Fielding "weakened" teams in the FA Cup

[Platypuss]

Who gives a flying phuck?

Curses on HNA and its platform for reasoned discussion!

[Platypuss]

Has anybody ever said that players can't play two games in three days? But if the opposition haven't played two games in three days, who do you think is likely to be fitter at the end of the second game? So, if you expect the opposition to rotate a few players, you would want to match them, and if you think they won't, you might hope to gain an advantage.

It's not oxf*rd rocket science.

So what did resting players against Soton really achieve?

[Hoop Blah]

Who gives a flying phuck?

...ermm probably Reading fans who have an interest in what goes on at the club they support!

[Alan Partridge]

Who gives a flying phuck?

The people that pay their money to go and support the team? only to be rewarded with a reserve team selection and a half arsed effort?

Also, the players. Must admit Noel Hunt could have done with a game and a goal, hasn't played a full game for yonks.

I can understand a few changes but the amount was ludicrous IMO of course. It doesn't treat the competition, the players or the supporters with the respect it deserved. Did fielding the reserves benefit Reading in their attempts to stay up?

I can understand Coppell's view but I personally don't agree with it.

[Hoop Blah]

Has anybody ever said that players can't play two games in three days? But if the opposition haven't played two games in three days, who do you think is likely to be fitter at the end of the second game? So, if you expect the opposition to rotate a few players, you would want to match them, and if you think they won't, you might hope to gain an advantage.

It's not oxf*rd rocket science.

So what did resting players against Soton really achieve?

I could understand the resting of the central midfield pairing against Southampton, although I thought it was risky weakening the heart of the team at the same time.

Doing that is quite different to putting out the reserves for a first team fixture.

[The 17 Bus]

And that AP, is the sensible view, no ranting, no raving, no real criticism.

[rabidbee]

So what did resting players against Soton really achieve?

We were the only team still playing in injury time, when we could have won the game.

And all of this discussion seems to assume that fitness was the only factor. After Soton and Cardiff, we now know that Matejovsky isn't the answer - not in the short-term, anyway.

[Platypuss]

So what did resting players against Soton really achieve?

We were the only team still playing in injury time, when we could have won the game.

Perhaps wouldn't have been required if we'd started with our strongest lineup in the first place!

[rabidbee]

Well, true, and isn't that the sheer delightof counter-factual history?

[Victor Meldrew]

Just out of interest and replying to Mr Angry's suggestion that players nowadays go on till their late 30s I'm still waiting to hear about those many who are still playing.
Looking back at some Reading players from the 60s onwards these are the ages that some players finished league football at (disregarding the fact that some went on to play non-league into their 40s):-
Pat Terry 36
Johnny Walker 37 (Good to see him looking sprightly at the Saints away game chatting up birds at 80 years of age)
Martin Hicks 36
Jimmy Quinn 39
Stuart Beavon-still playing local amateur football?
Delusional?

BTW 20 games to go so our players if they play every game need to be at their peak for 30 hours over a period of 4 months.
Some will earn about £300,000 for that and ,unlike players of yesteryear,will not have to subsidise their income during the summer months by taking on part-time jobs.
It's a hard life for some.

[Scarface]

Who gives a flying phuck?

The people that pay their money to go and support the team? only to be rewarded with a reserve team selection and a half arsed effort?

Also, the players. Must admit Noel Hunt could have done with a game and a goal, hasn't played a full game for yonks.

I can understand a few changes but the amount was ludicrous IMO of course. It doesn't treat the competition, the players or the supporters with the respect it deserved. Did fielding the reserves benefit Reading in their attempts to stay up?

I can understand Coppell's view but I personally don't agree with it.

I agree AP, but I'm totally fed up with Coppell's view on the cups. We hardly played any games over Christmas, so I can't understand why we had to rest players at Soton, when he new a week later he was going to field a reserves side.

From now on I'm going to pick a cup team to support and only bother with Reading for league games.

[Vision]

Good luck finding one in the top 2 divisions that picks its strongest possible line up for the 3rd round.

[Alan Partridge]

Who gives a flying phuck?

The people that pay their money to go and support the team? only to be rewarded with a reserve team selection and a half arsed effort?

Also, the players. Must admit Noel Hunt could have done with a game and a goal, hasn't played a full game for yonks.

I can understand a few changes but the amount was ludicrous IMO of course. It doesn't treat the competition, the players or the supporters with the respect it deserved. Did fielding the reserves benefit Reading in their attempts to stay up?

I can understand Coppell's view but I personally don't agree with it.

I agree AP, but I'm totally fed up with Coppell's view on the cups. We hardly played any games over Christmas, so I can't understand why we had to rest players at Soton, when he new a week later he was going to field a reserves side.

From now on I'm going to pick a cup team to support and only bother with Reading for league games.

Join the bandwagon in cosy Devon, it's warm and we have palm trees and Lee Hodges.

[jollyjiminy]

I don't buy this weakened team thing this year. The only genuine reservist in that team was Kelly. All of the others would have realistic belief that they could and should start all the games. So many people have gone in and out of our defence and midfield that we're not really sure who's who, and I'm sure everyone was confident of winning that game, so their loss is pretty much identical to a general dip in form (except v Brum).

[Victor Meldrew]

Good luck finding one in the top 2 divisions that picks its strongest possible line up for the 3rd round.

Looking at the teams put out it is harder to find teams that didn't put out their best sides.

[Silver Fox]

Which teams put out their best sides then Vic?

[readingbedding]

Who gives a flying phuck?

The people that pay their money to go and support the team? only to be rewarded with a reserve team selection and a half arsed effort?

Also, the players. Must admit Noel Hunt could have done with a game and a goal, hasn't played a full game for yonks.

I can understand a few changes but the amount was ludicrous IMO of course. It doesn't treat the competition, the players or the supporters with the respect it deserved. Did fielding the reserves benefit Reading in their attempts to stay up?

I can understand Coppell's view but I personally don't agree with it.

Absolute crap.
As usual.

[readingbedding]

Who gives a flying phuck?

...ermm probably Reading fans who have an interest in what goes on at the club they support!

How many RFC fans went to the game at Cardiff?
If zero turned up, you're right.
But you're not.

[Victor Meldrew]

Which teams put out their best sides then Vic?

Liverpool
Everton
Hull
Newcastle
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Need any more?
Fulham
West Brom
Sunderland
Bolton
West Ham
Need any more?
Barnsley
Bristol City
Burnley
Blackpool
Cardiff
Need any more?
BTW those that didn't included :-
Chelsea
Pompey
Stoke
Man City
Reading

Enough clubs there for the poster to pick an alternative club I would have thought.

[Alan Partridge]

Who gives a flying phuck?

The people that pay their money to go and support the team? only to be rewarded with a reserve team selection and a half arsed effort?

Also, the players. Must admit Noel Hunt could have done with a game and a goal, hasn't played a full game for yonks.

I can understand a few changes but the amount was ludicrous IMO of course. It doesn't treat the competition, the players or the supporters with the respect it deserved. Did fielding the reserves benefit Reading in their attempts to stay up?

I can understand Coppell's view but I personally don't agree with it.

Absolute crap.
As usual.

For not agreeing that making 11 changes and basically forfeiting out of the cup is the best thing?

All entitled to a view, just you can't seem to ever put a thoughtful post together without slating another.