[Albion] Did Chris Hughton do the right thing with his Walsall team selection?

[Gritt23]

Why are so many people suggesting the smartness of this decision rests on the Ipswich game? If we win that but lose the next twenty games is it still a smart decision just because we beat Ipswich?

Exactly. Short-sightedness to a staggering degree.

Apart from the flaws in the thinking about it making any sort of difference to our chances vs Ipswich, what is it people are in football for? Why do we support and follow the club?

A massive part of it for me, is that you trawl through the dark days, the gloomy days, the utter garbage at times, because you get some absolute gems along the way. Yes, promotions are great, and play-offs are great, but so are the magical days of big Cup occasions, and the excitement of a Cup run.

Whatever happens at Ipswich neither makes nor breaks our chances of a run in the League, but that defeat at Walsall does completely END the Cup run, and shuts the doors to any exciting days out that would come from it. I can honestly tell you that in 5 years time you would still look back fondly on an exciting cup run, or a big day out to a top club, but I won't be looking back at the Ipswich result with any warm memories regardless of what happens.

And it's not just Walsall, it's football in general. Clubs virtually pull out of the Europa Cup and rather than giving the fans an opportunity of enjoying a great trip to Seville, or Rome, for a fiercely competitive QF tie, the fans get to look back on the season they finished 12th in the Prem. Ask Bradford fans if they regret the full strength sides they put out in Cup wins vs Arsenal and Chelsea because they were held to draws in their next games.

Money, money, money, that's all the counts. But the singular pursuit of a League position does rather shut off avenues to the joyous moments that football supporting is supposed to bring. And for that reason, in my view the team selection was all wrong vs Walsall.

 

[origigull]

This second-string rotation really started when champions-league teams (ie top 5 or 6 in PL) didn't care about the League Cup and FA Cup and more about their top four places in the PL. This filtered down to the other teams in the PL who were trying to stay in the PL. So in other words bigger teams did this. Now every team in the top two divisions change virtually every member of their first team when it comes to the cups. Is it the right way to go? Are we a big team yet? I remember the times when we played in the cups 70/80s and we only changed 2-3 players if that. Momentum or good run was the key to positive football from the cups to the league and vice-versa. I used to look forward to the bigger team in the cups playing Brighton, there was a buzz around the fans. Maybe now we are a big big team and sadly don't need the cups anymore. IMO maybe 4-5 players should have been changed not the whole bloody team. Saturday and/or promotion at the end of the season will prove me wrong.

 

[Gritt23]

IMO maybe 4-5 players should have been changed not the whole bloody team. Saturday and/or promotion at the end of the season will prove me wrong.

Will it though? Really?

What proof are you anticipating?

If we go up, then it was right because we would not have done if we'd played a stronger team vs Walsall? Really?

 

[father_and_son]

Given that our first team players will have had to train ahead of saturday, I still fail to see why switching them out to be "rested" during a cup tie offers any real value.

As far as I can see, the ONLY valid reason for "resting" a first team player is to avoid an injury that would cause huge disruption.

With only one yellow against Walsall in our game and its not like they have a bad reputation or anything - almost the opposite.


Shirley a game against weaker opposition (with disrepecting Walsall, but basing that on league positions) that still isn't going to be a walkover is a better training session than a practive game back at Lancing??


Chris seriously dropped the ball on this one IMHO. Yes its a mickey mouse cup, but its income and, with decent progression, kudos. Given our recent form in this particular competition, the morale boost from a decent run (for both players and fans) would have been greatly received and helped Chris in the long run.

 

[origigull]

Will it though? Really?

What proof are you anticipating?

If we go up, then it was right because we would not have done if we'd played a stronger team vs Walsall? Really?

I think that if/when we go up to the PL this season my theories are utter tosh for this day and age and that I'm a bit of a dinosuar when it ccomes to the cups. It was just nostalgia.

 

[Easy 10]

This question can only really be answered after the Ipswich result. If we win there then his changes were justified, if we don't then they weren't.

I'm afraid that's bobbins. Whatever the result is on Saturday, Tuesday night will have had no bearing on it whatsoever.

 

[attila]

It wasn't the Albion who made the League Cup into a totally meaningless competition (and sadly devalued the mighty FA Cup a lot too) it was the greedy Premier league and modern football generally. Right call.

 

[Gritt23]

It wasn't the Albion who made the League Cup into a totally meaningless competition (and sadly devalued the mighty FA Cup a lot too) it was the greedy Premier league and modern football generally. Right call.

We may not have thrown the first punch, but we've certainly piled in.

So, sod the fun of a Cup run, as it doesn't generate a fraction of the money that a League campaign could. That's surely borderline Capitalism, Attila. Well, I never thought I'd see the day. You've changed.