An end to the double standards over ‘weakened’ teams

Like everything in modern day football, there is always something of a double standard employed when teams field so-called ‘weakened’ line-ups in cup competitions.

When the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United put out teams largely consisting of youth and reserve team players, they get away with it without vilification from the national media.

But when a lower Premier League side or a Championship team do the same thing, they are not paying enough respect to the competition and even sometimes get punished for fielding weakened lines-ups as was the case with Mick McCarthy at Wolves a few years ago.

Yes, clubs like the Manchester teams or Chelsea or Arsenal can field reserve team line-ups and usually get through but this is no different to other teams doing the same thing in terms of respecting the tournament they are playing in.

Especially in the modern era, even clubs towards the bottom of the Premier League and top of the Championship can field reserve teams that often feature international class players or vastly experienced professionals as it is a squad game these days.

Many teams have just as strong a back-up player in many positions as the first choice alternative so the notion that making seven changes to a starting line-up from a previous league game is a red herring really.

Ultimately, there should be no distinction between clubs that make wholesale changes, either they all are disrespecting the competition or none of them are.

Every club has the right to use their squad as they see fit at whatever level they play at and what personnel they have on their books.

It is not disrespectful for ‘smaller’ clubs to realise they are very unlikely to win the competition and thus utilise their squad, it is realistic. Likewise if ‘bigger’ clubs want to field an alternative team, they are usually confident that their team will still win.

There is no distinction and it should not be made into an issue.