Fielding a weakened team and/or wanting Everton to go out of the cup early.

[UltraVires]

The ironic thing is if we were a solid mid table club we would perhaps prioritise the cups as they would be our best chance of wining something. Certainly better than some long winded third tier Uefa comp.

I would argue that we have a better chance of winning the conference league than either domestic cup.

Sadly the big teams in the PL have gone too far away from the rest and I don’t think we will see teams like Wigan etc winning a domestic trophy with any kind of regularity.

Only Leicester have broken the cycle in either cup since 2013 and that says a lot whereas you can win the conference league playing the likes of Feyenoord and Fiorentina who have significantly lower budgets than just about any PL club.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I'd not be averse to Dyche rotating the squad where he can and giving a few a bit of a break. Some of those on the fringes should arguably welcome the chance to stake a claim to a first team spot.

It probably won't work like that

 

[hallamblue]

We need to win just for the money

The amount you win in the FA Cup,by the time we've paid for travel and accommodation you probably lose money!

 

[Rita_Poon]

Are we losing Doucoure to Mali for Afcon? Similar for Gana with Senegal?

 

[Titus Bramble]

We need to win just for the money

I can't imagine the prize money for progressing to the 4th round is much for a Premier League club... even in the financial mess we're in

 

[Titus Bramble]

Are we losing Doucoure to Mali for Afcon? Similar for Gana with Senegal?

I think Gana is going, Doucoure said earlier this season he wasn't going.

 

[Rita_Poon]

I think Gana is going, Doucoure said earlier this season he wasn't going.

Ta. First choice AM staying. First choice sub going. Could have been worse. We're so light all over the pitch, a squad nearly stripped to the bones.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

I wouldn't say field a 'weakened team' necessarily, but we should deffo be looking to get the 'fringe' players some minutes on Thursday regardless.

 

[Titus Bramble]

Ta. First choice AM staying. First choice sub going. Could have been worse. We're so light all over the pitch, a squad nearly stripped to the bones.

Aye, but losing Gana for the month could still leave us light if Garner/Onana pick up knocks.

We only have a handful of games this month, so hopefully it doesn't cause any issues.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Aye, but losing Gana for the month could still leave us light if Garner/Onana pick up knocks.

We only have a handful of games this month, so hopefully it doesn't cause any issues.

Gomes covers CM and Beto rotates in to cover Doucoure and Cal-Lewin. How do we have 3 left footed wingers in the squad? I hasten to add, only left footed at that.

 

[Drico]

We're about a season-ending injury away from certain relegation due to our squad being so pathetically poor. I can't say that going out of the FA Cup would be a disappointment this season, as sad as it is to think that way.

I am almost always in favour of putting out the strongest team. But our squad is so small now - and the points deduction has made the stakes so high - that I really think it will be dereliction of duty if a key first-team player ends up with a serious injury at Palace. We really cannot afford to lose, say, Branthwaite for the season - or for an extended period of time. Same applies to PIckford and Tarkowski, in particular.

So, play a strong side, but rest some irreplaceable players. We had our chance in the League Cup - and Onana blew it along with our momentum. The focus should be on getting safe now - and as soon as possible.

 

[Kendal]

The fans pay hard earned cash to watch the blues and should never be short changed. If we are good enough we will stay in the PL if not we start again. The people asking for weakened sides probably never travel to away games . Think about it , travelling to London on a winters night to arrive discovering you are to support a weakened team. I doubt Crystal Palace will field a weakened team. We must put out the strongest team possible after all it’s our only chance of silverware this year.

 

[davek]

Mate I fear the cloth cut for you is an adult nappy.

I know that leaving the cups to focus on the PL thing is the adult thing to do.

 

[JimmyK]

I wouldn't say field a 'weakened team' necessarily, but we should deffo be looking to get the 'fringe' players some minutes on Thursday regardless.

I don't know what fringe players need minutes though tbh. Danjuma and Godfrey maybe? That's about it because everyone else has been getting games.

 

[steven]

There’s no one to rotate in the midfield anyway so it’ll be garner , onana and gomes I imagine.

Can see Beto instead of DCL, one of danjuma/Dobbin possibly and different centre backs.

If we hadn’t had the points deduction then by all means go all out as I’m desperate for a trophy…feels like a proper wrong un of a season though, I worry we can’t play much better than we have had first half of the season…a few injuries and a tricky fixture list could make this second half hard work without extra games on top.