Our biggest game for 7 years?

[southlondonyiddo]

(Since we beat Man City away to finish in a CL spot)

Next week we face Chelsea. I don't think many people would argue that these are the 2 best teams in the country

In my opinion this game could make or break this team for many years to come

Beat Chelsea next week and this will give the team confidence to go on to lift the FA Cup this season. Who knows it might even knock Chelsea so much that they slip up in the league and we go on to be crowned champions and achieve the double (ok I'm getting a bit carried away)

If we finished runners up and FA Cup Winners I would hope they could go 1 better next season although we will probably have the Wembley factor to deal with every other week. However our confidence would be huge after having beaten Chelsea and then either City or The Scum

Lose next weekend and it could knock this young team into not finishing runners up again and effect us badly next season regarding Wembley and future league and cup challenges

I hate over stating the magnitude of games and I'm very much 'this is our biggest game since our last biggest game!' but I feel next week is massive for this group of players

I'm nervous already!!!

TO DARE IS TO DO


COYS

 

[Mullers]

They have the confidence already to go and win it. I agree we could hit a bit of a slump if we lose but if we do come 2nd and lose in the cup it's still been a step forward. Very hard to better second when our rivals can spend 100, 70, 50 million on just one player.

 

[vicbob]

You know what, and I can't really believe what I am writing, but to me this is probably the least important game for the rest of the season. I think it's far more important to finish strongly in the league and not fall away like we did last season. I don't think Chelsea will drop enough points for us to win the league, but I believe it's imperative we finish strongly on the off chance they do.
I'm sure by next week I will feel different, but now I am more concerned by the NLD than the semi.

 

[Giovanni]

Even if we dont win the fa cup and finish 2nd there will be no shame. Domestically we have been a very close second best if thats the case. Compare the budgets and wages and overall spending power we technically should be nowhere near where we are.

Il be very proud no matter what happens.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Surely it's about winning something?

Don't you want this fantastic young team to stay together for a few years and win a trophy or 2

IMO beating Chelsea Saturday will go a very long way towards achieving this

 

[dagraham]

Surely it's about winning something?

Don't you want this fantastic young team to stay together for a few years and win a trophy or 2

IMO beating Chelsea Saturday will go a very long way towards achieving this

It's a massive game, but I hope if we do beat them we realise that it means nothing if we lose in the final.

 

[Mr Pink]

It won't break us if we don't win. Pochettino has instilled a far better mentality at the Club now.

You need only look at how we've done this season in terms of responding to a disappointng end last season for evidence of our mental strength.

That won't suddenly be lost if we lose next Saturday but a win would be huge no doubt.

 

[Woodyy]

I just think not to win anything with this team these past 2 seasons would be a real shame.

 

[vicbob]

Oh I want to win something with this team, I just think it's important not to have the "spursy" finish we had in the league last year and really put those demons to bed.
The fa cup would be the icing on the cake though.

 

[HildoSpur]

You know what, and I can't really believe what I am writing, but to me this is probably the least important game for the rest of the season. I think it's far more important to finish strongly in the league and not fall away like we did last season. I don't think Chelsea will drop enough points for us to win the league, but I believe it's imperative we finish strongly on the off chance they do.
I'm sure by next week I will feel different, but now I am more concerned by the NLD than the semi.

Nah it's absolutely vital we win something to go up a level. FA cup is incredibly important for us this year.

 

[tiger666]

Nah it's absolutely vital we win something to go up a level

We've gone up plenty of levels the last few years whilst winning nothing. I don't see it as being vital.

 

[Mr Pink]

We've gone up plenty of levels the last few years whilst winning nothing. I don't see it as being vital.

Nor do I. And the respect we're getting now is serious. People's perceptions outside the Club are really changing.

We keep this squad and manager together, with the new stadium on the horizon, winning things is inevitable.

 

[Grey Fox]

I agree with the OP if we beat them next week I think it will have a huge effect on the league performances for both sides. I don't care that the FA cup has been diminished in importance the last few years, its the mentality of winning a trophy and learning what that feels like is the only thing missing from this team. Ask any player when they retire whether they prefer looking at a winners medal or a scrapbook of tables showing they finished top 4 and I know what the answer will be. We have lost players like Modric, Bale and Berbatov, not just because of money, but because they wanted to go some where they could win things.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Nor do I. And the respect we're getting now is serious. People's perceptions outside the Club are really changing.

We keep this squad and manager together, with the new stadium on the horizon, winning things is inevitable.

Winning things is not inevitable if you cannot beat the big teams in the big games

Winning things comes down to the results v your direct opponents home & away and your results in cup finals

 

[Mr Pink]

Winning things is not inevitable if you cannot beat the big teams in the big games

Winning things comes down to the results v your direct opponents home & away and your results in cup finals

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I agree with the OP if we beat them next week I think it will have a huge effect on the league performances for both sides. I don't care that the FA cup has been diminished in importance the last few years, its the mentality of winning a trophy and learning what that feels like is the only thing missing from this team. Ask any player when they retire whether they prefer looking at a winners medal or a scrapbook of tables showing they finished top 4 and I know what the answer will be. We have lost players like Modric, Bale and Berbatov, not just because of money, but because they wanted to go some where they could win things.

If that's true, why didn't winning the cup help Wigan stay up, or turn Arsenal into a championship winner last season after their very good team won the cup the previous year? Why were Leicester so abjectly shit after winning the title?

We actually improved as a team after losing a cup final to Chelsea two years ago.

Winning the cup, or anything, in isolation will make very little difference at all, what matters is the quality and collectively mentality of a team, and if that's good, losing a cup semi final or final won't change anything, as history generally bears out. Winning trophies is a result of being good and having a good mentality, not vice versa.

 

[Grey Fox]

If that's true, why didn't winning the cup help Wigan stay up, or turn Arsenal into a championship winner last season after their very good team won the cup the previous year? Why were Leicester so abjectly shit after winning the title?

We actually improved as a team after losing a cup final to Chelsea two years ago.

Winning the cup, or anything, in isolation will make very little difference at all, what matters is the quality and collectively mentality of a team, and if that's good, losing a cup semi final or final won't change anything, as history generally bears out. Winning trophies is a result of being good and having a good mentality, not vice versa.

The examples you give are out of context with what I was saying, which is that the real context is we are playing our immediate competition for the title and if we won it would have a positive effect on a young team like ours and put doubts in the minds of the Chelsea players. Fergie's "92" first trophy was the FA cup and probably saved his job. So winning the cup would not be in isolation and winning trophies has to have a positive affect on a young squad.

 

[Gbspurs]

Winning the FA cup would be huge for this team. Look at any team lifting a trophy and all you see is beaming smiles and dancing. This is what they play for, this is what they remember when they retire and this is what memory they will use to kick on and achieve more.

Given the strength of teams remaining it will only make the "glory" greater.

I would rather finish 4th and win the FA cup than 2nd and not. We know we can challenge the big teams, let's prove it.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

You know what, and I can't really believe what I am writing, but to me this is probably the least important game for the rest of the season. I think it's far more important to finish strongly in the league and not fall away like we did last season. I don't think Chelsea will drop enough points for us to win the league, but I believe it's imperative we finish strongly on the off chance they do.
I'm sure by next week I will feel different, but now I am more concerned by the NLD than the semi.

Neither can we...

 

[BaFa94]

Every player we've wanted to keep that left, left to win trophies. Stupid debate. Of course this is our biggest game in many years.