The_Lions_Roar Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I see no problem in resting a few players after a hectic winter schedule. Yep, more injuries and he'd be moaned at for not resting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted January 2, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted January 2, 2014 I hope the club aren't going to advertise cup tickets after what the manager has said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfingers Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 No need to advertise cheap tickets as it will be a sure sell out because all the fans take the 3rd round oh so seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Steve Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 It's about measuring expectation for an injury-hit, small squad. If Benteke or any other key player was injured we'd kick ourselves. Cup runs are fun, but the league will always remain a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lions_Roar Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 All he's said is that he wants to get through but the league is more important. What's wrong with that? Ask Wigan fans what they think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limvillian Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If we go down after our 4th year struggling at the bottom it will be deserved. It will not be because of a few cup games but to do with the owner manager and players. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I personally couldn't care less if we were knocked out of the cup on Saturday. It means we can play less games and focus on staying in this league. Sometimes it's a good opportunity to test some of the younger lads, maybe Helenius will get a go, Steer gets some more experience in goal etc etc, but to use our main players would just put us in a worse position if they become injured or exhausted. The FA cup is a famous competition, and anything can happen, but it's only really any good if you are already a side that is not fighting for survival in the greatest league in the world OR if you have squads the size of the top few and your weakest side is still better than some prem teams main eleven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I think it's right to rest some players for the cup games because staying in the league is the key thing yet again this season. If l believed what some claim that there is 0% chance of us having to fight in the relegation battle then i'd question why we didn't go all in for the FA Cup. But as i very much fear relegation i see the logic in resting players for the league games to come. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Pretty much where I am at with this sne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TB Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have listened to the actual interview, and I think the media are twisting this quite a bit. To me, most of the interview is about why the FA cup might hold less significance nowadays,, and the financial importance of PL vs other competitions - for PL teams in general, not Aston Villa specifically. (Quite a bit of leading questions from Tom Ross, btw...) I don't hear him saying that Villa could do without the FA cup, but that he thinks that given the choice, most PL managers could do without it, because in modern-day football the financial gains in staying in the PL and even getting into CL for even more financial gain has become the most important factor. (IMO, he sounds like he would prefer it otherwise - the comments about modern-day footballers measuring success in terms of their contract, not in terms of their medals or their memories would seem to suggest that.) He does say the team vs Sheffield United might have to reflect both that there are players that would benefit from a run-out, and that there's an upcoming match against Arsenal. Fair enough, isn't it? And that if it's possible to progress in the cup, then he'd want to get through. No hints of giving up the FA cup altogether IMO. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickjacobjr Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Only press trying to str shit and people who don't like lambert wanting a reason to run him down 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickjacobjr Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm not going to name the player. I can't. It isn't the player already mentioned. But the manager has already identified him and carried out some background work to find out how much he would cost and what his wages would need to be. It is now down to RL or PF to take it from there. Other options are being explored. Listen, I can't say 100 per cent they will happen but it does look slightly more encouraging right now which is good. Is the player based outside the premier league ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Having read the full quotes, it isn't too bad. Its probably what most premier league manager think nowadays. He did say he wants us to win the match. Personally seeing Villa lift the FA Cup once before I die is defo one on my bucket list. UTV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Villa really need a cup run to lift the fans' spirits from the tedium and utter mediocrity of the season Lambert is delivering for us in the league. If he doesn't grasp this, he is a fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Bear Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I havent read all of the pages on here but I agree with Lambert 100%. I havent given a shit about the FA Cup for a decade. It's great if you win it, anything less and its a pain in the arse to all involved. And one final in 60 years suggests we will never win it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 In my honest opinion, the cups are ruined by the fact that the best teams field their weaker players - not because of extra games to the tally. That of course makes it easier for us to win the competition, but do Celtic-fans really want Rangers to play two divisions beneath them? If you get to the final of the FA Cup you play what, like 7 games in total? One or two of them against (hopefully) lackluster teams from the divisions, so it's not like we are talking about the Europa League. Besides, most of the games are on Saturdays with no games in mid-week for us, so what are we really complaining about? The FA Cup (and also the League Cup - which is obviously worth less) is history in itself, it's the only way our players can get to the biggest stadium in the country at the end of the year. Lambert can say whatever he wants to, I just don't understand the point about talking down something you cannot change in your lifetime. It's a squad-game and many teams are equipped for it, especially those that boast reserves much better than the bottom-10 clubs in the Premier League. They can afford to change 9 players before they play Sheffield United, we simply cannot as the odds would be even and the respect for the game lost. Man City could pick reserves like Pantillimon, Kolarov, Demichelis, Lescott, Nasri, Milner, Javi Garcia, Rodwell, Dzeko and Jovetic - and still win the cup. I understand the point about having to play two cups, if someone was to nag about the extra games then the League Cup would have to be the one in question. The FA Cup has been around since 1892 and will not go away in my lifetime. So buckle up and play the best team possible, it's the only way we can win something and it's the only way we can get into Europe. People will most likely respond to that by saying we don't want to get into Europe because of the extra games, the lack of squad, the lack of financial ability and so on - but then again, why even bother watching this game? I don't follow Villa so that I can see all the goals we are not scoring in all the games we are not winning, so that we can finish 12th and go on holiday. It's about that tiny hope of seeing us lifting a trophy, no matter if it's the Capital One Cup or something else. Lambert should embrace these games are he is given the opportunity to raise our dreadful play, to make players tick against lousy opposition in a meaningful game, get Benteke back to scoring goals and so on. Our players (give or take that they will miss a few games in the Premier League through niggles and bans) will play 40 games in total this season excluding Internationals, Cristiano Ronaldo played 54-55-55 in his last three seasons, Messi even breached 60 two years ago. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewjt Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I would like to see the 4th Champions League spot go to the winners of the FA cup, it would certainly bring some of the 'magic' back, some real incentive to win it. The way it is at the moment, Lambert has it spot on, there is no incentive for a club to win the FA Cup. It's great as a fan, but relatively insignificant as a club. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If we fail to beat Sheffield Utd, the animosity would be there, regardless of the interview. I'd be interested to read how many of the moaners would do exactly as Lambert will do & make several changes from yesterdays 11? & how many would field the same starting 11? Benteke & Vlaar will surely both be rested for a start & rightly so imo. Going by that Lambert interview i think Benteke will play just to get some more game time and match fitness in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I would like to see the 4th Champions League spot go to the winners of the FA cup, it would certainly bring some of the 'magic' back, some real incentive to win it. The way it is at the moment, Lambert has it spot on, there is no incentive for a club to win the FA Cup. It's great as a fan, but relatively insignificant as a club. Winning the FA Cup used to be as big as winning the league! Its ashame how this great competion has been devalued. As least the way it is now the smaller clubs have more chance of winning it. We have such a crap record in it since 57. Final once, a couple of semis and i think thats it. Rubbish for a club of our size. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limvillian Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 (edited) If we are not properly competeing in the FA cup what are we aiming for as our main goal? 17th best team in the league? Edited January 2, 2014 by limvillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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