Fielding "weakened" teams in the FA Cup

[Ian Royal]

Yes I do. If you want to progress further you use your best players. We never use our first team, ergo we don't want to progress further and want to "concentrate on our league position".

Coppell must have given our 'reserves' real rollicking after they thumped Luton 5-1 then....

I think your comment sums up the 'black and white' position nicely.

Surely it is possible to want to progress but to want to maintain league performances even more ?

Well obviously, because that's what's happening. My point is merely that either fans are informed well before buying their tickets/travel costs or whatever that we will be "concentrating on the league" or we give it a go and actually try and progress further! And to be honest, whether I have to make compromises in my life is somewhat a different subject to people being paid a lot of money to do their job, who, in the eyes of people paying to watch them, are not stepping up to the plate.

But you're suggesting that we are actively trying to fail to progress with the team selection rather than trying to balance priorities and do as well as possible whilst getting the most out of the squad. Which is what we do IMO.

And where exactly have you been for the last 5 years. Anyone who knows anything about the club knows Coppell uses his squad depth for the cups. It's not exactly catcing anyone by surprise.

It sounds like for a lot of people only the 11 best players at the club are worth watching. Frankly, the people playing come far behind actually watching the team for me, and I presume a lot of others.

[Sun Tzu]

I don't think I'm imagining it, but I'm pretty sure Coppell has talked many times about his cup policy. It's unrealistic to expect the club to issue a statement that says the cup is second priority but let's be honest anyone who needs such a statement probably isn't able to get out of the house on their own any way.

[brendywendy]

[londinium]

Just looking at the up and coming games, all bar Preston and Burley all the way down to 12th place in the championship are still in the F.A. cup, and Burnley are still in the Carling cup, so all have more games than us to play in the next few weeks and some will have more than just 1 or 2 extra games depending on replays etc.

Do people think it is better or not to have these games especially as the next round is the weekend before the midweek games at the end of the month where we will be having a weekend off whilst most are playing 2/3 days before the mid week games.

As an aside, who would we rather win between Wolves and Brum in the cup considering we play Wolves 3 days after the 4th round cup weeekend or would we rather Brum have a few more extra games in the next couple of months.

I think for once it is going to be in our favour. I know normally after a break from championship games we tend not to perform but that is normally after an international break where we have most of the first team away for 2 extra games more than most other clubs coupled with the lack of training as a team and the fact that we are normally away in the next game.

This time though we will have fewer games than the others especially Wolves who hopefully draw against Brum and beat them in a reply so have 3 more games than us and we also have a longer time on the training pitch coupled with the benefit of being at home after the break.

[Royal Lady]

Schards says I'm talking rubbish. LOL.

I know the club can't come right out and say they're not going to put a good team out for cup games, but I've always wanted us to give cup games a good crack of the whip and we never do.

Also, Spacey - are you SURE you mean Dean Horrix? I didn't think he was playing for us at time of Simod Cup Final, and I think he might even have already died by then. RIP.

[Woodcote Royal]

I listened on the radio and even Tim Dellor was cross about it all.

Steve Coppell is such a honourable man that I'm sure he'll be totally devastated to hear that he's upset Dipstick Dellor

I know it's only Monday, RL, but that's an early contender for post of the week

[Platypuss]

We really need another thread on this.

[londinium]

Didn't see it posted elsewhere as I haven't read every post of every thread...please delete then

[rg6royal]

Good

[Royal Lady]

I thought I was on iggy. Anyway, I was merely trying to get across the point that I gleaned from the radio commentary and comments made re the bench that someone who is paid to comment on the game stated that he felt the team were far too under strength and that we weren't trying hard enough to at least make a game of it.

[Row Z Royal]

As has been discussed ad nauseum...good.

[Factfinder]

Just looking at the up and coming games, all bar Preston and Burnley all the way down to 12th place in the championship are still in the F.A. cup, and Burnley are still in the Carling cup, so all have more games than us to play in the next few weeks and some will have more than just 1 or 2 extra games depending on replays etc.

This time though we will have fewer games than the others especially Wolves who hopefully draw against Brum and beat them in a reply so have 3 more games than us and we also have a longer time on the training pitch coupled with the benefit of being at home after the break.

I don't think it's right to criticise such a successful Reading manager, but that team against Cardiff. fk me.
The press say it was a reserve string but it was more like an academy string. ffs.

Championship managers can't all be wrong, or maybe we don't need the money like the rest do.

[moo]

I hadn't thought of it like this before, genius.

[Factfinder]

Just looking at the up and coming games, all bar Preston and Burnley all the way down to 12th place in the championship are still in the F.A. cup, and Burnley are still in the Carling cup, so all have more games than us to play in the next few weeks and some will have more than just 1 or 2 extra games depending on replays etc.

This time though we will have fewer games than the others especially Wolves who hopefully draw against Brum and beat them in a reply so have 3 more games than us and we also have a longer time on the training pitch coupled with the benefit of being at home after the break.

I don't think it's right to criticise such a successful Reading manager, but that team against Cardiff. fk me.
The press say it was a reserve string but it was more like an academy string. ffs.

Championship managers can't all be wrong, or maybe we don't need the money like the rest do.

[Woodcote Royal]

Absolutely spot on about not needing another thread on this subject.....................a loaded revolver at the door for those who can't take the disappointment would suffice.

[Factfinder]

[Sun Tzu]

I don't think it's right to criticise such a successful Reading manager, but that team against Cardiff. fk me.
The press say it was a reserve string but it was more like an academy string. ffs.

.

Fair point, except for the fact that none of the team are Academy players, more than half were full internationals, all of them have played first team football this season and it wasn't very far off exactly the team I've seen play for the reserves this season !

[Mr Angry]

Also, Spacey - are you SURE you mean Dean Horrix? I didn't think he was playing for us at time of Simod Cup Final, and I think he might even have already died by then. RIP.

Dean Horrix was transferred after the semi final to (iirc) Millwall. Apart from that, Spacey is right - our front two for the last third of that season were Moran and Whitehurst who were both cup-tied (one of the reasons Deano left) for the Simod Cup run; many wondered why we didn't play our Simod Cup team in the league run in - I guess that Branfoot didn't want to be seen to admit that his 2 star transfer were gash.

[Silver Fox]

Without wanting to stoke the fires too much, how would we now feel if we were Burnley? Obviously trying to win cup games (unlike us ) but this has led to a pretty poor run of form leading up to last night as they no doubt had their eye on the big game. They then get battered (eventually) which could knock confidence quite badly, they lose an important midfielder and they still have to play Spurs again, in what most would think was a dead rubber. Add to this their forthcoming FA cup replay and we look a whole lot better placed to continue our push in the league thanks to Coppel's strategy.

I'd love to see us win one of the big trophys at Wemberley (and all the recent examples of little clubs taking the cups seriously haven't actually led to them winning, just having a nice but fruitless day out) but until that looks likely I'm all for backing Steve's system

[papereyes]

'greed.