Priorities

[martin_p]

We’ll have plenty of players playing in internationals and travelling half way around the world too.

For the next few weeks we have mid week games so that’s 2 games a week. The intensity of the modern game means for all teams and players that is not easy.

Intensity? Have you seen us play this season? The majority of our games are played at a snails pace for the majority of the 90 minutes. I’d argue the game was more intense 40/50 years ago than it is now, if you weren’t attacking hard you were defending hard, no time for stroking it back and forth along the defensive line waiting for the right moment.

[Big Vinny K]

But this ‘prioririse’ thing only works if you believe the notion that playing our strongest team against Preston reduces our chances of a win at Cardiff 3 days later. It’s by no means a given. Liverpool rested virtually their whole team against Plymouth, got knocked out of the cup, then only managed a draw at Everton

It’s not done just for the immediate game after. It’s part of the clubs strategy of managing players fitness levels and trying to minimise injuries.
Teams at all levels in recent years have been prioritising the league (or Europe in case of top teams) over the 2 domestic cups. Even in the leagues below us there’s plenty of evidence of this.

Not saying whether I agree with it or not but there’s a lot more clubs who deploy this than don’t. Clubs obviously feel that there is too much football for their players and the risk of injuries too great. Seems pretty understandable with the amount of money there is in the game and the potential impact financially on clubs of promotion, relegation, Europe etc

[dougcollins]

I definitely wouldn't be playing Edwards, on that pitch, and with some of the thugs they've got in their side.

[Big Vinny K]

Intensity? Have you seen us play this season? The majority of our games are played at a snails pace for the majority of the 90 minutes. I’d argue the game was more intense 40/50 years ago than it is now, if you weren’t attacking hard you were defending hard, no time for stroking it back and forth along the defensive line waiting for the right moment.

If you seriously think that the game was more intense 40 or 50 years ago it’s probably not worth debating this any further.
Happy to respectfully agree to disagree.

[martin_p]

If you seriously think that the game was more intense 40 or 50 years ago it’s probably not worth debating this any further.
Happy to respectfully agree to disagree.

So how do you think it’s more intense?

[dsr]

It’s not done just for the immediate game after. It’s part of the clubs strategy of managing players fitness levels and trying to minimise injuries.
Teams at all levels in recent years have been prioritising the league (or Europe in case of top teams) over the 2 domestic cups. Even in the leagues below us there’s plenty of evidence of this.

Not saying whether I agree with it or not but there’s a lot more clubs who deploy this than don’t. Clubs obviously feel that there is too much football for their players and the risk of injuries too great. Seems pretty understandable with the amount of money there is in the game and the potential impact financially on clubs of promotion, relegation, Europe etc

But if a team that is playing 65 games in a season feels the need to rest players, that shouldn't necessarily mean that a team playing 50 games needs to rest players.

[Big Vinny K]

So how do you think it’s more intense?

In every single way you can possibly think of.
The fitness, strength, speed of the game and the players bears zero resemblance to 40 or 50 years ago.

I find it pretty incredible that anybody watching the game or who understands football would think anything different. Just because a team decides to keep possession or pass it around at the back does not mean the team or game lacks intensity either. Is that not how Man City play ? It’s intensity on the press, getting the ball back when they lose it, overlapping runs from full backs etc. A player like Rodri 40 or 50 years ago would look like some kind of super human compared to his team mates.

Anyhow - I said I would not debate this !! Fine for you to have a different opinion. Some people think the Harry Enfield sketch on football is the best it’s been….having a cigarette and a beer on the halfway line !!

[CrosspoolClarets]

Big fan of taking cups seriously but I would leave out Edwards on that paddy field who is vital in stopping us ending up with PNE in permenant mid table, I would also leave out Esteve who is the most irreplacable of our defenders, and Trafford because that clean sheet league record is psychological and it benefits us to preserve it.

But because of their physicality we need our tougher players who have been around it a bit in this league - Worrall, Roberts, Brownhill, Hannibal, Laurent, Flemming and Barnes.

So I’d play those seven plus probably Hladky, Pires, CJER and Foster, with someone out of position wide right. Koleosho on only if fit.

A mix of priority and non priority.

[summitclaret]

PNE are a dirty side and it's a crap pitch. No way would I be starting Edwards, Foster, Cullen Roberts, CJ or Steve. Also, I'd give Hannibal time off for obvious reasons.

I'd also start Laurent at cb to see how he does in case we need him there later in the season due to more potential injuries.

[Colburn_Claret]

But this ‘prioririse’ thing only works if you believe the notion that playing our strongest team against Preston reduces our chances of a win at Cardiff 3 days later. It’s by no means a given. Liverpool rested virtually their whole team against Plymouth, got knocked out of the cup, then only managed a draw at Everton

I don't think I've given my opinion anywhere, I just pointed out the dilemma in the OP and asked for others opinions.

[boyyanno]

I think the priority is more about getting minuites in individuals rather than choosing between either Cup or League.

[Big Vinny K]

But if a team that is playing 65 games in a season feels the need to rest players, that shouldn't necessarily mean that a team playing 50 games needs to rest players.

Nope it doesn’t necessarily.
But very clearly lots of clubs choose to do exactly that and have done for many years. As said not saying whether I agree or disagree with it but I do understand the rationale behind it.
Not many players these days survive a whole season without injuries. The FA cup fixtures in particular are in the second half of the season and the further you go for many clubs who are either fighting promotion, relegation, play off places or Europe then they choose to prioritise the league and not risk their key players for the run in. When you add into that the money on offer for finishing position in the EPL then that’s a big number of clubs across the leagues who could be prioritising the league over the cups.

Personally I would prefer to field our best side in the cup - purely on a selfish basis that I think the memories from getting to a semi final or final would last with me for a lot longer than getting promotion. I think more burnley fans than say Sheffield United fans would agree because Sheffield fans were lucky enough to enjoy a semi final last season.

[Colburn_Claret]

Nope it doesn’t necessarily.
But very clearly lots of clubs choose to do exactly that and have done for many years. As said not saying whether I agree or disagree with it but I do understand the rationale behind it.
Not many players these days survive a whole season without injuries. The FA cup fixtures in particular are in the second half of the season and the further you go for many clubs who are either fighting promotion, relegation, play off places or Europe then they choose to prioritise the league and not risk their key players for the run in. When you add into that the money on offer for finishing position in the EPL then that’s a big number of clubs across the leagues who could be prioritising the league over the cups.

Personally I would prefer to field our best side in the cup - purely on a selfish basis that I think the memories from getting to a semi final or final would last with me for a lot longer than getting promotion. I think more burnley fans than say Sheffield United fans would agree because Sheffield fans were lucky enough to enjoy a semi final last season.

Would you still feel the same if this was 2009.
We've been very fortunate fans the last 16 years, when the Premier League felt like a pipe dream I doubt many would have preferred a cup run.

[It Is What It Is]

I wouldn't risk a single 1st team squad regular, or Edwards or Benson.
Any possible injury would be catastrophic to our promotion push.
I too prefer EFL to EPL but we need to be financially secure and whose say we can't do a Forest next season anyway.

[jrgbfc]

I wouldn't risk a single 1st team squad regular, or Edwards or Benson.
Any possible injury would be catastrophic to our promotion push.
I too prefer EFL to EPL but we need to be financially secure and whose say we can't do a Forest next season anyway.

So play the youth team basically? Glad you aren't picking the side.

[Taffy on the wing]

Intensity? Have you seen us play this season? The majority of our games are played at a snails pace for the majority of the 90 minutes. I’d argue the game was more intense 40/50 years ago than it is now, if you weren’t attacking hard you were defending hard, no time for stroking it back and forth along the defensive line waiting for the right moment.

Probably because the ball would get stuck in the mud.

[Taffy on the wing]

I definitely wouldn't be playing Edwards, on that pitch, and with some of the thugs they've got in their side.

My sentiment entirely......he's a diamond & probably key to an auto spot.

[morninbob]

Make as many changes as possible

Hladkey
Sonne worral Steve pires
Shelvey brownhill
Benson Redmond koleosho
Foster
Subs
CJ for Steve
Edwards for Benson
Barnes for foster
Sarmiento for Redmond

[Big Vinny K]

Would you still feel the same if this was 2009.
We've been very fortunate fans the last 16 years, when the Premier League felt like a pipe dream I doubt many would have preferred a cup run.

Probably not.
A trip and win at Wembley after an exciting semi final with promotion to the premier league for the first time is pretty much as good as it gets !!