Should we take the FA Cup seriously?

[EnelDoobacabra]

I think Ole has gone on record enough times this season saying that Manchester United should be competing in every competition. I also recall him saying winning the FA Cup would be a big cornerstone for the lads and help them become actual winners. So I really don't think he's going to throw the game in any way, we will field a strong team. I imagine he will be conscious of the top 4 race still of course and rotate quite heavily still.

I personally expect to see something similar to this:

De Gea
TFM - Lindelof - Bailly - Williams
McTerminator - Fred
Greenwood - Andreas - Martial
Ighalo

I don't think he will bench Martial given his incredible form. And I expect Bruno to come on as a sub. I could see Matic starting too as a surprise but I'm quietly hoping not (want him fresh for the last two matches). Dalot could maybe displace Timbo but I just get the vibe Ole doesn't rate him for whatever reason.

 

[okLaptop1]

I reckon we should rest as many key starters as we can get away with. Not because the FA Cup doesn't matter, but because Chelsea always do us in this competition anyway.

 

[TMDaines]

Name me your three teams that win those 3 games. Lets see how you'd do it.

Provisionally, injuries and sudden changes in form permitting, I'd do something like this.

Chelsea:

We've got a lot of good options for Chelsea based on good prior experiences with Ole. I want a side that can sit fairly deep and break with the pace we have. The back three won us two matches at Stamford Bridge this season, so I'm probably going with that. I'm happy playing any two other midfielders with Bruno in this system. I'm not likely to leave Pogba out though. That's probably four changes for Chelsea, but honestly I'm happy playing Lindelöf at R/LCB, TFM at wing back, or Fred or McT in midfield too. We know Lindelöf is nursing a bad back, and Bailly has played well against Chelsea this year, so I don't feel as if I am weakening the team in this system.

............... DDG
.. Bailly Maguire Shaw
AWB Matic Pogba Williams
.............. Bruno
..... Martial Rashford

West Ham:

We've got a good side that have shown the ability to beat the weaker teams. They can go again here. Three changes.

................... DDG
AWB Lindelöf Maguire Williams
............. McT Pogba
................. Bruno
Greenwood Martial Rashford

Leicester:

Difficult to look to forward ahead given we don't know the scenario would be. We could be looking to just avoid a big loss, playing out a 0-0, or needing a win. Again, I'd want an extra midfielder probably. Three changes.

.................. DDG
AWB Lindelöf Maguire Shaw
....... Fred Matic Pogba
................. Bruno
......... Martial Rashford

Worth pointing out that the implied probability from the betting exchange (or FiveThirtyEight for Leicester) is only (8/11 * 1/4 * 44%) 20.4%, so regardless of whether you take players out of the team specifically to rest them or not, it is unlikely we win all three matches.

It's worth pointing out too though that a draw against Chelsea will be good enough about 50% of the time to get to the final due to penalties, and a draw against Leicester will be enough for top 4 around 55.8% of the time. Even a draw against West Ham would be good enough about 50% of the time if we beat Leicester.

The idea that we have to 100% beat West Ham and Leicester and that the reward for doing so pales everything else into insignificance is a bit silly.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

No, Top 4 trophy is more important

 

[sammsky1]

Provisionally, injuries and sudden changes in form permitting, I'd do something like this.

Chelsea:

We've got a lot of good options for Chelsea based on good prior experiences with Ole. I want a side that can sit fairly deep and break with the pace we have. The back three won us two matches at Stamford Bridge this season, so I'm probably going with that. I'm happy playing any two other midfielders with Bruno in this system. I'm not likely to leave Pogba out though. That's probably four changes for Chelsea, but honestly I'm happy playing Lindelöf at R/LCB, TFM at wing back, or Fred or McT in midfield too. We know Lindelöf is nursing a bad back, and Bailly has played well against Chelsea this year, so I don't feel as if I am weakening the team in this system.

............... DDG
.. Bailly Maguire Shaw
AWB Matic Pogba Williams
.............. Bruno
..... Martial Rashford

West Ham:

We've got a good side that have shown the ability to beat the weaker teams. They can go again here. Three changes.

................... DDG
AWB Lindelöf Maguire Williams
............. McT Pogba
................. Bruno
Greenwood Martial Rashford

Leicester:

Difficult to look to forward ahead given we don't know the scenario would be. We could be looking to just avoid a big loss, playing out a 0-0, or needing a win. Again, I'd want an extra midfielder probably. Three changes.

.................. DDG
AWB Lindelöf Maguire Shaw
....... Fred Matic Pogba
................. Bruno
......... Martial Rashford

Worth pointing out that the implied probability from the betting exchange (or FiveThirtyEight for Leicester) is only (8/11 * 1/4 * 44%) 20.4%, so regardless of whether you take players out of the team specifically to rest them or not, it is unlikely we win all three matches.

It's worth pointing out too though that a draw against Chelsea will be good enough about 50% of the time to get to the final due to penalties, and a draw against Leicester will be enough for top 4 around 55.8% of the time. Even a draw against West Ham would be good enough about 50% of the time if we beat Leicester.

The idea that we have to 100% beat West Ham and Leicester and that the reward for doing so pales everything else into insignificance is a bit silly.

Have you ever played football? Or do you do serious gym works outs? If so, you'd know footballers are also real people and not equations in a computer game? Shaw and Williams are most likely injured too.
You are deluded to think bolded players can play 3 more games in 7 days after recent workload, without a huge drop in quality.
I also don't know what relevance an equation derived from a betting website has. I don't want to be dismissive, but this kind of Football Manager spreadsheet crap is really stupid and utterly bizarre.
No point continuing this conversation with me as you cant seem to accept blatant reality in front of you or the point I'm making.
Anyway, we'll soon see what Ole decides.

 

[Tom Cato]

I desperately want us to rest as many players as humanly possible.

But another way to look at it is what team is Lampard going to play? They have Liverpool away on Wednesday and Wolverhampton at home on Sunday. The FA cup is a nice trophy but it pales in comparison to the value of Champions League, so I don't see how any manager will even be allowed to risk injuriues to key players. is Ole going to gamble up to £100m that the tournament is worth to the club playing a strong First XI in a cup thats naught but meaningless outside of the glory? Is Lampard?

Very curious about the team selection here, but I do smell a Ighalo start.

Leicester got a game on Sunday and then Manchester United a full week later

We have West Ham on Wedneday and Leicester on Sunday.

Liverpool are not losing another game home at Anfield after becoming league champions, I can't see Klopp allowing anyone to have an off day. If Chelsea lose and both Leicester and manchester united win in gameweek 37, Chelsea can only get to the Champions League if either Leicester or Manchester United win the last game, a draw means Chelsea play in the Europa League due to goal difference

Is Leicester beating a Tottenham that's found their stride though? Seems unlikely.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Take FA Cup seriously by resting many of our best players.

Realistically from looking at our two most recent games, most of our best 11 need to take at least a game off.

That break will do wonders to them in the longer run of this late season.

Just put the rested best 11 players on the bench just in case we need them.

 

[humdinger]

I love the FA cup but the league is too important and our players are knackered. I’d much rather we rest key players and attempt to protect them from injury.

Especially after what happened to Rashford when we played Wolves.

 

[cyril C]

We should take FA seriously WHEN we reach the Final.

The fact that FA schedule the FA Cup in 2nd half of season, meant that it will always be 3rd priority, after CL and EPL. Except for mid-level Clubs who has nothing else to fight for. Birmingham learnt it the hard way that relegation is a much harder price to pay despite winning FA, hence bottom clubs have to neglect it as well.

 

[VorZakone]

People always talk about fatigue but isn't match rhythm important too?

I don't remember what season it was, either 17/18 or 18/19, but Liverpool had a 2 week break in the middle of the season and they ended up wasting points in the next couple of games.

 

[Penna]

It seems terrible to even be considering not putting out our best team for an FA Cup semi-final, but that's what football's become now. We have to be pragmatic here and as others have said, Chelsea has the same dilemma to a certain extent.

 

[Keefy18]

Weather folks want to admit it or not, the reality is top 4 / CL is the priority.

It brings in far more revenue and ability to build the team around.

We don't get player signing across the line because they want to play in the FA Cup next season, we do however get them cause they want CL Football.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Weather folks want to admit it or not, the reality is top 4 / CL is the priority.

It brings in far more revenue and ability to build the team around.

We don't get player signing across the line because they want to play in the FA Cup next season, we do however get them cause they want CL Football.

We have 2 great shots at it: league obviously is the best and likely route. Then the Europa which would be superb and relaxed way to cap the season if the former is achieved.

 

[Keefy18]

We have 2 great shots at it: league obviously is the best and likely route. Then the Europa which would be superb and relaxed way to cap the season if the former is achieved.

Yep its nice to have two options, I'm sure Ole would much prefer to have it in the bag with a league position than waiting another few weeks and putting pressure on winning the EL.

I expect he'll make some changes for Chelsea, at least 5 or 6.

West Ham is the bigger fixture.

 

[Riz]

I reckon we should rest as many key starters as we can get away with. Not because the FA Cup doesn't matter, but because Chelsea always do us in this competition anyway.

We knocked them out last season at the Bridge to be fair.

 

[Riz]

People always talk about fatigue but isn't match rhythm important too?

I don't remember what season it was, either 17/18 or 18/19, but Liverpool had a 2 week break in the middle of the season and they ended up wasting points in the next couple of games.

I suppose that argument could be made to a certain extent for Rashford and Martial who are hitting top form at the moment but given the frequency of fixtures since the restart then a rest vs Chelsea still means the first team players go from playing Thursday to Wednesday. A 6 day break is just the usual rhythm.

I think Pogba and Bruno have to be benched, especially Bruno so he’s back to firing against West Ham and Leicester. Matic I’d also use as a sub if we need to control the game like he did after coming on against Palace.

I think the front 3 are a bit different, Greenwood was subbed off but has struggled in the past 2 games so whether that’s down to fatigue or just simply being a teenager playing for Man United we don’t know. Could start. Rashford I’d rest as like Bruno he’s also been putting a big shift in recently and James is a better player on the left than he is on the right. Martial is in such good form it’s difficult to not start him but his replacement in Ighalo is our best back up player in the squad.

Ighalo
James - Lingard - Greenwood
Fred - McT
Williams - Maguire - Lindelof - Dalot
De Gea
​

If needed we’d have Rashford, Martial, Pogba, Bruno and Matic off the bench in the second half...

 

[Keefy18]

I suppose that argument could be made to a certain extent for Rashford and Martial who are hitting top form at the moment but given the frequency of fixtures since the restart then a rest vs Chelsea still means the first team players go from playing Thursday to Wednesday. A 6 day break is just the usual rhythm.

I think Pogba and Bruno have to be benched, especially Bruno so he’s back to firing against West Ham and Leicester. Matic I’d also use as a sub if we need to control the game like he did after coming on against Palace.

I think the front 3 are a bit different, Greenwood was subbed off but has struggled in the past 2 games so whether that’s down to fatigue or just simply being a teenager playing for Man United we don’t know. Could start. Rashford I’d rest as like Bruno he’s also been putting a big shift in recently and James is a better player on the left than he is on the right. Martial is in such good form it’s difficult to not start him but his replacement in Ighalo is our best back up player in the squad.

Ighalo
James - Lingard - Greenwood
Fred - McT
Williams - Maguire - Lindelof - Dalot
De Gea
​

If needed we’d have Rashford, Martial, Pogba, Bruno and Matic off the bench in the second half...

Romero will no doubt start.

Wouldn't mind seeing Bailly in there beside Harry as Lindelof was terrible the other night.

But that aside I don't think you are too far off it being our starting XI.

 

[Man-United]

Lindelof should keep playing, he had many good games in a row now and keep the partnership with Maguire going.

 

[Devil81]

I'd love to add another FA Cup to the trophy cabinet but I do think we should play a complete rotated team.

The only first-team players I can see starting are Fernandes, Maguire and Wan Bissaka.

 

[Gerald G]

Of course, but I'd still rest some players

 

[lsd]

No we should rest our important players for West Ham

Romero
Fosu Mensah
Bailly
Mengi
Williams
McTominay
Fred
Lingard
Perriera
Ighalo
James