, 2011 Share Posted 26 October, 2011 I consider the point is that this competition gives clubs a chance to give their fringe players a competative game to develop their talent, keep them interested and gain match fitness. It gives the coaches an opportunity to assess such players and the manager a chance to try different systems in competative format. Ticketing prices across the competition reflect the weaker sides starting. For those supporters who go to these matches, they know we are going to field a weaker side but it gives them a chance to see other players in the team and assess their form and potential. Lower gates at all games reflect this (apart from the staggering 50,000+ at Arsenal last evening). I made a decision before the season started I would not attend Carling cup matches but I certainly do not think they are a waste of time. Disappointed we are out of the competition but glad we did not risk potential injuries to key players by full match exposure when we have two important home games in the next seven days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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