FA cup game with Luton off ?

[retro royal]

Luton players/staff have covid, so gives players a nice rest after tomorrow if game is called off

QPR game off, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55450052

[royalp-we]

Well if it goes ahead next weekend then we will likely be fielding the U23’s anyway; so no real advantage of additional rest time.

[Lower West]

With many players still out injured and others still regaining fitness. A delay would be welcome.

[Needle]

Spurs got a bye when Orient couldn’t field a team.

Would the same apply or was that just because subsequent rounds of the league cup were much sooner?

[Lower West]

Spurs got a bye when Orient couldn’t field a team.

Would the same apply or was that just because subsequent rounds of the league cup were much sooner?

Good point. There's no replays scheduled this season. Be a bonus if we got a bye.

Might even reach the final.

[Fox Talbot]

A bye is the only way we'll get through.

Can't see us picking a strong XI determined to get through this year!

[Snowball]

Wouldn't it be weird if a team byed its way to the final then beat XXX's under-16s to win the cup?

[morganb]

The Football Association has warned clubs that they must fulfil FA Cup third-round ties next week even if they have only 14 players Covid-free and available, as fears grow that the competition could be ruined by a raft of postponements.

The email from the governing body was sent to clubs on Fri [1 Jan] amid concern that the FA Cup could be badly damaged this week with Covid infections climbing steeply across Britain.

The FA has told clubs that they must do all they can to “keep the competition on schedule”.

Source:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... -14-covid/

[SCIAG]

I’d like:

Southwood; Watson, Dorsett, Abbey, Bristow; Semedo, East; Aluko, Lawless, Onen; Melvin-Lambert

Swift and Puscas on the bench but hopefully not needed. Doesn’t matter if we lose but that team should be competitive.

Expect we’ll get:

Southwood; Esteves, Holmes, McIntyre, Richards; Watson, East; Aluko, Semedo, Baldock; Puscas

That second team should be strong enough to beat Luton, who have looked terrible in their recent games against us. Midfield is very lightweight but Aluko and Semedo can both create and the defence could credibly start a league match.

[Snowflake Royal]

I’d like:

Southwood; Watson, Dorsett, Abbey, Bristow; Semedo, East; Aluko, Lawless, Onen; Melvin-Lambert

Swift and Puscas on the bench but hopefully not needed. Doesn’t matter if we lose but that team should be competitive.

Expect we’ll get:

Southwood; Esteves, Holmes, McIntyre, Richards; Watson, East; Aluko, Semedo, Baldock; Puscas

That second team should be strong enough to beat Luton, who have looked terrible in their recent games against us. Midfield is very lightweight but Aluko and Semedo can both create and the defence could credibly start a league match.

Too much IMO. Luton thoroughly outplayed our last total reserve side.

...................Southwood
Esteves, Holmes, McIntyre, Bristow
...................Semedo, Swift
....Aluko,.........Olise, ..........Baldock
........................Puscas

[URZZZZ]

I’d like:

Southwood; Watson, Dorsett, Abbey, Bristow; Semedo, East; Aluko, Lawless, Onen; Melvin-Lambert

Swift and Puscas on the bench but hopefully not needed. Doesn’t matter if we lose but that team should be competitive.

Expect we’ll get:

Southwood; Esteves, Holmes, McIntyre, Richards; Watson, East; Aluko, Semedo, Baldock; Puscas

That second team should be strong enough to beat Luton, who have looked terrible in their recent games against us. Midfield is very lightweight but Aluko and Semedo can both create and the defence could credibly start a league match.

Too much IMO. Luton thoroughly outplayed our last total reserve side.

...................Southwood
Esteves, Holmes, McIntyre, Bristow
...................Semedo, Swift
....Aluko,.........Olise, ..........Baldock
........................Puscas

I’d go 5-3-2, would roughly go with your team but Dorsett and East/Tetek/Watson/whoever in for Aluko and Olise

Think it’d be good to try a different formation in the event that Joao gets injured again

Would give Swift and Puscas 60 each and then swap for Melvin Lambert and one of Aluko/Olise

[Mid Sussex Royal]

if fit I'd like to see Tetek and Onen given a run out but I believe Onen tested positive for Covid before Swansea and Tetek appears to be injured.

[Nameless]

if fit I'd like to see Tetek and Onen given a run out but I believe Onen tested positive for Covid before Swansea and Tetek appears to be injured.

If Onen had tested positive we would have lost quite a few other players.
I believe he is isolating due to a contact testing positive ....presumably not an RFC. Contact

[morganb]

Ahead of his side's FA Cup game vs Reading FC, Luton Town boss Nathan Jones has said this afternoon that "at this point, we are as COVID free as we can be."

It comes after their match against QPR was postponed last weekend due to positive tests in the Hatters camp.

[Sutekh]

Ahead of his side's FA Cup game vs Reading FC, Luton Town boss Nathan Jones has said this afternoon that "at this point, we are as COVID free as we can be."

It comes after their match against QPR was postponed last weekend due to positive tests in the Hatters camp.

The game will definitely go ahead as Luton will have at least 14 “fit” players available, it’s just a matter of how depleted they are come 11am tomorrow when they announce their XI - and the above statement from NJ doesn’t really give anything more away than VP will already know.