Cup run next year?

TopCat · 9th January 2011, 08:39 AM

Since our return to the prem under Reid, we've always appeared to sacrifice top level status for a cup run. The 2 semi-finals we're appeared in since 1992 have been whilst in the 2nd tier. It's clear that Reid, Keane and now Bruce see the cup games as an opportunity to rest key players and to hell with a cup run.

Happen to agree with that philosophy, and couldn't give a monkey's that we lost yesterday. In actual fact I would have played an even weaker team with Healy up front on his own rather than risk injury to our only 2 fit strikers.

That said, do we every envisage Sunderland taking the cup competitions seriously? We are now an established top flight team, do we not have a strong enough squad to mount a challenge next year, or will SB be saving the key players for the Europa League?

Billy Fish · 9th January 2011, 08:51 AM

I find yesterdays result particularly frustrating because the Premiership first team eleven, when fully fit, would have made an excellent cup team.
On their day they're capable of beating any team, the defence is resilient and there's always goals in the team.
They just needed to get through that game yesterday and get a few of the injured Lads back then who knows what might have been. Best chance in years of going for a good cup run.

BRMC · 9th January 2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopCat

Since our return to the prem under Reid, we've always appeared to sacrifice top level status for a cup run. The 2 semi-finals we're appeared in since 1992 have been whilst in the 2nd tier. It's clear that Reid, Keane and now Bruce see the cup games as an opportunity to rest key players and to hell with a cup run.

Happen to agree with that philosophy, and couldn't give a monkey's that we lost yesterday. In actual fact I would have played an even weaker team with Healy up front on his own rather than risk injury to our only 2 fit strikers.

That said, do we every envisage Sunderland taking the cup competitions seriously? We are now an established top flight team, do we not have a strong enough squad to mount a challenge next year, or will SB be saving the key players for the Europa League?

I agree 100% with you on that, however playiny/risking Bent and Gyan yesterday was to get their confidence up and to be honest it may have done the opposite.

Mackemansj1 · 9th January 2011, 08:57 AM

I think yesterday showed we are some ways off being able to have a squad doing well in the prem and then shuffle the squad for cup runs. Alot of the team yesterday are just simply not good enough, i also agree fuck the cups as long as we keep making progress in the league im happy with that. It will be a few seasons time before we can have a squad strong enough to sustain top ten and shuffle and progress in the cups.

BRMC · 9th January 2011, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Fish

I find yesterdays result particularly frustrating because the Premiership first team eleven, when fully fit, would have made an excellent cup team.
On their day they're capable of beating any team, the defence is resilient and there's always goals in the team.
They just needed to get through that game yesterday and get a few of the injured Lads back then who knows what might have been. Best chance in years of going for a good cup run.

This tends to get said most years though.