[Albion] EFL Trophy Quarter Final - Amex, Tuesday 9th January ko 7pm

[AZ Gull]

I would like a tie against Crawley. They will reach the quarters if they win at Peterborough today.

Match postponed.

 

[London Irish]

Bit of a shocker for the Crawley fans turning up at the ground in the past hour finding that out, given that it passed two earlier pitch inspections.

I guess they are at least in the draw on Friday

 

[Skaville]

I see Bolton are winning 2-0. I watched a bit of their game against Luton at the weekend. They were excellent. If, IF we ended up playing them in the final the team that played last night would get hammered.

 

[AZ Gull]

Ruairi McConville picked up a caution yesterday which was his second of the competition. Unfortunately, therefore, I believe he will be suspended for the quarter-final match. He is one of only two players who has started each of Albion's matches in this year's competition (alongside Jack Hinchy) and he scored against MK Dons in the previous round.

The cut-off point for card accummulation is the quarter-final, so if any of the following players feature in the next tie and receive a caution they would miss the semi-final should Albion prevail:-

Tom McGill, Casper Nilsson, Leigh Kavanagh, Samy Chouchane, Louis Flower and Joshua Duffus.

 

[Seagull Stew]

Don't think we'll see first team regulars drop down, RDZ needs them for his own matches. Those returning from injury however are more likely.

I also think it's a little unfair on those who got us this far to then be dropped for someone who has parachuted in from elsewhere without any academy involvement.

But the side we fielded yesterday is far from our strongest U21, even discounting the loanees and first team. The likes of BBB, Duffus, Peupion, Mullins etc to add in.

If we did put out a team of under 21 first team players, we would be the laughing stock of the premier league and hated by everyone else. We should not be taking this seriously; it is a tournament for the lower league clubs.

 

[BNthree]

Bolton and Blackpool both won so just need to the Peterborough Crawley match to be rescheduled.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Bolton and Blackpool both won so just need to the Peterborough Crawley match to be rescheduled.

Doncaster vs Wigan also needs resolving for the Northern half of the draw. They play on the 16th.

 

[GT49er]

If we did put out a team of under 21 first team players, we would be the laughing stock of the premier league and hated by everyone else. We should not be taking this seriously; it is a tournament for the lower league clubs.

Every bit we should be taking it seriously. It's a competition, there to be won, and I hope we do; we haven't won many yet. It would be a terrific achievement, and a trophy for the shelf. Obviously the needs of the first team come first, but depending on the timing, and where the 1st. team is at the time, yes, use everything we can that's to our advantage.

And as for laughing at us, the other PL clubs would be right hacked off that we'd done what their academies couldn't do.

 

[Wardy's twin]

If we did put out a team of under 21 first team players, we would be the laughing stock of the premier league and hated by everyone else. We should not be taking this seriously; it is a tournament for the lower league clubs.

Many other PL teams dream that they had our academy.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Every bit we should be taking it seriously. It's a competition, there to be won, and I hope we do; we haven't won many yet. It would be a terrific achievement, and a trophy for the shelf. Obviously the needs of the first team come first, but depending on the timing, and where the 1st. team is at the time, yes, use everything we can that's to our advantage.

And as for laughing at us, the other PL clubs would be right hacked off that we'd done what their academies couldn't do.

Totally agree - why should it be wrong to play our better U21s if needed, it proves our model works.

 

[BNthree]

Doncaster vs Wigan also needs resolving for the Northern half of the draw. They play on the 16th.

Cheers, I’d missed that.

 

[Seagull Stew]

Every bit we should be taking it seriously. It's a competition, there to be won, and I hope we do; we haven't won many yet. It would be a terrific achievement, and a trophy for the shelf. Obviously the needs of the first team come first, but depending on the timing, and where the 1st. team is at the time, yes, use everything we can that's to our advantage.

And as for laughing at us, the other PL clubs would be right hacked off that we'd done what their academies couldn't do.

It would be a great achievement if we reached the final with the team that has been playing in previous rounds. If we throw in our U21 recognised first team players it won't prove anything above what other clubs already know. Imagine if we did it with players that no one else had heard of, showing the full depth of quality we have in our club, going beyond what people already know we have.

 

[Krafty]

Are the quarter finals regionalised?

 

[BNthree]

Are the quarter finals regionalised?

Someone posted yesterday that they are regionalised still.

 

[AZ Gull]

Are the quarter finals regionalised?

Yes.

 

[Krafty]

Someone posted yesterday that they are regionalised still.

Thanks.

So it is either Wycombe, Wimbledon or Peterborough/Crawley

 

[GT49er]

It would be a great achievement if we reached the final with the team that has been playing in previous rounds. If we throw in our U21 recognised first team players it won't prove anything above what other clubs already know. Imagine if we did it with players that no one else had heard of, showing the full depth of quality we have in our club, going beyond what people already know we have.

It's what clubs do in this country - A Spurs team, for instance, in the 3rd. round of the Cup would bear little resemblance to a team they would play in a final. That's the way it is - live with it!

 

[Eeyore]

Looks like only one academy has ever reached the semi-finals. Chelsea a number of years back.

 

[Seagull Stew]

It's what clubs do in this country - A Spurs team, for instance, in the 3rd. round of the Cup would bear little resemblance to a team they would play in a final. That's the way it is - live with it!

Yes, I get that if it were the FA cup or even the League cup, but not this competition. It would be like us suddenly playing our strongest team in the Sussex Senior Cup final.

 

[GT49er]

Yes, I get that if it were the FA cup or even the League cup, but not this competition. It would be like us suddenly playing our strongest team in the Sussex Senior Cup final.

No. We have a gentleman's agreement (or something similar) in the Sussex Senior Cup. We know we're competing with level 5 or 6 teams, or lower. This is different - full-time professional EFL teams that are out to win it, all wanting to see off a PL U21 team and rejoicing if they do it. Perfectly right that we should take advantage of anything, anything at all, that gives us an edge. And we'd still be quite fairly, playing our U21s, as per the competition rules.
Not like the All-Blacks never try and take advantage if they think they can, eh?