FA Cup or Capital One Cup?

[olliec]

I remember the days when the FA cup meant more to the players and fans by managers fielding their strongest team. Now their is all this talk from pundits about how the players don't take the cup seriously anymore and that it's losing it's appeal.

However, I have noticed that people talk more about the Capital one cup which seem more important and talked about from pundits, managers and fans? Is this true or is it just me. I would be interested to hear peoples opinion on this.

 

[TottenhamLegend]

FA Cup all day long.

Only reasons certain teams take the League Cup more seriously is because 1. it's easier to win, and 2. the majority of matches are in the first half the season, not the business end.

That doesn't make it a better competition though.

 

[kaz Hirai]

Be hard to find anyone who values the league cup over the fa.

It's been too long since we've been to an fa cup final, league cup is still a bit Mickey mouse for me but it's better than winning nothing.

For me it's

CL
Premier
Europa
fa
League cup
Peace cup

 

[olliec]

Even the independent wrote an article about this. I know the FA has been going a lot longer, but it seems the league cup comes across as more entertaining. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...glands-best-knockout-competition-8269933.html

I remember when it was literally known as a Mickey Mouse cup, but it seems a lot of teams take it more seriously now.

 

[SteveH]

Capital One!
Finished by February

 

[olliec]

This is going to throw a curve ball in the equation, but I am hoping we win the league cup because it has been such a joy to watch us progress. the FA cup has not even started yet, but if we go out tomorrow and we win the league cup I will be a happy yid regardless.

Especially when the final could be Spurs vs Chelsea. What could be more exciting than that at Wembley after we just spanked them? Sounds like a much better final than Arsenal vs Hull imo.

 

[Spurger King]

Even the independent wrote an article about this. I know the FA has been going a lot longer, but it seems the league cup comes across as more entertaining. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...glands-best-knockout-competition-8269933.html

I remember when it was literally known as a Mickey Mouse cup, but it seems a lot of teams take it more seriously now.

Used to love the FA Cup, and I think almost everyone would rather win that one than the Capital One Cup if given a choice.

However, I prefer the format of the Capital One cup. Having semi-finals at Wembley in the FA Cup is nothing more than a cynical cash grab, and cheapens the achievement of reaching the final. On the other hand the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup taking place home and away is a distinctive challenge. Beating Arsenal over two legs to get to Wembley was one of my happiest memories of Spurs in recent years.

I think it's fair to say that the bigger teams take the Capital One Cup seriously these days - way more than they used to. The FA Cup still an aura of prestige due to its name and history, but these days I really don't think there's too much difference between the two tournaments. Winning either is a great achievement, and not something to be dismissed. You only have to think back to John Terry shaking his head in disbelief as he went to collect his massive loser medal in 2008 to see how much it means to the players and fans.

 

[parklane1]

If I had to choose it would be the FA Cup for me, however I would be happy to win either as I am sick to death of this priorty with finishing among the runners up ( top four).

 

[Shea]

When I was a kid the FA cup meant much more than the League cup

The first cup final I was old enough to watch was Liverpool being upset by Wimbledon's crazy gang, after that Liverpool beat Everton 3-2 and Man Utd overcome Palace in a replay following a dramatic 3-3 draw

In them days the FA Cup final seemed like the single biggest most dramatic and important game of the whole season

Then of course 1991 came along and we all know what happened there

The League cup wasn't meaningless but it wasn't even close to being on the same level as the FA cup

Years went on and the League cup fell behind as top teams started to take the League cup less seriously and field weaker teams, as a result less high profile teams started to compete in the finals and it lost a lot whatever glamour it had (look at how teams like Leicester under O'Neil won it twice and lost in the final to us or how Bolton vs Middlesbrough was a real final)

The Sky promotion of the EPL and the emergence of the CL changed the dynamics of football, both our domestic cups lost perceived value dramatically. As I said lower level teams competed for the League cup every year and Man Utd even pulled out of the FA cup one year to prioritise other tournaments

There was a time not so long ago where as a result of the increased interest in the EPL and the CL that pretty much no one really cared about either cup, the race for fourth was so much more valued because of the pull of the CL and the glamour of playing the elite teams in Europe

That said - the emergence of Man City has changed things again

Arsenal have fallen behind, Chelsea and City and the dominant forces and Utd were up there too until last season (and everyone expects them to be again) not to mention Liverpool who were up there again last year and always expect CL football and silverware

As I said City's emergence has in my opinion changed the status of both domestic cups again, for the better

Because there are now so many teams that are not just capable but fully expect to win silverware every year stronger teams are starting to field strong line ups in these cups because both FA and League cup are now chances to grab some silverware in such a competitive market

Case in point look how the mighty Arsenal celebrated winning the FA cup last year despite refusing to even hold a formal celebration last time they won it because they were above celebrating such minor success

So to me both domestic cups have risen in value again compared to where they had sunk, though neither have nor probably will ever be as valued as they were in the late 80s and early 90s when I began watching the game as a child.

I'd place both cups currently on about an equal standing personally though I'd expect the average fan to still say the FA cup is worth more.

 

[VoteMe4Prez]

FA Cup>League Cup

 

[TottenhamLegend]

This is going to throw a curve ball in the equation, but I am hoping we win the league cup.

 

[Flobadob]

I'd rather win the FA Cup for obvious reasons, but I actually think the League Cup has become the better tournament for a few reasons. I think it's more entertaining, purely because teams don't care about it quite as much, which then means you see far more open games. The format is better, in that you don't get that bollocks with having the semi's at wembley and the cheapening of the event that is the final and finally I think it's a really good thing that it's over in the middle of the season because 1. It's just good to have more of a spread of the big occasions in football over the year IMO and 2. It can really give a team and especially it's fans a huge boost for the rest of the season

 

[olliec]

I'd rather win the FA Cup for obvious reasons, but I actually think the League Cup has become the better tournament for a few reasons. I think it's more entertaining, purely because teams don't care about it quite as much, which then means you see far more open games. The format is better, in that you don't get that bollocks with having the semi's at wembley and the cheapening of the event that is the final and finally I think it's a really good thing that it's over in the middle of the season because 1. It's just good to have more of a spread of the big occasions in football over the year IMO and 2. It can really give a team and especially it's fans a huge boost for the rest of the season

So I am guessing you would rather win the FA cup because of traditional values the cup holds? I think it's only a matter of time until fans start changing their focus because like you said it does make for a better completion and I love the idea of having two legs in the semi final to reach the ultimate final which is held at a packed out Wembley. I believe the cup structure of the league cup is a lot more appealing than the FA.

 

[CrazyConrad]

Be hard to find anyone who values the league cup over the fa.

It's been too long since we've been to an fa cup final, league cup is still a bit Mickey mouse for me but it's better than winning nothing.

For me it's

CL
Premier
Europa
fa
League cup
Peace cup

Winning the PL beats CL everyday of the week, and then some.

Rest of the list I agree upon

 

[olliec]

I wouldn't say the PL beats the CL everyday of the week. There is a reason why it's called the CL and personally I would rather beat the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona.

 

[scat1620]

I wouldn't say the PL beats the CL everyday of the week. There is a reason why it's called the CL and personally I would rather beat the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona.

I'd rather rub it in the faces of the people who support English clubs, so the PL would be more of a coup IMO. Bragging rights over Arsenal and Chelsea supporters at work would mean more to me than bragging rights over Bayern Munich/Barcelona/Real Madrid supporters who I never meet.

 

[olliec]

For bragging rights I would prefer the PL, but to call ourselves champions I would prefer to beat the best teams in the world not just the ones in our country.

 

[Yid-ol]

For bragging rights I would prefer the PL, but to call ourselves champions I would prefer to beat the best teams in the world not just the ones in our country.

So world club cup > champions league?

 

[olliec]

For bragging rights I would prefer the PL, but to call ourselves champions I would prefer to beat the best teams in the world not just the ones in our country.

Again It depends. For bragging rights over the top four always the PL, but to call ourselves the best in the world than certainly CL and World Club Cup. I guess it depends on what us the fans find more appealing.

 

[scat1620]

So world club cup > champions league?

I can understand why someone would prefer to win the CL than the PL; it is regarded by many as the pinnacle of club football in the world, whereas virtually no one thinks the same of the WCC. (But as I say, winning the PL is my own personal ultimate dream in football, can't think of anything better IMO.)