We are depleted through injury, suspension and illness. We won 7-0 on Saturday and sustained another bad looking injury. We could not afford to lose anymore key players. If Cadden, Cole or Kitching for example played tonight and got injured or a straight red, there’d have been absolute hell on. We’ve put out a really young and inexperienced team tonight against opposition that in fairness were also much changed, but with quite a good bit more professional experience; and shown the grit and character to come from behind twice and draw the game. It takes real bottle to score as late in both halves as we did, to keep going. That’s actually a really positive trait. I couldn’t give a flying frig that the promising young centre half who we’ve only just plucked from obscurity missed a penalty when no doubt his arse was twitching twenty to the dozen with nerves. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that the young kids got a game, they got stuck in and had a go, and got a result out of the match. It will do them the world of good. And I’m sure the manager will have told them exactly that when they were disappointed in the changing room. We have a new centre half to come in, the majority of our first choice midfield to come back. I still think we need a ‘run his blood to water’ type centre forward to harass centre backs, off the bench maybe, when we’re chasing a game, but as much as I wasn’t getting carried away over one great result Saturday, I’m certainly not going to criticise tonight. They perhaps didn’t play particularly well and apparently lacked a bit of quality at times - that’s to be expected with the changes that I agree were warranted and necessary - but they have shown the heart to fight for a result, and got one. Well done lads.
Pretty much how I saw it. Thought Marshy should have come on before 82minutes. Showed bottle to come from behind twice ,from a very young side.
I think the criticism is more about picking a young inexperienced team in the first place, its nothing to do with how well or bad they played. Surely that's not being questioned. What is the point in even playing in these cup ties in future, if that's how its going to be. And will it be the same for us when it comes to the Fa cup ?. I still think its a risk you've got to take by playing a stronger team in the cup ties, even though we might lose key players to injury or suspension.
Just seems sad that the cups have become such meaningless affairs. Got some great memories of cup runs in years gone by when the gates were pretty much the same as for league games, if not more.
Pretty much agree with your sentiments. The cup run when we knocked 3 first division teams out then took around 18 thousand to Anfield. However at 10 pound and 5 pound for concessions, it shows also the apathy from the fans and financial situation from the fans also. Under 4,000 home fans. I'm more concerned about winning Saturday ,even though I went last night. Also think that the coach got it right,with the right ballance. The young players have got to be introduced and why not in games like these. I was impressed with some of them on display. Chappers is one I had missed coming thru,for special mention.
It could happen again though, if we really wanted it to. The chance of a good little run to the last 16 or Qtrs is possible, but we've got to take it more seriously than that. Yes as some of us do keep saying there's a risk to playing a stronger or even a full strength team, we might lose them for league games etc. But that was just bad last night and disrespectful for those who went, and wanted to see us compete more than that. This is not a criticism of the kids, by the sounds of it they did what we could have expected from them, and they really tried, and maybe they deserved a better result after all. But it worries me how much of this is down to the owners yet again, or did Neil also want to play the youngsters after all.
Realistically though, last night was all about an extension to preseason and looking at our good young players. It would have been nice to have gone through but I think he did the right thing playing who he played. It doesn't really matter that we went out, it does matter that our choice of player for the league games hasn't been weakened.
Tbf when I purchased the ticket I was fully aware the youngsters were going to be playing. Collins had already stated this . So to get to oakwell and say I didn't expect this would be a little naive.
I understand using these cup games to try out the younger players, but we need the team to be balanced with a bit more experience. The great thing about a cup run, even if it is just one or two more rounds, is that it gives more opportunities to develop the young players, and brings in much needed revenue. Giving up at the first hurdle means we do not get the chance of drawing a big club, with a big payday.
And now the chilly California wind is blowing down our bodies again And we're sinking deeper and deeper in the chilly California sand Oh I know you belong inside my aching heart And can't you see my faded Levis bursting apart And don't you here me crying, "Oh babe don't go"? And don't you hear me screaming "How was I to know?" I'm in the middle of nowhere near the end of the line But there's a border to somewhere waiting and there's a tankful of time Oh give me just another moment to see the light of the day And take me to another land where I don't have to stay And I'm gonna need somebody to make me feel like you do And I will receive somebody with open arms, open eyes Open up the sky, let the planet that I love shine through For crying out loud, you know I love you For crying out loud, you know I love you For crying out loud, you know I love you
Well I hope Neil wanted this then, and that it wasn't forced on him. Im sure it will happen in the Papa trophy thing as well, and maybe even in the Fa cup sadly. Let's hope it does prove to be a valuable learning experience for everybody, and not a total waste of everybody's time instead.
I'm getting genuinely perplexed by these new threads now. I've seen almost no criticism of the side put out yesterday, or the defeat, other than a couple of mildly disgruntled posts from fans that want us to have a good cup run - which is a valid viewpoint in my opinion. I don't understand why people are getting so triggered by this perceived negativity. You'd have thought this board was just full of moaners when it's totally the opposite.