Originally Posted by
Geoff Parkstone
I'm going to need my in hat here from both sides
The red highlighted sentence from Swale just reinforces what a small minded, narrow, parochial bunch of fans we have. Basically you are saying that the season doesnt matter as long as we beat Forest? That is pathetic, lacking in ambition and frankly absurd - but its also probably true. Maybe 40 years of no success has led us to set our sights so low that beating a small town, equally unssuccessful (over a similar period) neighbour is important? I get local bragging rights at work or in the pub, but really we have to set aside thinking the season is a success because we kept the Brian Clough Trophy. But that is some fans for you, cannot see beyond the end of there nose
So it should not matter who we played in the cup, you either try or don't enter. Let it not be forgotten that NFFC appear to have rested just as many players as us: we didn't lose because they played their first team (*note I dont know how many regular starters they did play, but not many I suspect) against our kids: we lost because they were better. Simples.
As to the concept of "resting", FFS (to borrow a phrase) we are 6 games in to a season. As Swale says, if we are fighting for the premiership and champions league, then yes, throw in some non starters. They are probably better than our starters and should be able to handle Crawley away - unless they are Norwich!
And as for the idea of giving youngsters "some experience" - how does that work - they are playing another 2nd tier team's reserves, so thats not a new experience at all. They will be playing those backups in the regular reserve team games etc all season. So its not a new experience for Derby U23 to play NFFC U23 is it