The Official 2012/13 Thread for the English Cups & Football League

[d_phaneuf]

and I couldn't disagree more with the above

the FA Cup is, was, and always will be magic

[moon]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

and I couldn't disagree more with the above

the FA Cup is, was, and always will be magic

So you would have rather won today and lost on Wednesday?

I think it is fun to watch the little teams win and push the big clubs but in terms of results I care much more about the PL and doing well there than winning or losing in the Cups.

If you win in the FA Cup yeah, if not no big deal.

[Bagor]

The league cup was always like that (a secondary tournament).

I can't disagree completely with Moon's point. As a United supporter the importance of the FA has diminished significantly over the course of the years. I do remember a day when it was more of a big deal.

I think Schmeichel is bang on the money here ...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...d-absence.html

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by moon

So you would have rather won today and lost on Wednesday?

I think it is fun to watch the little teams win and push the big clubs but in terms of results I care much more about the PL and doing well there than winning or losing in the Cups.

If you win in the FA Cup yeah, if not no big deal.

no, because at this point for Spurs top 4 is more important to the club (due to financial implications) than an FA Cup run would be

But that doesn't take away from what the Cup is to all teams outside the top 5 in the PL at this point

[d_phaneuf]

Brad Jones isn't very good, and the Liverpool back 4 can't handle Oldham physically

they are robust

going to need Suarez to win this himself

[d_phaneuf]

3-1 oldham

[SeoulFire]

What a lovely day.

[d_phaneuf]

Middlesbrough v Brentford/Chelsea
Man Utd v Reading
Man City v Leeds
Arsenal v Blackburn
Luton v Millwall
Oldham v Everton
MK Dons v Barnsley
Huddersfield/Leicester v Wigan


Luton/Millwall will be fun for the police and cctv watchers

[Mightyfire89]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

3-1 oldham

Ended up a crazy result (3-2 win for Oldham) on paper but in reality, Liverpool were halfassing it and Oldham were going all out and were full marks for the win.

I'm a Liverpool fan but I can fully admit that the team was arrogant today heading into the match and ultimately they paid for that arrogance. Good. I hope it wakes them up. Being a meagre midtable team hasn't done it so far, maybe this will help.

I can hope, can't I?

[Stay Golden]

thats the incredible thing about the FA Cup every year it seems to bring out the best in the smaller clubs.
I think they all have the same motivation we can beat the big clubs.

Oldham 3-2 over Liverpool
Leeds 2-1 Tottenham
Brentford 2 - 2 Chelsea

Even the Chelsea draw can be seen as an upset for Brentford.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by NBC

^ I sincerely hope this was some sort of attempt to troll this thread or wind up Liverpool supporters or fans of other "crap clubs." Because if it was not, it may have been the single most ridiculous football-related comment I have read on CP.

Real football fans of any and every club in England (and Wales) would take offence to this line of thinking - if you can call it such.

Nope. Perhaps you do, but the top clubs have made it quite clear that the cups fall behind the league and European cups in importance. You only have to look at the rosters they field to figure that out.

[carom]

It seemed like Chelsea were pretty interested in the FA Cup by the roster I saw yesterday. I am pretty sure they would have loved to have Cech in net if he was healthy.

[carom]

Here are some photos from yesterday:

[NBC]

Originally Posted by valo403

Nope. Perhaps you do, but the top clubs have made it quite clear that the cups fall behind the league and European cups in importance. You only have to look at the rosters they field to figure that out.

Wrong again. We are talking about supporters not club management. It does not surprise me that North American-based fans of the big 4 EPL clubs have little time for the FA Cup. There is no history of cup competitions that are independent of the league in North America.

Just because a few of the bigger clubs in the EPL treat (or have treated) the FA Cup somewhat disrespectfully, this particular cup competition is sacrosanct in England to a plurality of the supporters of virtually every club throughout the Conference, Football League and the EPL.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by NBC

Wrong again. We are talking about supporters not club management. It does not surprise me that North American-based fans of the big 4 EPL clubs have little time for the FA Cup. There is no history of cup competitions that are independent of the league in North America.

Just because a few of the bigger clubs in the EPL treat (or have treated) the FA Cup somewhat disrespectfully, this particular cup competition is sacrosanct in England to a plurality of the supporters of virtually every club throughout the Conference, Football League and the EPL.

And it's still secondary to winning the league or winning in Europe.

Ask any supporter what they'd rather have, a mid-table finish, a league title, a European title, or a cup title. In the lower divisions I could see them going for the cup, but in the EPL and Championship there's no way the majority of people would pick the cup.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by valo403

And it's still secondary to winning the league or winning in Europe.

Ask any supporter what they'd rather have, a mid-table finish, a league title, a European title, or a cup title. In the lower divisions I could see them going for the cup, but in the EPL and Championship there's no way the majority of people would pick the cup.

It also depends on each club's situation. Staying in the Premier League is paramount for all but the top clubs in England simply because of the money involved. While the cups still have some prestige, I completely understand why the focus should be entirely on the league.

While a cup victory would be short-term excitement, trading Premier League football for it is just not on the radar for most supporters. When you support teams like Norwich, a mid-table finish followed by a little more TV coin to further strengthen the squad would a resounding success. Birmingham won the League Cup in 2011 and were also relegated, and I'd be willing to bet that those supporters would gladly trade the cup victory for Premier League football.

[GirlySports]

What if the 4th Champions League spot went to the FA Cup winner instead?

[NBC]

Originally Posted by valo403

And it's still secondary to winning the league or winning in Europe.

Ask any supporter what they'd rather have, a mid-table finish, a league title, a European title, or a cup title. In the lower divisions I could see them going for the cup, but in the EPL and Championship there's no way the majority of people would pick the cup.

This point is entirely moot. Premier league titles and European glory is well beyond the reach of most EPL and Championship clubs. There are 5 or 6 clubs that routinely compete for European places and 3 that compete for the title. The best that most supporters can hope for, from Sunderland to West Ham to Wigan is another season in the top flight and a deep run in the FA Cup. Supporters of these clubs have no delusions of top flight or European success. It's what comes with supporting a club outside the top 5.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Birmingham won the League Cup in 2011 and were also relegated, and I'd be willing to bet that those supporters would gladly trade the cup victory for Premier League football.

I'm not so sure. If you gave me the option of Charlton winning promotion or the cup this year, I might take the cup. While it would be nice to see the big guns at the Valley next year, would that be better than the unbridled joy of winning the cup?

Staying in the top flight can be similar to Wegner's ‘a top four finish is like a trophy’, eventually you might just fancy a real one instead even if it isn't as lucrative. Also, cup magic is some addictive stuff.

[NBC]

Good old Addick - you get it. I like that.