FAC3: West Ham Utd 2-0 Leeds Utd (9/1/22)

[Watford Hammer]

Marquis, we are in block 228 also and we have had to move.
We are not subscribed to the automatic cup scheme so we had to purchase ticket elsewhere.
I can't remember whether we got an e-mail from the club telling we had to move or whether it was when I went on line to purchase our tickets.
I think there was a window for us to do so before they went on general sale and I did so and got confirmation on 20/12.
Boleyn_Hammer seems to think they will be sent out on Thursday although we might need to confirm our Covid status again.
I will have to watch out for that as I did not get the e-mail asking me to do so for the Southampton game.

[Billydinho]

I don’t know why some of you can’t grasp that football is a squad game now.

Leeds won’t be full strength and our “reserves” beat Man United at Old Trafford.

Of course we should rotate since we’ve got 3 games in a week. Crazy not to.

I wouldn’t expect the full first XI against Norwich either.

Players need a rest, we don’t want to throw away the Europa League which we will if we keep running the players into the ground until March.

[Watford Hammer]

Just rec'd Covid questionnaire for Leeds FAC but it also mentioned Norwich and Leeds PL

[sutts07]

I fear the worst in this one, on and off the pitch.
I think we might sleepwalk into it thinking it is not that big a deal or that we are too big for it all... they will come in their thousands and be bang up for it...

The best I can see is us scraping by in a pen shootout. Really hope that I am wrong and we take it seriously.

[prophet:marginal]

I fear the worst in this one, on and off the pitch.
I think we might sleepwalk into it thinking it is not that big a deal or that we are too big for it all... they will come in their thousands and be bang up for it...

The best I can see is us scraping by in a pen shootout. Really hope that I am wrong and we take it seriously.

I know a few Leeds coming down for the weekend.

They are massively looking forward to paying us a visit...

[Puff Daddy]

I think this will be a mixture of kids and experience. It is no point in playing an entire team of kids. They don't have have the physical strength yet to overcome experience as proved by the recent experiment against Zagreb

[Marquis]

Marquis, we are in block 228 also and we have had to move.
We are not subscribed to the automatic cup scheme so we had to purchase ticket elsewhere.
I can't remember whether we got an e-mail from the club telling we had to move or whether it was when I went on line to purchase our tickets.
I think there was a window for us to do so before they went on general sale and I did so and got confirmation on 20/12.
Boleyn_Hammer seems to think they will be sent out on Thursday although we might need to confirm our Covid status again.
I will have to watch out for that as I did not get the e-mail asking me to do so for the Southampton game.

Thanks mate, I sent a message to supporter services and they said tickets will be sent out on Thursday after filling out the covid form
I then got the covid form email which I filled out but it has 3 games on it - the Leeds cup and league game and Norwich
So I still don’t know if I’ve already got a ticket for Leeds in the cup or if I need to buy one. Would have been helpful if they had answered my specific question …

By the way, thanks for arranging for your mate to swap your upper tier spurs ticket with me the other week. Shame you couldn’t go but I guess as we lost you could say you didn’t miss much !

[Diogenes]

I don’t know why some of you can’t grasp that football is a squad game now.

Leeds won’t be full strength and our “reserves” beat Man United at Old Trafford.

Of course we should rotate since we’ve got 3 games in a week. Crazy not to.

I wouldn’t expect the full first XI against Norwich either.

Players need a rest, we don’t want to throw away the Europa League which we will if we keep running the players into the ground until March.

I grasp it entirely Billy.
However, one small flaw in your argument is that we do not have a 'squad' of quality in depth to contemplate picking and choosing who we play when against Premiership or good opposition.
Its quite simple really. If you want the best chance of a 'cup run' (FA or Europa), from here on in play your best side. Simples. These are highly paid athletes supported by highly paid experts to ensure they keep peak fitness. I don't buy into this 'tired' bu**s*it. Continually 'Winning' is the best recipe for fitness and results.

[Status Kev]

Both sides will probably rest players. Leeds are battling the drop and although they'd like to take a scalp as it were I'm sure the league will be their priority. I reckon we will put out quite a few fringe players but I don't think for a minute Moyes won't be going for the win.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

We should be going strong. One or two changes from our usual first team is fair enough but nothing extreme.

Maybe give someone like Alese or Kral a chance to stake a claim.

[bubbles1966]

https://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopi ... 0&start=20

[Bond Holder 59]

We should be going strong. One or two changes from our usual first team is fair enough but nothing extreme.

Maybe give someone like Alese or Kral a chance to stake a claim.

And Vlasic.

[hammerman11]

Areola
Fredericks alese diop Johnson
Rice noble lanzini
Vlasic bowen fornals

Subs fabianski coufal longello Dawson Ashby kral okoflex yarmolenko Antonio

Hard fought 1-0 hammers win bowen with the winner

[Billydinho]

I grasp it entirely Billy.
However, one small flaw in your argument is that we do not have a 'squad' of quality in depth to contemplate picking and choosing who we play when against Premiership or good opposition.
Its quite simple really. If you want the best chance of a 'cup run' (FA or Europa), from here on in play your best side. Simples. These are highly paid athletes supported by highly paid experts to ensure they keep peak fitness. I don't buy into this 'tired' bu**s*it. Continually 'Winning' is the best recipe for fitness and results.

Of course we have a squad. Not the biggest but we’ve got options.

Areola, Fredericks, Alese, Masuaku, Noble, Kral, Yarmolenko, Perkins, Chesters should all feature. Fornals too if back.

I’m not saying wholesale changes, just being clever to get some rest into our spine like Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Dawson and Antonio.

Something like:

Areola

Fredericks
Alese
Diop
Johnson
Masuaku

Noble
Rice

Fornals
Yarmolenko
Vlasic

I’d expect that to be good enough to proceed with Bowen and Antonio on the bench ready to come on if things are going to plan. Give Rice 60 minutes tops.

[stu1]

I grasp it entirely Billy.
However, one small flaw in your argument is that we do not have a 'squad' of quality in depth to contemplate picking and choosing who we play when against Premiership or good opposition.

Its quite simple really. If you want the best chance of a 'cup run' (FA or Europa), from here on in play your best side. Simples. These are highly paid athletes supported by highly paid experts to ensure they keep peak fitness. I don't buy into this 'tired' bu**s*it. Continually 'Winning' is the best recipe for fitness and results.

Is that true though, especially when it is very likely Leeds will rotate given their current predicament and their history of team selection.

In recent weeks Leeds have been putting 15 year olds on their bench. If Leeds are decimated by injuries and likely to rotate further, why should we not expect to be able to beat them with a slightly rotated team?

To be clear I am not talking about the youngsters, but I might play one (Oko-Flex or Alese or Longelo) and give a game to players like Areola, Fredricks, Noble, Fornals, Vlasic and Kral.

The players are also not robots, you may not ‘buy’ them getting tired but sports science would suggest otherwise. It’s also not wise to freeze out members of the squad that we may need to rely on if we get injuries.

[Watford Hammer]

Marquis, I’m not whom you think I am

[QLDHammer]

Weird to mix the difference, but a logical change really. Shame for us, but overall a good move.

Just means they miss the league game against us instead?

[El brooko79]

Is that true though, especially when it is very likely Leeds will rotate given their current predicament and their history of team selection.

I don't see Leeds rotating too much but they obviously won't risk anyone in areas they are short ( which granted is a fair few)

They would have had a week off. 6 days before their next game.
This is a no pressure game for them and a chance to build some confidence.

We should go full strength but be warey of anyone struggling.
Antonio for example plays Sun, rest vs Norwich, then against Leeds again. Same with Soucek.
Hopefully Fornals is back for Leeds, maybe Vlasic as the 10. Lanzini will be great against Norwich.

Try and win the game then use the 5 subs.

[prophet:marginal]

I forgot it was that absurd 5 subs rule for the FAC too

[Diogenes]

I would rather play a weekened team v Norwich than against Leeds in FA Cup.