Yes I admit I wasn't there last night but over the years, I've been at various Cup games home & away where we've fielded a weakened team. It's frustrating but nearly every club does it.
But last night felt like a very extreme example of that, can't think of any previous Cup game where there were so many names on the teamsheet and bench that I'd never even heard of.
I've been looking at the club's website to see which players are listed as first team and which are in the development squad.
Last night's starting XI included:
3 First Team players (Nardi, Vale, Burrell)
4 Development Squad players (Smith, Bennie, Kolli, Pearman)
2 Under-18 players (Sutton, Putman)
2 players who aren't listed in any squad on the club website (Wilkie, Dixon-Bonner)
The 9 players on the bench:
0 First Team players
6 Development Squad players (Salamon, Tuck, Talla, Dillon, Leahy, McCann)
1 Under-18 players (Tarbotton)
2 players who aren't listed in any squad on the club website (Brunson, Trujillo)
Loads of these players weren't even given a squad number when they were announced a mere 5 days ago.
I think I can just about accept that it might've been ok to start with that XI but not having anyone at all from the first team squad on the bench seems like shooting yourself in the foot.
When Plymouth got it back to 2-1, wouldn't it have been better to bring on a couple of the more experienced heads Cook, Dunne, Field, Chair to shore things up / steady the ship?
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