The annual carabao Cup selection hype:
Fans think the first team players need a break, and are excited to see youth players get a chance against weaker opposition, etc.
In practice what happens is that the club wants to win everything, first team squad players who haven't played / are recovering from injury need game time, some aspects of the first team's game need fine tuning (build up, this time) before next big game, fixture clash with EDS...
So Pep picks a first team squad, perhaps one youth player in the starting line up (Palmer?), we struggle to find our rhythm, but win 2 or 3 nil. Delap comes on in the 78th minute. We all moan about youth not getting a chance and second string squad players not being good enough. Repeat and repeat next cup fixture / season.
But then we eventually win the cup in front of a below capacity crowd at Wembley and so we're all spoiled by the success and it was much better when we were struggling under Stuart Pearce.
Personally, I would like to see: Lavia, McAtee, Delap and Palmer all start. But then I'm not Pep and can't win at football manager without cheating.