Should we take the FA Cup seriously?
- Thread starter Wumminator
- Start date
Yes, that's the Utd way of course..FFS!
Try being a Liverpool fan
We are playing the best football for years, let's hope it continues eh? Look forward not back
No, top four and Europa League should be the priority. We should only worry about domestic cup wins when we are comfortable in getting to the top four. Solskjaer won't get any plaudits for winning a smaller domestic cup if we scupper Europe next season. It would be the same situation as LVG in his final season.
Chelsea and us are in the same situation so it's hard to tell whether Chelsea will rest players or play a full strength team and the same goes for us.
Any option is a gamble, if one team rests players the other team has a big advantage. However, playing a full strength squad will cause more fatigue which can negatively impact the remaining games. The margin between the team is minuscule now, Chelsea have a week goal difference but more points while Leicester and United are a point behind but with a much better GD.
If United make it through we should go for it in the final against City (unless Arse do something incredible by their standards)
Any option is a gamble, if one team rests players the other team has a big advantage. However, playing a full strength squad will cause more fatigue which can negatively impact the remaining games. The margin between the team is minuscule now, Chelsea have a week goal difference but more points while Leicester and United are a point behind but with a much better GD.
If United make it through we should go for it in the final against City (unless Arse do something incredible by their standards)
We've got 4 games in 10 days.
We need to win them all.
Come on, 10 days of hard work and then we got 2 cup finals to play.
Isn't that something to think about.
Hope Ole fires them up.
Play them the 99' games all day, let them feel the pressure!
We need to win them all.
Come on, 10 days of hard work and then we got 2 cup finals to play.
Isn't that something to think about.
Hope Ole fires them up.
Play them the 99' games all day, let them feel the pressure!
It very much is, actually. Look at the side we fielded in the 2009 FA Cup semi-final, for example:
Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fabio Da Silva (Evra 63), Welbeck, Gibson, Anderson, Park (Scholes 67), Tevez, Macheda (Berbatov 91).
Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick, Nani did not feature at all... because we had more important things to worry about. Even though our next game was a run-of-the-mill home league game against Portsmouth.
Wasn’t it Everton in a game we should have won
Yeah, we should have had a penalty though we didn't really play well. Neither did Everton though, in all honesty it was a shite game.
Top 4 should be our priority. Winning the FA cup won’t get us new quality players or help us keep those we already have. Qualification for the champions league on the other hand will allow us to strengthen in the transfer window.
Rest players in the fa cup semi. We can still grind out a win. If not we move on. Our top most priority should be top 4. It’s within our grasps but any little slip up would be costly .
Rest players in the fa cup semi. We can still grind out a win. If not we move on. Our top most priority should be top 4. It’s within our grasps but any little slip up would be costly .
After last night’s result the league has to be the main priority. The next few games are coming thick and fast and we need are strongest line up for the remaining league fixtures, can’t take anything for granted. Therefore the only opportunity to rest players will be the F.A cup tie, would love to win the cup but securing CL is simply more important for the club right now.
would rest all 11 starters, do not care 1 bit about the FA Cup with Champions League football on the line.
Champions league should be our focus. Rest key players for this one.
I also think Lampard will make some changes for this game with their last two games being against tough sides
Absolutely not at this stage. If top-four was secured, I'd give the FA cup a second thought. I am sure Chelsea will play their second side in their FA cup tie; United should play the reserves.
I think he has to rest players in the cup. I can understand why others don't feel that way, but making Champions League is an absolute must at this stage.
My mindset is that we are Manchester United and should be looking to win every single game that we play.
I can't shake the feeling that if we were to lose the game on Sunday how that would affect our momentum in the last games. Saying that, I would completely get it if we did play a weakened side in the FA Cup game. The closeness of all of these fixtures is bordering on ridiculous, imo. Is this really the best way the league can be finished?
I can't shake the feeling that if we were to lose the game on Sunday how that would affect our momentum in the last games. Saying that, I would completely get it if we did play a weakened side in the FA Cup game. The closeness of all of these fixtures is bordering on ridiculous, imo. Is this really the best way the league can be finished?
I'd rather win the Europa League than the FA Cup, and would rather win the FA Cup then be given third. There's some weird football fans (and managers) nowadays who only care about the future and never actually winning in the present.
Ole doesn't really have to deprioritise the FA Cup, it is going to be done by default with the scheduling. There's only three days, less than 72 hours between Palace and the semi. We had the kind schedule until this week, but now all of our games are condensed. Chelsea meanwhile have the more relaxed schedule with two extra days to prepare.
Pretty certain Ole will pick the side most capable of winning the match. As I have argued for weeks now, that is not the same as your first XI in a vacuum. Greenwood will likely be benched for an extra midfielder, and both Scott and Fred might play to free Pogba up for further forward.
Ole doesn't really have to deprioritise the FA Cup, it is going to be done by default with the scheduling. There's only three days, less than 72 hours between Palace and the semi. We had the kind schedule until this week, but now all of our games are condensed. Chelsea meanwhile have the more relaxed schedule with two extra days to prepare.
Pretty certain Ole will pick the side most capable of winning the match. As I have argued for weeks now, that is not the same as your first XI in a vacuum. Greenwood will likely be benched for an extra midfielder, and both Scott and Fred might play to free Pogba up for further forward.
We have to prioritise finishing in the top four and when you look at the bench we don't have the squad to also compete for the cup. Has to go full strength against Palace and rest players versus Chelsea, we still may be able to beat them with a weakened side you never know.
On the best of days I don’t care very much for the domestic cup competitions, and don’t consider them great achievements in isolation.
On the basis of last night, the fact that we’re still locked in a very tight battle for a top 4 finish which very much could derail our transfer plans for the summer, as well as still being within a decent shout of winning the Europa league, I would definitely rest as many first team players as possible.
Put another way, if we won the FA cup, but missed out on Champions league football, then this would not really be considered a successful season.
We can go all out for the domestic cups when we’re at the level we need to be in the league and in European football again.
On the basis of last night, the fact that we’re still locked in a very tight battle for a top 4 finish which very much could derail our transfer plans for the summer, as well as still being within a decent shout of winning the Europa league, I would definitely rest as many first team players as possible.
Put another way, if we won the FA cup, but missed out on Champions league football, then this would not really be considered a successful season.
We can go all out for the domestic cups when we’re at the level we need to be in the league and in European football again.
Romero
Dalot
Bailey
Mengi
Williams
Fred
McT
Mata
Jesse
Ighalo
James
This needs to be our lineup.
Dalot
Bailey
Mengi
Williams
Fred
McT
Mata
Jesse
Ighalo
James
This needs to be our lineup.
Yeah, I think keep positive and go for gold.
The second half last night showed negative/conservative thinking and subs changed the mood of the game.
Beating Chelsea will give us a well needed mental boost. I think we are a little fragile in terms of winning mentality, shown by our runs of good form when confidence is high, and lack of capitalising on rivals slipping up when the pressure is on.
The second half last night showed negative/conservative thinking and subs changed the mood of the game.
Beating Chelsea will give us a well needed mental boost. I think we are a little fragile in terms of winning mentality, shown by our runs of good form when confidence is high, and lack of capitalising on rivals slipping up when the pressure is on.
The League and the Europa league are more important than the FA CUP.Even if we finish in the top 4,I would always chose winning the Europa league over the FA Cup.Obviously we need to play our strongest team against Palace on Thursday night...After that Ole has to take a big decision...Some players might be rested for the big league game against West Ham...Obviously the 2 games against Palace and West ham are way more important than the semi final,so Ole will probably select his teams prioritising the league....
Right the 2009 cup semi which we lost and where Fergie was absolutely annihilated in the press and by the fans means it now very much is the United way? Bollocks. That’s one of Fergie’s worst ever decisions and he pretty much admitted it was, although he did always defend himself that we had a clear cut penalty denied.
Just this.
If Ole is gonna start the best 11 i'm gonna be so nervous about our last two fixtures.
We even have 2 less resting days.
I'm kinda afraid he is doing rotation against Crystal Palace instead though.
But he continued doing it, fielding weakened teams in the FA Cup pretty much all the time. Remember that hilarious win over Arsenal? We started with Fabio, O'Shea, Gibson and Rafael in midfield!
Based on the tired performance last night I say no. It's not like the fans will be going to a final either way. Go get that CL place.
Who came up with the schedule of giving Chelsea an extra 2 days rest before the cup semi final?
We need to go as close to full strength against Palace as possible. If that means playing a weakened side against Chelsea then so be it.
Do not gamble on top 4, rest players in the FA Cup.
When United have strength in depth then rest players, this year is not the year to pin hopes on the FA Cup and fourth.
When United have strength in depth then rest players, this year is not the year to pin hopes on the FA Cup and fourth.
Ourselves and Chelsea are in the same boat. It's about who has the better depth. After Sunday they have Liverpool, I can see frank resting some players. If leicester lose to Sheffield he might feel confident enough to field a strong team against us.
Just play the kids for all I care. Would like to win the trophies, but reaching UCL is more important. After all, we want to make some good signings, right? Hard for a perennial Europa League club to sign Sancho and co.
I'm on the same page. It's sad isn't it as remember the days when winIng the FA Cup meant something, it still does to me if I'm being honest. There was always a big build up on the day of the match in the mornings from the hotels.
Also how both teams got to the final, the good old days as the say.
I appreciate that some fans will look at the bigger picture though. I know top 4 has to come first and if that doesn't work have to do it via the Europa Cup which to be fair is starting to build in momentum again.
Play a second team and bring on the big guns if needed. Champions league is more important now
Difficult one this.
Part of me thinks yeah prioritise the CL as it could make a difference to revenue and potential signings.
However if Sancho and Grealish are our only signings and already in the bag, and Europa sees us in CL then go for the trophies. Would be a magnificent achievement considering what we have been through since Ole took over.
Part of me thinks yeah prioritise the CL as it could make a difference to revenue and potential signings.
However if Sancho and Grealish are our only signings and already in the bag, and Europa sees us in CL then go for the trophies. Would be a magnificent achievement considering what we have been through since Ole took over.
Take every match "seriously", which doesn't necessarily mean start the same XI who started against Southampton. Matic looked tired and I'm not sure Lindelof is much of an upgrade on Bailly anyway. Go with Romero over De Gea, as we have done all season in cup play.
The FA Cup is an honorable trophy and we shouldn't piss too much on it while we worship at the altar of Top Four. I don't recall us fielding weak squads in the latter stages of the FA Cup in 1999 and there's no reason to start doing so now.
The FA Cup is an honorable trophy and we shouldn't piss too much on it while we worship at the altar of Top Four. I don't recall us fielding weak squads in the latter stages of the FA Cup in 1999 and there's no reason to start doing so now.
Play best side obviously. We need to bloody go for it. Chelsea and then City. We can do it!
Chelsea have perhaps an even greater dilemma as they don't have a Europa plan b in CL option like we do.
So Im certain they will play a very rotated team.
I think Ole has to play his 2nd XI. Tell them go got for it with their lives. But if we lose, no big deal.
So Im certain they will play a very rotated team.
I think Ole has to play his 2nd XI. Tell them go got for it with their lives. But if we lose, no big deal.
If he goes for a second team then I want him fired. Should be able to fight on all front with what we got and need to play a strong side vs Chelsea.
He will never manage to play in Champions league as well if he can't deal with this situation.
Such a ridiculous stance. We are in an unprecedented situation.
Did you demand SAF be fired in 2009? Or the many other times he played 2nd teams when he had to prioritise.
He won't be under this kind of mad schedule next year and will have a stronger squad.
Lastly, and thankfully, what you want doesn't matter.