The Carabao Cup Thread

[Wicked Messenger]

I don’t get this talk about that team should have won it and they’re obviously not good enough. Palace put out a full strength side and happened to hammer our ‘first team’ on the last day of the season not that long ago. Some in our squad are better or ‘more ready’ than others and that’s perfectly natural. I was totally happy with the starting line up but I thought the bench would cost us and it did and it shouldn’t have done. That was where we threw it - while the rest of the top four were prepared to risk top players to get through. Players want to play and they want to win things, play at Wembley etc not sit at home watching the chance disappear. Unai has now put massive pressure on us to win on Sunday with our totally rested team against their tired out and depleted outfit. I thought we’d got past all this putting out a weaker team after the debacle of league 2 Stevenage and others.

 

[Old Trinity Villan]

I remember in years gone by, even the Championship years, a lot of people were throwing the cup games as they weren't as important as getting promotion, staying in the PL and "going for Europe". Now there appears to be a complete change of tune on here.

I'm with @mike_field in that we should always try to win every game as it becomes a habit and the opposition fears us. Did Unai throw that game, I don't think so. We all thought that team should have been able to compete but the performance was lethargic, too many balls given away and we couldn't seem to beat the press. Unai will have learnt loads about the players though, so it's not all doom and gloom.

For me, Gauci, Ned, Bailey, Buendia and Philo were just not good enough on the night. You can forgive Ned and Philo as they're learning their trade and Buendia as he's returning from a long term injury. Gauci needs to give way to Zych (whose contract ends this season) who had a cracking game v Bolton, Bailey and probably Buendia need to be upgraded. Kamara and Mings need games to get back up to full speed and fitness. SJM, Carlos, Maatsen and Duran were all reasonable enough to be relied upon as and when required.

Don't like losing, but philosophical enough to understand that Unai needed to test this lot, give them game time and see if could all come together. He's also got a massive week coming up so needed to rest up certain others.

Exactly, if last night was not the time to try Mings, Buendia, Ned and to a lesser extent Kamara i dont see when is? Its only in proper competitive matches you get to see where they are at. I still think we would have gone on to win without the Carlos pass to gift the second goal.

 

[Wicked Messenger]

Exactly, if last night was not the time to try Mings, Buendia, Ned and to a lesser extent Kamara i dont see when is? Its only in proper competitive matches you get to see where they are at. I still think we would have gone on to win without the Carlos pass to gift the second goal.

When we play PL matches we substitute a number of players sometimes 5, particularly if we need to change things. Why couldn’t we have had 5 strong subs to help the others, some not fully match fit yet, to try and win the match? I just don’t get it.

 

[mike_field]

Not had chance to watch any replays of last night and probably wont. But am I wrong in thinking Philogene had a stonewall penalty turned down late in the 2nd half? The defender slid in and didnt look like he made any contact with the ball, just swiped Philo's legs away.
Guess there was no VAR either as no lengthy delay while it was looked into.

If it's the challenge I think it was, no, the git did get the ball when they showed another angle.