Brentford boss Nicky Forster spoke to his club's official website ahead of his side's League One game against Carlisle at Griffin Park this evening, Forster hoping for an open match this evening :
"I hope it isn't going to be a cagey affair because the closer we get to this big game (at Wembley) the more difficult it will be for people who lose their positions to get back into the team. So, if I find there is any sort of hesistancy or complacency or just going through the motions to protect themselves then they could find that they are not in the team at all.
"The opening game of the season has no bearing on this one at all, we have both had good spells in the season and poor spells in the season, so we are both different teams. The geography of both clubs is very different so I don't think that has any bearing, we don't really have an axe to grind I wouldn't say. We just want to go out and win the game, and it is an important game for us.
"It would be unfortunate indeed to lose two key players like Richard Lee and Charlie MacDonald for the remainder of the season and particularly so with a Wembley Final pending. It will no doubt be extremely disappointing for them both personally and professionally as it is for the squad. Both of them have been superb throughout and very influential in the successes that have come our way so far this season. It's for this very reason we operate a squad of players and their misfortune might well be someone else's opportunity which is the harsh reality that all players face "
In team news for the Bees this evening they will be firstly be without the already mentioned pair of Richard Lee and Charlie MacDonald, first-choice goalkeeper Lee out with a dislocated shoulder while striker MacDonald has undergone surgery this week on an ankle injury and a minor bone fracture. Two other players also absent tonight for the home side being winger Sam Saunders (ankle) and on-loan Huddersfield frontman Robbie Simpson (ankle ligaments).
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Brentford squad left-back Craig Woodman looks set to play in the game despite having a stress fracture in his foot, and centre-half Pim Balkenstein is line for a return to the Bees matchday eighteen following a recent groin injury. So, back to the start, and with goalkeeper Lee now out of the rest of the season, Brentford yesterday signed Northern Irish stopper Trevor Carson on loan from Sunderland for the rest of the campaign after he was recalled by the Black Cats from League Two outfit Lincoln City on Wednesday.
The referee for this evening's match is Roger East from Salisbury in Wiltshire and he will be assisted down the lines by Darren Blunden from Dartford in Kent and Glenn Hambling from Norwich. Meanwhile the fourth official is Oleksandr Saliy from Enfield in Middlesex.