happy with that. spuds v dippers probably the pick of the round. mancs got qpr at home, arse got wigan at home.

Surely some playing time for Di Santo here!!!

Full Draw

Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic

Chelsea v Burnley

Swansea City v Watford

Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers

Stoke City v Rotherham United

Brighton & Hove Albion or Derby v Leeds United

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

:lol: Spuds

Right. No excuses. If a good few of the youngsters/reserves don't get a run out in this one we may as well dismantle our "youth system" and save ourselves the money.

a good draw

cant see the youth getting a chance after wednesday night seems like scolari is going after his 1st trophy

and will go for the experience to win rather than giving the young ones a chance and struggle

No doubt another 6,000 daytrippers giving it the big one. Shame really as Burnley has always been the away ground I've liked the most and I've always had a (very little) 'soft spot'.

Time to revive the Hovis tune.

Edited September 29, 200817 yr by Peckham Blue

Right. No excuses. If a good few of the youngsters/reserves don't get a run out in this one we may as well dismantle our "youth system" and save ourselves the money.

Exactly.

Di Santo, Sinclair and Maccienne to start and play 90 minutes.

I don't care if we fill the other positions with a full-strength lineup, but if these guys aren't going to get a start against Burnley, then what is the point?

I get the impression that Scolari will be going for the big statement again, and be putting out a full strength squad. I'd be surprised to see any youngsters in the starting lineup

I get the impression that Scolari will be going for the big statement again, and be putting out a full strength squad. I'd be surprised to see any youngsters in the starting lineup

And does that scenario depress you at all?

Not particularly, I'm pleased that we are the only big team that takes all competitions seriously and will put out a squad to win the game as easily as possible.

Ok. So then in what circumstances do you forsee see any of our most promising youth/reserve team players being given a taste of first team action?

Do you think we should even even bother with youth and reserve teams?

I sit in a half way house between Chez Just and Ches Fisher!

I want us to win every competition we enter and therefore I expect our manager to pick a team that he feels is capable of winning every game. Therefore I don't ever want to see us go down the Arsenal route of putting out an excessive number of youngsters. However I do think it is possible to put out a team which is predominantly a first team and have one, or two youngsters in it.

I actually think this is more productive than putting out a whole stack of kids as it actually allows the one or two that are selected to get a taste of first team action amongst the more seasoned professionals and it also allows the manager to see how well that youngster can perform under that pressure. Putting out 11 youngsters tells you very little about any of them irrespective of hwo well the team plays.

I still think Scolari was entirely wrong not to give Di Santo playing time in the opening league game against Pompey and to only give him 10 minutes in the cup game against Pompey. Even if he didn't have the courage to start him he should have brought him on straight after Frank put us 3-0 up.

Now there is every chance we will need Di Santo to play but he has had very limited playing time and that is a problem that Scolari has brought upon himself.

The team we put out should be the best one we can. We should still invest in youth development and if they are considered good enough to play in the first team they should do so by their own merit, and not played because we're playing against a much lower placed team, just for the sake of playing a youngster.

But the step up from reserve/youth football to first team football is huge so you will never know if a kid is going to be able to make it unless you expose them to on a number of occasions and see how they adapt and whether they look like they can make that step up.

It isn't about playing a youngster just or the sake of it, it is about playing a youngster to aid in their development and give the opportunity to prove their worth and in the situations like the two Pompey matches it was a risk free environment to do it in. However because Scolari only gave Di Santo a token 10 minutes in the league cup match he ended up using him in a situation against Cluj where the game was still very much in the balance.

There has to be a balance struck between integrating players like Di Santo into the side and not jeopardising the chances of silverware in the process. Many teams, ours included under Scolari, but hopefully only until he gets his feet under the table, adopt an eminently sensible policy of starting with the strongest eleven possible before bringing on the youngsters, dependent upon the state of the game. By so doing the manager treats the competition with respect, runs little risk of failure and can only really be criticised, as Loz has already pointed out, in circumstances such as Di Santo’s late arrival against Portsmouth.

The alternative is the Wenger approach, which may get you rave reviews [in his case they are guaranteed] and very little else in terms of ultimate success, whether it be the winning of trophies or the proof positive that your kids are going to make the grade anytime soon. What is obvious about Wenger’s young love-in is that it is by definition a one night stand in the Carling Cup that lacks respect, where there is no pressure and caution is thrown to the wind. Such circumstances may mirror life in general, but not life in the Premiership and that is part of the reason why, over the last four years, Wenger has, so to speak, failed to go all the way.

Scolari on the other hand, as a result of the injury situation, now seems to be left with little option against Burnley but to start with Di Santo because of the fear of losing Anelka, his one [perceived] stalwart Premiership central striker, to injury in the least prestigious competition we are in. It will be a minor test of his faith in Franco that may well be hidden by the inclusion of others such as Stoch or Sinclair, but it will nevertheless be more of a test in his case because, in our eyes, he would be a genuine replacement rather than someone who is having a temporary run out in a secondary competition in the manner of a Wilshere or a Vela for the Gunners against SheffU.

Taking everything into consideration, I have to say I’m in the Just household on this one, although I can appreciate Scolari’s initial caution in the job and his desire to win a trophy at the earliest opportunity. Burnley provide the type of opposition that gives him the leeway he didn’t have against Pompey, so Mancienne, Sinclair, Stoch should all play some part, but Di Santo should be the one to start, as we all mean for him to go on a lot more this season.

There is a big difference in putting out your strongest team and putting out a team that will win.

Against Burnley I think we can afford to do the later.

Don't know why, but when I saw the draw I automatically started thinking about the FA Cup match against Burnley in the 69/70 season, when they had the likes of Ralph Coates, Martin Dobson, Frank Casper & Steve Kindon in their side. They were a decent side back then, but we won after a replay and the rest is history.

Burnley were a bit of a bogey team for Chelsea in those days, hope that's all finished with now!

I've got vague memories of that game at the Bridge, Bluebeard, wasn't it a 2-2 draw and didn't Coates get both their goals? I remember him playing a blinder against us that season and for those who dont know much about Coates, he was very similar in build and style of play to Miroslav Stoch, so it would be kind of weird for older fans of both teams if he was to make his first team debut in this match.

Edited October 3, 200817 yr by Dorset

I've got vague memories of that game at the Bridge, Bluebeard, wasn't it a 2-2 draw and didn't Coates get both their goals? I remember him playing a blinder against us that season and for those who dont know much about Coates, he was very similar in build and style of play to Miroslav Stoch, so it would be kind of weird for older fans of both teams if he was to make his first team debut in this match.

You're right, Dorset, it was 2-2 at the Bridge, but it was Martin Dobson who got both their goals that day. Dobson was a very under-rated player who always seemed to do well against us, the git. Just had a look in my Ron Hockings' bible - Martin Dobson scored four goals against us that year, not bad for a centre-half!

Ralph Coates got Burnley's goal in the replay at Turf Moor - I just hope that Stoch's hair is easier on the eye than Coates', who always seemed to be going for the Bobby Charlton comb-over look :unsure: Coates was an excellent player who unfortunately blotted his copybook by inexplicably signing for the scum at N17 later in his career

Thanks for that research, Bluebeard, which only goes to prove how easy it is to blank out opposition goals as years go by, although you're right, try as we might it's not easy to forget the Coates hairstyle! Stoch's is better...but only just!