S-Clarke

Says it all really.

Because with a decent team, the correct attitude and the right level of motivation then we would have had every chance. The reality is that the cup is treated as a low priority by the club, hence why Jesus takes the interviews and why the squad players play games. How is that offering extra motivation for the players? Fair enough, they should have played a hell of a lot better yesterday, but the entire team was a mess and played like they hadn't prepared a single jot.

On our day, this team is a match for anyone with a first 11 out on show. We are looking as if we will have a full squad to choose from for the remainder of the season, so this was a competition that we had a real realistic chance of winning - for the first time in a long, long, long time. It may never be like that again, that's why so many of us feel so fed up as it was such a missed opportunity.

Neither side showed an ounce of respect for the cup, but at least Sunderland were honest about their priorities. We just stuck 2 fingers up to the fans with the ''biggest game of our season'' ''we can win the cup'' tripe. But it's not like we haven't done this before this year, we've been bitten twice by doing the same thing at the same stadium. Clearly didn't want to win.

Respect to you for making the trip. Also annoys me how the club haven't been straight at all, especially with the utter tripe brought out yesterday by Lallana suggesting this is our biggest game of the season. Utter trash.

I want the club to show some respect to the cup competitions. They treat them like pre-season games/a week off for the manager at every opportunity and it's a bloody disgrace.

Meaningless, why exactly? Sorry, I forgot. We can still win the league. Silly me.

Not sure Jos is good enough to be 4th choice, if you're 4th choice there's still a chance you'll be required to perform in the PL at some point in the season. He isn't good enough to do that, so shouldn't be one of our CB's next year. Good fella and all that, but totally out of his depth in my opinion.

I've been told that Glasgow_Saint makes it up as he goes along. Make of that what you will.

Could grab a loan deal for an experienced CM from somewhere in Europe to cover for a year.

Hopefully we can use the summer to create a much more competitive squad. I don't want to see the likes of Jos, Guly, Davis, Fox etc close to the first team next year. They need to be replaced by players a notch up quality wise if we're able to cope with rotation - which we've failed miserably with whenever we've had the squad stretched this year. I'd also be tempted to send JWP on loan for a season, just think at his age it would be good for him to get a full season of football down in a competitive NPC to strengthen him up a bit. There's no doubt he has quality, but I'm not sure he's progressing enough by being in and out of a side like he is with us.

I think that's what gets me the most, the selection was wrong, but it was the complete lack of effort over that 90mins. You've not been able to say that much in the last 4 or so years, but today was a horrible flash back to our wilderness years. Reminded me of that Bristol Rovers cup tie from a few years back, we didn't seem to know what we were doing that day either. It was just a mess.

Today was utter ****, and our treatment of cup competitions this year has been nothing short of disgusting - but this is typical Alpine OTT nonsense. It's still been a season of tremendous progress.

I still can't believe some people are still buying that. Unless we get a takeover by an arab with millions and millions to burn, that will simply not happen, 100% fact.

Still not quite getting the argument that ''it was good we lost, and we've come through this unscathed, ready to kick on in the league etc.' The performance was so bad that it could easily have a knock on effect to our league performances, the players confidence will have taken a big battering today. There's utterly no benefit to come out of us losing this game, not entirely why some people are suggesting there is.

His inclusion in the squad this year was purely down on his form last season. This season he's had a poor one, no glossing over that. Very ineffective, some good games here and there, but unfortunately for him - and for us - his influence on the team is in decline, that's for sure.

Pointless thread.

Guly is a good lad, but looked totally out of his depth today against a very weakened Sunderland team. He's not going to be worth anything to us in the run in. Not that we're ''running in'' to anything particular.

The club made him look a bit foolish based on that interview.

Already happened. Saw a tweet suggesting MP is still working to NC's instructions issued at the start of the season, league priority over everything else.

Fully agreed.

No, he didn't decline. It's just par the course - Jesus does all press for cup games, all set in stone already. So he didn't 'refuse', the arrangement was already set. Which kind of shows the importance the club puts on it.

Decent squad player, but as part of a triangle with Jos and Davis he's never going to look much cop.

And allowed us to make more Lambert-style opportunities throughout the match, rather than the last 10 mins.

Because it's important that we finish 8th, not 9th.