The Magic Of The FA Cup / Tareq Quiroz / 02 January 2009 / Leave a comment

The third round of the FA Cup is no longer the sacred day on the English football calendar that it used to be and for many managers it's an opportunity to give ever-present players a rest and give fringe players a run-out. But who can afford themselves the luxury of doing just that and still progressing, asks Tareq Quiroz.

The festive period is all but over with just the traditional FA Cup third round ties to go. I can't say it has been the most exhilarating of periods but then again that part nearly always comes in the form of the statutory giant killing in the FA Cup. Inevitably there will be a shock or two; I fancy holders Portsmouth are most vulnerable at home to Bristol City, surely a lay at [1.7]. And we will all wistfully recall giant killing acts of years long long ago. That is what football fans do on FA Cup third round weekend and I for one am not about to break with tradition.

It may not have been the most hectic festive period ever but still one of the favourite football topics is the depth of the squad. Has your team got the necessary strength in depth to see them to the end of the season? A manager's dilemma of when is best to rest some of the team stalwarts.

As grand and traditional as the FA Cup is, this is certainly a weekend when managers up and down England will be looking to rest players. Do not be fooled into believing this just applies to the top teams. Far from it. Don't even be led to believe that it only applies to the Premier League teams. A cup run is great and for many teams the cash a big game could generate could mean the difference between survival and administration, but it's the bread and butter of the league position that really matters. So now is the time we get to discuss the quality of each team's fringe players.

Where better place to start than at Stamford Bridge? Chelsea will undoubtedly be very pleased that they have drawn League One unit Southend, and at home to boot. Chelsea are currently trading at [1.13] in the Match Odds market for this encounter and few could argue with those odds. The question is what kind of a team will Scolari put out? The answer is immediate, it doesn't matter. Chelsea have the best fringe players anywhere in the Premier League and although they have a few injuries and suspensions it will still be a team packed with international stars. This cannot be said for all teams and is something to keep in mind this weekend.

Cup competition aside it is rare that fringe players get a chance to show what they can do. But is it fair to judge them based on this alone? Due to the lack of interaction, once again I will answer my own questions and say no it is not fair. Fringe players get a bad press from fans especially and it is time to stand up for them. Gone are the days when you can win the League with just fourteen players as Villa did in 1981. That is just not possible anymore and the squad depth is all important.

I am tired of hearing fans complain about this and that a player who comes on for five or ten minutes here and there but doesn't produce the goods. I have associates who just roll out the same old story about how much money they get paid to sit on the bench. Change the record. The demands of the modern game dictate that we have clubs with twenty five man squads. They are not all going to be of the same standard but that doesn't just apply to the fringe players but also the starting eleven. There are a few key players in each team that makes them tick and without them there are always at least four or five players who play every week who are just plain ordinary.

Think about your team and you know who those lucky players are. My favourite place to start is with the centre halves. Have a quick skim through the Premier League and be shocked just how many teams have one quality central defender and one that lives off him. Often this player is no different to the fringe player who typically gets his opportunity when the quality player is injured or suspended. They come in, the teams' cohesion is all over the place and it is never the fault of the regular starter. Funny that.

As a Villa fan a recent example I can give from my own experience is how a group of fans turned on Zat Knight during the game against Hamburg. An awful defensive display from Villa but from where I was standing Carlos Cuellar had an equally poor if not worse game yet I didn't hear a bad word said about him. Zat is back playing alongside a decent centre halve in Curtis Davies and surprise surprise he looks very comfortable.

Doesnt say a lot for Cuellar. Knight will be in action on Sunday as Villa face a potential banana skin in a trip to League Two side Gillingham. A game where the Premier League side are a potentially big [1.49] in the Match Odds.

So wherever you are this weekend, and whoever you are supporting, remember to give those fringe players a fair crack. There will be shocks, late late drama and plenty of talking points to keep us all going for another week that's for sure.