Barclays Premier League

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

What's a weakened team for Man Utd though? :laugh:

They still have great players on the bench.

I assume if there's no Ronaldo on the park then it's time to sue, yeah? :rolleyes: :p

[Rappy Veteran]

What's a weakened team for Man Utd though? :laugh:

They still have great players on the bench.

I assume if there's no Ronaldo on the park then it's time to sue, yeah? :rolleyes: :p

Well I think they mean different goalkeeper then VDS and then like under 18's in the first team :p

tbf its very petty but heh they threatened to sue them when we beat them to survive a few years back.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Well I think they mean different goalkeeper then VDS and then like under 18's in the first team :p

tbf its very petty but heh they threatened to sue them when we beat them to survive a few years back.

I think it's already confirmed on the Man Utd website Kuszczak and Fletcher are starting!

[Mike]

Well I think they mean different goalkeeper then VDS and then like under 18's in the first team :p

tbf its very petty but heh they threatened to sue them when we beat them to survive a few years back.

VDS is pretty much guaranteed not to play. Ferdinand may well do as Fergie wants to give him a game before the CL final, Fletcher will play as he can't play in the final. Apart from those 2 I'd expect a team similar to what we used in the Carling Cup which considering we won it, isn't that bad. We may lose or draw the game but that may well come down to we're a team with nothing to play for and they're a team playing for their PL status.

It is petty because it doesn't come down to a single game, whoever goes down it won't be because of what happens on Sunday, it'll be because they didn't do enough over the past 9 or 10 months.

[gregb0b]

Hahahah you guys...... Those flags are pretty funny. To bad its a common occurrence for every other sport in the world to have some type of merch given to the fans whether it be flags, towels or shirts. Mainstreaming ftw :)

examples:

Welcome to today's world of sports

[Kralik]

Eduardo underwent simple revision surgery on his left ankle earlier today [Wednesday, May 20].

The operation went well and Eduardo will follow a dedicated rehabilitation programme throughout June.

He is expected to return to full training in pre-season with the rest of the squad.

All the best to him and Rosicky.. we really missed them this season..

[Subject Delta]

I heard today that Boro and Hull could sue Utd if they do that

Highly unlikely. United can field whatever team they want, unless united could be proven to have actually deliberately thrown the game (which obviously wouldn't happen) they'd have no leg to stand on.

What's a weakened team for Man Utd though? :laugh:

They still have great players on the bench.

I assume if there's no Ronaldo on the park then it's time to sue, yeah? :rolleyes: :p

If anything, they should sue Ronaldo for impersonating an olympic diver. But in terms of weakened team I am thinking of the likes of the team that went out against Everton in the FA cup semi final

Hahahah you guys...... Those flags are pretty funny. To bad its a common occurrence for every other sport in the world to have some type of merch given to the fans whether it be flags, towels or shirts. Mainstreaming ftw :)

Too bad that they don't do it in some pathetic attempt to create a better atmosphere because they are jealous that everyone else's fans do it without being prompted. Your argument still fails. D'oh!

[gregb0b]

Argument? I don't argue with anyone, get over yourself.

[Subject Delta]

I meant your argument about the use of the flags, not actual physical arguments :laugh:

[Subject Delta]

Just looked it up and apparently there is actually a rule that prevents teams fielding weakened sides. Seems kinda stupid to me.

[Rappy Veteran]

Just looked it up and apparently there is actually a rule that prevents teams fielding weakened sides. Seems kinda stupid to me.

Yeah they went through that on the news earlier, is kinda lame.

[Subject Delta]

Meh, hopefully someone will clatter Ronaldo and put him out of the final :laugh:

[JoeC]

Lame? How is it lame?

It's a sport, it's meant to be competitive. If a team is deliberately fielding a weak team they're going to be less competitive, which makes for less sport. Sure it may be a closer match, but it's not a true reflection of the two teams.

If you're a Newcastle fan and you play Man U twice in the season against a full strength team, and you're fighting against Hull for PL status, and Hull play Man U once at full strength and once as a much weakened side... you can see exactly where the argument is.

And it's a fair argument; teams spend all season putting their full strength squad out, just because they're champions doesn't mean the season's over, and if the result can still affect the league, they should put out their standard side.

Having said that, no team in the league would if they had such a big game a few days after, and nothing was riding on the match. It's a shame that money has to come above sport so often :/

[Subject Delta]

It's lame because a team should be able to field any damn players they want, without fearing being sued for what is, at best, a subjective judgement of what their best team actually is.

For one, United could have used it to give a few of their youngsters an outing, get them more accustomed to playing premier league football, for another why the hell should a team put their stars at risk of injury when there is nothing else left to fight for, it just puts our players at a disadvantage when foreign teams can rest their players.

[Martyn]

A team should be able to field any starting XI they desire. After all, how would youngsters come through if players could only play based on previous reputation?

The likes of Hull, 'Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland have 38 games each to avoid relegation, that is what it comes down to.

[JoeC]

when there is nothing else left to fight for

That's the point - there's nothing for United to play for, but Hull sure as hell have a LOT to play for, and United fielding a weaker team is going to have a big effect on other teams at the bottom of the table - Newcastle, Middlesbrough (although they're probably gone) and Sunderland (who are probably safe), not to mention obviously Hull.

@Martyn: If after 37 of those games, they're as close as they are now, is it FAIR to give one of those teams an easier last game than they would have had simply because their opponents have been good all season and won with a game in hand?

You say the season is 38 games - they haven't PLAYED them all yet. For Hull to be having an advantage in one of those games can clearly mean the difference between staying up and going down. You don't hear people saying "Pah, Liverpool deserve not to win, they had 38 games to beat and they couldn't even manage to get more points than United" (that last sentence is a bit fuzzy, and sort of doesn't make sense, but it's late at night and I think it gets the meaning across :p)

[Subject Delta]

A team should be able to field any starting XI they desire. After all, how would youngsters come through if players could only play based on previous reputation?

The likes of Hull, 'Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland have 38 games each to avoid relegation, that is what it comes down to.

Agreed. The worst 3 teams over a season are usually the 3 that go down.

That's the point - there's nothing for United to play for, but Hull sure as hell have a LOT to play for, and United fielding a weaker team is going to have a big effect on other teams at the bottom of the table - Newcastle, Middlesbrough (although they're probably gone) and Sunderland (who are probably safe), not to mention obviously Hull.

@Martyn: If after 37 of those games, they're as close as they are now, is it FAIR to give one of those teams an easier last game than they would have had simply because their opponents have been good all season and won with a game in hand?

You say the season is 38 games - they haven't PLAYED them all yet. For Hull to be having an advantage in one of those games can clearly mean the difference between staying up and going down. You don't hear people saying "Pah, Liverpool deserve not to win, they had 38 games to beat and they couldn't even manage to get more points than United" (that last sentence is a bit fuzzy, and sort of doesn't make sense, but it's late at night and I think it gets the meaning across :p)

I think you are missing the bigger picture here. Sure, United fielding a weakened team may well affect Hull/Newcastle/Boro, but you know... So what? It is Hull/Boro/Newcastle's job to save themselves from relegation not Manchester United's. The fact is that if they are relegated it will be because they haven't been good enough over the course of the season, not because of United fielding a weakened team. As Martyn pointed out, a premiership football season is over 38 games, not 1 and the fact of the matter is that if a team isn't good enough they get relegated.

I don't like this ruling, the regulatory body are there to uphold the rules of the game not interfere with team's internal affairs. As far as I am concerned, as long as the team that is put out isn't deliberately throwing the match in some kind of scam then they should be allowed to field said team. And one thing you can bet, any team united put out will battle for the win because the players would all feel like they have a point to prove. Also, personally I feel that United have such strength in depth that their B team is probably as good as the first choice XI of any team from about 8th downwards

[JoeC]

Read the bit I aimed at Martyn :p

The fact is that if they are relegated it will be because they haven't been good enough over the course of the season

Yes, the season is over 38 games, and this game is one of them. When everyone else has played Man U, they've put out a full strength team both home and away. For Hull, it's full strength for one and weakened for the other. That's an unfair advantage coming about from the fact that they're playing United at the end of the season when United are already champions.

And if after 37 of the games, then the season is essentially decided by 1 game - there's nothing else to split them by.

Tthere are still 4 teams who could all go down, and you can't give one an unfair advantage none of the others have then say to the others "You should have got more points before, tough luck", because by the same argument, Hull should have got more points before and not be in the situation where it can matter, which is nonsense :p

If United had fielded a weakened team against all the clubs in the relegation battle, there'd be no unfair advantage (except all the other teams in the league, of course :)) and the problem would be much smaller.

[Subject Delta]

It ain't unfair. Why the hell should united (or any other team for that matter) have to risk their players getting injured in a game that means nothing to them, when they have a massive final 3 days later? it's absolutely ludicrous. It isn't unfair at all, as Martyn said a football team should be able to play whoever the hell they want.

Who has the advantage is irrelevant to me. Manchester United place their entry in the league as Manchester United, and as far as I am concerned as long as the XI on the pitch are official Manchester United players, there is no problem.

I don't mean to dig into you, I just don't see the rationale behind the thinking that it is reasonable to think a team should risk their players in a game that means nothing

[Martyn]

@Martyn: If after 37 of those games, they're as close as they are now, is it FAIR to give one of those teams an easier last game than they would have had simply because their opponents have been good all season and won with a game in hand?

Before vital Champions League games throughout the whole season Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea all rest players.

Should we all be sued?

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I think you guys are overblowing this.

As long as Man Utd don't field the under 18's team nothing will happen. They have a big squad, you'll maybe see the likes of Welbeck, Rafael, Anderson, Nani, Flectcher, Gibson, Fabio, Evans, Neville get started or play, but possibly Rooney or Berbatov may start. Vidic also.

That's not a "weak" team, they're all players with 1st team matches under their belt this season.

[Mike]

Yes, the season is over 38 games, and this game is one of them. When everyone else has played Man U, they've put out a full strength team both home and away. For Hull, it's full strength for one and weakened for the other. That's an unfair advantage coming about from the fact that they're playing United at the end of the season when United are already champions.

And if after 37 of the games, then the season is essentially decided by 1 game - there's nothing else to split them by.

Tthere are still 4 teams who could all go down, and you can't give one an unfair advantage none of the others have then say to the others "You should have got more points before, tough luck", because by the same argument, Hull should have got more points before and not be in the situation where it can matter, which is nonsense :p

If United had fielded a weakened team against all the clubs in the relegation battle, there'd be no unfair advantage (except all the other teams in the league, of course :)) and the problem would be much smaller.

I'd call it unlucky, when we played against Fulham with 10 men for most of the match, should we have got someone sent off against the other teams going for 7th to make it fair? The team we played against Newcastle on the opening day was hardly the best XI (it was of those fit to play but no where near our best team) but I don't hear them complaining about an unfair advantage for that :p

Like I say, playing teams at different parts of the season gives teams an advantage or disadvantage anyway, if we played the best XI against Hull, not many of the players will go for 50:50 balls and will end up playing to not get injured where as the "weaker" team will go in for 50 50s as if they get injured it's no big deal.

If Newcastle want to sue us for that then we should sue them for being optimistic at the start of the season and not gifting us goals like they did to other clubs after the season got going :p

[Subject Delta]

United have been forced into a corner, I believe they now have to field a full strength team. Sad IMO. I am not a man u fan by any means, but the FA have really screwed them over here IMO

[Mike]

We were in a corner the second it was brought up. If Hull stay up due to the result they get against us, fingers will be pointed at whoever is rested.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I just hope they don't field a full strength team then if they lose the Champions league everyone (Man Utd included) starts the butthurt about tired players.

Play whatever damn squad you want to this weekend Fergie, if you've got players who've played in the first team this season you ain't taking the ****. If you play the under 18's youth squad in it's entirety then yeah you are.

Hull have the whole season to avoid relegation just like Man Utd have to win the league. Now that the league is won any team in the world with a Champions League final coming up ain't going to play the starting 11 that's planned for the final in a league game.

Even if Man Utd were second and the league was down to the last game, Fergie's team between the league game and the CL final would probably be somewhat different. Maybe not much, but it's the way he plays, he rotates squads.