So playing the weakened team against Utd worked out

I still feel its was wrong, we could and should of played that shadow side vs WBA and gone for it vs the Rags, but he got two wins and a help to the goal difference in the Prem, so its working out for us. And everyone's right the league cup is not important to us "now" as a club, but it smacked of pride by Pep risking ours as fans with a derby loss vs his and maybe getting another kicking off the club he grew up at. But what can I say he's the boss not me! We are top of the league, and just kicked Barca's arse, the managers plan worked so we just move on simple.
 
We probably would have won all three games if Yaya had been picked against the scum but that was never going to happen.
 
I suspect that the club's opinion of the two domestic cup competitions took something of a battering last season. The Capital One Cup win was ok but in no way made up for what was an otherwise disappointing season. And it had a detrimental impact on our PL form. The FA Cup exit left a sour taste. Apparently it wasnt just the scheduling of the game that led us to field a weakened team. At the time we still had a decent shout of winning the PL, but were told that if we reached the semi final of the FA Cup we would be playing on Tuesday and Thursday in the final week of the season.

My guess is that Pep has been given a very clear mandate to focus on the PL and CL. If we draw United in the FA Cup we'll probably put out a similar team.
 
It would have worked if we had won. In both the Swansea and United games better players were brought on so I don not think the intention was to get knocked out.

The win against Barca still means we are likely to come second, so it was not that important to qualification.
 
kippax kid said:
I still feel its was wrong, we could and should of played that shadow side vs WBA and gone for it vs the Rags, but he got two wins and a help to the goal difference in the Prem, so its working out for us. And everyone's right the league cup is not important to us "now" as a club, but it smacked of pride by Pep risking ours as fans with a derby loss vs his and maybe getting another kicking off the club he grew up at. But what can I say he's the boss not me! We are top of the league, and just kicked Barca's arse, the managers plan worked so we just move on simple.
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And if we screwed up against west brom with a weakened side we wouldn't be top of the league now
 
Marvin said:
Played two very good games against WBA and Barcelona.

Of course we don't know what would have happened had we played our strongest team at Utd. We might have won, but I'm sure we would not have beaten WBA and Barca. Guardiola made a good call, and events have proved him right.

Mourinho was the one who bottled it, and as a result dropped point at the weekend.
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not according to most people on here... They were calling for his head. I think anyone calling for the managers head should be banned. totally unworkable but would be nice to see. fkin flappers
 
OP, how can you be sure of something that never happened?? what is the point?

we may have fielded the strongest team at Utd and won and taken confidence and beaten WBA and barca handsomely, we may have done a million other combinations or eventualities.

'told you so'
 
Eccles Blue said:
Well you won't score any points against me because I am still angry that we played a weakened team against them, because I've gone too many years being tormented by their fans and I will NEVER, EVER, EVER, agree that any competition where we are playing against them we should play a weakened side, I don't care who we are playing in the next matches. We have enough great players these days to field a 'second' team good enough to beat them. Name the youngsters on the bench, get in there first half and score a few goals, Chelsea proved it can be done, and then put the youngsters on second half. That will always be my opinion, humble or not humble, my opinion to which I am entitled and will go to my grave repeating!!!! :-)
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For goodness sake grow a pair. Oh ... hang on. ;)
 
cibaman said:
I suspect that the club's opinion of the two domestic cup competitions took something of a battering last season. The Capital One Cup win was ok but in no way made up for what was an otherwise disappointing season. And it had a detrimental impact on our PL form. The FA Cup exit left a sour taste. Apparently it wasnt just the scheduling of the game that led us to field a weakened team. At the time we still had a decent shout of winning the PL, but were told that if we reached the semi final of the FA Cup we would be playing on Tuesday and Thursday in the final week of the season.

My guess is that Pep has been given a very clear mandate to focus on the PL and CL. If we draw United in the FA Cup we'll probably put out a similar team.
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Spot on.

Guardiola adopted a policy against Swansea and continued it against the rags with the long game in mind.
 
Fielding that team against United certainly put the pressure on to get good results against West Brom And Barca which we've done and I've largely forgotten about the United game now. We were only beaten by an iffy goal in a very tight game anyway. It's not like we rolled over.
 
Eccles Blue said:
will NEVER, EVER, EVER, agree that any competition where we are playing against them we should play a weakened side, I don't care who we are playing in the next matches
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Thank goodness you aren't the manager is all I can say to that.
 
If we'd played our strongest side that would be showing them respect, fuck that for a game of soldiers.
 
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