Fulham disrespected the FA Cup

[Nick Bateman]

Playing our youth and reserves was a complete disrespect of the FA Cup and has given us another fixture.  Had Meulensteen played a stronger team, Fulham could have taken advantage of playing against a League One (Division 3) side, with 10 men, missing their main striker and centre-back after half-time.

The "logic" for doing this is because we had a game two days later at Swansea.  Therefore, Fulham MUST win to justify such a sophoromic selection against Laudrup's team of Taffys!

One fears the negative influence of Curbishley & Wilkins responsible for this dilemma.  fp.gif

[FFC1987]

Is this an attempt to troll? I'm not sure whether to take this seriously?

[Nick Bateman]

There's always a few that, because they have no cognizant reply, revert to the language of the gutter.

The Wilkins-Curbs defensive strategy was to rest our first team for the Swansea game.  But I contend that playing a slightly stronger side in the Cup, would have seen out the Yorkshiremen by half-time, and we could have strolled through the remainder of the match with a 3-goal (or so) cushion, taking no risks, and respecting a tradition that we should uphold.

[FFC1987]

There's always a few that, because they have no cognizant reply, revert to the language of the gutter.

The Wilkins-Curbs defensive strategy was the rest our first team for the Swansea game.  But I contend that playing a slightly stronger side in the Cup, would have seen out the Yorkshiremen by half-time, and we could have strolled through the remainder of the match with a 3-goal (or so) cushion, taking no risks, and respecting a tradition that we should uphold.

So don't allow the youngsters to shine with opportunities?

I can't see a valid point here so can't really contribute I guess.

[westcliff white]

i disagree with you nick i think Rene got it spot on. but every one is entitled to an opinion

[sumofallparts]

I can see the middle ground.
Maybe Rene went just a touch too far?
Had we played some new faces AND some regulars we'd have avoided the replay?

[Nick Bateman]

Its a common and alarmingly growing situation, that teams such as Aston Villa, Blackbum, and now Fulham, erroneously believe we are in the Champions League and start disrespecting a perfectly valid and glorious cup competition.

Their motives are flawed in that losing only breeds losing, and being eliminated from the FA Cup will drag us deeper into the pit of demotion from the PL.  And now we have already supplemented our fixture congestion with this unnecessary replay.

[FFCByTheRiver]

I don't quite understand what you're saying - by your logic would we have been DISRESPECTING the premier league if we hadn't rested our first XI in preparation for tonight's game?

Priorities.

[Nick Bateman]

I can see the middle ground.
Maybe Rene went just a touch too far?
Had we played some new faces AND some regulars we'd have avoided the replay?

That is succinctly what I am intimating.

[MJG]

Its a common and alarmingly growing situation, that teams such as Aston Villa, Blackbum, and now Fulham, erroneously believe we are in the Champions League and start disrespecting a perfectly valid and glorious cup competition.

Their motives are flawed in that losing only breeds losing, and being eliminated from the FA Cup will drag us deeper into the pit of demotion from the PL.  And now we have already supplemented our fixture congestion with this unnecessary replay.

Lets be honest here, if we had put the first team out on sunday and won that would have been great.
He then puts out them again tonight and lose you would then be saying he should have made changes tonight, or fielded a weaker team on Sunday.

Rene made the right decision for this game.

[Roberty]

I am struggling to think of a manager who is (sophoromic) sophomoric enough to play many or any of his first team with such an important match to play 51 hours later and the facts of the matter is that we lived to fight another day.

The Swansea match is one that we might expect to win and as they are also in the last 10 mini-league points against them would help our cause no end.

As far as the extra match is concerned it will take place at a time and date more to our liking and we also know who our opponents will be in the next round. Given the prospect of a home tie again either Preston or Forest I think we will see a stronger team for the replay.

[mccscratch]

I might have actually agreed with you had we played on Saturday and the pitch conditions been better... but TV forced the match to Sunday and there is no way you can justify your first teamers slogging away on a terrible pitch...

I think Rene took the opportunity to play some youngsters and had Darren Bent put the ball in the net it would all be moot..

we must win tonight... not to justify Rene but because we must stay in the Premier League and tonight could go a long way towards club morale.

[MJG]

****Please note the Darren Bent miss would not have counted as Kasami was given offside****

[Nick Bateman]

I don't quite understand what you're saying - by your logic would we have been DISRESPECTING the premier league if we hadn't rested our first XI in preparation for tonight's game?

Priorities.

Incorrect.  For a start the FA Cup is by far a greater competition than the PL, the latter only introduced a mere 20 years ago.  The Premier League is simply a bloated, swollen, CASH COW, beleaguered with all that is bad within our game.

As for priorities, there is no conflict of interest; Fulham can do justice to both without any compunctions

[FFC1987]

I don't quite understand what you're saying - by your logic would we have been DISRESPECTING the premier league if we hadn't rested our first XI in preparation for tonight's game?

Priorities.

Incorrect.  For a start the FA Cup is by far a greater competition than the PL, the latter only introduced a mere 20 years ago.  The Premier League is simply a bloated, swollen, CASH COW, beleaguered with all that is bad within our game.

As for priorities, there is no conflict of interest; Fulham can do justice to both without any compunctions

Get back under that bridge....Deary me, what drivvle.

[mccscratch]

****Please note the Darren Bent miss would not have counted as Kasami was given offside****

really? Sorry I actually really missed that. Thanks for pointing out... don't think they mentioned it on the TV commentary or maybe my wife was  barking at me to hurry up with breakfast.

[Nick Bateman]

really? Sorry I actually really missed that.

So did Bent...

[MJG]

****Please note the Darren Bent miss would not have counted as Kasami was given offside****

really? Sorry I actually really missed that. Thanks for pointing out... don't think they mentioned it on the TV commentary or maybe my wife was  barking at me to hurry up with breakfast.

Most people did because they were all picking themselves up off the floor in amazement that he missed.

[beijing ben]

****Please note the Darren Bent miss would not have counted as Kasami was given offside****

really? Sorry I actually really missed that. Thanks for pointing out... don't think they mentioned it on the TV commentary or maybe my wife was  barking at me to hurry up with breakfast.

Breakfast?!!.. One o'clock kick off!.. And that incident was in the second half!!.

[mccscratch]

****Please note the Darren Bent miss would not have counted as Kasami was given offside****

really? Sorry I actually really missed that. Thanks for pointing out... don't think they mentioned it on the TV commentary or maybe my wife was  barking at me to hurry up with breakfast.

Breakfast?!!.. One o'clock kick off!.. And that incident was in the second half!!.

some of us live in America mate... 8am kick off Sunday morning...