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The Cup vs League Debate - Part CXVIII


Lighthouse
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After the Burnley defeat and before Sheff Utd many people would have said we're dropping away and we should focus on the Cup.

 

Now though we are half way through the season, every team has played each other and there is no other way to put it... we are forth.

 

So which team would you put out against Ipswich? Should we rest key players like Pelle and Morgan so they are fitter for League fixtures? Personally I would say yes, as we have a real shout at the top four. I still think it's unlikely but more likely than making it all the way to Wembley.

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Our momentum is vitally important to us. We don't have a game for a week after the Ipswich game. There is no reason why we shouldn't play a strong team without taking any unnecessary risks with players. For me it is not about whether or not it is a cup game, it's about keeping the momentum going and that is why we should play a strong team.

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Personally I would as the game comes so soon after Arsenal, we'd risk fatigue and muscle stress injuries

 

I think the following would still do a job

 

Foster

Targett

Yosh (he leaves after Ipswich game)

Gardos

McCarthy

JWP

Cork/Schnderlin (seeing as he's missing the arsenal game)

Reed

Isgrove

Long

McQueen/Mayaka

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With the FA Cup most of the games are on Saturdays so its not as much of a drain unless you have replays.

 

Ipswich an ideal game for McCarthy debut at right back, whilst might be good to give Reed another game but wouldn't make many changes.

 

Morgan can play as will have missed Arsenal.

 

Pretty sure Koeman will go strong. If he thinks we will be good enough to rest Pelle and win then he might look at that.

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Personally I would as the game comes so soon after Arsenal, we'd risk fatigue and muscle stress injuries

 

I think the following would still do a job

 

Foster

Targett

Yosh (he leaves after Ipswich game)

Gardos

McCarthy

JWP

Cork/Schnderlin (seeing as he's missing the arsenal game)

Reed

Isgrove

Long

McQueen/Mayaka

 

That is an awful side

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Personally I would as the game comes so soon after Arsenal, we'd risk fatigue and muscle stress injuries

 

I think the following would still do a job

 

Foster

Targett

Yosh (he leaves after Ipswich game)

Gardos

McCarthy

JWP

Cork/Schnderlin (seeing as he's missing the arsenal game)

Reed

Isgrove

Long

McQueen/Mayaka

 

Ipswich would make easy work of that rabble.

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Now though we are half way through the season, every team has played each other and there is no other way to put it... we are forth.

I could put it another way, we are fourth

We should play our strongest team against Ipswich, end of. Certainly no need to rest Morgan as he will be having a rest until then anyway.

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It was a blessing to bow out of the League Cup and I would have preferred it if we had discreetly made an exit against Arsenal.

 

I would put out a 'second' team and see how they do. If we lose against Ipswich it will be not b e a disaster.

 

The premier league is all that counts.

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After the Burnley defeat and before Sheff Utd many people would have said we're dropping away and we should focus on the Cup.

 

Now though we are half way through the season, every team has played each other and there is no other way to put it... we are forth.

 

 

What point are you making here?

 

We gave the cup a good go, playing more than decent teams in all rounds and we are still fourth despite the supposed crippling effect league cup football was supposed to have on our season. It can be done, we're fourth.

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Personally I would as the game comes so soon after Arsenal, we'd risk fatigue and muscle stress injuries

 

I think the following would still do a job

 

Foster

Targett

Yosh (he leaves after Ipswich game)

Gardos

McCarthy

JWP

Cork/Schnderlin (seeing as he's missing the arsenal game)

Reed

Isgrove

Long

McQueen/Mayaka

 

We are playing a Championship side, and a good one at that, not a conference team.

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Is like to see Reed and Targett get another start, both have proven in the last few weeks they are good enough to be first team squad members, other than that the strongest team we have as others have said Ipswich are a decent side but with a decent draw we've got a good chance of a run in the cup.

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What point are you making here?

 

We gave the cup a good go, playing more than decent teams in all rounds and we are still fourth despite the supposed crippling effect league cup football was supposed to have on our season. It can be done, we're fourth.

 

My point is that this may be our best ever chance to get into the Champions League. People who suggested this after 10 games were often shouted down with sarcastic cries of, "I can't wait to tell my grand kids about the time we finished sixth." etc.

 

I think it's a fair question. Against Ipswich and in the later rounds if we progress, should we rest more players than we did in the League Cup? IMO yes.

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My point is that this may be our best ever chance to get into the Champions League. People who suggested this after 10 games were often shouted down with sarcastic cries of, "I can't wait to tell my grand kids about the time we finished sixth." etc.

 

I think it's a fair question. Against Ipswich and in the later rounds if we progress, should we rest more players than we did in the League Cup? IMO yes.

We also had a load of horsesh it from forum fuc kwits about how putting out decent squads in the league cup would cripple our league campaign but it hasn't.

 

We're fourth having played the maximum number of LC games this half season. Fancy that.

 

So, how is resting players in a tournament that is played on the weekends going to help our CL push? It will make fu ck all difference. We should go for silverware. CL qualification is pretty remote, as is winning the FA Cup, but we should be going for it in both.

 

Thankfully, whatever you think or say, that's precisely what Koeman will do.

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Personally I would as the game comes so soon after Arsenal, we'd risk fatigue and muscle stress injuries

 

I think the following would still do a job

 

Foster

Targett

Yosh (he leaves after Ipswich game)

Gardos

McCarthy

JWP

Cork/Schnderlin (seeing as he's missing the arsenal game)

Reed

Isgrove

Long

McQueen/Mayaka

 

0-0 and a replay would cause a fair amount of fans 'stress and fatigue injuries' at this time of year. Isn't Elias Newbie available for this one?

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All this ''resting'' players ******** does confuse me sometimes.

 

When we were in L1 or the NPC, we were mostly playing Saturday > Tuesday, Saturday > Tuesday.

 

Did we rest players on the Saturday game, in preparation for the Tuesday game? Umm, No. Did it make any difference? Not really, No.

 

In this day in age, with the facilities and the preparation, we will be able to recover with a week - yes a week - in between games. The same time as there is between league games by the way. There's no need to rotate or change anything.

 

Start mucking around with squads and dropping results, out goes consistency, away goes the form, and you enter into the race for 8th place in the EPL. And that's the season.

 

Where have I seen that before?

Edited by S-Clarke
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We also had a load of horsesh it from forum fuc kwits about how putting out decent squads in the league cup would cripple our league campaign but it hasn't.

 

We're fourth having played the maximum number of LC games this half season. Fancy that.

 

So, how is resting players in a tournament that is played on the weekends going to help our CL push? It will make fu ck all difference. We should go for silverware. CL qualification is pretty remote, as is winning the FA Cup, but we should be going for it in both.

 

Thankfully, whatever you think or say, that's precisely what Koeman will do.

 

I agree. What comes across to me is that Koeman (as a player and as a manager) is a guy who is used to winning. I don't think he has the mentality of 'this cup vs. that cup', I think he wants to win every game regardless. A winner mentality at a club that has too often had a loser mentality.

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Our first choice keeper.

 

3 of the back 5 that drew with Chelsea.

 

JWP/Cork/Schnderlin... not good enough to beat Ipswich?

 

Reed Very good against a strong Everton side, people calling out for him to get more games

 

Long was immense against Everton and will cause all sort sorts of problems through the Center.

 

along with blooding 2 rated young players??

 

Only question marks over that side would be Mayaka & Isgrove in my opinion.

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