West Ham FA Cup - How do we play it?

[YorkshireSquare]

With all the injuries we have and given our league position how do we approach the West Ham FA Cup game?

Do we go for it with as strong an eleven as we can or do we play the kids and preserve the first team as much as possible?

[mentalcase]

League more important at this stage, I assume we'll have a mixture of 1st team and youth, wouldn't want to risk Kock or Llorente in this match.

[The Subhuman]

I'd go strong ish.. play for the win

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Cresswell
Firpo
Forshaw
Struijk
Roberts
Summerville
James
Gelhardt

That rests Llorente, Raph and Dallas. Forshaw makes his third start as a DMF, Struijk as a second DMF. I would start Paddy if fit and replace Roberts with Joe.

Firpo and Koch need game time

[billysboots]

With so many injuries we have to be careful, the league position is our priority this season more than ever.

[YorkshireSquare]

I'd go strong ish.. play for the win

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Cresswell
Firpo
Forshaw
Struijk
Roberts
Summerville
James
Gelhardt

That rests Llorente, Raph and Dallas. Forshaw makes his third start as a DMF, Struijk as a second DMF. I would start Paddy if fit and replace Roberts with Joe.

Firpo and Koch need game time

Llorente suspended for the next league match so might get a game. Creswell and struijk still injured too? Roberts seemed to go off with a knock on Sunday.

[The Subhuman]

Well in that case

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Llorente
Firpo
Forshaw
Klich
Gelhardt
Summerville
James
Bamford

[Tyzy]

If we were doing well in the league I would quite enjoy a good cup run,but we're not so ending it at West Ham would suit me.

[1964white]

Use the match as a training practice & if Bamford, Struijk or Rodrigo are ready to start, give them 45 minutes.

[whiteswan]

Use the match as a training practice & if Bamford, Struijk or Rodrigo are ready to start, give them 45 minutes.

Agree with this - our premier league Status is much more important.

[John in Louisiana]

Use the match as a training practice & if Bamford, Struijk or Rodrigo are ready to start, give them 45 minutes.

I like this idea. The key is to have all of them ready to go for the league game.

[The Subhuman]

Agree with this - our premier league Status is much more important.

Would not giving up before we kick off give WH confidence for the league a week or so later? I would like to give them a game and preferably win.. We're not going down so it keeps the season alive if we can..

I think Bielsa will play a strong side not mostly kids

[White Riot]

Prioritize the league and preserving our EPL status.

Way more important to win the league match against them the following week.

[billysboots]

Use the match as a training practice & if Bamford, Struijk or Rodrigo are ready to start, give them 45 minutes.

Yes, good idea. A competitive game for the players returning from injury and a run out for the lads on the bench.

[whiteswan]

Would not giving up before we kick off give WH confidence for the league a week or so later? I would like to give them a game and preferably win.. We're not going down so it keeps the season alive if we can..

I think Bielsa will play a strong side not mostly kids

Might give them a false confidence? That they only have to turn up for the league game. Then we catch them off guard.

League points are far more important than a cup win for me faaip....we can't be sure that we're not going down until its mathematically impossible.

[1964white]

I like this idea. The key is to have all of them ready to go for the league game.

Nail on the head, John

[The Subhuman]

Might give them a false confidence? That they only have to turn up for the league game. Then we catch them off guard.

League points are far more important than a cup win for me faaip....we can't be sure that we're not going down until its mathematically impossible.

Not for me, I have no fear of relegation

[1964white]

Would not giving up before we kick off give WH confidence for the league a week or so later? I would like to give them a game and preferably win.. We're not going down so it keeps the season alive if we can..

I think Bielsa will play a strong side not mostly kids

West Ham will play a scratch team, they have bigger fish to fry, as have Leeds.

Would rather take a point in our league game than win the cup match.

[1964white]

Might give them a false confidence? That they only have to turn up for the league game. Then we catch them off guard.

League points are far more important than a cup win for me faaip....we can't be sure that we're not going down until its mathematically impossible.

Indeed, Swannie

[whiteroseboy]

Play to win and field a decent team.

West Ham have similar decisions chasing European places.

Playing a weak team and losing in the Cup won't guarantee anything the following week. Of course always chance of injuries but as we know they can also happen training.
Confidence that a cup win would give us would far outweigh the risk.

[VinnysTattoo]

West Ham could see the FA Cup as a route to a trophy. They are good enough to go all the way so may play a strong side.

I’d start with Cresswell, Bate and Summerville in the side to give them more experience. Too many more youngsters and it would upset the flow of the team. After the Burnley game I think we have to try and keep some momentum going.