Dark Munster

To clarify, I meant: Yes, competing to the levels that we are is exciting. I'm loving the league season, free of relegation stress. And yes, playing a weakened team against Sunderland's reserves was a disgrace. Even the West Ham fan agrees: 5. What have you made of Southampton’s season? Been an excellent season for you lot, with the amount you spent you would expect to be where you are. I just don’t understand the cup game last week? Why on earth does he play a weakened team when that has to be the biggest game of the season. In my opinion you had a massive chance to get to Wembley. If that was us I would be furious.

Let me ask a simple question. If the team sent out against Sunderland's reserves was instead sent out against Hull, and if the team that played against Hull instead was held back to play against Sunderland's reserves, do you think there would be a greater chance that we would still be in the cup?

Play the reserves on Saturday, and the first 11 on Monday. Simples.

Best: Saints in the league. Worst: Saints in f**king cups.

No comparison. There was promotion/relegation to battle for. The whole point of our tirade is that we are now in a unique position where league points aren't crucial.

Your first paragraph explains perfectly why players like Lallana, Shaw, and Lambert were so ineffective in the cup match. It's a team game. With players like Guly and Hoofeld included, and Cork and MS dropped, the system collapses. The blame lies squarely on MP and his team selection.

Didn't realise you could get a mortgage on a caravan.

Wouldn't say inevitably. Last time we stayed up for 27 years. We are much stronger financially now too, with a billionaire owner and filthy Sky lucre. I hate to say it but Gus has done brilliantly for you so far. If you stay up (and win a cup or two) you will have indeed had a great season, you bastards. Going down can be a disaster, and we almost did die actually after our last relegation. Yes there are parachute payments, but the gulf in money now can cripple a club. I admire you being sanguine about the possibility of relegation, but I wouldn't swap positions. If we went down our billionaire owner could get bored (or rather her nipper might) and it could all unravel damned quickly.

Sigh. We're not moaning because we have nothing (major) to play for in the league. We're pissed off because, having nothing to play for in the league, MP didn't put out his strongest side against Sunderland's reserves. If he had, we probably would've won, and again against Hull/Brighton. Not guaranteed of course, but odds on for at least a semi-final appearance. Who knows beyond that? And yes, if we had gone out trying with our strongest line-up, we wouldn't be moaning, and we would still be enjoying the remainder of our stress-free upper mid-table exploits.

An Ian Sider must surely know the truth.

If you're in the minority in your opinion, pretend that you're in the majority by saying most of your supporters are silent.

And, most importantly, don't play a weakened team in the 5th round when your PL place is secure with little to play for.

This. Save the big guns for the important quarter final against Brighton/Hull.

Yes. Next question? http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?49001-Hull-vs-Saints-Build-Up http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?49028-Hull-v-Saints-Match-Thread http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?49030-Hull-0-Saints-1-Post-Match-amp-MOTM-Poll

No it's not (nice straw man you knocked over there!) Our league position is great. It's also the perfect and rare position to have made a real go for the FA Cup.

F**k the butterfly effect. I wanted an elephant effect with our strongest 11 against Sunderland's reserves.

You don't have to give up that part. Just our position with Sunderland in the league, and their League Cup final and FA cup quarter final. You don't have to give up that part. Just our position with Sunderland in the league, and their League Cup final and FA cup quarter final.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/11014639.COMMENT__Poch_needs_a_history_lesson_as_Saints_cannot_continue_to_treat_the_FA_Cup_with_so_little_respect/

Increases his pay > bonus

Winning the league.

Here is the Echo article, BTW http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/11014639.COMMENT__Poch_needs_a_history_lesson_as_Saints_cannot_continue_to_treat_the_FA_Cup_with_so_little_respect/

And if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle. In the league meetings our first 11 drew twice with their first 11 (dominating both matches, despite them desperate for points). It clearly follows that if we'd played our strongest 11 against their reserves on Saturday we almost certainly would've got a result. As simple and as frustrating as that.