And suggesting it's just as bad as the Sheffield United situation is ludicrous. I've never liked Pardew, and crying like a little baby makes me hate him even more. What a pratt. Reading fans and then idiot Pardew don't settle for anything else than 'perfection'. And if Reading fail to go up then Pardew will lose his job. He will do anything he can to ensure the championship or promotion, I hope they flop again,
His reasoning is rubbish and all the players that played have all played in the first team this season. What happens when Man Utd play reserves (Yorke, Butt,Giggs,Carol etc), they don't replay the match do they? Who is to say what a clubs "strongest" side is? Would we have fared any better with another 11? Was he really expecting us to beat Brentford?
In reality we have not done very well against the top sides this season. We are consolidating after promotion. It was not a route. The answer is we would probably have lost so why moan. I respect McMahon saying he was looking at other players for the final, after all our "first eleven" hardly did any better against Northampton. Pardew should get real, have Reading always played against the "best eleven's". What will be achieved by replaying? Only more money for the Pool by gate receipts. What happens if our "first eleven" with no real interest lose 6-0? Will he ask for another replay?
The final on Sunday was the key to our season. I think Macca was entirely right to rest the key squad members as we came away with the trophy at the weekend, and it was something all Pool fans will remember 20 years from now - I doubt many will remember in 12 months time how we did against Brentford in the final mid-week game before the final. If anything, I think the performance against Brentford emphasizes the need for us to strengthen the squad - if the key players are missing, we're clearly unable to compete with strong squads....so lets keep this in perspective....and great credit to all the Pool fans, who even at 3-0 down we were still creating one heck of an atmosphere at Bloomfield Road!
We also didn't see anyone complaining on Saturday when Vale didn't play their strongest eleven, having nothing to play for.. and we could easiliy have been two down at half time then, too... How many people realistically thought we could win against Brentford if we'd played our first choice eleven, with the distraction of Cardiff ahead anyway?
After all the debate on this since that Wednesday I still won't accept that the team that played Brentford was the 'reserve' team. How many players were actually making their first team debut - none. Hang on - defence - recognised right-back, first choice left back, two experienced centre halves, midfield - all experienced players who have figured in the first team squad regularly over the past season and a half, forwards - two of our four available. That team SHOULD have been capable of making a game of it. It's not like Macca played anyone out of position.
These are experienced pro's with plenty of games under their belts this season.
All appearances from league games.
Pullen 14 apps, Parkinson 12 apps, Hughes 18 apps, Reid 21apps, Jaszczun 34 apps, J Milligan 14 apps, Clarkson 1 app, O'Kane 32 apps, Simpson 31 apps, Fenton 13 apps, Walker 15 apps.
That starting line-up 12 months ago would have been a strong side for Blackpool personally I beleive we were not that bad against Brentford considering the players who played, apart from Reid, Parkinson & Clarkson who I thought were awful, the 1st goal was a defensive error, the 2nd was a wonder goal and the 3rd just hit the guy on the head & wrong footed Pullen, when we got 1 back we could have easily got another straight away.
For arguments sake, if we had played a full 11 last night and ended up with a couple of injuries, then had to play a 'weakened' side on Sunday and lost, people would then be having a go at McMahon saying why didn't he rest players against Brentford. The guy can't win.
There are certain games that clubs don't care about, and just look at Arsenal , Man Utd, and even Bolton teams that appeared and lost in the Worthless Cup this season.Clearly for us Brentford was one such match, and what a luxury we could turn out a team with that much experience. Sure we lost ,but Arsenal lost to Juventus reserves didn't they.
Macca has done exactly what he should have done - he gave us the best chance of winning the only game left this season which has any real importance. We have no realistic chance of relegation now, and winning on Sunday made the difference between an ordinary season and a memorable one. The squad system is perfectly well accepted these days, and if they were fining managers for playing less than their strongest teams they would have to start with virtually all the Premier clubs. If we had played our strongest eleven, and one or two of them were injured - or even just a bit tired last Sunday - then everyone would have been calling for Macca's head.
As for FL punishment - they must be delighted that Blackpool and Cambridge aboth treated the much-maligned LDV Trophy so seriously.
Peter Gillatt - www.seasiders.net
An independent Blackpool FC Website
His reasoning is rubbish and all the players that played have all played in the first team this season. What happens when Man Utd play reserves (Yorke, Butt,Giggs,Carol etc), they don't replay the match do they? Who is to say what a clubs "strongest" side is? Would we have fared any better with another 11? Was he really expecting us to beat Brentford?
In reality we have not done very well against the top sides this season. We are consolidating after promotion. It was not a route. The answer is we would probably have lost so why moan. I respect McMahon saying he was looking at other players for the final, after all our "first eleven" hardly did any better against Northampton. Pardew should get real, have Reading always played against the "best eleven's". What will be achieved by replaying? Only more money for the Pool by gate receipts. What happens if our "first eleven" with no real interest lose 6-0? Will he ask for another replay?
The final on Sunday was the key to our season. I think Macca was entirely right to rest the key squad members as we came away with the trophy at the weekend, and it was something all Pool fans will remember 20 years from now - I doubt many will remember in 12 months time how we did against Brentford in the final mid-week game before the final. If anything, I think the performance against Brentford emphasizes the need for us to strengthen the squad - if the key players are missing, we're clearly unable to compete with strong squads....so lets keep this in perspective....and great credit to all the Pool fans, who even at 3-0 down we were still creating one heck of an atmosphere at Bloomfield Road!
We also didn't see anyone complaining on Saturday when Vale didn't play their strongest eleven, having nothing to play for.. and we could easiliy have been two down at half time then, too... How many people realistically thought we could win against Brentford if we'd played our first choice eleven, with the distraction of Cardiff ahead anyway?
After all the debate on this since that Wednesday I still won't accept that the team that played Brentford was the 'reserve' team. How many players were actually making their first team debut - none. Hang on - defence - recognised right-back, first choice left back, two experienced centre halves, midfield - all experienced players who have figured in the first team squad regularly over the past season and a half, forwards - two of our four available. That team SHOULD have been capable of making a game of it. It's not like Macca played anyone out of position.
These are experienced pro's with plenty of games under their belts this season.
All appearances from league games.
Pullen 14 apps, Parkinson 12 apps, Hughes 18 apps, Reid 21apps, Jaszczun 34 apps, J Milligan 14 apps, Clarkson 1 app, O'Kane 32 apps, Simpson 31 apps, Fenton 13 apps, Walker 15 apps.
That starting line-up 12 months ago would have been a strong side for Blackpool personally I beleive we were not that bad against Brentford considering the players who played, apart from Reid, Parkinson & Clarkson who I thought were awful, the 1st goal was a defensive error, the 2nd was a wonder goal and the 3rd just hit the guy on the head & wrong footed Pullen, when we got 1 back we could have easily got another straight away.
For arguments sake, if we had played a full 11 last night and ended up with a couple of injuries, then had to play a 'weakened' side on Sunday and lost, people would then be having a go at McMahon saying why didn't he rest players against Brentford. The guy can't win.
There are certain games that clubs don't care about, and just look at Arsenal , Man Utd, and even Bolton teams that appeared and lost in the Worthless Cup this season.Clearly for us Brentford was one such match, and what a luxury we could turn out a team with that much experience. Sure we lost ,but Arsenal lost to Juventus reserves didn't they.
Macca has done exactly what he should have done - he gave us the best chance of winning the only game left this season which has any real importance. We have no realistic chance of relegation now, and winning on Sunday made the difference between an ordinary season and a memorable one. The squad system is perfectly well accepted these days, and if they were fining managers for playing less than their strongest teams they would have to start with virtually all the Premier clubs. If we had played our strongest eleven, and one or two of them were injured - or even just a bit tired last Sunday - then everyone would have been calling for Macca's head.
As for FL punishment - they must be delighted that Blackpool and Cambridge aboth treated the much-maligned LDV Trophy so seriously.
Peter Gillatt - www.seasiders.net
An independent Blackpool FC Website