West Ham United vs Brentford; Monday 9th March @ 7.30pm (or 2.30pm for those of us in the USA & Can)

claretandbluesky

I think there should have been an element of prioritising, most clubs tend to prioritise now rather than an if fit they play policy. The cups, even for teams without relegation fears, are usually seen as a lower priority now, but when in the position we are I feel Nuno should not have risked him.

Hopefully he will be back soon, but if not and we are found wanting for goals I can see Nuno getting some stick for that decision.

alderz

Maybe that's the fundamental line between us here, as I personally would prioritise the cup. I've said it before, but I've never seen us win the cup, and it's rare for us to even be at this stage.

jay_in_cpt

For me PL survival outweighs FA Cup by miles and miles.....
However, we had to put a somewhat changed line-up like he did IMO it was just unfortunate Summerville picked up an injury ( it could have been any of the 'regular' starters )....but the bonus is we WON.....! ⚒️⚒️

alderz

jay_in_cpt said:

For me PL survival outweighs FA Cup by miles and miles.....

This is a genuine question and not an attack or anything, but why?

I don't really understand what the point is of just bobbing along in lower mid table surviving in the Premier League. The Conference League win is much more of a present thought and memory of mine than any survival, any relegation, anything else West Ham related. I want that feeling back much more than I want the feeling of staying up by the skin of our teeth and then maybe finishing 13th next year.

I know a lot of other people don't agree with that, and I'm genuinely curious as to why.

claretandbluesky

In my view were Brentford in the last 16, the final, and that match lifting the cup then I would 100% agree, but I feel the chances of us progressing even to the final let alone winning it to be too far remote to make it worth compromising a far more achievable goal of survival. I don't feel that a win in a last 16 match is close enough to winning a cup to risk our best survival chance.

The reason I would prioritise survival is that the reset and rebuild runs too deep and potentially for a good few seasons. I feel we would lose all the people I enjoy watching and have to build a Championship side to try and get promoted again, and then try and climb the mountain of first season survival with a Championship side and a few new signings. Yet even with this said I would probably agree with you were victory over Brentford lifting the trophy, but it was last 16. We now have to beat Leeds, then likely Arsenal, City, Liverpool or Chelsea in a semi, and then one of the rest of them in a final. We have a side at present that can achieve survival but not one that can pull those kind of results out the bag.

jay_in_cpt

alderz said:

jay_in_cpt said:

For me PL survival outweighs FA Cup by miles and miles.....

This is a genuine question and not an attack or anything, but why?

I don't really understand what the point is of just bobbing along in lower mid table surviving in the Premier League. The Conference League win is much more of a present thought and memory of mine than any survival, any relegation, anything else West Ham related. I want that feeling back much more than I want the feeling of staying up by the skin of our teeth and then maybe finishing 13th next year.

I know a lot of other people don't agree with that, and I'm genuinely curious as to why.

For me winning a cup is like a summer holiday, brilliant while it lasts and will certainly be remembered for a long time, but PL is simply where all teams wish to be, and as a fan, I fall into that category, I'm not saying what other's preferences may be wrong, but I don't want West Ham to be playing championship football ever, if possible, even if it's at the expense of never winning the F A Cup in my lifetime again.....All IMO of course..

Fortuneseeker

@alderz, you say "I want that feeling back much more than I want the feeling of staying up by the skin of our teeth and then maybe finishing 13th next year." how often do you think the team can give you that feeling and how?

Although we did come back up within one season I am old enough to remember when it took us three years and two (twice) the following time we got relegated.

buffybegood

For me, being in the PL means I get to watch pretty much every match online, but that certainly won't be the case if we're in the Championship. There's also the fact that it's getting harder and harder to stay up should you manage to get promoted back up, invariably with a weaker squad than the one that you got relegated with. We'd lose most if not all of our better players which is always really depressing, and, given how competitive the Championship is, there's no guarantee we'll get back any time soon anyway.

So, as much as I'd love us to win the Cup, I can't help feeling that getting relegated would lead to many years of struggle for the club.

chicagohammer

I recall the years when we yo-yo’’d between the divisions but I fear that the financial consequences of relegation today make it a far more serious concern than it was in the 80s/90.

I do not think we are that strong financially and getting back quickly is far from assured…

IronHerb

claretandbluesky said:

I think that would be serious mismanagement by Nuno (who I like very much). He has risked the one player who has done more than any to get us within reach of safety and then risked him for pretty much nothing. We are a new level of threat with Summerville and without him things will be more difficult.

Summerville could walk on to the pitch against City and be crocked in the first minute, as could any of the team. Wrapping them in cotton wool doesn't necessarily keep them safe.

As alderz posted, the next two games are almost free hits, although I think we could beat Villa.

claretandbluesky

I think we know that an injury is possible at anytime through any unlikely means but do you really feel that truth removes any concept of risk mitigation on behalf of managers?

I would disagree with the idea that we should not consider priorities and risk management for the reason that anything could happen at any time. When key individuals are central to your designated aims I would most certainly consider resting them in matches not central to that aim.

EXETERHAMMER

It is a tough one picking between staying up or winning the FA Cup.

My best memorable moments were winning the 1980 FA Cup final and winning the Conference League. I also liked winning the play off final... Vaz Te and all that.

But from a season by season basis I want to watch us in the Premier League

Perhaps we could just do both this season!

claretandbluesky

Now you are getting me into my dream scenarios.

How about we remain up on the final day by beating Leeds as Spurs fail to a Moyes led Everton. On the way we beat Chelsea in the final of the FA Cup with a late goal as Tobido rises above Jao Pedro to head home from a corner and looks back at him as celebrating mocking him with his two hands around his own neck.