FA CUP

jellyroll

You’d think that with Man City running away with the Premier League, there might be more interest in the FA Cup as a consolation prize for the other big teams. Seems like finishing fourth is more important - which is sad.  

Legionreturns

Let's not forget that most of the bottom half of the premier will have loan players from the big clubs that aren't allowed by their parent clubs to play cup football

BRISTOL86

Even at championship level. We (Bristol City) put out a team that included players who had never played a first team game before. We have been ripped apart by injuries and are doing well in the league, as well as having a two legged tie with (gulp) Man C starting this week. 

We just don’t have the resources to do it all. If we were out of the league cup - as we’d expect to be by this stage - it would have been different. We’ve already played more football than any other championship team and it’s beginning to shown 

RobDavies

Nearly all the Championship teams do it as well.   

Why wouldnt you?  If you've a chance of getting into the playoffs and winning the ultimate prize - £200m and then even if you get relegated immediately, four subsequent parachute payments of £30m....
I reckon only Boro, Birmingham and Burton played a near full strength team.... Boro because they were playing local rivals, and the other two have zero chance of getting promoted. 

Brentford fielded a weakened team against Notts County and paid the price.... but anyone with half a brain knew that this would happen as it's what we've done for the past four seasons.

menamestom

jellyroll said:

You’d think that with Man City running away with the Premier League, there might be more interest in the FA Cup as a consolation prize for the other big teams. Seems like finishing fourth is more important - which is sad.  

Man United and Liverpool had strong teams out. Tottenham won 3-0.

I think this thread needs to be more specific. Of the other ‘big teams’ it was only really Arsenal and Chelsea who you could say had results affected by team selection.   Of the top 10 in the premier league Leicester also fielded a weaker team which may have affected the result.

If it was the other way round and the Premier league teams all won putting out their best players out, people would moan saying it’s sad lower league teams don’t stand a chance against the riches of the bigger clubs.   Surely part if the magic of the cup is that teams like Arsenal can get it wrong and be beaten by teams in other leagues?

fandango

Arsenal had several international and ex international players. It was the experienced players who let the side down. 

So effed off with this Arsenal team at the moment.

Went to the game due to a last minute pullout by someone else. And whilst I’m all for supporting your team come thick or thin, this was dire. The worst game of footie I have ever gone to.

I will give credit to Forest. They wanted it more. So much more. If you’re a Forest fan, then I tip my hat to you and hope your team gets back into the top flight. Good luck in the next round. 

fields5069

Up the 'Port!

usedtobe

I’ve also heard of lesser teams putting out a weakened team against a top side, when they had another game, a few days later, against a team they had a realistic chance of beating, when they fielded a full strength team.
Theres also an argument that if a player is in the first team squad, he’s good enough to be in the team, and a game against lesser opposition is a good time to give  a squad player valuable game time.
Not arguing with anyone. I think there are excellent points made throughout the thread. 
 I, of course, would prefer all teams to play their strongest sides, in every game, as near as possible.
 I do believe the cup has lost a lot of it’s magic, and that money has ruined the game. I started to lose interest with the breakaway of the premier league, the champions league, and terrestrial tv losing the broadcasting rights to sky.
I couldn’t tell you what teams are in the premier league, now, or name the players in the current Man U team..

Bridgehouse

At least the Premier League and all the dosh has significantly improved the success and performance of our national team. 



Guffaw.

crunchman

Bridgehouse said:

It's just my personal view, but the monetisation of football and the premier league ruined the enjoyment for me many years ago. I know a lot of you on here love your football, but for me it just doesn't have the same appeal as it did when I were a lad. 

I wish I could give you more than one Wis for this.

Other thing that makes the modern game difficult to watch is players getting booked for tackles where they got the ball.

ChuckManual

Look, I've loved football and supported Queens Park Rangers for nearly 50 years now - What the hell is this "FA Cup" thing you're all going on about?!

cpcompany

RobDavies said:

Nearly all the Championship teams do it as well.   

Why wouldnt you?  If you've a chance of getting into the playoffs and winning the ultimate prize - £200m and then even if you get relegated immediately, four subsequent parachute payments of £30m....
I reckon only Boro, Birmingham and Burton played a near full strength team.... Boro because they were playing local rivals, and the other two have zero chance of getting promoted. 

Brentford fielded a weakened team against Notts County and paid the price.... but anyone with half a brain knew that this would happen as it's what we've done for the past four seasons.

Subderland had their full team out bar the goalkeeper. It's just that there are a ton of injuries and the entire squad is absolute shite when fully fit anyway

57Deluxe

@GSPBASSES - - I disagree - if only Tottingham had stuck to the script then AFC Wimbledon would have had them back to the Cherry Red Records Stadium for a lucrative replay...

Budgie

menamestom said:

jellyroll said:

You’d think that with Man City running away with the Premier League, there might be more interest in the FA Cup as a consolation prize for the other big teams. Seems like finishing fourth is more important - which is sad.  

Man United and Liverpool had strong teams out. Tottenham won 3-0.

I think this thread needs to be more specific. Of the other ‘big teams’ it was only really Arsenal and Chelsea who you could say had results affected by team selection.   Of the top 10 in the premier league Leicester also fielded a weaker team which may have affected the result.

If it was the other way round and the Premier league teams all won putting out their best players out, people would moan saying it’s sad lower league teams don’t stand a chance against the riches of the bigger clubs.   Surely part if the magic of the cup is that teams like Arsenal can get it wrong and be beaten by teams in other leagues?

I was really pleased that Man Utd played a strong team against Derby. Despite losing the tie, I don’t think Derby let themselves down despite the changes. I understand why they did, we are second in the league and having a good go at promotion and the riches that go with it. 

Arsenal and Chelsea were both woeful.

ourmaninthenorth

ChuckManual said:

Look, I've loved football and supported Queens Park Rangers for nearly 50 years now - What the hell is this "FA Cup" thing you're all going on about?!

Now there's an oxymoron if ever there was one...

What's it like to support a club whose season ends in September? 

Hee Hee

scrumhalf

57Deluxe said:

@GSPBASSES - - I disagree - if only Tottingham had stuck to the script then AFC Wimbledon would have had them back to the Cherry Red Records Stadium for a lucrative replay...

Any time we play Sissoko it's a weakened team.

Nunogilberto

I've never had an issue with managers putting out weakened teams; the manager has the right at all times to pick who he wants as far as I'm concerned.

Other than that, modern football is crap and led by money - basically run by Sky. I get fed up of hearing managers blame referees for the fact their team wasn't good enough to win etc. The fact that four teams can qualify for the CL is stupid - might as well rename the tournament.

That said, I think press conferences/interviews should be held the day after the game, so stupid things aren't said in the heat of the moment.

ourmaninthenorth

I often think that the stupid things said in press conferences are the only thing that's entertaining enough to warrant my interest. 

fandango

Budgie said:

menamestom said:

jellyroll said:

You’d think that with Man City running away with the Premier League, there might be more interest in the FA Cup as a consolation prize for the other big teams. Seems like finishing fourth is more important - which is sad.  

Man United and Liverpool had strong teams out. Tottenham won 3-0.

I think this thread needs to be more specific. Of the other ‘big teams’ it was only really Arsenal and Chelsea who you could say had results affected by team selection.   Of the top 10 in the premier league Leicester also fielded a weaker team which may have affected the result.

If it was the other way round and the Premier league teams all won putting out their best players out, people would moan saying it’s sad lower league teams don’t stand a chance against the riches of the bigger clubs.   Surely part if the magic of the cup is that teams like Arsenal can get it wrong and be beaten by teams in other leagues?

I was really pleased that Man Utd played a strong team against Derby. Despite losing the tie, I don’t think Derby let themselves down despite the changes. I understand why they did, we are second in the league and having a good go at promotion and the riches that go with it. 

Arsenal and Chelsea were both woeful.

You’re being too kind to Arsenal. Whatever is worse than woeful, that’s what they were. And they’re my team. At least Chelsea are still in the competition, and could go in to win it.

menamestom

Bridgehouse said:

At least the Premier League and all the dosh has significantly improved the success and performance of our national team. 



Guffaw.

We have so many good players coming through at the moment, Sterling, Kane, Lingard, Walker, Stones etc.  On paper there should be an improvement.

In reality they will be played to exhaustion, stripped of their club confidence by average management and tabloid harrasment. Then made to play in front of a hopeless baffoon in net.

Eventually the FA will conceed a winter break is needed and the greedy premier league teams will fill it with money spinning trips to Dubai!