[baggiejohn]

I could see CC going with a mixture of experience & youth, with a couple of big guns on the bench in case it went belly up.

As I see it, the only area he hasn't got much choice is in defence, I could certainly see at least two of the first team back four playing.

[zac]

It seems he has already mentioned quite a few players in his press conference that will be starting, kind of like what Bielsa used to do. Birmingham mail has it as below.

West Brom's starting XI v Chesterfield: Button; Gardner-Hickman, Kelly, Ajayi, Ashworth; Livermore, Reach, Diangana, Rogic, Grant; Thomas-Asante

[gazberg]

It seems he has already mentioned quite a few players in his press conference that will be starting, kind of like what Bielsa used to do. Birmingham mail has it as below.

West Brom's starting XI v Chesterfield: Button; Gardner-Hickman, Kelly, Ajayi, Ashworth; Livermore, Reach, Diangana, Rogic, Grant; Thomas-Asante

Happy with that starting XI. Plenty of fresh legs in there.

[KYA]

You would expect him to play the squad players in such a game but what you lose is the cohesion that a settled side brings, this could turn out to be a tough game.

[gazberg]

Wonder if Zohore will make the bench

[iwastherein68]

It seems he has already mentioned quite a few players in his press conference that will be starting, kind of like what Bielsa used to do. Birmingham mail has it as below.

West Brom's starting XI v Chesterfield: Button; Gardner-Hickman, Kelly, Ajayi, Ashworth; Livermore, Reach, Diangana, Rogic, Grant; Thomas-Asante

If Chesterfield make it a physical battle, that team does not have enough fight or physical presence.
Carlos is talking the game up and appears to want to win. I hope we put out a team to do that. I am going, and whilst it's nice to tick off a "new ground" there is prize money of 105K for the winners.
Just think that would cover Kens wages for about 3 weeks, or Lai's  pocket money 

[gazberg]

Wonder if Zohore will make the bench

The answer is a diplomatic NO 

From CC

"Tomorrow I will start Asante, I will have Dike on the bench and we have Grant in the pitch too. I will pick players in other positions, because I am not going to go with four strikers to one game because it doesn't make sense - maybe another position might be more useful for the team."

[Mikkyk]

That's what West Brom News on FB has it as. One change from the team I proposed but no BTA has CC has suggested.

[TheBaggieMan]

This is going to be a tough game.
Chesterfield are flying high in 3rd place in the National League having won their last three games on the bounce. We have to take them seriously and not go with the expectation of just ‘turning up’ will win the game which, if they have that mindset, it could be a real banana skim.

[WBA]

Seen a few in the ore match thread for Reading auggest we make wholesale changes for this one, I certainly wouldn't. I'd use it to get Ajayi some minutes, maybe look to give Dike somewhere near 75mins which will be an important barrier to break in his recovery and maybe rest where possible, for example Phillips and Diangana can play wide with Wallace given a breather.

Other than that, I'd play pretty much our first team and look to make changes from the bench to rest players if the game allows. I see Yokuslu too important to rest from the start and would certainly not be changing keepers!

11 changes but still a strong side - shows the depth of our squad.

[gazberg]

11 changes but still a strong side - shows the depth of our squad.

Exactly. The squad exists for a reason. Use it. Glad to see CC recognises it.

[Baggies]

Getting more nervous as we get closer to the game - I really dont want to see us go out to non league opposition. Chesterfield are rampant at the moment, are at home and will turn out their full strength side. We will be making near enough 11 changes with the majority of the first 11 not being regular starters (only BTA and Rogic from what I can see). Then you have David Button.

Big cup upsets feel more common nowadays. Promotion bound Bournemouth lost to 5th tier Boreham Wood last season while 6th tier Kiddy beat Reading, the year before 4th tier Crawley hammered premier league Leeds while 6th tier Chorley beat promotion bound 3rd tier Peterborough a couple of years ago, non league Luton beat Premier league Norwich not that many years ago either with 4th tier Oxford beating prem sides Swansea and 4th tier Stevenage beating prem side Newcastle.

The squad is strong enough to get the win, our defence looks great for a championship reserve side, but I worry about Button in goal.

[Baggie79]

The first goal is critical, if we get it they have to come out and we would get a comfortable afternoon. If they get the first then I can see them sitting in with ten behind the ball and then they would be difficult to break down.


Really excited about today 🙏

[BigFrank20]

Well here it is once again folks and once again it has me firmly gripped in it's thrall!
I'm talking about the FA cup 3rd round of course and just popped on to say 'see you all up in Chesterfield in a couple of hours'
COYB & SOTV
BoingBoing 

[Mikkyk]

What was our away allocation?

I know they have sold out the home allocation.

[TheBaggieMan]

Got to admit that the FA Cup nowadays doesn’t do much for me.
OK, it’s perhaps exciting if we progress into the latter stages but I have to say I prefer the league games especially with our current run of wins and form. 
And this is from the Baggieman who was at Wembley in 1968!!!

[johnny Cash]

There should be no excuse today really.  The players simply have to step up and deliver.

I tried to find some stats about non league sides against league teams and although I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, I did find that of ‘upsets’ only 3% have occurred where the difference in league have been as big as this.

Also found this beauty….

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fa-cup-greatest-giant-killings-25876576?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target


Nearly 1 in 16,000,000 

[mateinone]

I actually don't mind if we lose today. Cups runs are great, but we are coming from so far behind that I don't want them to be a distraction as we fight tooth and nail to get ourselves promoted.

There is always next season for the cups.. Of course I still want the lads to give it a decent shout, but won't be losing any sleep at all over a loss

[TheBaggieMan]

(4-2-3-1): Button; Gardner-Hickman, Kelly, Ajayi, Ashworth; Reach, Livermore; Diangana, Rogic, Grant, Thomas-Asante

[TheBaggieMan]

Buttonfingers!!!  That’s 2-0 down before we start!
Be interesting to learn how Ashworth get on

[boinging_along]

I actually don't mind if we lose today. Cups runs are great, but we are coming from so far behind that I don't want them to be a distraction as we fight tooth and nail to get ourselves promoted.

There is always next season for the cups.. Of course I still want the lads to give it a decent shout, but won't be losing any sleep at all over a loss

Yeah, managers are on a lose-lose with cups really.  First, there's pretty much no chance of winning it, if you go back 30-40 years it's been the same handful of clubs winning it.  Then if we play a strong side and get through a couple of rounds but drop some points in the league or get an injury to a crucial player then we'll complain that he should have used it to rest players.   Then if we rest players we'll say we've not taken it seriously.  In the championship there's simply too many games to not try and take the FA Cup as an opportunity to rest key players.  That's not to say we won't enjoy going on a bit of a run, but for me the FA Cup is basically a nice distraction that we should enjoy if we do ok but also it's not terrible if we go out.

What Carlos has done with this line up is spot on.  Giver some of the back up players a good run out but still enough that we should win the game. 

[mateinone]

Yeah, managers are on a lose-lose with cups really.  First, there's pretty much no chance of winning it, if you go back 30-40 years it's been the same handful of clubs winning it.  Then if we play a strong side and get through a couple of rounds but drop some points in the league or get an injury to a crucial player then we'll complain that he should have used it to rest players.   Then if we rest players we'll say we've not taken it seriously.  In the championship there's simply too many games to not try and take the FA Cup as an opportunity to rest key players.  That's not to say we won't enjoy going on a bit of a run, but for me the FA Cup is basically a nice distraction that we should enjoy if we do ok but also it's not terrible if we go out.

What Carlos has done with this line up is spot on.  Giver some of the back up players a good run out but still enough that we should win the game.

100% spot on!

[Droitwich Baggie]

We're away COYB

[BaggieBoy04]

She makes history as first female ref I think to ref two men's FA Cup 3rd Round ties she did Blues Vs Plymouth last season

[Droitwich Baggie]

BTA scores !!!!