Gus and the FA Cup

[Icy Gull]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but, looking back, do you now think that Gus got it absolutely right just concentrating on promotion the year we won League One?

There were so many mostly outraged threads about how we sent out weakened teams two seasons ago

Last season we took it seriously and so far we have this season too.

Should we beat Newcastle, a big if I know, and then go on a great run that puts us in the playoffs, how would you feel if Gus took the same attitude in the next round?

Should promotion start to look a possibility, do you think Gus may field a weakened side next time out, especially if we were drawn away from home? How would you feel about that?

My feeling is that just maybe concentrating on the league would be best, not something I would have even considered in the past but as I said in hindsight Gus was right two season's ago. Would you accept it again?

 

[algie]

He should field the strongest team available. These FA cup tickets are not cheap.

 

[mune ni kamome]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Dicker, Hoskins and Dobbie start, maybe bench appearances from JFC and March. Actually wouldn't mind if we did.

 

[smeariestbat]

He should field the strongest team available. These FA cup tickets are not cheap.

or if he is going to field a drastically weakened side, he can warn us!

 

[Rugrat]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Dicker, Hoskins and Dobbie start, maybe bench appearances from JFC and March. Actually wouldn't mind if we did.

Very fair point. Those are names that need good game time and it's a perfect opportunity

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Last season we took it seriously and so far we have this season too.

Huh? We haven't played an FA cup match this season so how are taking it seriously "so far"?

 

[Icy Gull]

Huh? We haven't played an FA cup match this season so how are taking it seriously "so far"?

Good point but I will be genuinely SHOCKED if we don't take it seriously on Saturday

 

[Brovion]

It's the biggest and most important game of the season so far: you can lose a league game and still get promoted, lose in the FA Cup and you're out. With those facts in mind (plus the fact it's full price) I would sincerely hope we'll see our strongest possible team on Saturday. I'm not too sure what our strongest team is, but it's certainly not the time to be giving run-outs to fringe/youth players.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

It's the biggest and most important game of the season so far: you can lose a league game and still get promoted, lose in the FA Cup and you're out. With those facts in mind (plus the fact it's full price) I would sincerely hope we'll see our strongest possible team on Saturday. I'm not too sure what our strongest team is, but it's certainly not the time to be giving run-outs to fringe/youth players.

It's an opportunity to grow the fanbase as well, especially as it will be on national terrestrial TV. If we give a good account of ourselves, there may be some fans in Sussex who may not have been to a game who might start wanting to be associating themselves with us. And a victory would support the impression that this club is going places, something useful especially with the transfer window.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but, looking back, do you now think that Gus got it absolutely right just concentrating on promotion the year we won League One?

There were so many mostly outraged threads about how we sent out weakened teams two seasons ago

Last season we took it seriously and so far we have this season too.

Should we beat Newcastle, a big if I know, and then go on a great run that puts us in the playoffs, how would you feel if Gus took the same attitude in the next round?

Should promotion start to look a possibility, do you think Gus may field a weakened side next time out, especially if we were drawn away from home? How would you feel about that?

My feeling is that just maybe concentrating on the league would be best, not something I would have even considered in the past but as I said in hindsight Gus was right two season's ago. Would you accept it again?

He didn't 'just concentrate' we played 3 or 4 rounds of the JPT that year and caused a significant league wobble at the time

 

[mune ni kamome]

Perhaps we should keep our best players off the radar this month. If Buckley and CMS were to destroy Newcastle on tv we may not be having them much longer

 

[Icy Gull]

He didn't 'just concentrate' we played 3 or 4 rounds of the JPT that year and caused a significant league wobble at the time

I may be wrong but didn't we field substantially weakened sides in those games?

 

[BensGrandad]

Perhaps we should keep our best players off the radar this month. If Buckley and CMS were to destroy Newcastle on tv we may not be having them much longer

I wouldn't think a game n TV will tell any club scouts anything that they don't already know if they are interested in any of our players.

 

[drew]

I very much suspect that, given a totally free reign, GP would probably played weakened teams agaisnt Sunderland, Newcastle and Liverpool last year but proabably had it pointed out that fans had paid good money for the games. Personally, I think you should put out your strongest team purely out of respect of the competition. Who knows how far you can go with the top prem teams playing weakened teams themselves.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Strongest team in every game.

People who are paying deserve it;the players in the strongest team deserve it.Whichever competition it is deserves it.

Basically the Albion are a smallish fish in English football.We are not serious competitors at the highest level,and the prospects are,we never will be.

Leave "weakened team syndrome" to those few clubs whose reserves will probably win whichever team they play,and whose supporters don't mind watching reserve teams of international footballers being given a go.

"Resting" against Newcastle would be an insult to the folk who've paid top money for the game,and would not guarantee a better league finish. It's a nonsense.

 

[BLOCK F]

I would be very disappointed if we fielded a weakened team.

 

[JTR938]

That’s a good idea “lets not play our best players because of the TV cameras cos someone might buy them”??
What about the extra revenue from progression both TV rights and ticket sales? Surly it can only be good for the club?

Or we turn out a less than average team, bomb out and concentrate on the league?

 

[BEN12360]

We will win because most of our players will play out of their skin to get themselves moves to a prem club!!!!

 

[GT49er]

We should field our strongest team in EVERY match.

Ermmm...........anyone know what our strongest team is

 

[Horsham Gull]

I still fully expect Newcastle will rest some of there key players as they are playing tonight (Wednesday) then Saturday early kickoff, won't be enough time for some players to recover surely?