Rest the best for the cup !

Dave (newfootballer) has called Newport a "very important game" but with all due respect, I couldn't disagree more.

IMHO Port Vale is a golden opportunity to make a serious mark this season and turn our fortunes around.
Are we really willing to risk it for what is in comparison, a "nothing game" vs Newport ?

If I was S&H I'd very seriously consider resting most of the key players vs Newport for the BIG ONE IN THE CUP on Tuesday with a game on the Saturday.
(2 games in 4 days !)

Just personally I would rest the lot whilst giving others some much needed game time.

My team would be something like this....

....................McKeown
Silk........Garner......Pearson........Ridley
Makofo....Disley......Artus...........Eagle
..............Elding.......Spencer

Subs: Green, I'Anson, Panther, Bradbury, Mulready.

Not a bad team to play Newport is it ?  

I feel it's very important we get our priorities right.

It's gonna be hard enough as it is (Hurst said PV would be "even tougher" on freeview) so we need to be fresh, focused and also take into account the possibility of extra time and tired legs to give ourselves every possible chance.
Plus we can give those not currently featuring in the 1st XI a good run out.  
With competition for places being opened up maybe there's also a chance for someone to stake a claim for Tuesday with an outstanding performance on Saturday.
I could easily see us winning or drawing with a fresh and different line up vs Newport too with those not featuring keen to "stake a claim" in the team.

Disagree for the sake of it if you like, but both times I've said we need to rotate things around and we haven't (Chasetown and York), each time it's backfired.  

In any case I certainly don't think we should be taking any risks with a 2rd round tie vs Salisbury and potential 3rd round windfall up for grabs !!!  

Let's face facts, we won't get much of a better chance than this for a decent cup run (as a club we need to go for it 100%) and I'd much prefer it if we gave it our VERY BEST SHOT than flogging a dead horse with promotion all but gone.

With so many games in the season left, regardless of what happens on Saturday I certainly won't be buying any doomsday predictions of relegation.

Just imagine what could happen if we made it to the 3rd round, it could be Arsenal, Chelsea or Man Utd.
There's certainly a good chance of or a bumper away day payout whoever it is (if not then it's a home tie so it's a "win-win" scenario !)

Of course, at the end of the day there are no guarantees whatever you do.
But get a result with a different side Saturday we'll have the whole squad contributing to the cause with the added bonus everyone is fresh and raring to go on Tuesday.

So go on Rob and Paul, everything is crying out for a change in personnel Saturday and get a good result in either game it will reflect very well on yourselves but much more importantly, help the club in the process.

UP THE MARINERS. (especially next Tuesday !)  

PS May I suggest we practice a few penalties too?  

Quoted from 1600

Dave (newfootballer) has called Newport a "very important game" but with all due respect, I couldn't disagree more.

IMHO Port Vale is a golden opportunity to make a serious mark this season and turn our fortunes around.
Are we really willing to risk it for what is in comparison, a "nothing game" vs Newport ?

If I was S&H I'd very seriously consider resting most of the key players vs Newport for the BIG ONE IN THE CUP on Tuesday with a game on the Saturday.
(2 games in 4 days !)

Just personally I would rest the lot whilst giving others some much needed game time.

My team would be something like this....

....................McKeown
Silk........Garner......Pearson........Ridley
Makofo....Disley......Artus...........Eagle
..............Elding.......Spencer

Subs: Green, I'Anson, Panther, Bradbury, Mulready.

Not a bad team to play Newport is it ?  

I feel it's very important we get our priorities right.

It's gonna be hard enough as it is (Hurst said PV would be "even tougher" on freeview) so we need to be fresh, focused and also take into account the possibility of extra time and tired legs to give ourselves every possible chance.
Plus we can give those not currently featuring in the 1st XI a good run out.  
With competition for places being opened up maybe there's also a chance for someone to stake a claim for Tuesday with an outstanding performance on Saturday.
I could easily see us winning or drawing with a fresh and different line up vs Newport too with those not featuring keen to "stake a claim" in the team.

Disagree for the sake of it if you like, but both times I've said we need to rotate things around and we haven't (Chasetown and York), each time it's backfired.  

In any case I certainly don't think we should be taking any risks with a 2rd round tie vs Salisbury and potential 3rd round windfall up for grabs !!!  

Let's face facts, we won't get much of a better chance than this for a decent cup run (as a club we need to go for it 100%) and I'd much prefer it if we gave it our VERY BEST SHOT than flogging a dead horse with promotion all but gone.

With so many games in the season left, regardless of what happens on Saturday I certainly won't be buying any doomsday predictions of relegation.

Just imagine what could happen if we made it to the 3rd round, it could be Arsenal, Chelsea or Man Utd.
There's certainly a good chance of or a bumper away day payout whoever it is (if not then it's a home tie so it's a "win-win" scenario !)

Of course, at the end of the day there are no guarantees whatever you do.
But get a result with a different side Saturday we'll have the whole squad contributing to the cause with the added bonus everyone is fresh and raring to go on Tuesday.

So go on Rob and Paul, everything is crying out for a change in personnel Saturday and get a good result in either game it will reflect very well on yourselves but much more importantly, help the club in the process.

UP THE MARINERS. (especially next Tuesday !)  

PS May I suggest we practice a few penalties too?  

i thought you might have put spencer in centre back

First choice XI.

I don't really know but if it were possible I might like to get the opinions of fans of teams that have gone on good cup runs only to take their eye off the ball league wise and suffer relegation.
It's a difficult one because we aren't going to win the cup. We could get through to round 3 and draw some average League 2 side away from home.

I agreed with your point a bit back about our home form probably seeing us safe. I cannot see the managers "risking" three points at home to a struggling team in pursuit of something which is at best in the lap of the Gods...

I could understand rotating the strikers and a couple of the midfielders but we shouldn't be messing about with the back 4.

We're just starting to look decent and well organised with a settled back 4, the last thing we want to do is start changing it when not forced to (suspension/injury).

Play your best available team (always, IMO).

If squad rotation comes to BSP level we are really suffering illusions of grandeur.

We have a team that most agree is inconsistent and possibly struggling to gel due to previously chopping and changing. Yes we need to replace Coulson on Saturday but if the rest are fit I'd make just the one change

Quoted from Tommy

I could understand rotating the strikers and a couple of the midfielders but we shouldn't be messing about with the back 4.

We're just starting to look decent and well organised with a settled back 4, the last thing we want to do is start changing it when not forced to (suspension/injury).

Good point. I'd like to see something similar. RS and PH have been saying that's their priority so I'd be disappointed to see an overhaul there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Makofo come in for Micky, for example, with Port Vale in mind.

If we can get past Port Vale though we should not be turning our noses up at the Cup. Both teams will be thinking Salisbury offer a good chance of getting to the third round (which arguably works to our disadvantage) and even if we did draw a lowly League 2 side, we still reap the financial rewards playing in four rounds of the FA Cup brings and if we get past Port Vale, who's to say we would have a good chance against Barnet or Plymouth or whoever!!??

Quoted from BIGChris

Play your best available team (always, IMO).

If squad rotation comes to BSP level we are really suffering illusions of grandeur.

We have a team that most agree is inconsistent and possibly struggling to gel due to previously chopping and changing. Yes we need to replace Coulson on Saturday but if the rest are fit I'd make just the one change

bang on the money

Paul Groves played in all 68 games in our double wembley season, makes me laugh when so called full time professional footballers can't play twice a week: if we don't play our strongest team every game I'll stop going to watch us.

Quoted from MyDogsThoughts

Paul Groves played in all 68 games in our double wembley season, makes me laugh when so called full time professional footballers can't play twice a week: if we don't play our strongest team every game I'll stop going to watch us.

Total agreement.

Should always play your best available side in every game IMO.