Team for Norwich

[Craven Mad]

I like Rene's attitude - that we should play every game to win and never sit back - but this is a game in which we should sit back. Right now, I'd take safety over anything else, and we have arguably our biggest game so far this season after the Norwich match. 1 more round in the cup is not worth a loss to Sunderland in the league.

Rene should test the depth of the squad, blood some youngsters, get some time to those who need it.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I am almost certain we will see a few younger faces. David, Dembele, Christannsen and Betinelli are the likely candidates.

Would be awesome if we played our under 21 team... .. Exciting football

[Riverside]

I started the post that we should play our U-21 team

However after yesterday . If there is any chance Stockdale. Amore and Senderos will be on the same pitch vs Sunderland they have to play together at Norwich . They looked total strangers yesterday .

[grandad]

Are there any rules about fielding a weakened side in the FA Cup? I am not sure if we could play our U 21´s en masse.

[leonffc]

So who is to say that by round 4 we won't be a bit further clear of the the relegation pack therefore ruing the fact that we put out a weakened team against Norwich and have nothing to play for?
Whilst the league is obviously more important I still think we should put a decent team out. We have a week to recover for Sunderland so let Rene, his ever growing staff and the sports science team sit down and work out the best possible team we can use with out jeopardising the league.
I said in another thread, a cup run can lift confidence. And going into the Sunderland game on the back of two wins is better than going in on the back of one.
I would imagine Norwich will rest some too but let's go there to win!!
Personally I'd play Taraarbt to get his  match fitness up. If we are stuck with Bent for the whole season then I'd start him to get his sharpness up, maybe throw Dembele on for him with 20 to go. I'm undecided on Dempsey. Start him or bring him on? I wouldn't mind seeing Grimmer at some stage but do Senderos and Amorabietta need more playing time to try and forge some sort of partnership.

Who ever plays, I don't want to spend a day out there and come away peeved off!!

[Wimbledon_White]

As much as I would like to see more youth coming into this line up, I feel there are other squad players who deserve a game.

In my opinion, the team will look something like this:

Stockdale
Zverotic Hughes Amorebieta Richardson
Dejagah Karagounis Boateng Dempsey
Ruiz
Rodallega

Subs:
Bettinelli, Reither, Senderos, Sidwell, Bent, Dembele and Kacaniklic.

I can't see any other youth getting a game; Rene will use existing squad members. Much like the Hull game.

[Berserker]

Oh dear

[Matt Inglis]

Bettinelli
Riether
Hughes
Amorebieta
Richardson
Karagounis
Parker
Kasami/David
Duff
Kacaniklic
Dembele

[Burt]

Are there any rules about fielding a weakened side in the FA Cup? I am not sure if we could play our U 21´s en masse.

I think Mr Grandad that there are rules in the Premier League about this but not necessarily for the FA Cup. I am not 100% sure on this so could be wrong, but this was my understanding.

[JackyFulham90]

We should rest Parker & Berbatov, the game isn't important but we still want to try win the game

                      Stockdale
Zverotic Senderos Amorebieta Riise
                Sidwell Kasami
Dejagah             Dempsey             Kacaniklic
                             Bent

Subs - Bettenelli, Hughes, David, Karagounis Duff, Taarabt,  Dembele

Game isn't important,? the FA CUP , our one chance to achieve a decent run in a competition and get Europe but not important

Well compared to the Sunderland game it isn't very important,  the league is a priority but like I said we should try & win the game, a cup run is good for confidence & the travelling fans deserve a committed performance

[FPT]

We should rest Parker & Berbatov, the game isn't important but we still want to try win the game

                      Stockdale
Zverotic Senderos Amorebieta Riise
                Sidwell Kasami
Dejagah             Dempsey             Kacaniklic
                             Bent

Subs - Bettenelli, Hughes, David, Karagounis Duff, Taarabt,  Dembele

Game isn't important,? the FA CUP , our one chance to achieve a decent run in a competition and get Europe but not important

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25559504

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10782518.Blackburn_Rovers_tackling___54_5m_debt/?ref=mmsp

I think this is why staying in the Premier League is most important. If we were by Newcastle/Southampton, I'd be all for going for a cup run. But in this position we need as little distractions as possible.

[FPT]

The issue with playing a mixture of youth and first team is its unlikely they've played together so I doubt they will gel very well. Unless they've been training together, the game will probably end in defeat. A lot of changes is never good, as demonstrated by the Hull game. Maybe two of three young players would be good but a lot is would be too much.

The better U21's and U18s train with the first team on Mondays (I think). As I say, the league is more important so the result can be treated with some freedom, a perfect scenario for giving young players exposure.

[Big Martin Jol]

I've thought about this quite a bit and if we were in a slightly more assured position then I wouldn't mind going for a cup run, but in our current situation the league is very much the priority. Therefore, I'm not all that bothered if we lose.

However, this game is an excellent opportunity to give our fringe players a run-out. We've all been desperate to see our youth set-up produce some first team stars - what better occasion to test their mettle than against a middling Premier League outfit in a fairly inconsequential game?

Jol didn't experiment in the League Cup and every one of our remaining league fixtures is crucial, so this is our big chance. Plus, as mentioned, we can give some guys who have carried us through the festive period a good ten days of rest.

                 Stockdale
    Zverotic-Grimmer-Burn-Richardson
            Christensen-Boateng
          Plumain-David-Dempsey
                     Bent

Subs: Bettinelli, Arthurworrey, Amorebieta, Karagounis, Pritchard, Kasami, Dembele.

[jeremyfulham]

Stockdale,

Zverotic - Burn - Amorabieta - Richardson

           Boatang,

Kasami/Dejaga,             Kakaniclic

            Ruiz,

Rodeaga        Bent/dempsey

[Toby Ward-Smith]

Stockdale

Zverotic Hughes Burn Richardson

Dejagah Boateng Karagounis Kacaniklic

Dempsey

Bent

Subs: Dembele, Parker, Grimmer, David, Ruiz, Christensen, Bettinelli 

[IranianCottager]

---------------------Stockdale---------------------
-Zverotic------Hughes-----Burn------------Riise-
------------Karagounis-----Boateng--------------
-Dejagah------------Dempsey--------Kacaniklic-
------------------------Bent-----------------------

Bench:
Bettinelli, Amorebieta, David, Duff, Kasami, Dembele, Rodallega

[btings]

Play Burn & Boateng.

Play Ruiz in the Berba role up top.  I'm not sure we can play Deuce & Kasami together unless one of them is on the wing.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

For me I would go with the following, squad players who have not had much game time recently include kasami / dejegah and boateng

               Stockdale
Zverotic Senderos burn Riise
                Boateng
Dejegah     Kasami     Kaca
                Dembele

[JBH]

                            STOCKDALE

REITHER            BURN        AMORBIETA      RIISE

                     SIDWELL    BOETANG

                DEJAGAH    KASAMI       DEMPSEY

                                   BENT

Subs

Betinelli
Grimmer
Kaca
Hughes
Dembele
Karagounis
Christensen

[David Allen Crankshaw]

We should play our strongest side and try and win the match. The F.A. Cup is one of the best competitions in the world and if Wigan can win it last season then there's no reason why we can't do well. We played a weakened side at Hull and got thumped. The idea of playing a number of our U21 side would not be a good idea. I've seen our U21 team a number of times this season and last and there is a massive gulf between U21 sides and Premier League sides. As for giving some of our first teamers a rest if we get knocked out this weekend they will get a good rest when the 4th and 5th rounds are being played. I would rather watch Fulham playing a cup game on the 25th January than going shopping with my other half.