A chance to give a game to our fringe players maybe, but it has to be taken seriously (and will be by the manager and club, I think) otherwise they won't see it as a chance to impress and compete for a starting place in the bigger competitions.

It is also revenue for the club, so I hope we get a good crowd who are prepared to show their support and appreciation of the start we have made in the league.

Howard
Neville Heitinga Duffy Baines
Mirallas Junior Osman Gueye
Barkley
Anichebe

With Naismith and Coleman other likely starters.

For me Gibson, Fellaini and Jelavic are our key players at the moment.

With any luck we get an early goal to allow the team to relax.

My team would be:

Howard
Coleman
Baines
Distin
Heitinga
Neville
Junior
Barkley
Mirallas
Gueye
Anichebe

Subs
Mucha
Jags
Garbutt
Gibson
Fellaini
Coleman
Jelavic

I'd like to see us play the following:

Mucha
Coleman Heitinga Duffy Garbutt
Mirallas Junior Barkley Gueye
Vellios Anichebe

We do risk slipping up, but most of those players are good enough to beat a lower league side and they need game time to develop.

We haven't won a trophy in 17 years. It's about time we won something.

I think Moyes should rest some players and we should be strong enough to beat Leyton Orient. But not go over the top.

Howard
Hibbert - Jagielka - Heitinga - Coleman
Gueye - Gibson - Fellaini - Barkley
Anichebe - Mirallas

We need strong players against a team like Leyton Orient. This is with a view of Fellaini/Gibson/Jagielka being subbed eventually.

If you have to prioritise, because you don't get choices, I'd take 4th over the league cup any day and that could come down to a single point come May.

Momentum won't be broken up if wholesale changes are made as its a different team and the first XI schedule remains the same as last week and for even next week.

I'd think Neville and Hibbert will play, with Hibbert to play and Neville rested for WBA.

Gibson seems to have a knock so I'd rest him, and I like the idea of seeing what Francisco Junior can do against a lower league team. It also seems a good way of getting Naismith and Mirallas some game time.

So for me:

Howard; Coleman, Heitinga, Duffy, Baines; Mirallas, Francisco Junior, Osman, Pienaar; Naismith, Anichebe (or perhaps Vellios). Subs. Mucha, Jagielka, Garbutt, Barkley, Gueye, Vellios/Anichebe, Jelavic.

That team should be strong enough in the first place, meaning Baines and Pienaar could be withdrawn if we're winning, and there's a bit of back up on the bench if things are going pear shaped.

I think its about balancing both objectives, not playing the very strongest side but also not choosing a fully alternative XI.

Realistically I don't expect these 2 recent results to be the pattern for the season, play the strongest side go balls out for it same with the FA cup - we need a trophy - it's been too long.

Subs - the calvary

Besides isn't it a League competition and nothing to do with the FA?

I would play:

Howard
Neville (c), Heitinga, Duffy, Baines
Gibson, Barkley
Mirallas, Osman, Gueye
Jelavic

At some stage I would bring Anichebe on for Jelavic, but give Mirallas a run out as the target man.

There seems to be a view here that just because we are playing 2nd X1, we are not taking the game seriously and perhaps showing the opponents and the competition disrespect and also giving up on an opportunity of silverware. Furthermore there is an idea that we would somehow lose "momentum" if we lose.

I strongly disagree with all of these assertions.If we play our key players, who then either too jaded against WBA backing up from midweek or pick up a knock that keeps them out of football for 2-3 weeks, we would be far more impacted.

Furthermore, our fringe players need an avenue to shine and, a small share of the limelight to keep their morale up. A cup game with a proper audience is a perfect showcase for them to extend the feel good factor that is running within the club.

Sure the Under 18s are getting walloped at the moment, but to take the most talented of that group, combined with the fringe seniors and coached by Moyes himself and playing for actual silverware, is a completely different proposition. I hope Moyes sees this way too.

GK: Mucha
RB: Coleman
LB: Garbutt
CB: Duffy
CB: Heitinga

RM: Mirallas
CM: Junior
CM: Osman
LM: Gueye

AM: Naismith

CF: Velios

Howard
Coleman Duffy Heitinga Garbutt
Barkley Junior Osman Gueye
Naismith Mirallas

Don't trust Mucha or see need to rest a goalie but can see need to rest our top players for Baggies. Surely this team still got enough to beat the Os with big players on the bench.

Surely a blend of first choicers and fringe players offers the most in terms of actually winning the game (thus getting the feel-good factor), integrating everyone into the required style of play, and showing them they are part of a squad (rather than a load of second choicers only to be used when the others are having a rest).

Some players will need a rest (Jelavic has taken a bit of a pounding), others will benefit from the extra match fitness, so the manager should have an idea of who will form the framework, with youngsters brought in to fill the gaps. Fringe players will learn far more from playing in a stronger team than the one that has started the U21 fixtures so poorly.

The point is that the PL is a marathon not a sprint and a win against Leyton weighed up against a LT injury to say Baines or Fellaini or Howard or Jelavic is simply not worth the reward of progressing to R2 here.

Would rest Jellavic, Gibson and Fellaini to keep them away from injury, this is really the spine of our side. Mirralas and Naismith up front should be too much for Orient (hopefully).

Am just afraid that taking out too many 1st teamers runs the risk of another embarrasing night ala Shreswbury/Reading/Oldham etc and stops our momentum. Rest 3-4 first teamers and make a few subs early when we're hopefully leading comfortably, would have:

Howard
Neville Heitinga Distin Baines
Coleman Osman Junior Pienaar
Naismith
Mirralas

With Baines, Pienaar and maybe Neville coming off after about 50-65 minutes for Gueye, Barkely and Garbutt, assuming we're winnning.

Its not the main priority this season but I'll still take it as well as a route to Europe.

On the subject of boosting the confidence of some of our fringe players I think the psychology is all wrong. If you want players to believe they are seen as capable of performing with the first-choices then there have to be some on the team-sheet, otherwise players will see the selection as more of a reflection on the ability of the opposition or the clubs ambivalence to the competition (a win and its well done everyone, a loss and it is no harm done). I am speaking from my own sporting experience, when the second team moving up en bloc for a cup game was nowhere near as ego-boosting as even making it to the bench of a full-strength first team.

Some of our first-choices will easily be able to handle another game, and some may actually benefit from it (sure, the risk of injury is a downside but that spectre will hang over every game we play) and the most important thing is to get a positive result and keep the feel-good factor going.

Why mess around with the team when it's just staring to click...? another good performance & result can only add to their confidence and set them up for another very winnable game v West Brom

Howard

Neville Jagielka Distin Baines

Naismith Osman Felliaini Gibson Pienaar

Jelivic

Subs,,,Same as Saturday (unless Hibbert fit)...If Hibbert's fit put him on the bench at the expense of Gueye or Anichebe

Imagine if it goes to penalties!! Poor fella!