Fielding "weakened" teams in the FA Cup

[papereyes]

I'd love to see Reading at a major final, I'd love to see Reading in Europe. These aren't going to happen until we've further established ourselves in the Championship let alone the level above.

We were very close to qualifing by rights for European competition just a season and a half ago. We even turned down the opportunity to get in through the back door with the Inter-toto

It's the giving up of these opportunites and the way we treat the Cup which grates on me, just for the sake of resting a few players etc

But we went to Korea ...



InterToto >>>> Peas Cup

[The 17 Bus]

I bet Man C are delighted to be out of the FA Cup, especially Hughes, as he must be odds on to get sacked soon.

[The 17 Bus]

I'd love to see Reading at a major final, I'd love to see Reading in Europe. These aren't going to happen until we've further established ourselves in the Championship let alone the level above.

We were very close to qualifing by rights for European competition just a season and a half ago. We even turned down the opportunity to get in through the back door with the Inter-toto

It's the giving up of these opportunites and the way we treat the Cup which grates on me, just for the sake of resting a few players etc

But we went to Korea ...



InterToto >>>> Peas Cup

It was much less tiring to go halfway around the World than to play a game in a European country, and a decent home game for the fans.

[eleventh earl of mar]

Afterwards, Coppell said: "I didn't feel too bad, as I appreciated being in the FA Cup final at all. It was only afterwards I realised it might have been the only chance I'd ever get. But the next season gave me another go."

I bet he was glad they did not rotate the squad when he was a player.

[Victor Meldrew]

Just out of interest does anybody else think that Coppell will now play weakened teams in some of our league games?
He certainly did against Southampton and look what happened-2 points dropped.
Benitez seems to have learned that a winning team has impetus and neither he nor O'neill this weekend are playing anything but as near to their best eleven.
These two clubs still have European commitments and yet are playing their strongest side and they have pressurised league games to come with massive expectations from the fans.
We have no other commitments and yet v Southampton and again today we play weakened teams.

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

[SteveRoyal]

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

Great idea. That way, we can have a drained, dying and dreadful squad come the end of the season.

[clauski]

And give them a financial boost.

I struggle to agree with Coppell's thinking on this - there is actually no reason why we couldn't win something like the FA Cup or at least have a confidence inspiring glory run in the competition. Europe similarly would have brought excitement and a relief from the league for players and fans alike.

Does a handful of extra games REALLY make all the difference to these professional athletes? I can understand Champions League teams do have a lot of games, but are we anywhere near that quantity? And I seem to recall larger leagues and two legged cup games working out OK a number of years back without all sorts of drama.

[Victor Meldrew]

Have just checked on Burnley who have a big league cup game in midweek.
They put out the strongest side available today as did Cardiff and Preston.
I mention these as they are around the play-off positions so presumably their priority,like us,is promotion but these are also clubs that
(a)need the money
(B) have an FA Cup history.
We clearly (despite words from the club about cutting cloth,credit crunch blah,blah...) are not in the position of (a) and apart from 1927 season (b) doesn't apply either.

[Victor Meldrew]

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

Great idea. That way, we can have a drained, dying and dreadful squad come the end of the season.

What the f*** do you think other teams do?
By the end of the season I would sincerely hope that they are totally drained before their very long summer holidays.
Sport is all about giving everything and those that work hardest tend to reap the rewards.

[FiNeRaIn]

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

Great idea. That way, we can have a drained, dying and dreadful squad come the end of the season.

What the f*** do you think other teams do?
By the end of the season I would sincerely hope that they are totally drained before their very long summer holidays.
Sport is all about giving everything and those that work hardest tend to reap the rewards.

Amen, couldnt agree more.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

Great idea. That way, we can have a drained, dying and dreadful squad come the end of the season.

If a specific player needs resting because he's been over used then great, leave him out

There isn't any reason why anyone in our whole squad shouldnt be able to cope with the extra 7 games it would take to get to the final (and we're not likely to get to the final, but it would be nice to get knocked out giving it a go)

[Alan Partridge]

Having made a 300 mile round trip to fortress Plainmoor I can confirm FA Cup spirit or 'fever' if you want is very much alive, you just have to look for it! Or just not bother watching Coppell's teams. He got what he wanted, he got Reading knocked out at the first hurdle. Meanwhile at Plainmoor, Blackpool fielded their strongest available side and the disappointment on their faces at the end was evident after they were humbled at Torquay. It's an incredible competition that every year throws up shocks both in single games and plucky lower league sides making quarter/semi or even finals in last years case. That will never happen at Reading and why people even bothered going to Cardiff today I really have no idea. What's the point if the manager of the team doesn't care less??!!!

[Pool and Darts]

Great idea. That way, we can have a drained, dying and dreadful squad come the end of the season.

What the f*** do you think other teams do?
By the end of the season I would sincerely hope that they are totally drained before their very long summer holidays.
Sport is all about giving everything and those that work hardest tend to reap the rewards.

Amen, couldnt agree more.

Hang on a minute......
I'm sure I've just read on another thread (about S Hunt) that hard work alone doesn't count for much!

Reading fans eh?

We want it both ways!

FWIW, I couldn't give a monkeys about the cups.
I am happy that it is some competitive game time for the players that aren't getting 90 minutes every week.

As a football fan I really enjoy the thrills and spills of the cups. I'm not arsed that it's not Reading involved. It's still exciting.

Steve Coppell is in charge. Not me or any of us (unless he is on here under another name!!).
If any of us knew more about how to run a football team, then we'd be doing it. Not sitting here gobbing off.

It just makes me laugh that we have this same old discussion EVERY BLOODY SEASON.

What was that definition of insanity again?...

[eleventh earl of mar]

Strange to think that in Coppell's playing days, teams in the top division played 42 league games, domestic cup games and some European cup competitions. The clubs managed this with smaller squads and only one substitute allowed. I would bet any of those players or managers that were winning things were not complaining about being tired. I would imagine that the players would have wanted to play and not to be "rested".

[Thames Valley Bluebird]

Reading wrote off their chance of getting anything from this game when they played a reserve team

Complete lack of respect for the competition and they got what they deserved

Big shame for Reading's excellent support today, i can't believe that with no game for 6 days before today, and no game for another week that this was necessary.

I would be very pissed off to see my team go out of the cup for lack of putting out a side with a chance of winning the game

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

Reading wrote off their chance of getting anything from this game when they played a reserve team

Complete lack of respect for the competition and they got what they deserved

Big shame for Reading's excellent support today, i can't believe that with no game for 6 days before today, and no game for another week that this was necessary.

I would be very pissed off to see my team go out of the cup for lack of putting out a side with a chance of winning the game

It was only 2-0 and by all accounts we missed a few chances early on that could have changed the game. Chances anyone could have missed to be fair. In fact most teams probably fluff two or three decent chances per game with their first team playing so I'm not sure where your 'lack of putting out a side with a chance' sentiments come from.

Personally I thought the Welsh National Anthem played at Wembley before the English FA Cup final last season was more disrespectful. And I have nothing against the Taffs at all. Just funny how we all get vitriolic about different rubbish opinions we have eh?

Nice comments about our fans though so ta for that.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Just play your strongest side week-in,week-out Steve,you know it makes sense.

To do that you have to know what your strongest side is....

[Gordons Cumming]

We dont DO cup runs.

Weakened or otherwise.

Live with it or support another team.

[1960]

I have just seen the first Cardif goal on ITV MOTD and there is the proof of the pudding. Does anyone think that a top-strength defensive line playing together week after week for around 20 games would have messed up an offside trap so incompetently? Each one had no idea what the others were doing, even if they were decent players.

[Branfoot Out]

I just find it strange and slightly ironic that seeing as Coppell's finest moment of his career came in winning the FA Cup in '77 (and playing in two other cup finals), he doesn't allow his first team players to try to experience the same. As someone has alluded to already, I bet he's glad Tommy Docherty didn't think of squad rotation back in the seventies...