MANAGER sends a bittered warning as he admitsThe reds are costlyIn the upcoming FA Cup first-round clash with the O’s, Manchester United will have to make do without Jack Armer, who is serving a one-match suspension, and Alfie McCalmont, who is serving a three-match suspension. These suspensions are a result of their dismissals in the recent game against Cambridge.
Manager Paul Simpson provided insights into the situation, saying, “We cannot contest Jack Armer’s suspension; it’s a done deal due to his two yellow cards. While I can’t quite recall the reason for his initial booking, he undeniably deserved the second one. We’ll need to manage this absence.”
Simpson continued, “Alfie’s suspension, in my opinion, may have been a bit harsh. It’s possible that because his foot was high and his studs were showing, the referee believed there was excessive force or a danger to an opponent, or whatever the wording may be.”
He added, “These two red cards come at a high cost. Overall, our team’s discipline has been decent this season. Yellow cards are quite easy to pick up in football nowadays, but we’ve maintained good discipline in recent times. I have no complaints about the referee’s decisions, especially in the case of Jack Armer’s second yellow. He allowed the opponent to get past him, and although the opponent was speedy, the decision to obstruct him by putting his body in the way was clear. Perhaps nothing serious would have occurred if he hadn’t started pulling at the opponent’s shirt. Unfortunately, this will cost us, as we’ll be without them for another game.”
Simpson also expressed empathy for Alfie, stating, “I do feel somewhat for Alfie. It likely warranted a red card due to the way his foot was raised, but he had no knowledge of the opponent’s presence, and it wasn’t intentional. In this case, the red card may be a bit severe.”
To boost the team’s strength for the upcoming match, defender Paul Huntington and midfielder Dylan McGeouch are both back in full training.
Simpson confirmed, “Dylan will be available for the next game. I believe Hunts will also be available because he participated fully in group training on Friday and did some extra conditioning work to ensure he’s prepared. We’ll assess their condition during the week.”
He concluded, “With the red cards affecting our lineup, we’ll have to make some changes. We have a week to prepare for the next game, and we’ll see who is available. Our goal is to assemble a team that can progress in the FA Cup, which is our collective aspiration.”
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