Team for Barnet

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I thought I'd also explain the "next cab off the rank" Development players. In case any are needed for the bench. Of course, the senior Development players are mostly out on loan.
Centre Midfield - Jordan Doherty, Reece York
LWB or Left Midfield - Stephen Mallon
Striker - Simeon Oure

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I thought Freeman had injury issues? Ribs?

He was on the bench yesterday. And no thanks, I’ve just eaten.

 

[SUFC Guy]

Moore
Cranie Stearman Lafferty
Freeman Coutts Lundstram Johnson
Dowell
Washington Clarke

This is a no brainer. Fk the cup unless we do well in it

 

[GV Blade]

Kean Bryan played 65 mins in the U23s last game. Both times I've seen him, I've liked what I've seen. I would expect him to be involved v Barnet in some way. Scouting report in this Blog

https://ball-sup.blogspot.com/2018/12/shop-window-xi.html

Any youngsters who deserve a run out or a place on the bench pal ?

 

[groveblade]

-- - - - - - - - Moore
- - - Cranie Stearman Bryan
Freeman Coutts Lundo - - Johnson
- - - - - - - - - Dowell
- - - - - - - Clarke Washington

Subs: Eastwood,Lafferty, J O'C, Fleck, Yoof, Yoof, Yoof

 

[Ricky]

Playing a second string against a Conference team..... more disrespectful to Barnet or a slap in the face to fringe players who've been working hard to get a look in but haven't played for a while?

Our fringe players are good players. Barnet are non league. Disrespect doesn't come into it at all, for either Barnet or the competition.

 

[DaleHillBlade]

Playing a second string against a Conference team..... more disrespectful to Barnet or a slap in the face to fringe players who've been working hard to get a look in but haven't played for a while?

Our fringe players are good players. Barnet are non league. Disrespect doesn't come into it at all, for either Barnet or the competition.

With respect..

Putting out a weaker team, as a second tier club, IS disrespectful. Those "fringe" players have every opportunity to prove their worth in reserve/U23 games.

Then again, there never has been a Cup upset by teams taking wins for granted?

We are better off taking it easy in the Cup so we can have a fighting chance for promotion? If so, fair enough, but equally say "bollox to FA Cup".

 

[SB_90]

for me i will always say. that i don't care i always want to progress as far as we can in fa cup because its a competition that has given me so much joy. & i always have a dream of playing a premier league side at home in fa cup & causing an upset

but on the match i can see making a few changes. because id like to see the Washington & clarke partnership. good for coutts to get 90mins & have stearman at CB

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

My team for Sunday would be:-

Henderson
Baldock-Basham-Egan-O'Connel-Stevens
Coutts-Fleck
Duffy
Sharp-McG

Let's take it serious, get Barnet beat, then in the next round who ever the lowest place team left in the competition is at Bramall Lane. Take this into every round up to the semi-final then get drawn against the third highest placed team of the four (we'll be fourth by then), get them beat then get to the Final. My dad 1942-2003, me 1969-current, never been alive to see United in a FA cup final, I'd like to think I might see it one day and to win the bloody thing too. We have a good side now, go for it, most other teams take the piss and put weakened teams out, I'd rather us win the FA cup than go up to the Prem, just my personal opinion like.

 

[Ricky]

With respect..

Putting out a weaker team, as a second tier club, IS disrespectful. Those "fringe" players have every opportunity to prove their worth in reserve/U23 games.

Then again, there never has been a Cup upset by teams taking wins for granted?

We are better off taking it easy in the Cup so we can have a fighting chance for promotion? If so, fair enough, but equally say "bollox to FA Cup".

If we knew we'd comfortably beat our opponents with a reserve team, should we still put the first team out for the sake of 'respect', so their feelings aren't hurt?

Then just hope none of them get injured?

U23 games are meaningless compared to competitive first team games. No one gets in our team on the basis of playing well for the U23s.

 

[Champagneblade]

Agree with Ricky here.

The 'fringe' players are legitimate first team players who have either started or been regulars on the bench for us in almost all cases.

Giving a run to Lundstram, Coutts and Johnson is sensible squad management. They could be starters at a moment's notice Likewise for Dowell, Clarke and Washington.

Perhaps Bryan hasn't been a regular but injury has played it's part and Lafferty was a mainstay in the promotion team but these are not players plucked from the youth team from nowhere.

As a few others mentioned, depending on the situation with Bryan and Lafferty, a possible farewell for Jake Wright would be nice is he could be off.

 

[tomtheblade]

It's disrespectful to the cup to put out a crap side.

The XI touted by most in here, which I generally agree with, is most certainly not a crap side. It's very decent. Clarke, Freeman, Coutts, Lundstram, Stearman were all first team regulars last season, and all have been in the team this year too. Dowell is a highly rated Prem loanee and Moore is our no.1 keeper that we actually own.

Putting out our development squad would be disrespectful. This isn't.

 

[LenTednTony]

Moore
Cranie Stearman Wright
Freeman Dowell Coutts Johnson Lafferty
Clarke Washington

 

[Lawrence]

The FA Cup is basically a glorified Paint pot trophy now - football managers don’t give a toss about it in the majority of cases, same with the League Cup.

Such a shame from how they used to be, when I started going teams in the top two Divisions gave the Simon/Zenith Cup more respect than we give the 2 major trophies these days.

Sadly I have to agree. I love the F.A cup but see the need for United to be careful with players fitness / possible injuries etc. So what can we do?

 

[tomtheblade]

Moore
Cranie Stearman Wright
Freeman Dowell Coutts Johnson Lafferty
Clarke Washington

Lafferty in the Duffy role?

The element of surprise is crucial in gaining an advantage over the opposition, so what could be more surprising than a LB who never plays deployed as our central attacking midfielder? I like your thinking here.

Edit: or maybe it's just the formatting on my phone

 

[Nelson1889]

My team for Sunday would be:-

Henderson
Baldock-Basham-Egan-O'Connel-Stevens
Coutts-Fleck
Duffy
Sharp-McG

Let's take it serious, get Barnet beat, then in the next round who ever the lowest place team left in the competition is at Bramall Lane. Take this into every round up to the semi-final then get drawn against the third highest placed team of the four (we'll be fourth by then), get them beat then get to the Final. My dad 1942-2003, me 1969-current, never been alive to see United in a FA cup final, I'd like to think I might see it one day and to win the bloody thing too. We have a good side now, go for it, most other teams take the piss and put weakened teams out, I'd rather us win the FA cup than go up to the Prem, just my personal opinion like.

Absolutely 100% agree with this. Potentially a once in a lifetime experience for a club like ours. Plus it'd shut them bastards up from constantly bleating on about the Rumbelows cup and we'd have a pretty unassailable lead in fa cup wins over them for a few centuries

 

[LenTednTony]

Lafferty in the Duffy role?

The element of surprise is crucial in gaining an advantage over the opposition, so what could be more surprising than a LB who never plays deployed as our central attacking midfielder? I like your thinking here.

Edit: or maybe it's just the formatting on my phone

It’s the formatting on your phone. Even I’m not THAT far left field!

 

[tomtheblade]

It’s the formatting on your phone. Even I’m not THAT far left field!

Who knows, perhaps he's the answer to the Duffy question we've been looking for this whole time!

 

[Paulus]

Looks like there's a family connection on Sunday - I hadn't realised that TC's nephew Darren Currie is apparently acting Barnet Manager.

 

[bromtom]

If Barnet are offended playing a team of Championship footballers then let them be offended.

Was saying to my brother, it'd be interesting to add up Championship and above appearances in the 11 bench and fringe players compared to our first 11 because I don't think it'd be far off, and maybe the second 11 would edge it with the likes of Stearman and Cranie, some seasoned campaigners in our second 11.

 

[s4-blade]

Kean Bryan played a full 90 in the behind closed doors games against Wigan a few weeks back. He’s definitely fit.

 

[Paulus]

I want to see the fringe players get a run out, they'll need to be "at it" though - Give Barnet a sniff of glory and as always with matches like this it can become a potential banana skin. Looking at their recent form they aren't playing badly.

 

[bromtom]

Just worked it out (it'll be a couple out depending on when records are updated but near enough)

First 11
Henderson
Bash
Egan
JOC
Baldock
Norwood
Fleck
Duffy
Stevens
Sharp
McG

1556 Championship appearances + 30 Premier League appearances (1586 Championship or higher)

Second 11
Moore
Cranie
Stearman
Bryan
Freeman
Coutts
Lundstram
Dowell
Johnson
Clarke
Washington

1318 Championship appearances + 85 Premier League appearances (1403 Championship or higher)

Not too shabby, and nowhere approaching a crap cup team.

 

[Ranmoorblade]

Got to be 10 changes from last game with just Cranie keeping his spot if he’s recovered from injury. The league is the most important and our first team need a rest after a tough Christmas period.

 

[bromtom]

The only consideration we might see is if Dowell plays we might see Fleck for the second half, depending on how clean Barnet are, just to get him going with our first choice midfield setup. If they're kicking lumps out of us I don't think we'll bother.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I'm a big fan of the FA Cup. And, I wish, one way or another, we could play our strongest side. But, so much has changed in football. And, I'm not saying for better, or for worse. Firstly, large squads. Secondly, no reserve teams. (Our U23s are definitely Development, not Reserve). Thirdly, expansion of the loan system. United effectively have four XIs. The first team. The second string. The out on loan Development Lads. The U23s. A lot of the second string get very little game time. The Cups provide that opportunity. I'd be interested to know if you think I've left anyone out.

1st. 2nd. Loan Out. U23
Henderson....Moore Dewhurst Eastwood
Baldock.........Freeman Bennett Sheppeard
Basham Cranie ........ Belehouan
Egan Stearman Graham Gordon
O'Connell Bryan Semple Cantrill
Stephens Johnson RND Boyes
Norwood Coutts Gilmour Doherty
Fleck Lundstram Slater York
Duffy Dowell Hallam Greaves
McGoldrick Washington Parkhouse Mallon
Sharp Clarke Smith Oure

Plus 2nd string Lafferty & Wright
Plus U23 Young, Ferguson & Broadbent

Sorry, that hasn't formatted as well as I'd hoped

 

[LenTednTony]

Who knows, perhaps he's the answer to the Duffy question we've been looking for this whole time!

 

[BigBed]

He was on the bench yesterday. And no thanks, I’ve just eaten.

Must be feeling better then.
Shame, they were lovely.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

REPOST (Hopefully with better formatting)


I'm a big fan of the FA Cup. And, I wish, one way or another, we could play our strongest side. But, so much has changed in football. And, I'm not saying for better, or for worse. Firstly, large squads. Secondly, no reserve teams. (Our U23s are definitely Development, not Reserve). Thirdly, expansion of the loan system. United effectively have four XIs. The first team. The second string. The out on loan Development Lads. The U23s. A lot of the second string get very little game time. The Cups provide that opportunity. I'd be interested to know if you think I've left anyone out.


1st…………...2nd…………Dev Loan….U23

Henderson….Moore……...Dewhurst.....Eastwood

Baldock….….Freeman…...Bennett.......Sheppeard

Basham.........Cranie……….……………Belehouan

Egan…….…..Stearman…..Graham…...Gordon

O'Connell…...Bryan……....Semple…....Cantrill

Stephens…...Johnson…....RND…….....Boyes

Norwood…....Coutts….…..Gilmour…....Doherty

Fleck………...Lundstram…Slater……...York

Duffy………...Dowell……...Hallam…….Greaves

McGoldrick….Washington..Parkhouse..Mallon

Sharp………..Clarke……...Smith……...Oure



……………….Lafferty…………….……..Young

……………….Wright……….…………....Ferguson

…………………………………….……….Broadbent


And, the “long gone” 2nd string loan outs like Evans, Heneghan, etc.

 

[Willglynning]

For all the people saying we should put out an unchanged team to guarantee that we progress to the next round- if our ‘fringe players’ can’t beat a mediocre conference side then surely we don’t have the appropriate level of squad depth in the club?
I can’t think of any logical reason not to play a heavily rotated team- I don’t see how that’s disrespectful to the competition, especially when taking into account who the opposition is.