It will be interesting to see the type of side that Harry Redknapp selects to take on Cheltenham as the two clubs square up in the third round of the FA Cup next month.
Publicly, Harry will declare that the league two side won’t be underestimated but the tie may be seen as another chance to test youngsters such as Kane, Carroll, Townsend and Rose to name but four.
Last season, the competition wasn’t treated quite as lightly as the Carling Cup but it did give Andros Townsend the platform to score his first goal for the club in the third round home game against Leyton Orient before Spurs capitulated at Fulham in the following round.
Cheltenham currently lie fourth in division two and are having a good season and while it may be tempting for Harry to field a very inexperienced side, it’s more likely that mix of youth and older heads will take to the field next month.
As good as the season has been so far, an embarrassing defeat at this stage in a competition that has produced so many memorable moments in the club’s history would be hard for some supporters to bear. With that in mind, maybe Harry should be looking to pick a side that has the best chance of ensuring a drama free passage into round four?
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We are currently 3RD in League 2.
Great idea. Lets play Bassong and Charlie at the back again!!!!
It was at home to Charlton in the 3rd round last year!! Come on research research!!
Maybe, but not too many, Hopefully Huddlestone Kranjcar and Dawson will be available again, mixed in with a few youngsters such as Townsend and Fredricks and regular 1st teamers
We have postponed Everton game 3/4 days later so will likely be some of the youngsters. COYS
Pretty sure it was against Charlton that Andros scored last season.
I’d be happy with the youngsters for this game. With our squad looking fairly shallow, there’s no need to risk the first-teamers if we don’t need to. Cheltenham could well put up a fight but I’d rather have our key players fully rested against Everton because that’s going to be an important match – if we’d already played it and won it we’d be sitting very pretty indeed.
Start Sandro; hopefully Huddlestone will be fit as well to make a solid midfield pairing. I really think starting a second-string/youth squad is the best approach here. Have a few impact players like Defoe/Adebayor, Modric and Bale on the bench and bring them on at half time if we’re not in the lead.
An FA Cup run would be nice but the league is paramount!
Im all for giving youngsters / fringe players a run out, but I doubt most will be as forgiving as they were about the Carling / Europa cup exits if we were to go out of the FA cup in the same manner.
1st team will be rested for the Everton game no doubt, but the FA cup we should be taking seriously.
Just play Gomes, easy win for us then!
Premiership comes first. Play the youngsters and see what happens but with the Everton game close to the Cheltenham game i wouldnt want to risk anyone.
Got to say every time i see Gomes between the sticks i get edgy what does it do to our defenders.
so premiership comes first does it ,this is bull SHIT yes we went to madrid and milan and werder and it cost me a fortune
but i also went in the 70s and 80s to europe and won!!
That what i thought it was about winning a bloody trophy ,but also winning in style ,we did both ,this team is good enough to win a trophy and challenge , but redknapp is looking for the glory ,[england job] nothing else matters i am still pissed off about losing wedneday ,because we had a team that could have won it by half time ,modric played whole game then played against bolton and was man of the match ledly king got injured during training not playing against POAK
i have been to madrid in a semi and lose, but know we put in a performance i have been to milan in a semi and win and have been to shaktur and lose miserably with half a team and it still hurts now ,because he let me and all the other couple of hundred that went and all those dream of winning a trophy DOWN ,because he didnt give a shit like the other nite! but to all you lot it about the champions league sad really sad!