I think Mauricio saw it as a mistake when we lost. I don't buy into the idea that he didn't care about the cup...he certainly cares about winning and knows what affect losing can have on a team. He wanted to win and rest players....it didn't work. It was as simple as that.
I agree (again!) with Fran. Mauricio thought that the team he sent out would be good enough to beat Sunderland. For what ever reason it wasn't. On reflection, rather than looking for someone to blame, we should just accept that with hindsight a few weird decisions were made and move on.
I've accepted it....unless Sunderland would agree to a replay It's relegation I can't stand...being 8th will do me.
Can anyone shed any light on why Gallagher was played for the U21's instead of taken to Sunderland? Seems like a wasted opportunity to give him some more first team game time
The more I think about it, Sunderland had two shots, one of which was unstoppable. We, on the other hand, despite playing badly, created a number of very decent chances that on any other day, we'd have taken. I was very annoyed on Saturday but I have my sense of perspective back. The only thing that still annoys me a bit was bringing on McQueen and not giving Cork 20 minutes, which came across to me as MP being a tad stubborn in not owning up to maybe making a selection error.
I didn't say he doesn't care at all, I said he doesn't care as much as (most of) the fans. I completely agree that he wanted to win and rest players but it seems a lot of fans wanted our absolute first choice side put out. In the same situation I think he'd put the same team out again. I also think there's a reasonable chance the same team would beat Sunderland.
Thought it was the other way round myself. Far fewer drama llamas on Not606. You get different views here but rarely does it result in personal attacks. Back to the OP, I'm not sure Poch has too much to learn really. Did I not read that Boruc was ill and that Fonte was rested cos of the gashed leg (I think most saw the horrific pictures on twitter). So some of the changes were forced. I was perhaps a bit surprised to see Guly start but that was the only one that made me raise my eye brows a bit. If you look at the bench we had all the firepower to resort to a full strength side if required and bringing Schneiderlin and Rodriguez certainly helped a bit. But it was one of those days.
I've seen the Saints extended highlights and the Barclays neutral highlights. I can't see what the fuss was about. Both teams played fairly poorly, but one had a hit and hope shot that went in.
Might have had something to do with him not having done any training, whilst on compassionate leave. Although I'd have thought he could have coped with 10 minutes, at the end. Would have saved Rickie's blushes, if he had.
I'm not sure what Pochettino needs to learn either. I feel like most of the supporters value the Premier League over the FA Cup themselves. The only reason why that match took on such importance was because we all feel like the team will almost certainly finish between 7th and 10th and that's not really that exciting. It's not that it was really that big a game, it's just that it was the biggest game left this season and now I guess people feel bored. But if next year Pochettino continues to improve the team and keeps the Premier League a priority, we could be sitting in 4th-6th place at this stage, and then I doubt there will be such a hue and cry if we rest half the starters for an FA Cup match.
