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Match Doncaster [H] 19:45 wed 24-09-2025 League Cup 3rd Round

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GinolasLeftFoot said:
It's Doncaster, not AC Milan.

If they can't cope with Doncaster, then they shouldn't be playing for the club.
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Richard Arlison said:
Gray was assertive in literally his last start for us

Sarr was assertive in the goal that won us the Europa league and was assertive the whole game. Hes been assertive all season.

Davies is still good enough for this game.
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Richard Arlison said:
It’s a squad game.

I definitely want us to win trophies. I just fully believe that team I agreed with is good enough to win this game and keep us in the hunt for this trophy.

The big questions about rotation in the cups probably won’t come until late December. If we are still in the mix at the top of the PL and CL then id prioritize those and the FA Cup over the league cup because the home and away knockout rounds are during the craziest part of the season.

Ange gets stick for rotations in the league to win the Europa but in that recent VDV interview he made it clear he was pushing to play much earlier and Ange was still holding things back when we had Liverpool in the league cup and Villa in the FA Cup. For all we know now, the decision not to rush them back for those games was the one that kept them fit for the later rounds of the Europa.

Frank gets the rotations right now, he can get through this tie and also not have to make those impossible decisions later
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I think this is key....

People are confusing squad rotation with not taking the competition seriously!

For the same reason Paulinha isn't necessary against certain opposition but is crucial against others is the same argument as playing Davies at CB...

.Against a lower league team AT HOME, he should have the wherewithal to cope and contribute positively.

This isn't wholesale changes against Fulham away...
Or dare I say, playing Michel Vorm in goal in a Wembley Cup Semi Final!!

This is the first round we play of a competition we COULD go far in... But not if the squad we have can't get us past the early rounds....

IF we get further in the competition, then I'd expect nothing less than full strength...

But right now, we DO have a squad at our disposal, as well as a smattering of talented youth players ...

Use them or lose them I say!!

EDIT:
Having said ALL that, Davies is out injured for tomorrow....
So the fuck do I know?

Gray & Romero/VDV at CB tomorrow then...

Unless Takai is fit?
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Bill-bao Bob said:
I'm not saying play our top 11 but wholesale changes never work and we are well aware of this.

3/4 changes to the starting lineup tops.

Bring people off the bench depending how the game is going.

Much rather go hard early, get the game under control then manage minutes.

Backwards thinking would be to continue to treat this competition as a lesser one, chuck in a fully new 11 and end up with the same thing that always happens...and that us struggling.
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Many changes do not work if you make the players feel like they are last resort kind of players who are not used whenever possible.

I am not saying that this is a easy task... cause it is not... but good manager has to be able to beat two levels lower team with majority of the starting XI resting.

It is not about treating COMPETITION as lesser one. But to treat some opposition as lesser ones. Because they just factually are. League One teams are lesser teams compared to likes of Brighton or Bournemouth. They just are. And in such games some squad players must get their chances. If they cannot how can you expect them to contribute in other games in the future?

So when we take Brighton game as basis, there will be more than 3/4 changes I hope and expect. I'd more go with 6 or 7.
 
1882 said:
I think this is key....

People are confusing squad rotation with not taking the competition seriously!

For the same reason Paulinha isn't necessary against certain opposition but is crucial against others is the same argument as playing Davies at CB...

.Against a lower league team AT HOME, he should have the wherewithal to cope and contribute positively.

This isn't wholesale changes against Fulham away...
Or dare I say, playing Michel Vorm in goal in a Wembley Cup Semi Final!!

This is the first round we play of a competition we COULD go far in... But not if the squad we have can't get us past the early rounds....

IF we get further in the competition, then I'd expect nothing less than full strength...

But right now, we DO have a squad at our disposal, as well as a smattering of talented youth players ...

Use them or lose them I say!!

EDIT:
Having said ALL that, Davies is out injured for tomorrow....
So the fuck do I know?

Gray & Romero/VDV at CB tomorrow then...

Unless Takai is fit?
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Danso and Romero surely
 
sudoku said:
100% Spence starts on the right. Looking forward to that.

My guess:

Kinsky
Spence Danso Davies Udogie (Maybe Spence Romero Danso Davies)
Sarr Bentacur Gray Johnson
Muani Tel (Maybe Xavi Tel)
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Muani and Davies unavailable.

Kinsky
Spence Romero Danso Udogie
Sarr Bentacur Gray Johnson
Xavi Tel

Not counting Vicario, these are the only fit 1st team squad players who could be subs:
Austin, Porro, VDV, Palhinha, Bergvall, Odobert, Kudus and Richarlison

I guess Byfield will be the 9th man but I would rest Palhinha and have LWB on the bench. Maybe Scarlett or AN Other for Richy?
Edit: Scarlett is in the 1st team squad.
 
Given Frank's update:

Kinsky
Spence - Gray - Danso - Udogie
Bentancur
Sarr - Xavi
Johnson - Tel - Odobert
​
Just don't see how he risks Romero or VDV for opposition like this. Gray can do a job there.
The rest basically picks itself.
 
Bill-bao Bob said:
I'm not saying play our top 11 but wholesale changes never work and we are well aware of this.

3/4 changes to the starting lineup tops.

Bring people off the bench depending how the game is going.

Much rather go hard early, get the game under control then manage minutes.

Backwards thinking would be to continue to treat this competition as a lesser one, chuck in a fully new 11 and end up with the same thing that always happens...and that us struggling.
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We should have a strong team which is able to include

Kinsky - get some confidence in the lad
Spence - is quite fresh
Danso
VDV so he can get some game time with Danso but get him off early if we can for Davies
Udogie
Gray hasn't played a lot so in the 6 for me
Sarr should be quite fresh
Simmons in the 10 but get him off early if we can for Lucas/Benta or Williams-Barnett
Tel on the left for 60, comes off for Odobert
Johnson I guess just to give Kudus a break
Richi to start to see if he can add to goal tally but Scarlett to come on for him

Assuming Muani, Dragusin, Takai and Bissouma aren't fit enough to make the squad. Don't know enough about the youth players
 
BrightonSpurs said:
We should have a strong team which is able to include

Kinsky - get some confidence in the lad
Spence - is quite fresh
Danso
VDV so he can get some game time with Danso but get him off early if we can for Davies
Udogie
Gray hasn't played a lot so in the 6 for me
Sarr should be quite fresh
Simmons in the 10 but get him off early if we can for Lucas/Benta or Williams-Barnett
Tel on the left for 60, comes off for Odobert
Johnson I guess just to give Kudus a break
Richi to start to see if he can add to goal tally but Scarlett to come on for him

Assuming Muani, Dragusin, Takai and Bissouma aren't fit enough to make the squad. Don't know enough about the youth players
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Yeah that's a nice mix.

I'd personally give VDV, Porro, Bergvall, Kudus and Vicario a rest. Prob only put Kudus and Bergvall on the bench (hopefully not needing them to come on) and give the other three a night off.

So Kinsky; Spence, Romero, Danso, Udogie; Gray, Bentancur, Sarr; Johnson, Richy, Xavi.

Something like that to start. Subs dictated by how the game goes.

If all goes to plan you'd look to take off Sarr, Xavi, Richy, Sarr and Romero/Spence.
 
Richard Arlison said:
Interesting.

Frank definitely confirmed academy kids would be on the bench and he’d love to give them debuts.

Who else is in line?
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Did he say that? He said they would have to earn it and that it would be a strong team ... I guess we will see tonight. If Byfield and LWB don't play then they would be the obvious candidates.
It's an important game tonight though, the U21s took home the points against Bristol Rovers and Plymouth will be a very good test of where they are. That might be a better run out than 5 minutes off the bench v Doncaster.
 
Crockett said:
I should think they will both play for the U21s tonight. If they do then no way they play again 24 hours later.
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Wasn't Byfield on the bench against Villarreal last week after playing IN THE AFTERNOON against their U-21's?

I think if neither start tonight, they'll both feature tomorrow....
If either start, I expect they'll have a place on the bench.
 
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