Surely as long as you get through with minimal amount of squad damage, it's a good night. The aim is just to be in the next round, that's all that will do regardless of who is selected.
The games don't exist in isolation though. The players need some goals and confidence. They won't get any of that from sitting at home whilst the reserves squeeze through.
Quite possibly, but your also running the risk of injuring a Ben Arfa for Saturday or longer. Liverpool lost Toure/Allen/Cissokho though injury, easily done. Could have been a Sturridge or Gerrard. I’d prefer we went through with the kids out but obviously that carries a bigger risk of going out, a mixture of both would suffice for me. I don’t fancy seeing HBA playing that’s for sure though.
When Ben Arfa's walking down the street, he could trip and break his leg, or someone could crash into his car. We can't make him a Bubble Boy ( "Moops!" )
I just don't subscribe to the theory that we must wrap players in cotton wool as much as possible. We treat footballers as if playing football is the absolute worst thing they can do for their health and I'm bloody sick of it.
A risk ffs. I watch football to be entertained by my team playing good stuff and scoring goals, not to watch some blokes not getting injured. "Great game tonight, awful drab football but wow, they all looked fine at the end"
Good God man.
I'm with this, play our strongest team injury risking or not, there's nothing to say Ben Arfa or whoever wont get inured after two minutes against Fulham. Lets play well and win a by few goals. Take that confidence into the Fulham game. Something we haven't done for..........god knows.
Good God man!?! You been at the juice already?