looks like reserves again this saturday…

“Success in the Cup is what we want but not at the price of our league status. I will never allow that to happen.”

I can understand Martinez making changes after the poor performance against Liverpool. A break for some players may well be a good thing. It could produce a better team performance this week against Everton and next week against Newcastle.

Rio Miyaichi happily played for 45 minutes for the Development Squad last night, while Adrian Lopez and Nouha Dicko played the full 90 minutes. Callum McManaman and Fraser Fyvie were left out of the squad – presumably they are being saved for Saturday.

Jagielka will miss Saturday’s game through injury. That won’t improve Everton’s defence – they have kept only four clean sheets in 28 Premier League this season.

I don’t think that either side wants a replay. Everton are still playing for a place in Europe. There are no mid-week fixtures left this season – although Wigan have to re-arrange the match at Manchester City. A draw would mean an extra mid-week game – and a semi-final place would mean another league game postponed.

A cup win would be great, but it brings a much greater load too. Martinez is walking a fine line – as he has done before.

cup team shows more work ethic and eagerness than our prem side……they have earned the right to retain their places….good luck to them…..come on wigan

I’m sorry but aren’t you supposed to match up your opponents in any team sport ?So when we already know Everton will have a best available 11 on the pitch then what exactly is the point of giving them the advantage straight from the start.He’s analyzed his squad depth against West Ham.Forest,Bournemouth twice,Bradford Macclesfield and Huddersfield so for me he knows what he needs to know.Yes I agree the cup teams have shown great eagerness but are they REALLY capable of getting a result against a very competent Everton team ?The time for playing a weakened side have gone .Our best 11 have an excellent chance of clawing out a result but sorry for me the team that beat Huddersfield…..forget it !Question for those in agreement with his possible selections on Saturday.If we did stun everyone and somehow got to the semi….should he play his fringe squad then or even the same in the final ?

Are you just so f*****G happy clapping any crap we produce ? Grow a pair soft lad and love the club not the manager.Do you never want to see us progress and make people take note or are you really stupid enough to think that playing a weak side has any advantages for the team ,club or fans .?Its one match with the potential to lift everyone and you’d be happy for him to sacrafice that for what exactly ? We should be looking at this game as a survival catalyst hot an obtsacle….remember winning breeds winning !

Are you just moaning for the f*cking sake of it or what lad?

You moan about the team V Liverpool now your kicking up a fuss because he isnt playing the same team V Everton.[/quote]

I’m sure brownbill doesn’t need anyone to fight his battles but your post is deliberately twisting what he’s said (which may well have been your intention)
There’s a world of difference between complaining that certain players are out of form & shouldn’t be starting league games, or should be dropped from the next one, and complaining that you don’t agree with Bobby’s cup selection policy & that naming a starting XI without our better players & replacing them with squad members & youngsters en masse is in effect almost like surrendering the tie before a ball has been kicked
Note he said our “best XI” and not “the side that played v Liverpool” ;)

Are you just moaning for the f*cking sake of it or what lad?

You moan about the team V Liverpool now your kicking up a fuss because he isnt playing the same team V Everton.[/quote]

spot on salford………they slated the team on sat’day night, then they want the same starting 11 on sat’day dinner time………………the “cup team” have earned their passage to the 1/4 finals and deserve to play in it……put it this way, would any person on here put all their effort into making something, then to be told that someone else who “ranks” above you will take all the glory at the expense of all your hard work!!!!!!!!

no fooking chance…….cup team all the way…..they’ve got us into this position not the 1st team……come on boys…..2 wins from immortality and a place in the history books[/quote]

In 2005-2006 Paul Jewell played a fringe squad + some regulars in the Carling Cup.
When the team got to the semi-finals and had a genuine chance of winning it/getting to the final, he put out his strongest side out against Arsenal in both legs & won (we’ll gloss over the United result!!). I don’t recall one supporter saying that it wasn’t fair coz the likes of Skoko & Connolly had helped get us to that stage. Nor do I recall hearing of any discontent from within the squad about the decision although I’m sure those left out wouldn’t have been cock-a-hoop about it.

the demoralizing effect on players trying to prove themselves that they can “hack it” (cup seems to be the only chance they get), would be devastating if they are told “you’ve had your 3 games worth lads, now leave it to the big boys from here”……what kind of a frigging message/statement is that sending out to the lads who can’t get into the 1st team or indeed get a chance to show us what they can do…..?

IF (big if) bobby picks a near “full strenght” starting 11, i will be fookin fuming and gutted at the same time for the lads who don’t get opportunities to show us whether they have what it takes….they’ve got us to this position, LET THEM CARRY ON…..

So then, IF we put the usual full strenght team out and get beat…..what would you lot on here say then eh?????? BLOODY RUBBISH MARTINEZ, HE SHOULD HAVE PLAYED THE “CUP TEAM” FFS