Deliberately playing weakened teams

[FMBlade1]

Its been in the news a bit lately, with Luton being fined for picking their youngsters in the Checkatrade trophy despite actually beating West Brom under 23's, which of course is ridiculous.

My question though comes from (as silly as it may sound) playing football manager. When I get a team to the PL in all matches again Chelsea, Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool I always pick the reserves or youth players. It keeps them happy and match fit and gives the first team a break and a chance to focus on more winnable games as well as avoiding injuries.

I recently did this with success with SUFC and we survived, obviously the game isn't real life but I couldn't help but wonder what the reaction would be if our manager ever did something like that?

I imagine those forking £100 for an away 6-0 thumping won't be happy and it would be painful for it to take place at BL but would be people be willing to see the bigger picture?

UTB

 

[Foxy]

Its been in the news a bit lately, with Luton being fined for picking their youngsters in the Checkatrade trophy despite actually beating West Brom under 23's, which of course is ridiculous.

We also got fined 3k, for playing youngsters, whilst other youngsters were also away on international duty, beating Grimsby in a game which was meaningless to both teams as both couldn't progress in the competition.

You know, in a competition apparently designed to aid the development of youngsters.

I was happy enough with our team selection, in a tiny crowd on a cold and foggy weeknight.

 

[Bladesman]

Its been in the news a bit lately, with Luton being fined for picking their youngsters in the Checkatrade trophy despite actually beating West Brom under 23's, which of course is ridiculous.

My question though comes from (as silly as it may sound) playing football manager. When I get a team to the PL in all matches again Chelsea, Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool I always pick the reserves or youth players. It keeps them happy and match fit and gives the first team a break and a chance to focus on more winnable games as well as avoiding injuries.

I recently did this with success with SUFC and we survived, obviously the game isn't real life but I couldn't help but wonder what the reaction would be if our manager ever did something like that?

I imagine those forking £100 for an away 6-0 thumping won't be happy and it would be painful for it to take place at BL but would be people be willing to see the bigger picture?

UTB

It's a complete and utter mess but it's about right for the PL, FA and the Football League.

 

[FMBlade1]

3k is a relatively tiny fine for a club like us and it was a game that didn't matter as Foxy said. The only time I remember us doing it in a league game was when we beat Rotherham 1-0 (and Steve Evans went mental XD) when we couldn't make the play-offs and had the FA Cup to focus on. In both cases no-one really complained. And it is a mess of course, scrapping the loan window compounded this mistake and hopefully we'll not have to worry about this in future years.

Wolves were fined a small amount for losing 3-0 at Manchester United for playing the reserves, if we went up and did the same away at Newcastle for example would there be complaints?

 

[DifferentClass]

I think it's a rip off and insulting to fans when a smaller club, say Plymouth, draw Liverpool at Anfield and Liverpool play their entire reserve XI. Doesn't make cupsets as special IMO.

 

[8lade]

If I lived in Sheffield, I'd be much happier paying a tenner to watch our reserves at BDTBL, knowing they were playing to try and break into the match day squad, than the first team trying to avoid injury in almost meaningless games.
(Checkatrade Trophy)

 

[brownie4583]

I think it's a rip off and insulting to fans when a smaller club, say Plymouth, draw Liverpool at Anfield and Liverpool play their entire reserve XI. Doesn't make cupsets as special IMO.

I think instead of the top 4 qualifying for the champions league it should be the top 3 and the fa cup winners.
The big clubs would then put out strong sides knowing they could enter the champions league and maybe make the game cup special again.

 

[I should coco]

I think instead of the top 4 qualifying for the champions league it should be the top 3 and the fa cup winners.
The big clubs would then put out strong sides knowing they could enter the champions league and maybe make the game cup special again.

I'd go further than taht, to encourage the 'little clubs'.

Top 2 in the EPL into the CL, together with the FAC winners as above.

Then I'd offer a place to L1 winners on the basis of 'trickle down' motivation for the lower leagues.

I'd try it experimentally for one season. Say 2016/17?

 

[Revolution]

I think instead of the top 4 qualifying for the champions league it should be the top 3 and the fa cup winners.
The big clubs would then put out strong sides knowing they could enter the champions league and maybe make the game cup special again.

UEFA rules forbid this, I think.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Its been in the news a bit lately, with Luton being fined for picking their youngsters in the Checkatrade trophy despite actually beating West Brom under 23's, which of course is ridiculous.

My question though comes from (as silly as it may sound) playing football manager. When I get a team to the PL in all matches again Chelsea, Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool I always pick the reserves or youth players. It keeps them happy and match fit and gives the first team a break and a chance to focus on more winnable games as well as avoiding injuries.

I recently did this with success with SUFC and we survived, obviously the game isn't real life but I couldn't help but wonder what the reaction would be if our manager ever did something like that?

I imagine those forking £100 for an away 6-0 thumping won't be happy and it would be painful for it to take place at BL but would be people be willing to see the bigger picture?

UTB

Warnock did exactly that at Old Trafford last time we were in the PL and nearly got a result there. Might have if the penalty/ red card decision for the challenge from Heinze on Shelton had gone the way it should.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

3k is a relatively tiny fine for a club like us and it was a game that didn't matter as Foxy said. The only time I remember us doing it in a league game was when we beat Rotherham 1-0 (and Steve Evans went mental XD) when we couldn't make the play-offs and had the FA Cup to focus on. In both cases no-one really complained. And it is a mess of course, scrapping the loan window compounded this mistake and hopefully we'll not have to worry about this in future years.

Wolves were fined a small amount for losing 3-0 at Manchester United for playing the reserves, if we went up and did the same away at Newcastle for example would there be complaints?

I wouldn’t want to see us doing it in the championship. Nobody at that level should be considered unbeatable so I’d hate to see us writing off games. If we are promoted, I would hope our ambition is more than just to stay up. In the PL, against the Chelsea’s of this world, it’s more reasonable but no way should we be doffing our cap to anyone in the championship before the game.

 

[RammyBlade]

I'd go further than taht, to encourage the 'little clubs'.

Top 2 in the EPL into the CL, together with the FAC winners as above.

Then I'd offer a place to L1 winners on the basis of 'trickle down' motivation for the lower leagues.

I'd try it experimentally for one season. Say 2016/17?

Well that would be a great incentive but knowing us we would get to the semi final of the chamions league and get relegated back to league one !

 

[Jan Age]

What I don't understand is why are the PL teams only allowed to enter their U23s (many of whom are no where near the 1st team) but league clubs are forbidden to field a 'weakened' side... well I do know why... but it's hardly fair and is just designed to allow the next young pretenders in the PL to play competitive football against real pros. I didn't really like the competition before and just despise it now. complete tossers the ones who redesigned this.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Forgive me if I'm being a bit thick here, but apart from a few Tuesdays, don't we deliberately play all teams at the weekend?

Edit: Ahh, just re-read the thread title. Sorry.

 

[I should coco]

don't we deliberately play all teams at the weekend?

A pun so weak that it needed help from the floor up to your screen.

I pride myself on crap jokes, but you have just made me realise relatively how high I set the bar.

I daren't even give you a like for the groan it induced, since it might encourage you further.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

I think it's a rip off and insulting to fans when a smaller club, say Plymouth, draw Liverpool at Anfield and Liverpool play their entire reserve XI. Doesn't make cupsets as special IMO.

No history of that, have they? Remember Fulham the year we went down from the PL?
The only win Fulham had in the second half of that season......

Was anything said in PL circles.......er, no

 

[blade too long]

Im still figuring out why Adkins played weakened teams in league games last season

 

[BushBlade]

No history of that, have they? Remember Fulham the year we went down from the PL?
The only win Fulham had in the second half of that season......

Was anything said in PL circles.......er, no

McCarthy gets a fine, Fergie gets a fucking knighthood. That's the PL for you. Fuck 'em, fuck Fergie, fuck Benitez and fuck Brooking's lot.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I'll probably be in a minority of one for saying this but I firmly believe that a club manager should have the right to pick whatever team they like for any competition, as long as those players are part of his squad. The example when Wolves got fined for fielding a supposedly 'weakened' side at Man U in my opinion was ridiculous.

Who gets to rate each and every player in a squad so as to come up with the strongest/weakest teams?
I also think it was an insult to those players who played.

Remember old Warnock bleating about other teams putting 'weakened' teams out at the end of the 2006/07 season. Maybe Neil should have concentrated his mind more on not losing 3-0 at Villa in the penultimate game. If ever there was a game to park the bus......

 

[JordoBlade]

3k is a relatively tiny fine for a club like us and it was a game that didn't matter as Foxy said. The only time I remember us doing it in a league game was when we beat Rotherham 1-0 (and Steve Evans went mental XD) when we couldn't make the play-offs and had the FA Cup to focus on. In both cases no-one really complained. And it is a mess of course, scrapping the loan window compounded this mistake and hopefully we'll not have to worry about this in future years.

Wolves were fined a small amount for losing 3-0 at Manchester United for playing the reserves, if we went up and did the same away at Newcastle for example would there be complaints?

We put out a weakened squad against Arsenal and still beat them 1-0. We even put a defender in goal

 

[BushBlade]

We put out a weakened squad against Arsenal and still beat them 1-0. We even put a defender in goal

He was always good at handling though.

 

[I should coco]

Maybe Neil should have concentrated his mind more on not losing 3-0 at Villa in the penultimate game. If ever there was a game to park the bus......

The bus driver was Monty who was having a brilliant* season as a defensive midfielder. He went off early doors with a dislocated shoulder and Warnock had no plan B.

They scored early and we couldn't respond. Another game where he got it completely wrong tactically.



* I'm sure Pinchy will be along soon to re-write history and explain how our relegation was entirely down to Monty and perhaps Done too.

 

[Davalon]

Total reverse thinking. They want more first teamers playing to presumably give credibility and aid crowd sizes.

Yet most fans, of even smaller League 2 clubs from what ive seen, would happily see their youngsters and reserves given game time in the tournament.

So basically their rules are doing more harm than good from what I can see.

 

[BushBlade]

Total reverse thinking. They want more first teamers playing to presumably give credibility and aid crowd sizes.

Yet most fans, of even smaller League 2 clubs from what ive seen, would happily see their youngsters and reserves given game time in the tournament.

So basically their rules are doing more harm than good from what I can see.

No, they want first teamers so that the PL kids get to play against proper blokes who'll give them a kick instead of playing against other kids in what was the U-21s. If L1 clubs played their kids too it would defeat the purpose.

 

[snootyfenooty]

I can remember when clubs "rested" a few players from league games ahead of cup games when I started out watching football. The FA Cup was of equal importance to winning the league in the not so distant past. You could even say the glory was greater.

 

[BushBlade]

I can remember when clubs "rested" a few players from league games ahead of cup games when I started out watching football. The FA Cup was of equal importance to winning the league in the not so distant past. You could even say the glory was greater.

Yes, I remember Spurs doing that when we got two late goals to draw against them and the great 6-0 game.

 

[JohnDenver]

I can remember when clubs "rested" a few players from league games ahead of cup games when I started out watching football. The FA Cup was of equal importance to winning the league in the not so distant past. You could even say the glory was greater.

Winning the cup final was what kids played out in their gardens. I certainly did. The garden game had to finish as the same as the cup final and even the goals were supposed to be similar. So if someone scored when they shouldn't have, it was deemed to have gone wide even it went directly between the jumpers.

Never replicated league wins - how could you?

 

[coaxingstar71]

The bus driver was Monty who was having a brilliant* season as a defensive midfielder. He went off early doors with a dislocated shoulder and Warnock had no plan B.

They scored early and we couldn't respond. Another game where he got it completely wrong tactically.



* I'm sure Pinchy will be along soon to re-write history and explain how our relegation was entirely down to Monty and perhaps Done too.

We should have had a reserve bus driver, in fact we should have played 4 or 5 bus drivers and a coupla conductors too!

 

[brownie4583]

Would teams like Bournemouth make 11 changes in a game cup game if there was a champions league place up for grabs,I doubt it.
They lost 3-0 at Millwall in 3rd round,with a full strength side would probably have beaten them.
It's only really championship and below that bother about the cup cos there's no money in it for prem teams,it's peanuts really to them.
Money has ruined the game.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

A pun so weak that it needed help from the floor up to your screen.

I pride myself on crap jokes, but you have just made me realise relatively how high I set the bar.

I daren't even give you a like for the groan it induced, since it might encourage you further.

I'm on holiday, I was rather tired and a little bit drunk after a nice tapas lunch.
With a sober mind, you're absolutely right. It was quite pathetic!!