| The magic of the Cup.... 09:14 - Feb 16 with 2453 views | itfcjoe |
Noted in a newsletter received this morning that across the 14 ties that happened (one game tonight, one game postponed) there has been 183 team changes - i.e. each team making 6.5 changes to their starting XI from the previous game.
Our first priority for Friday's games was minutes for certain players, and totally confirmed by the pre planned sub of Kipre for O'Shea at half time.
We elected to do what we felt was best for the entirety of the rest of the season; I can appreciate fans frustrations of those who went but it should have come as no surprise at all - it was effectively a mid season friendly [Post edited 16 Feb 9:14]
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 12:46 - Feb 16 with 488 views | homer_123 |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 10:44 - Feb 16 by RobTheMonk |
Other than the first 10 minutes we played with the tempo of me when I'm on the sofa and the wife calls me to come and do something in the kitchen.
We need to be playing at the tempo of me when my wife calls me from the bedroom. |
The later sounds like a hamstring injury before you arrive at your destination. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:08 - Feb 16 with 449 views | tractorboy1978 |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 10:45 - Feb 16 by itfcjoe |
Yep, when we saw Baggott at LB and then the re planned sub it was clear that it was decided who was getting the minutes and working around that.
I don't think the performance was particularly lacklustre, just had 2 major issues - George Hirst is totally out of form in the 9 to the point where his on ball ability is now a hindrance to us; and the 3 behind the striker were effectively our number 6, 7 and 8* for the roles and 2 were playing in unfamiliar positions.
So going forwards you've alomst got the reserves rather than the subs around a badly out of form Hirst
*Clarke, Philogene, Nunez, Mehmoet and Burns are all ahead in pecking order |
It baffles me why we haven't really played Akpom as the 9. He came on at Hull as a 9 and scored. He started vs Oxford and scored. But I don't think he's played more than a handful of other minutes in that role all season? People point to him playing as a 10 at Boro but that was in a different way to which he is being asked to play here. He was very much higher up the pitch and interchanging with Archer, not picking the ball up on the half way line and expected to carry the ball or be creative. Most of his career has been spent playing as a centre forward in any case - including for Ajax.
McKenna seems to want to try and play Hirst into form but he's been miles off it for ages now. He's never been a particularly good finisher and he is in the team to hold it, link play and run the channels - but he isn't doing any of that. At what point do you just put your best goalscorer into the 9 position? [Post edited 16 Feb 13:19]
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:10 - Feb 16 with 444 views | lazyblue |
If we were 6/7 in league and looking at play offs then on Friday night I would have said go for the cup and see what happens however Friday night i was all for binning it and all out go for promotion.
Had we not had to reschedule games because of tinpot clubs not coping with rain then it may have been different.
A club has to prioritise. | | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:26 - Feb 16 with 416 views | JammyDodgerrr |
I really don't care too much about it, and not a surprise most clubs use it as minutes for fringe players.
That said, i really don't get why teams like Brighton, Fulham etc, who don't really have anything to play for, still rotate. They absolutely should be going for it. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:30 - Feb 16 with 412 views | Illinoisblue |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 12:26 - Feb 16 by Dubtractor |
I'm 100% calm about it, and some of the hand wringing on here about it being typical of our season was mental, but it was a pretty rotten performance and I think it is very fair to say that. |
Same. It really doesn’t matter that much and if we do go up nobody will give it much of a thought ever again. But, result aside, was really hoping Hirst and Egeli in particular would show some glimpses of skill and/or creativity. That obviously didn’t happen. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:36 - Feb 16 with 402 views | itfcjoe |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:08 - Feb 16 by tractorboy1978 |
It baffles me why we haven't really played Akpom as the 9. He came on at Hull as a 9 and scored. He started vs Oxford and scored. But I don't think he's played more than a handful of other minutes in that role all season? People point to him playing as a 10 at Boro but that was in a different way to which he is being asked to play here. He was very much higher up the pitch and interchanging with Archer, not picking the ball up on the half way line and expected to carry the ball or be creative. Most of his career has been spent playing as a centre forward in any case - including for Ajax.
McKenna seems to want to try and play Hirst into form but he's been miles off it for ages now. He's never been a particularly good finisher and he is in the team to hold it, link play and run the channels - but he isn't doing any of that. At what point do you just put your best goalscorer into the 9 position? [Post edited 16 Feb 13:19]
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Hirst is woefully out of form, for all bits of promise Azon has shown he's scored 2 goals - 1 the 4th in a 4-1 win and the other the 3rd in a 3-0 win.
He may not have the energy and all round game of the other 2, but I'd back Akpom above either of them to score so would like to see him get a bit of a run in the team as the others are for one reason or another proving not to be what is needed | |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:49 - Feb 16 with 356 views | tractorboy1978 |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:36 - Feb 16 by itfcjoe |
Hirst is woefully out of form, for all bits of promise Azon has shown he's scored 2 goals - 1 the 4th in a 4-1 win and the other the 3rd in a 3-0 win.
He may not have the energy and all round game of the other 2, but I'd back Akpom above either of them to score so would like to see him get a bit of a run in the team as the others are for one reason or another proving not to be what is needed |
I was watching a compilation of Akpom's Boro and Ajax goals a couple of days ago and he scored loads getting on the end of balls across the box - plenty with his head too. The type of chances Hirst and Azon have been fluffing all season. | | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:50 - Feb 16 with 353 views | FrimleyBlue |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 10:45 - Feb 16 by itfcjoe |
Yep, when we saw Baggott at LB and then the re planned sub it was clear that it was decided who was getting the minutes and working around that.
I don't think the performance was particularly lacklustre, just had 2 major issues - George Hirst is totally out of form in the 9 to the point where his on ball ability is now a hindrance to us; and the 3 behind the striker were effectively our number 6, 7 and 8* for the roles and 2 were playing in unfamiliar positions.
So going forwards you've alomst got the reserves rather than the subs around a badly out of form Hirst
*Clarke, Philogene, Nunez, Mehmoet and Burns are all ahead in pecking order |
I think what baffled me the most other than EB at LB, was the role itself of Akpom
I'd have wanted him to be given the 9 role, but I didn't understand the role he was playing in this game. It wasn't really a wide left forward or a left 10 role, it was a hybrid central 10, mixed with an 8 mixed with a clarke role. He probably hasn't moved around so much since he's joined us, so it was good in a sense of fitness, but from a footballing aspect, it just seemed a bit bizarre and didn't help Egeli who was given his first start in the central role. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 14:45 - Feb 16 with 316 views | itfcjoe |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:50 - Feb 16 by FrimleyBlue |
I think what baffled me the most other than EB at LB, was the role itself of Akpom
I'd have wanted him to be given the 9 role, but I didn't understand the role he was playing in this game. It wasn't really a wide left forward or a left 10 role, it was a hybrid central 10, mixed with an 8 mixed with a clarke role. He probably hasn't moved around so much since he's joined us, so it was good in a sense of fitness, but from a footballing aspect, it just seemed a bit bizarre and didn't help Egeli who was given his first start in the central role. |
Yep, it was just an attempt to get the right 11 players on the pitch and muddle a square pegs/round holes system for them to play in of which Akpom was one of the biggest muddles | |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:05 - Feb 16 with 291 views | Benters |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 09:23 - Feb 16 by Funge |
Yeah, I get it too - it's still pretty wack though.
I've a Bradford mate; they went to Wembley a few years ago off the back of a nuts League Cup run, including beating Villa at Valley Parade. They got dicked 5-0 by Swansea at Wembley, but, by all accounts, was a brilliant cup run and day out. They also beat Chelsea 4-1 at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup a couple years later - again, absurdly good day out, as I understand it.
Also recently spoke to a Palace fan who said that the day out at Wembley last year was the greatest day of his life (although was rather less forthcoming about this season's trip to Macclesfield...).
I absolutely understand that promotion is the priority this year, but also acknowledge that *if* we go up, next season is going to be very similar to last season; the giants turning up here and scarcely noticing when they win - Arsenal hardly celebrated any of their 4 goals last year at PR.... joke clubs like Bournemouth and Fulham viewing our presence as an inconvenience.....
My point? Modern football is pretty crap - groundbreaking stuff, I know. |
Brilliant post mate. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:08 - Feb 16 with 285 views | pablo_canooga |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:36 - Feb 16 by itfcjoe |
Hirst is woefully out of form, for all bits of promise Azon has shown he's scored 2 goals - 1 the 4th in a 4-1 win and the other the 3rd in a 3-0 win.
He may not have the energy and all round game of the other 2, but I'd back Akpom above either of them to score so would like to see him get a bit of a run in the team as the others are for one reason or another proving not to be what is needed |
I compare the GH that buried that chance against Bolton (a) in the L1 promotion season, with Burns flying down the right, crossing, and a really difficult shot guided home with aplomb. Contrast that with Friday night and what looked like a simpler opportunity, a low cross from KM, then a complete air shot.
It's sad to see, but I agree with Joe — he's more of a hindrance now. Touch is off, and he's been caught offside multiple times too. I hope we don't regret the decision not to sign another striker. Akpom needs to be given a run in the #9 position, in my opinion. |  | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:14 - Feb 16 with 278 views | NthQldITFC |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 10:44 - Feb 16 by RobTheMonk |
Other than the first 10 minutes we played with the tempo of me when I'm on the sofa and the wife calls me to come and do something in the kitchen.
We need to be playing at the tempo of me when my wife calls me from the bedroom. |
Yes, I do wish you'd hurry up and bring us some sandwiches. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:40 - Feb 16 with 255 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
More at stake for us and other mitigating circumstances as well:
- Vital season for Year 1 parachute club, chasing from outside the top 2
- Main automatic promotion rivals already out of the cup
- Already playing fixture catch due to Pompey game up and R5 a certainty for rearrangement + Easter weekend potential
- Horrible cross country draw and next league opponent
Was best for us to go out, having up to four games in hand and fixture pile ups would have been a nightmare. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:47 - Feb 16 with 237 views | Vaughan8 |
Sadly this isn't just this season. What about when we had Mick in charge? It was binned off then too when we liked to finish 13th.
Just because other teams do it, why should we? However, having said that, our squad players still should have been better than they were on Friday.
My personal view is winning games cannot be a bad thing, and if we're going to make 10 changes anyway, what's the harm in a cup run. Yes more games, but we are using different players.
It's ultimately all down to money. Make the Fa Cup a £50m prize money/champions league place (I know they'll never do this) you'll see a different stance on it. | | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:54 - Feb 16 with 224 views | OldFart71 |
Toen did have the magic of the cup, they disappeared out of it. | | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 16:13 - Feb 16 with 200 views | Radlett_blue |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 14:45 - Feb 16 by itfcjoe |
Yep, it was just an attempt to get the right 11 players on the pitch and muddle a square pegs/round holes system for them to play in of which Akpom was one of the biggest muddles |
Wherever we play Akpom, he looks like a square peg. |  |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 17:54 - Feb 16 with 145 views | Mark |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 13:26 - Feb 16 by JammyDodgerrr |
I really don't care too much about it, and not a surprise most clubs use it as minutes for fringe players.
That said, i really don't get why teams like Brighton, Fulham etc, who don't really have anything to play for, still rotate. They absolutely should be going for it. |
It's because they would rather get £3m for finishing per place higher in the league, so financially better to focus on the league then the cup which pays £2.1m prize money to the winners (and it is really hard to win it!). |  | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 17:58 - Feb 16 with 137 views | Mark |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 15:40 - Feb 16 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
More at stake for us and other mitigating circumstances as well:
- Vital season for Year 1 parachute club, chasing from outside the top 2
- Main automatic promotion rivals already out of the cup
- Already playing fixture catch due to Pompey game up and R5 a certainty for rearrangement + Easter weekend potential
- Horrible cross country draw and next league opponent
Was best for us to go out, having up to four games in hand and fixture pile ups would have been a nightmare. |
I can see the argument it was best to go out, and probably agree with it. The trouble is then there is no point going to the games or cheering any goals, as those goals would be to the detriment of the team. I particularly felt that towards the end when Wrexham were 1-0 up and the co-commentator said the last thing either manager wants is extra time. It has sad that football has become like that, as I used to love the FA Cup. | | | |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 19:30 - Feb 16 with 100 views | Radlett_blue |
| The magic of the Cup.... on 17:58 - Feb 16 by Mark |
I can see the argument it was best to go out, and probably agree with it. The trouble is then there is no point going to the games or cheering any goals, as those goals would be to the detriment of the team. I particularly felt that towards the end when Wrexham were 1-0 up and the co-commentator said the last thing either manager wants is extra time. It has sad that football has become like that, as I used to love the FA Cup. |
At least they can't say any more "a replay neither manager wanted". | |
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| The magic of the Cup.... on 21:01 - Feb 16 with 72 views | JammyDodgerrr |
Even tonight with Brentford - see Macclesfield put out Crystal Palace in the last round, and they've still rotated to some degree. That's where it is baffling. | |
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