Wondering, the disastrous campaigns we've had in the Johnstones Paint Trophy and Preston North End FC in the Carling Cup what team Powell will choose for the 1st Round in the FA Cup. Obviously we don't want another embarrassment on television, likewise against Northwich Victoria. Think it's also time to give academy players such as Callum Harriott and Adebayo Azeez a run out, as from what I read, playing good football. Reckon the team that he'll announce will be something like: Sullivan Evina - Mambo - Docherty - ?(not sure who we got) Wagstaff - Alonso - Prichard - Izquierdo Benson - Smith Subs: Euell Harriot Azeez ? ?
I'm hoping we play a stronger backline than that, I'd prefer Morrison and Taylor to continue. And I'd like Green to start too, I want him to get a goal sooner rather than later, and still think he needs a run of games - he's getting better every game so I want that to continue. But agreed, I would like to see Alonso, Evina and Bovver get a game (never seen any of them) and Benson to stake a claim.
We've got a game against Bromley 2 days later in the Kent Cup which I assume will be a completely different team, so there will probably be a few first-team regulars against Halifax, unless he's planning to play the under-18's against Bromley.
Much as I'd like to see them, RB-I and Pritchard are still not fit to play and I'm not sure we'd recall Mambo just for a cup game. Agreed Kish, Green needs to start and I'd like to see Harriot on at some stage. Up front, it'd be good if Smith got a game, but I think it's more likely we'll see him as a sub. I'd guess Hayes is going to get 90 minutes after his energetic cameo on Saturday with Benson alongside him. Whatever the side - we're going to win.
Carrian, its on ITV on Sunday - program starts at 11.05 - assuming game starts a bit later - bit of an early start for any fans going up there.
I think we extended Mambo's loan to Ebbsfleet to start of January 2012 Possible team Sullivan Davisson - Cort - Docherty (C) - Evina Green - Alonso - Euell - Wagstaff Benson - Hayes Subs: The Hammer Morrison Wagstaff Jackson Smith
Why rest so many first-teamers? They have had a week off and will have another week off after the game. Powell should send out his strongest possible side and ensure that we win this game comfortably. The fans making the long trip up north deserve to see players better than Paul Benson - the worst Charlton player in living memory! After the Northwich Victoria debacle, I vowed never to follow us to another non-league ground for an FA Cup tie. I have been hurting for two years, as have many of us, but I have decided to expose myself to my fears and travel up to Halifax. I will be boiling with rage if Benson and Doherty are anywhere near the starting eleven. Hell hath no fury like a man who spent £200 on a trip to Northwich sodding Victoria.
"We've got more Wagstaffs than you!" A few of our backup players need a game, e.g. Sullivan Hughes Cort Taylor Evina Green Alonso Euell Harriot Hayes Wagstaff
Blimey, how many more times do I have to tell you guys we will be a Cort short? He is playing for Guyana in the World Cup qualifiers.
Who I'd like us to play: Sullivan Warren-Taylor-Morrison-Evina Wagstaff-Alonso-Davisson-Harriott Benson-Euell Pope(?) Doherty Cousins Green Hollands Hayes Smith
Do we really want to risk injury to a winning team. I'd be well annoyed if any of our best players gets sidelined for a cup match. It's the league that I care about, and promotion. I think that some of the reserve team, needs first team exposure, but sure enough, come December, we'd start picking up injuries, and our "fringe" players need as much game experience as possible, in order to fit right into the team.
Totally agree. If our reserves are not capable of beating a pub team like Halifax they shouldn't be on our books. As I posted before, the reserves have an incentive to do well, to move themselves up the pecking order for when team vacancies occur (and they will occur). The first team's only incentive is to avoid injury because they know even if we crashed to another "Northwich Victoria" they will still all get picked against Brentford and Huddersfield and will be judged on those performances, not how they played in the "it's low priority and I'm glad we're out of it" Cup. That last is not my attitude, by the way. I think we should go flat out to win every match in every competition. But from the chorus of "I'm glad we are out of it"s after we were outplayed by Preston and Brentford it seems to be the majority view here. It is just that I think we have just as much chance of winning at Halifax with eleven reserves trying their hardest as with eleven first-teamers mincing about trying to avoid injury in a "nothing" match. And after the way we have taken our foot off the pedal in the last four matches after establishing a winning lead don't try and tell me that wouldn't happen.
I think we need a mixture of first teamers, reserves and youth; while the cup isn't that important to us, we don't want a humiliating defeat, and we don't want an annoying replay either. A handsome victory in front of the tv cameras would help continue the happy vibe, and would be good publicity for the club. It's not as if our fixture list in November is exactly packed. A couple of comfortable wins could see us get a nice payday in the 3rd round like we had last season.
Well said, Killer. Football is about winning matches. I want a trip up to Old Trafford or The Etihad in the third round, or beyond. I don't mind a few reserves, but not a whole side. They rarely play together, so a tricky trip to Halifax could prove disastrous.
