Form on the up, Top 4 Wide Open, But.....

[Shibbywiggles]

The last time we won something I was six years old! I don't think we need to be resting players against 'Boro when you consider we have players like Mirallas and Lennon and hopefully Cleverley who can start and should do the job against them but if we get to the semis and it's against someone like Man City I'd consider resting Deulofeu or Barkley in the league.

 

[BlueToff]

Think he'll start a strong side. Would imagine Baines coming in, as well as Cleverley, Lennon, Mirallas, Robles and possibly Gibson/Besic.

 

[TheOldLady]

Would love us to win the league cup

But top 4 is more important for the health of the club

 

[The Cowboy]

Would love us to win the league cup

But top 4 is more important for the health of the club

Get past Boro
Focus on the league til the Semi
Win the semi
Focus on the league til the Final
Win the final, and secure an EL spot
Focus on the league til the end
Get Top 4

They're not mutually exclusive.

 

[USABlue]

Get past Boro
Focus on the league til the Semi
Win the semi
Focus on the league til the Final
Win the final, and secure an EL spot
Focus on the league til the end
Get Top 4

They're not mutually exclusive.

Yup it's only 4 extra games, don't think it'll be a huge strain on the squad unless we have even more bad luck with injuries

 

[LydiateLee]

We have a much bigger chance of winning this trophy than finishing top 4.

It is 4 more games we need to perform in. The league has 25 games left so naturally more competitive and difficult to achieve.

 

[LydiateLee]

Plus, we should NOT be scared of Liverpo*l. Dont let the weekend result fool you, City were appalling. They really aren't very good.

 

[ijjysmith]

We have a much bigger chance of winning this trophy than finishing top 4.

It is 4 more games we need to perform in. The league has 25 games left so naturally more competitive and difficult to achieve.

Same as every season then?

 

[MikeH72]

We better not mess about starting Naismith and Osman for this one

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The cup game is on a Tuesday, with our next league game not until Monday, so unless players are carrying a knock from the Bournemouth fixture there's no reason not to play a strong side imo. This team need experience of competing for trophies in big games, so lets not waste a chance to do that.

 

[Ashtonian]

It's not meaningless. It has been tarnished by other managers (Wenger etc) sullying it by sticking out youth teams.

Lets compare with the FA Cup:

Final at Wembley: CHECK
EL spot: CHECK
Contains all professional sides: CHECK

In fact, the non-league sides watering down the pool at the bottom end actually make it statistically easier to progress to the QFs and beyond in the FA Cup than the League Cup. For that reason alone winning the LC should actually attract more praise than winning the FA Cup!

Absolutely need to jib off the 2-leg semi though.

See I know it kind of compares but the interest in the cup is rock bottom, Most teams don't really look bothered if they are knocked out and even we put out reserves in it these days, and we are one of the clubs who do try to win it so to speak. It is the fact it has become essentially a reserves cup, with only first teams making an appearance by the semi final at least, you don't get that in the F.A cup, it's first teams every round, including Arsenal.

This is why the cup is a little meaningless, you win the cup but chances are the only clubs really trying to win it are Liverpool and 8th down to league 2.

 

[Raino85]

Dont why we are bothering with this cup!

Jurgen's Red & White Army will end up winning it after a dramatic penalty shootout win in the final vrs Hull after they got 2 players sent off and he will receive god like status

 

[blueblue]

The advantage of having a strong squad is that you don't rest players , you rotate them.

I don't believe the inclusion of Baines, Mirallas, Gibson,Lennon, Cleverley or even Osman or Naismith will result in the team being
weakened. These are players waiting for their turn in most cases to come back into the first team as starters.

 

[The Cowboy]

See I know it kind of compares but the interest in the cup is rock bottom, Most teams don't really look bothered if they are knocked out and even we put out reserves in it these days, and we are one of the clubs who do try to win it so to speak. It is the fact it has become essentially a reserves cup, with only first teams making an appearance by the semi final at least, you don't get that in the F.A cup, it's first teams every round, including Arsenal.

This is why the cup is a little meaningless, you win the cup but chances are the only clubs really trying to win it are Liverpool and 8th down to league 2.

Then we are stupid for treating it the way other clubs do. Let them put out reserve teams if they want. You have to consider there's an EL place as a reward, not to mention a day out for the fans.

 

[Ashtonian]

Then we are stupid for treating it the way other clubs do. Let them put out reserve teams if they want. You have to consider there's an EL place as a reward, not to mention a day out for the fans.

In that respect yes we are.

I'm not saying in any way i wouldn't be happy winning the trophy, be great to win something and yes its a european trip for us. But at the same time i just feel Dave Watson's trophy lift compared to Jag's won't have the same achievement to it when we look back (not from a winning something way, obviously we will have finally won the damn thing lol)