Really tough on the fans

[boatshed bill]

You should have been a politician..... Go on have a go.. Just answer the question with one word..... Bournemouth or Palace....

Well, the answer to that is obvious, he'd be rested for the cup game.
but are we talking about the need to rest players or protect them from injury.
I'm sure you will recall SD saying that these players were fit enough to take on two games a week?

[Grumps]

Well, the answer to that is obvious, he'd be rested for the cup game.
but are we talking about the need to rest players or protect them from injury.
I'm sure you will recall SD saying that these players were fit enough to take on two games a week?

Of course it's obvious... Not sure everyone sees that, glad you do
Rest, and protect.
Iam sure they are fit enough.. When fit.... Perhaps not everyone was 100%, so rest them... In the game you've already identified as the least important....

[boatshed bill]

Of course it's obvious... Not sure everyone sees that, glad you do
Rest, and protect.
Iam sure they are fit enough.. When fit.... Perhaps not everyone was 100%, so rest them... In the game you've already identified as the least important....

So: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Westwood, Barnes, Cork, Brady were in need of rest and/ or protection to some extent? OK. It wasn't like that in the 60s

[Grumps]

So: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Westwood, Barnes, Cork, Brady were in need of rest and/ or protection to some extent? OK. It wasn't like that in the 60s

Cork and Brady were injured
Pope missed all FA cup games
Barnes just back from injury
Westwood protected due to corks injury
No problem with Bardsley playing, needs to keep his hand in

Which brings us to tarks and Mee.... We don't know what the information was from the sports scientists / fitness team that could have meant them being left out... But even without that, when broken down its only really two players that are being questioned.... For the least important of 4 games.... It's not rocket science, though plenty are struggling with it.

[Top Claret]

Tough on the fans are you having a laugh?..

Tough on the fans is following a football club who were one of the best teams in England and Europe in the 60s, then 20 years later having to watch them play in the lowest tier for 7 seasons.

About time some of you got of the managers back and got things into perspective

[Spijed]

I think there is a lot of hypocrisy from those who say they the Premier league is being ruined by money and that it no longer holds the same attraction that the FA Cup does.

Let's look at the FA Cup.

Man U. allowed to drop out one season - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED
Semi finals now played at Wembley - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED
Number of replays being eroded away. - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED (European competitions)

[daveisaclaret]

I think there is a lot of hypocrisy from those who say they the Premier league is being ruined by money and that it no longer holds the same attraction that the FA Cup does.

Let's look at the FA Cup.

Man U. allowed to drop out one season - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED
Semi finals now played at Wembley - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED
Number of replays being eroded away. - DOWN TO FINANCIAL GREED (European competitions)

Manchester United were not "allowed" to drop out one season due to "FINANCIAL GREED", they were asked to do so by the FA because their participation in the Club World Cup was deemed a boost to the 2006 World Cup bid.

[Rileybobs]

A question to those people who don't care about the FA Cup and/or agree with Dyche's team selection the other night. If we made it through to the semi final and faced Bournemouth for a place in the final - 6 league games left to play, 8 points ahead of the drop zone - would you be in agreement with the same team selection?

[boatshed bill]

I think the thing we all know is that SD just doesn't care about the cup competitions. I think it's a pity, but the PL is to blame.

[Dark Cloud]

If I was the manager for the past 8 seasons I would have had much more squad rotation so that players would slot in better while others were rested.

And so would I, but that costs money and we either haven't had it or we haven't been prepared to spend it. It's been clear for season after season that after you get beyond our first choice 11, 12 or possibly 13, we're really weak and that's why, injuries etc permitting, Sean picks the same team pretty much every week. When we finally do try a bit of squad rotation we all see what happens. It's happened numerous times and it happened on Tuesday. The answer is of course simple. Either stop rotating the squad for cup games and accept the risks that involves OR spend a fair wedge of cash on back up players so rotation becomes more the norm and we can still puts out a really strong, PL standard side. Or indeed don't do either of those and simply carry on doing what we're doing, which means we'll always struggle to win cup games, even against poor sides.

[claretonthecoast1882]

A question to those people who don't care about the FA Cup and/or agree with Dyche's team selection the other night. If we made it through to the semi final and faced Bournemouth at home for a place in the final - 6 league games left to play, 8 points ahead of the drop zone - would you be in agreement with the same team selection?

I would be thinking it was our year with the semi at home and not at Wembley

With 6 league games to play and an 8 point gap, yes I would be disappointed. 8 points with 6 games left is very different to 8 points with 16 games left especially when 2 of those are against the team directly behind you who are 8 points behind.

I would say 99% of fans are disappointed with the result on Tuesday, but the level headed ones can understand the team put out. With the finances as they are, the likelihood of losing money in the next 12 months with TV rebates then it makes sense that a club would do nothing to risk their league position.

[Grumps]

A question to those people who don't care about the FA Cup and/or agree with Dyche's team selection the other night. If we made it through to the semi final and faced Bournemouth at home for a place in the final - 6 league games left to play, 8 points ahead of the drop zone - would you be in agreement with the same team selection?

It wouldn't be at home, it would be at wembley

This season it wouldn't bother me, as I couldn't go, and it would probably annoy me even more seeing us in the final, and not being there

It would depend who those 6 games were against, if the next one was against the team below us, then the next 5 were against top 6 clubs I would accept a weakened team in the semi.

[Devils_Advocate]

Simple question... You are the manager... The fitness gurus at the club tell you that Ben Mee could do with a weeks rest.... Do you leave him out for the Bournemouth game, or the Palace game?

I'll answer a question and then see if you will answer mine

If I was the manager I would leave Mee out against Palace cos where we are currently in the league I think there is more value to geting into the last 8 of the cup than picking up 3 pts in our next league game.

However, to be fair to the question if I was the manager and had got to where I was based on Dyche's management style and values I would leave Mee out against Bournemouth rather than Palace because that is clearly where Dyche's priorities lie and is what has served him and our club well.

So my simple question to you.....you are the manager......The fitness gurus at the club tell you that Ben Mee is in good physical shape and can easily manage to play against both Bournemouth and Palace... Do you leave him out for the Bournemouth game, or play him in both?

[Dyched]

A question to those people who don't care about the FA Cup and/or agree with Dyche's team selection the other night. If we made it through to the semi final and faced Bournemouth at home for a place in the final - 6 league games left to play, 8 points ahead of the drop zone - would you be in agreement with the same team selection?

That’s not even comparable is it?

Take into account our next 3 Premier League games. How many games there’s left to play. How many points we are clear. How many games we’ve played in the past 5 weeks. Players that have been out recently.

[Rileybobs]

I would be thinking it was our year with the semi at home and not at Wembley

With 6 league games to play and an 8 point gap, yes I would be disappointed. 8 points with 6 games left is very different to 8 points with 16 games left especially when 2 of those are against the team directly behind you who are 8 points behind.

I would say 99% of fans are disappointed with the result on Tuesday, but the level headed ones can understand the team put out. With the finances as they are, the likelihood of losing money in the next 12 months with TV rebates then it makes sense that a club would do nothing to risk their league position.

Edited accordingly

What I'm trying to get at, is at what point do people start caring about the cup? To me, I think the reason why there has been such a reaction to our non-performance the other night was it was a very, very good chance to reach our first FA Cup quarter final in 18 years.

Had this been the 3rd round I doubt as many people would be so vociferous. Likewise, had it been the QF or even the SF then I expect a lot of the people in agreement with our approach the other night would not have the same feelings.

[Rileybobs]

That’s not even comparable is it?

Take into account our next 3 Premier League games. How many games there’s left to play. How many points we are clear. How many games we’ve played in the past 5 weeks. Players that have been out recently.

I didn't say it was comparable, I was asking a hypothetical question.

[Grumps]

I'll answer a question and then see if you will answer mine

If I was the manager I would leave Mee out against Palace cos where we are currently in the league I think there is more value to geting into the last 8 of the cup than picking up 3 pts in our next league game.

However, to be fair to the question if I was the manager and had got to where I was based on Dyche's management style and values I would leave Mee out against Bournemouth rather than Palace because that is clearly where Dyche's priorities lie and is what has served him and our club well.

So my simple question to you.....you are the manager......The fitness gurus at the club tell you that Ben Mee is in good physical shape and can easily manage to play against both Bournemouth and Palace... Do you leave him out for the Bournemouth game, or play him in both?

To answer your first point.... When you say value, what do you mean.... To me the value is staying in the Premier league and 3pts in our next league game would go a long way to help doing that

Your last point..... I would probably leave him out... To protect him, but also, you don't get many chances to play those who would have to step in should Mee get injured between now and the end of the season, so it would be a good time to do that. But I have already said several times, I don't give a hoot about the FA cup so iam biased

[DomBFC1882]

Edited accordingly

What I'm trying to get at, is at what point do people start caring about the cup? To me, I think the reason why there has been such a reaction to our non-performance the other night was it was a very, very good chance to reach our first FA Cup quarter final in 18 years.

Had this been the 3rd round I doubt as many people would be so vociferous. Likewise, had it been the QF or even the SF then I expect a lot of the people in agreement with our approach the other night would not have the same feelings.

You're right Rileybobs.

There's a lot of hypocrisy from the people who defend Dyches team selection.

[boatshed bill]

Tough on the fans are you having a laugh?..

About time some of you got of the managers back and got things into perspective

Respect goes both ways.
And for a million quid a year you have to be able to take a bit of stick.

[Grumps]

You're right Rileybobs.

There's a lot of hypocrisy from the people who defend Dyches team selection.

Is there? Have I been hypocritical anywhere?

[claretonthecoast1882]

Edited accordingly

What I'm trying to get at, is at what point do people start caring about the cup? To me, I think the reason why there has been such a reaction to our non-performance the other night was it was a very, very good chance to reach our first FA Cup quarter final in 18 years.

Had this been the 3rd round I doubt as many people would be so vociferous. Likewise, had it been the QF or even the SF then I expect a lot of the people in agreement with our approach the other night would not have the same feelings.

I would say possibly the quarter finals depending who you face. The clamour for Man City away in the quarters or a trip to Wembley in the semis against them would have some thinking watch it on TV.

The Lincoln season, we didn't take a large following to Sunderland and crept over 12k for the replay with them bringing more than 1k. Bristol City next round was just under 15k then Lincoln 19k with 3k of them being Lincoln. Had we beaten Lincoln and faced Arsenal at home it would have been a sell out, as it was it would have been Arsenal away and I think we may have struggled to sell more than 5k. Now some will possibly say they don't bother with cup games because Dyche doesn't (they would all go to Wembley tho) yet under previous managers we have had many cup gates with way lower crowds, QPR one year at home was under 4k.

People like to say they care massively about the FA cup but clearly not as many do compared to the league.

[DomBFC1882]

Is there? Have I been hypocritical anywhere?

I didn't single you out though.

The fact these same people defending Dyche, knowingly wouldn't do if we had reached the semis and played the exact same team as the other night is hypocritical given the reasons used to justify his team selection.

[beddie]

If we manage to get three points against Palace I think Dyche will feel justified with his selection against Bournemouth and if I'm being honest as much as I was dissapointed like many others the other evening I'll accept why he did it.

[Devils_Advocate]

To answer your first point.... When you say value, what do you mean.... To me the value is staying in the Premier league and 3pts in our next league game would go a long way to help doing that

Your last point..... I would probably leave him out... To protect him, but also, you don't get many chances to play those who would have to step in should Mee get injured between now and the end of the season, so it would be a good time to do that. But I have already said several times, I don't give a hoot about the FA cup so iam biased

When I talk about value I refer to what I think is the best preferred outcome given the current situation. If we lose to Palace I don't think it really changes our chances of staying up which to me looks pretty secure. I therefore would much rather prefer to give myself a better chance of reaching the QFs of the cup and be a couple of wins from a major final and something that will be remembered in generations to come like the Spurs final is

With regards your answer then thats fair enough but you likened someone to a politician when imo its your initial question that is politician like.

Your answer to my question shows that Mee's fitness status ahead of the games is not really your concern but more that you are worried he will get an injury and miss future league games which you see as more important. No problem with that but then why set up a hypothetical question based on something you dont really care about either way when the simple question is do you think its worth risking injuring Mee by playing him against Bournemouth.

I think it is (and lets be realistic that risk is very small if you look at how many times has Mee picked up an injury in a game) and you think it isn't and im comfortable with you having that opinion and happy to disagree

[Grumps]

I didn't single you out though.

The fact these same people defending Dyche, knowingly wouldn't do if we had reached the semis and played the exact same team as the other night is hypocritical given the reasons used to justify his team selection.

All the others could think the same way as me, so your statement is meaningless

[Rileybobs]

I would say possibly the quarter finals depending who you face. The clamour for Man City away in the quarters or a trip to Wembley in the semis against them would have some thinking watch it on TV.

The Lincoln season, we didn't take a large following to Sunderland and crept over 12k for the replay with them bringing more than 1k. Bristol City next round was just under 15k then Lincoln 19k with 3k of them being Lincoln. Had we beaten Lincoln and faced Arsenal at home it would have been a sell out, as it was it would have been Arsenal away and I think we may have struggled to sell more than 5k. Now some will possibly say they don't bother with cup games because Dyche doesn't (they would all go to Wembley tho) yet under previous managers we have had many cup gates with way lower crowds, QPR one year at home was under 4k.

People like to say they care massively about the FA cup but clearly not as many do compared to the league.

Fair points. I think that trigger point is different for everyone, understandably. At one extreme end some people will say the cup is more important than the league, at the other extreme some people don't care about the cup in the slightest. Most people, myself included appear to be somewhere in the middle. So for most people there will come a point where they would expect Dyche to play his strongest side, be that the QF, semi or the final.

I haven't seen many people suggest that Dyche shouldn't have rested any players on Tuesday, but I can absolutely guarantee that some of the people criticising others for being vociferous about Dyche's team selection would be equally critical had he picked the same side in the Quarter or Semi-final.

[DomBFC1882]

All the others could think the same way as me, so your statement is meaningless

Okay fair enough they might do but you've still not answered the point made.

You know you'd be angry if Dyche had fielded that exact team in the semis so don't even try kid yourself.

[Mala591]

It’s quite possible that Pace had ‘advised’ Dyche that PL football must be maintained ‘at all costs, even if that means an extremely disappointing performance in the FA cup’.

[Sunny Cornwall]

I don’t have too much of a problem with the team changes. What I struggle to understand is the complete inability of our players to play decent football on anything like a consistent basis. Ok maybe with all the changes against Bournemouth we couldn’t expect free flowing football. But surely these guys play together often enough on training to be at least able to pass the ball to each other. Second half against Brighton was excellent but before that we probably need to go back to the first half v Palace away which again was superb. Why is their no consistency? We put out the same team virtually every week so they should be honed to perfection!

[claretonthecoast1882]

Fair points. I think that trigger point is different for everyone, understandably. At one extreme end some people will say the cup is more important than the league, at the other extreme some people don't care about the cup in the slightest. Most people, myself included appear to be somewhere in the middle. So for most people there will come a point where they would expect Dyche to play his strongest side, be that the QF, semi or the final.

I haven't seen many people suggest that Dyche shouldn't have rested any players on Tuesday, but I can absolutely guarantee that some of the people criticising others for being vociferous about Dyche's team selection would be equally critical had he picked the same side in the Quarter or Semi-final.

I find myself in the middle too, I was far more annoyed leaving Watford's ground when they knocked us out in the quarters and was so for quite a while after the day. Probably within an hour of Tuesday I had moved on, I was more annoyed at Man Utd letting me down for £240 on the same night if I think back.

Champions League is the same I can't remember a group game I have watched recently but once it is the quarters I will watch, Europa League possibly semis onwards, yet some people will love watching a dead rubber group game. Each tot heir own really

[Grumps]

Okay fair enough they might do but you've still not answered the point made.

You know you'd be angry if Dyche had fielded that exact team in the semis so don't even try kid yourself.

I think if you read my posts on this matter you will have seen on numerous occasions me saying I don't give a hoot about the FA cup this season, and explained why.so no, I wouldn't be angry.

[Grumps]

I think it is (and lets be realistic that risk is very small if you look at how many times has Mee picked up an injury in a game) and you think it isn't and im comfortable with you having that opinion and happy to disagree

I wonder how often Calvet Lewin gets injured, or the Leicester full back?

[DomBFC1882]

I think if you read my posts on this matter you will have seen on numerous occasions me saying I don't give a hoot about the FA cup this season, and explained why.so no, I wouldn't be angry.

You and others wouldn't feel like that if we were in the semis and only 2 games away from winning it.

If you did however then im not sure what you're getting from watching football if you don't want to win things and have everlasting memories

[Devils_Advocate]

I wonder how often Calvet Lewin gets injured, or the Leicester full back?

We're talking about the risk levels we are willing to accept. Highlighting two players that may have got injured in their FA Cup match doesn't change the starting position or strengthen your argument just like me highlighting all the players who played (including all our players) that didn't get injured in their cup match doesn't strengthen my position.

Its a matter of fact that the odds of a player getting injured in a given game are quite long but that is a risk you dont want to or see the point in taking whereas I do. Again i've no problem with you having that view and understand it but that is the crux of the debate - is it worth the risk

If you are going to try and argue that the risk of Mee getting injured was anything but low then I think you're going down the wrong road as you've got a perfectly acceptable position so to try and back it up with something that isnt factual seems a bit daft

[Grumps]

You and others wouldn't feel like that if we were in the semis and only 2 games away from winning it.

If you did however then im not sure what you're getting from watching football if you don't want to win things and have everlasting memories

Please stop telling me how ill feel..... I repeat.. I don't give a toss about the FA cup this season

What I get from football is watching my club, play the best teams in the country, week in week out, for as many seasons as I can, and seeing my grandsons face when he can go and watch them, that gives me enough memories thank you. .. I don't want to put that at risk for a cup competition.

[KRBFC]

Such a great opportunity, 3 of the ''big 6'' already out of the competition, home tie to a lower league side, we'd have been one game away from a semi final at Wembley. All it would've took is a favorable draw (where Man City meet United/Chelsea in the QF) and we saw that absolute horsesh**e

[DomBFC1882]

Please stop telling me how ill feel..... I repeat.. I don't give a toss about the FA cup this season

What I get from football is watching my club, play the best teams in the country, week in week out, for as many seasons as I can, and seeing my grandsons face when he can go and watch them, that gives me enough memories thank you. .. I don't want to put that at risk for a cup competition.

Your grandson would be happy to watch us in any league just like I was when I was younger playing in division 2. The Premier league doesn't bring children more enjoyment.

Also, seeing as you don't care about trophies, are you perfectly happy for us to never win anything again?

[Grumps]

We're talking about the risk levels we are willing to accept. Highlighting two players that may have got injured in their FA Cup match doesn't change the starting position or strengthen your argument just like me highlighting all the players who played (including all our players) that didn't get injured in their cup match doesn't strengthen my position.

Its a matter of fact that the odds of a player getting injured in a given game are quite long but that is a risk you dont want to or see the point in taking whereas I do. Again i've no problem with you having that view and understand it but that is the crux of the debate - is it worth the risk

If you are going to try and argue that the risk of Mee getting injured was anything but low then I think you're going down the wrong road as you've got a perfectly acceptable position so to try and back it up with something that isnt factual seems a bit daft

As usual you go off at a tangent to try and look clever.
You said Mee very rarely gets injured... I was just wondering if it was the same for the two I mentioned. Iam not changing position at all.

[Grumps]

Your grandson would be happy to watch us in any league just like I was when I was younger playing in division 2. The Premier league doesn't bring children more enjoyment.

Also, seeing as you don't care about trophies, are you perfectly happy for us to never win anything again?

You should go on the stage, not only can you see into the future, and know how I will feel, you now know how my grandson will feel

I know you are having difficulty understanding it, I will repeat it once more..... I don't give a toss about the FA cup THIS YEAR,.....have you got that... THIS YEAR... 2021.

If the highlight of your year would be sat on your own, watching us play on TV in an empty Wembley stadium then go for it.....

[DomBFC1882]

You should go on the stage, not only can you see into the future, and know how I will feel, you now know how my grandson will feel

I know you are having difficulty understanding it, I will repeat it once more..... I don't give a toss about the FA cup THIS YEAR,.....have you got that... THIS YEAR... 2021.

If the highlight of your year would be sat on your own, watching us play on TV in an empty Wembley stadium then go for it.....

Thank you very much, I appreciate your support in my new venture

Kids are kids and enjoy watching live football regardless of the league. For you to think your grandson or other kids only enjoy premier league football is yet more nonsense from you.

Why are there children all over the country watching non premier league teams then if they wouldn't like it?

Also I'm well aware of this year but your theory of resting players will still be the case in the years to come so you're not making a lot of sense. Are you saying next year we should go full strength if fans are allowed back in and also regardless of league position? What about your theory of resting players? Does that no longer apply next year? The year after? The year after that?

We were in a great position this year to go far which may not happen again for quite some time

[Spijed]

Your grandson would be happy to watch us in any league just like I was when I was younger playing in division 2. The Premier league doesn't bring children more enjoyment.

Also, seeing as you don't care about trophies, are you perfectly happy for us to never win anything again?

If the stars align, there is a chance we could see Lionel Messi in a league game at Turf Moor next season. If everything falls into place we might have full crowds back if we were lucky with the fixture dates etc.

Just think about that. Would we ever have a chance to see arguably one of the greatest ever players in a league game if we were in league 2?

Also, I would dearly love to win the FA. Cup or at the very least get to a final, but that becomes increasingly more difficult when the big guns start to put out their strongest sides.

In addition, getting into the Europa league was winning one of the prizes on offer for European football. The experiences of playing in Aberdeen, Istanbul and Athens will live long in the memory of many fans, something we would never experience in the Championship and below.

All I would say, is be careful what you wish for.

[DomBFC1882]

If the stars align, there is a chance we could see Lionel Messi in a league game at Turf Moor next season. If everything falls into place we might have full crowds back if we were lucky with the fixture dates etc.

Just think about that. Would we ever have a chance to see arguably one of the greatest ever players in a league game if we were in league 2?

Also, I would dearly love to win the FA. Cup or at the very least get to a final, but that becomes increasingly more difficult when the big guns start to put out their strongest sides.

In addition, getting into the Europa league was winning one of the prizes on offer for European football. The experiences of playing in Aberdeen, Istanbul and Athens will live long in the memory of many fans, something we would never experience in the Championship and below.

All I would say, is be careful what you wish for.

I'm not disagreeing with any of that Spijed.

My point is simply playing a stronger back line against Bournemouth wouldn't mean we'd end up such extremes like the ones mentioned considering we're 8 points off the drop but it would have given us much greater chance of winning that game.

As for Messi, I pray you're right as that would be amazing and an experience of a lifetime

[Grumps]

Thank you very much, I appreciate your support in my new venture

Kids are kids and enjoy watching live football regardless of the league. For you to think your grandson or other kids only enjoy premier league football is yet more nonsense from you.

Why are there children all over the country watching non premier league teams then if they wouldn't like it?

Also I'm well aware of this year but your theory of resting players will still be the case in the years to come so you're not making a lot of sense. Are you saying next year we should go full strength if fans are allowed back in and also regardless of league position? What about your theory of resting players? Does that no longer apply next year? The year after? The year after that?

We were in a great position this year to go far which may not happen again for quite some time

Where did I say kids only enjoy Premier league football...... Or is that you mind reading again... Badly..... All I said was I enjoy seeing my grandsons face when he is watching in the flesh, players he gets on collector's cards, or sees on the TV every day...... That gives me better memories than him watching in one house, whilst I watch in another, should we have got to the final this year

The whole discussion is about Tuesday night, not some hypothetical game in ten years time, which I understand with your skills you will know how we are all going to feel about it.

[DomBFC1882]

Your attempt at being clever is appallingly bad. Must do better.

And yet again you've ignored the questions about next season etc as you know you have no answer to them which won't make you sound an hypocrite.

So ill ask again, why do you care next year about the cup and can justify playing a stronger team then but not this season?

Tell me what has to change for you to care and a stronger team to be played?

[boatshed bill]

Where did I say kids only enjoy Premier league football...... Or is that you mind reading again... Badly..... All I said was I enjoy seeing my grandsons face when he is watching in the flesh, players he gets on collector's cards, or sees on the TV every day...... That gives me better memories than him watching in one house, whilst I watch in another, should we have got to the final this year

The whole discussion is about Tuesday night, not some hypothetical game in ten years time, which I understand with your skills you will know how we are all going to feel about it.

So your only problem is the current health scare ruining what would be a wonderful experience?

In ten years time the PL may very well not exist. I would wager that the 10 biggest clubs will either be in a different (Euro Super) league and will take the massive sums of money with them, or a slightly larger group (16?) will have a league of their own in the UK with no relegation/promotiion.

[Devils_Advocate]

As usual you go off at a tangent to try and look clever.
You said Mee very rarely gets injured... I was just wondering if it was the same for the two I mentioned. Iam not changing position at all.

I didn't go off at a tangent but when the discussion is about what risks we are prepared to take then I think it is important to be realistic about the level of risks.

Its to easy on both sides for the debate to become get to Wembley and win the cup or get our players injured and get relegated when the chances are neither will happen.

What we want to balance is how we get what we perceive as the best of both worlds and we naturally give different weightings to the possible outcomes but the risks involved around injury's, getting relegated or being successful in the cup are there for us all and should be part of any decent discussion

It was you who made a facetious comment when I was trying to have an adult discussion

[Grumps]

So your only problem is the current health scare ruining what would be a wonderful experience?

In ten years time the PL may very well not exist. I would wager that the 10 biggest clubs will either be in a different (Euro Super) league and will take the massive sums of money with them, or a slightly larger group (16?) will have a league of their own in the UK with no relegation/promotiion.

Tuesday nights team didn't bother me.. I have no interest in this year's fa cup. Perhaps after I've said it 20 times people will grasp it. It's my opinion..

[boatshed bill]

Tuesday nights team didn't bother me.. I have no interest in this year's fa cup. Perhaps after I've said it 20 times people will grasp it. It's my opinion..

But is this because you couldn't watch it with your grandson, as your post seems to suggest?

[Grumps]

But is this because you couldn't watch it with your grandson, as your post seems to suggest?

For a whole loads of reasons, explained to death on here and other threads.
If you are that bothered why I feel that way, go and read them
Otherwise have a good evening