Not sure if anyone is bothered?? Rovers sit just outside the relagation zone. 1 win in last 5 games. I haven't seen what team we will put out. Going for a streaky 1 nil win.
FA Cup time, 3rd round, used to be a biggie, are we really bothered indeed? Chance to rest, heal, re-group and get more legs for the squad. Perhaps a run out for our new boys, but prob not Philogene as someone forgot to bring a pen to sign the paperwork!
I think we’d all take a loss here if it meant staying up. Losing to Maidstone last season was embarrassing, but possibly helped keep us a little bit fresher to secure automatic promotion. I’d rest the entire first team and play the substitutes and reserves. Something like the below: GK: Slicker LB: Townsend CB: Burgess CB: Godfrey RB: Harry Clarke CM: Phillips CM: Taylor LM: Jack Clarke CM: Chaplin RM: Burns ST: Al Hamadi (bring Hirst on for last half an hour) I’ll predict a 3-1 win for Town.
I think Chaplin is still injured and not sure H. Clarke will play as he will probably be loaned out and don’t want him getting injured / cup tied, other than that, think Nuggets team is about right. Definitely need to rest Morsy & Cajuste
It's a shame the FA cup continues to lose it's emotional heft, but I agree, opportunity for some second strings to stake a claim.. I'd hope as long as we don't field 11 complete strangers than we should get to R4. 2-0
Not bothered about the game, only the result. We have to believe we can start competing for trophies. So why not this one? 3-0 Town.
Someone posted on our forum, promotion or FA cup, the majority of our fans went for the FA cup. Owners and fans view it entirely differently, I think fans the wrong side of 50 view the importance of the FA cup differently to the younger supporters. I do also miss how it used to be, European Cup, EUFA and Cup Winners cup. The money involved surely means we will head for a European super league one day.
We are going to the match because I love the F A Cup, it jars me off when Clubs treat it as a practice match of little importance, all Clubs should respect the competition and the opposition by playing a strong team, but if they are really not interested then don't enter the competition in the first place.
Win the FA Cup prize money £2m Finish 17th in PL prize money £12.5m Finish 16th in PL prize money £15.6m When one position in the PL is worth more money than actually winning the FA cup it says it all really. One PL position is worth three times more than being FA cup runners up Those finish positions are based on last year
Now if someone was to guarantee we’d win the FA Cup but get relegated - I’d take the trophy all day long. But the harsh reality is that it’s not a feasible trophy to win these days. The “Big Six” sides can field a second (sometimes third string) team and beat most teams in England. Ten of the last 11 finals have been won by a “Big Six” club. The exception being Leicester, who had won the Premier League a couple of years previously. Of those 22 teams playing the last 11 finals, 17 (seventeen!) of them were “Big Six” sides.
I believe that while we should prioritise the league and do all we can to stay up, I and many others would like a decent Cup run. Not least our large squad and the new players need minutes and game time, and Cup match preparation is a great chance to build fitness throughout the squad and to familiairise newbies with how the Club is run. Let's hope we win today and keep our momentum going. A quick trip to USA and Espn + seems the only way to watch it.
Surely even our 2nd string should be good enough, but we all know about the shocks in the cup. Hopefully an early ish goal can settle us...3-0 win, Hamadi, Clarke and Phillips
Shows what is come to but I would much rather lose today and win in Thursday than the other way round. As somebody already mentioned, the top clubs can field 2nd or 3rd string teams and still beat most other teams. Unfortunately, it is an indictment of what money has done to the game
Nuggets wtf, a good cup run does no harm whatsoever, it's the FA cup ffs. Well I want to win and yes I am bothered!! 5 nil town but obvs too late for predictor
