Brentford (a) Pre-Match (FA Cup)

[Steve Earle]

38 minutes ago, NaijaFox said:

Brentford are chasing an automatic promotion spot in the Championship, and if they beat Luton today they will be in 3d-place with a crucial game away at 2d-place Swansea barely 3 days after playing us. Doubtful they'll field a full-strength squad against us (and jeopardize a good shot at the EPL). 

 

Good point, & agree. They didn’t last year either, yet after a one-sided opening 15 minutes they matched us all the way.

 

My point is that this is no time for handing out starting places to the likes of Leshabela as @volpeazzurro suggested. We start quite strong, then see how the game unfolds.

[Shane]

Just now, StanSP said:

I thought suspensions don't count for different competitions?

Oh really  My mistake! thought they carried on to the fa cup. Damn, them losing Toney would have helped us significantly . 

[RowlattsFox]

3 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I thought suspensions don't count for different competitions?

I think red cards do, but not yellow cards. Might be wrong though, he probably wouldn't have started anyway with them playing Swansea next week. 

[moore_94]

9 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

I think red cards do, but not yellow cards. Might be wrong though, he probably wouldn't have started anyway with them playing Swansea next week. 

 

12 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I thought suspensions don't count for different competitions?

 

10 minutes ago, Shane said:

Oh really  My mistake! thought they carried on to the fa cup. Damn, them losing Toney would have helped us significantly . 

Red cards are carried across all competitions, so he will miss our game

 

https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/discipline/player-essentials (You will need to download the PDF and go to Page 9)

 

 

[TJB-fox]

 half of the posters in this thread posting our reserves as the predicted lineup swore blind to me that we’d go full strength when the cup draw was made. I assume you didn’t look at the fixture list. 

 

I’d go 

 

Schmeichel

 

Ricardo Soyuncu Fofana Thomas

Choudhury Mendy

Under Perez Barnes

Iheanacho

 

[Stevosevic]

44 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Gray has to play, this is his level

Will be bothered though? Unlikely. He knows he's leaving.

[Webbo]

If we played an almost full strength in the last round, you'd assume it will be almost full strength again. 

[Dr The Singh]

1 minute ago, Stevosevic said:

Will be bothered though? Unlikely. He knows he's leaving.

He loves us

[Dr The Singh]

Just now, Webbo said:

If we played an almost full strength in the last round, you'd assume it will be almost full strength again. 

Can Vardy play 3 games a week?

[kiwiturk]

4 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

                    Ward

Ricardo Armarty Soyuncu Thomas 

Under Choudhury Mendy Leshabela 

Perez 

Iheanacho 

 

Everton and rest for certain players has to be a priority for me. That isn't to say that we don't want to compete and I think that this team should be well capable of beating a championship side, helping in the regaining of fitness for some whilst giving players like Under, Leshabela, Armarty and Thomas a chance to impress.

 

 

Does Under still need to impress anyone?

I thought that's what he has been doing all along.

It's almost certain than that Foxes don't want to pay $20 mil. for him that's why he benched after voted MOTM twice in a row. 

The decision surrounding him is purely financial.

[Webbo]

Just now, Dr The Singh said:

Can Vardy play 3 games a week?

He didn't play against Stoke . He can come off the bench if needed. 

 

You could argue that Ricky and Cags are first choice players, so it's not weakening the team playing them and they could do with the minutes.

[NaijaFox]

8 minutes ago, Webbo said:

If we played an almost full strength in the last round, you'd assume it will be almost full strength again. 

We had an entire week off after the Stoke game.

[WigstonWanderer]

With Praet out, I’d resist the temptation to risk playing Tielemans.

[Webbo]

Just now, NaijaFox said:

We had an entire week off after the Stoke game.

If we weren't planning on taking the cup seriously we wouldn't have played a strong team. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just what I think will happen.

[StanSP]

12 minutes ago, Webbo said:

If we played an almost full strength in the last round, you'd assume it will be almost full strength again. 

Not with Everton a few days after.

 

We had a week's break after Stoke.

[volpeazzurro]

3 hours ago, Steve Earle said:

Brentford are a very good championship side and I’d expect them to beat that side at their place.

 

We went strong at Stoke and I expect the same, with some game time for those that need it (eg Ricardo, Soyuncu, Ünder) and a rest or bit of a rest for those needing that (eg Evans, JJ? Vardy, Tielemans).

Whilst agreeing with the one's that you'd rest, what about Barnes and Albrighton. We also have to be a little bit careful for different reasons with Ndidi and Fofana. With the current form and winning streak we're on, it would be nice to play an unchanged side against Everton ideally. 

 

Yes, Brentford are a decent Championship side but, week in week out, no matter who we play, someone understandably makes a case for the opposition, they would if we were playing Oadby Town. Sometimes it's almost as if it has to be said so there can be a subsequent 'told you so' in case things go tits up. Brentford too have their priorities and more games to play in the Championship with a thinner squad than us. Promotion has surely got to be the priority there just as Champions League is here. On paper that weakened side I've suggested, bar perhaps a couple of players should be head and shoulders above even their best 11 if they played them. However, football isn't always like that is it and it's the risk that you take. I  suppose ultimately, Rodgers and his team will know who's fully fit and not suffering from fatigue. If he was to field a very weakened side I'd trust it and go with it. If it fielded last night's team I'd go with that too.

[Webbo]

2 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Not with Everton a few days after.

 

We had a week's break after Stoke.

Well we'll know on sunday.

[NaijaFox]

17 minutes ago, Webbo said:

If we weren't planning on taking the cup seriously we wouldn't have played a strong team. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just what I think will happen.

Serious is not suicidal.

Our 'understrength' team should still be enough for their likely 'understrength' team.

 

*For context, they are in 3d place in the Championship chasing an automatic promotion spot, and will travel to 2d place Swansea 3 days after playing against us in the Cup to play what could be regarded as the biggest game of their season thus far.

 

Edited 20 January 2021 by NaijaFox

[Crocyfox79]

1 hour ago, NaijaFox said:

Ill-advised, given that we have a difficult away game vs Everton merely 3 days later.

Well if we want to win the FA cup we gotta go for it 

[NaijaFox]

22 minutes ago, Crocyfox79 said:

Well if we want to win the FA cup we gotta go for it 

We are playing a team that is in 3d place in the Championship chasing an automatic promotion spot, and which has to travel to 2d place Swansea 3 days after playing against us in the Cup to play what could be regarded as the biggest game of their season so far. Doubtful they will be at full-strength against us - and that was even before they lost their (and the Championship's) leading scorer for our game due to a red card suspension this evening. 

 

Edited 20 January 2021 by NaijaFox

[sdb]

                       Ward

 

Ricardo  Amartey  Soyuncu  Thomas

 

             Choudhury Mendy

 

Under            Perez            Gray

 

                  Iheanacho 

[TJB-fox]

28 minutes ago, Webbo said:

If we played an almost full strength in the last round, you'd assume it will be almost full strength again. 

Why? Last round we had a week to rest for Chelsea. We play Everton just a few days after Brentford. Completely different scenarios. 

[hackneyfox]

29 minutes ago, kiwiturk said:

Does Under still need to impress anyone?

I thought that's what he has been doing all along.

It's almost certain than that Foxes don't want to pay $20 mil. for him that's why he benched after voted MOTM twice in a row. 

The decision surrounding him is purely financial.

How many games does he need to play before we have to buy him?

[weller54]

13 minutes ago, Crocyfox79 said:

Well if we want to win the FA cup we gotta go for it 

The Everton game is far more important. I hope there's 9 or 10 changes. Bigger fish to fry than prioritising the FA Cup.

[sacreblueits442]

18 hours ago, deanolegend1989 said:

I think with our draw, it’s a good chance to get to the QF. We should go for it.

There was no point playing a strong team vs Stoke and injuring Praet in the process if were going to gamble with a weak team against a team better than Stoke.

 

Id make a few changes but we need to keep the spine really.

 

Kasper

Ricardo Fofana Soyuncu Justin
            Ndidi Tielemens
                  Perez

Albrighton Nacho Barnes

 

Rest - Evans, Castange, Vardy and Madders.

Try and rest Wilf and Tielemens. Better to start them than bring them on chasing the game.

 

Perez in the hole worth a go. Under to come on for Albrighton.

Its also a good chance to get Ricardo and Soyuncu some action.

 

  

...this team looks extremely strong!!!

Justin needs to be rested, Albrighton needs to rest we could bring in Ünder and Wakeling to play up front. Ndidi and Tielemans to drop to the bench with Mendy (yes I know) coming in. We will be playing a team with a much changed first team for Brentford.