Do we rest for the FA Cup?

[MilnersJaw]

Dunno about you guys but I'm tired of managers resting players when they should be playing a full strength squad. Players are paid 100k a week and train 2 or 3 times a week, it's their job. They should be fully able to play 2 matches a week and still be fit for next week no problem, you'd expect it considering they are supposed to be athletic, Fat Sam rested 4 of his players and it did him fuck all.

It's not only about resting people, though. It's also about giving other players in the squad some game time.

wasn't talking about city specifically, just teams and managers in general. like why would big fat sam play a weak team against the swamp in the FA cup. west ham aren't exactly going to win the league and it doesn't look like they are going to get relegated, so playing for a cup at least, idiocy.

But in city's case, playing a weak team against stoke away is just asking to lose. I agree kids and other players should be given a chance, but not at the expense of resting players over something that isn't as important as the league.

[littlebig]

Stoke away = no brainer!!! Full strength squad. However if in next round we draw some team from lower divisons then yes blood some young kids

Bang on. We should treat this fixture with the utmost respect

[Moonchesteri]

Bang on. We should treat this fixture with the utmost respect

Yep. As tough away game as they get. Right up there with Goodison Park.
Strongest available lineup Bobby, no messing around!!

[Beefymcfc]

Best chance of shiny stuff this season.

All out boys, all out.

[Risby]

Bob obviously wants to win the competition, so it will be nothing less than a full strength squad.
QPR follows it and with players coming back from injury, we'll be ok.

[Beefymcfc]

Bob obviously wants to win the competition, so it will be nothing less than a full strength squad.
QPR follows it and with players coming back from injury, we'll be ok.

We could give the bench from weekend a run-out.

[Crossie]

Full power, Guidetti on the bench.

[Mark Garrett]

Ridiculous thread really.

We are going to have our work cut out to win at Stoke with a full-strength team never mind messing around playing youngsters. Stoke have lost once at home this season and in a year so we will have to play well to progress, any hint of us not being up for it and Stoke and their crowd will be all over us. Thankfully we'll have more than 4000 fans there supporting Mancini and the lads, so here's hoping we get through.

Also in my opinion we have three very good strikers who are making good contributions and then there is Balotelli - at best he will be on the bench and with a bit of luck he will be sold for around £20m

[Beefymcfc]

Ridiculous thread really.

We are going to have our work cut out to win at Stoke with a full-strength team never mind messing around playing youngsters. Stoke have lost once at home this season and in a year so we will have to play well to progress, any hint of us not being up for it and Stoke and their crowd will be all over us. Thankfully we'll have more than 4000 fans there supporting Mancini and the lads, so here's hoping we get through.

Also in my opinion we have three very good strikers who are making good contributions and then there is Balotelli - at best he will be on the bench and with a bit of luck he will be sold for around £20m

Good post mate.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Full power, Guidetti on the bench.

He is not close to being ready for the bench yet.

[phips]

Im saying we "rest". as in Kolarov for Clichy. Lescott for Nasti. Balo for Tevez. Nasri for Silva.
thats still solid but "rested"


Hart
Milner Kompany Lescott AK
Rodwell Barry
Nasri Balo Sinclair
Dzeko

(not sure about Sinclair but definitely think the defense should look like that)

[Dwaring]

Im saying we "rest". as in Kolarov for Clichy. Lescott for Nasti. Balo for Tevez. Nasri for Silva.
thats still solid but "rested"

Hart
Milner Kompany Lescott AK
Rodwell Barry
Nasri Balo Sinclair
Dzeko

(not sure about Sinclair but definitely think the defense should look like that)

I think Mancini will look to rest vs Qpr if anything ( doubt rest is even the right word). I'd say we have two huge fixtures as the book ends on the weekends with stoke and Liverpool. With dare I say it a softer fixture in the middle given Qprs form.

I see strong teams in the weekend with maybe a line up as your suggesting vs QPR. I might change it a bit though with possible razak in at RB so Milner can be moved forward into the midfield replacing Sinclair. I trust our youngsters in the back much more than I do Sinclair up front. He's just yet to be battle tested in a start and razak preformed well in that spot a few games back.

[Tokyo Blue]

I believe Razak is at the African Nations Cup, mate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Afric ... d.27Ivoire

[kinkylola]

in a word: no.

[Ajardine]

<null>

This is how I see it, there's resting and using our great bench, and then resting and fielding a weakened team. Rest key players and put good experienced players in their place

[Mark Garrett]

Given Mancini played Lescott against Stoke the other week, I think he may select him ahead of Nastasic again for this match due to Lescott's superior heading ability. There could be an argument for playing Kolarov ahead of Clichy for the same reason but I wouldn't. Zabaleta will almost certainly be fit for the game, the midfield picks itself and so that just leaves the forwards - possible return for Sergio but would be a bit harsh on Dzeko and maybe Mancini might see the QPR game as more suitable for the reuniting of Aguero and Tevez. Also got to bear in mind Aguero has just come back from an injury so it is unlikely he is going to start in all 3 matches in the next week so perhaps he'll start against QPR and Liverpool instead and be used from the bench against Stoke.

I would go for:

---------------------------Hart

Zabaleta---------Kompany----Lescott---------Clichy

--------------------Garcia------Barry

Milner------------------Tevez------------------Silva

-------------------------Dzeko

[CTID Hants]

Given Mancini played Lescott against Stoke the other week, I think he may select him ahead of Nastasic again for this match due to Lescott's superior heading ability. There could be an argument for playing Kolarov ahead of Clichy for the same reason but I wouldn't. Zabaleta will almost certainly be fit for the game, the midfield picks itself and so that just leaves the forwards - possible return for Sergio but would be a bit harsh on Dzeko and maybe Mancini might see the QPR game as more suitable for the reuniting of Aguero and Tevez. Also got to bear in mind Aguero has just come back from an injury so it is unlikely he is going to start in all 3 matches in the next week so perhaps he'll start against QPR and Liverpool instead and be used from the bench against Stoke.

I would go for:

---------------------------Hart

Zabaleta---------Kompany----Lescott---------Clichy

--------------------Garcia------Barry

Milner------------------Tevez------------------Silva

-------------------------Dzeko

Yep was just going to say as much, Lescott is a definite for this game, although I think Nasti is clearly the preference going forward (incredible to think he is still only 19), Stoke are a vicious bunch and don't want to see Nasti getting kicked all over the park. Likewise I think Kolraov would be the better choice over Clichy who isn't as tough, Stoke are going to play very physical IMO.

We definitely got the short straw out of all the bigger clubs in this round, if there is to be an upset this weekend I reckon it will be the gooners going down to Brighton. I hope to God it is not us!

[Dwaring]

I believe Razak is at the African Nations Cup, mate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Afric ... d.27Ivoire

Sorry I meant rekik. He was the that started a few games back. My mistake another R name.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Look at the team we put out against Watford - I think Mancini wants to win it.

As for the decent understudy to Zaba, who is it who's fit? The only option would be Milner playing there.

If Bob reckons PabZab needs a little more recuperation time with his current injury (after all, perhaps he is a little 'battle scarred' at the moment), he might consider playing Nasti at right back and bringing in Lescott alongside Vinnie, to cope with Stoke's aerial warfare threat.

[mcfc1632]

Roberto wil certaihnly play strongest 11 (IMO) - the team against Watford was a clear indication of his mindset - he wants to win this - another trophy and 2nd in the league would be a good season