Is the FA Cup turning into the mickey mouse cup?

[BuryMeInEngland]

You wouldn't have said that if we had won. It would have been all "woo hoo, we're on our way to Wembley twice, it's our year".

Don't denigrate a cup competition just because we went out.

So with Us, Chelsea and City out is it starting to show that a lot of the big teams just do not care for this competition anymore. I mean the Capital one cup has a semi final of 3 of the top 6-7, and an exciting Wembley final. Maybe the FA cup is starting to go obsolete. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Shea]

With some big teams crashing out it only further enhances the disappointment at our own defeat as we'd have had as good a chance of winning it than we have for a long time

Arsenal to retain the cup?

Yes the FA cup has become Mickey Mouse compared to its previous stature but this is something that happened a long time ago - cemented by the season that Utd requested to be excluded from it

I don't agree that the fact bigger teams have crashed out suggest anything though - FA cup glory has been built on a history of giant killings. It's only a shame we couldn't stay in to potentially benefit from the stronger teams elimination

 

[Syn_13]

It's not insulting because look at the team we fielded. If we wanted to win this surely we would start with our best players? Like I said it's good for the lower teams and the money they get as well..

I mean Chelsea left Fabregas and Hazard on the bench as well. Just goes to show to be honest.

Chelsea, like us, were fighting on 4 fronts. You have to prioritise. Yes, this isn't the most prestigious of cups but it's something that we could realistically win, nonetheless. Just like the League Cup is. If we had more time between games we'd have probably seen a first team out. This is why squads have to be more than 20 players if you're in Europe these days, there's just a lot of games to play.

I get what you're saying about it being bigger for the smaller teams, and that does have merit. But I also think that those that win this trophy still see it as a success, with the only exception being teams who are used to winning bigger and better things often. Even United would see this as something worth shouting about right now, just like the Goons saw it as a success last year. It's another one for the record book.

 

[Blake Griffin]

yes, the cup is dead, the only fans who think otherwise probably still believe in the tooth fairy. teams put out mish mash lineups, attendances are a joke, most of the games aren't even on tv, anywhere, you're lucky if you can find a radio feed for them. even when you get to the semi finals the games are hidden away on a channel most of the public don't even have. it's only good for the little clubs who might earn a pay day out of it, beyond that most clubs see it as an inconvenience.

 

[Damian99]

I wish people would just stop saying "no" and back up their argument. I am going on evidence here. Look at the teams Us and Chelsea fielded. Why have your best players on the bench if you want to win this competition.

Chelsea may feel challenging for the league and the Champions league a little more important, but what's our excuse??

 

[Mullers]

It's not insulting because look at the team we fielded. If we wanted to win this surely we would start with our best players? Like I said it's good for the lower teams and the money they get as well..

I mean Chelsea left Fabregas and Hazard on the bench as well. Just goes to show to be honest.

You have a fair point but I think Poch and Morinho genuinely thought that the teams they put out were good enough to win. Anyway now that we are out of it, I don't give a fuck. (well that's not strictly true, I'd love to see Arsenal or Liverpool get beat in the final. If they play each other, I don't know who I'd want to win, it would be scum vs scum. )

 

[olliec]

Chelsea may feel challenging for the league and the Champions league a little more important, but what's our excuse??

So why did Chelsea prioritise the league cup over the FA cup if it's more important?

 

[Shea]

Chelsea may feel challenging for the league and the Champions league a little more important, but what's our excuse??

We feel the league, Europa league which both grant CL entry are more important and I would guess think that being 90mins away from Wembley in the other cup made it a higher priority too

More importantly we believed that having spent so much money on players to assemble a big and talented squad that we could, nay should still be able to be Leicester at home with a lot of rotation

 

[olliec]

I think Europa should be our top priority this year over the league. It's a big cup to win and our ticket into the CL.

 

[mil1lion]

We only fielded a weaker team because we're in the CO Cup Semi Final. Otherwise we would have fielded our first team. It's the cost of playing to win everything, you have to make changes and keep the squad as fresh as possible.I think we were right to prioritize the cup that we're already into the SF of. It's asking a lot for us to compete in all competitions. Next month the Europa League returns too. It's a long season and we will suffer some heartache but there's always the possibility of glory.

 

[olliec]

10 PL teams out already. That is simply astonishing and it could be even more by the end of the week.

 

[yankspurs]

You guys are kidding ourselves if you think the FA Cup still maintains its luster. It's very telling that every league cup match is broadcasted somewhere so at least we have the abilitiy to watch, albeit maybe illegally, but FA cup matches between PL sides and even Chelsea vs Bradford(who had previously knocked out Arsenal a few years ago in this cup) is not broadcasted anywhere. FA Cup matches not being broadcasted makes the tournament lose alot of its luster when the supposed mickey mouse cup has every match at least broadcasted somewhere.

 

[Navin R Johnson]

With some big teams crashing out it only further enhances the disappointment at our own defeat as we'd have had as good a chance of winning it than we have for a long time

Arsenal to retain the cup?

Yes the FA cup has become Mickey Mouse compared to its previous stature but this is something that happened a long time ago - cemented by the season that Utd requested to be excluded from it

I don't agree that the fact bigger teams have crashed out suggest anything though - FA cup glory has been built on a history of giant killings. It's only a shame we couldn't stay in to potentially benefit from the stronger teams elimination

I wouldn't dream of defending Utd normally but they were pressured into not entering it and playing in the World Club Championship (or whatever it's called) as it was felt their presence there would help us in what turned out to be yet another doomed attempt to host the World Cup.

Personally I remember when it was the biggest club cup in the world, carrying as much or even more prestige than winning the league, everything stopped for cup games, in the event of a replay it was played on the following Tuesday or Wednesday-none of this slotting it in where you could as happens nowadays. The FA through incompetence and greed have allowed it to become an also ran amongst trophies.

 

[Shea]

I wouldn't dream of defending Utd normally but they were pressured into not entering it and playing in the World Club Championship (or whatever it's called) as it was felt their presence there would help us in what turned out to be yet another doomed attempt to host the World Cup.

Personally I remember when it was the biggest club cup in the world, carrying as much or even more prestige than winning the league, everything stopped for cup games, in the event of a replay it was played on the following Tuesday or Wednesday-none of this slotting it in where you could as happens nowadays. The FA through incompetence and greed have allowed it to become an also ran amongst trophies.

I'm not casting judgement on Man U - I am just saying that when it happened it put a seal on the decline in perceived value of the FA cup (in my opinion anyway)

When I was young the FA cup seemed massive, the first 3 finals I was old enough to watch were Wimbledon beating Liverpool, Utd overcoming Palace after a replay and of course our victory over Forest. It seemed like a huge occasion then, the whole of the English footballing world had their eyes on it and it was pretty much the equal of the league title in terms of importance (at least that's how it felt to me)

Now days it's no bigger than the League cup (again in my eyes)

I guess people old enough to remember the 70's and 80's who watched us winning final after final will have a deeper affinity to the FA cup and probably still hold it in higher esteem as a result - but for anyone my age and younger it's probably lost a lot of it's appeal

 

[BuryMeInEngland]

You have a fair point but I think Poch and Morinho genuinely thought that the teams they put out were good enough to win. Anyway now that we are out of it, I don't give a fuck. (well that's not strictly true, I'd love to see Arsenal or Liverpool get beat in the final. If they play each other, I don't know who I'd want to win, it would be scum vs scum. )

I'm pretty certain Maureen didn't figure that Bradford would piss on his team.

 

[Mullers]

I'm pretty certain Maureen didn't figure that Bradford would piss on his team.

What was it he said again? Something like it would be highly embarrassing if they lose to Bradford?

 

[BuryMeInEngland]

yes, the cup is dead, the only fans who think otherwise probably still believe in the tooth fairy. teams put out mish mash lineups, attendances are a joke, most of the games aren't even on tv, anywhere, you're lucky if you can find a radio feed for them. even when you get to the semi finals the games are hidden away on a channel most of the public don't even have. it's only good for the little clubs who might earn a pay day out of it, beyond that most clubs see it as an inconvenience.

If all the big clubs get knocked out of the Champions league does that make it a second rate competition?

 

[olliec]

The Arsenal vs Tottenham 1991 semi final FA Cup game was the first match I ever watched and where I became a yid. I was only 8 years old, but to this day it holds so much to my dear heart. So I do have some fond memories of the cup, but coming back to where it is now it doesn't hold nearly the same appeal anymore...sadly!

 

[olliec]

If all the big clubs get knocked out of the Champions league does that make it a second rate competition?

No because they won't and will always field their strongest team to win the completion. this is a poor argument!!

 

[Monkey boy]

The premier league and champions league have pretty much killed the competition. Teams are either too busy prioritising trying to get into the champions league or just staying in the premier league that this competition is a mere distraction to them, likewise the top teams in the championship are prioritising getting into the premier league to be worrying about the FA cup. Its why you get comments from supporters (up and down the country, not just on here) saying that they'd rather let in a goal in injury time than have to play a replay.