FA Cup 2015/16 Thread

[MDK]

The replay between Orient and Arsenal back in the day made that season, financially. 

[Matt]

I'm getting really sick of premier league clubs wanting to change tradition because they're more interested in that trophy you get for finishing 4th.

[stokeriño]

If they made FA Cup matches midweek I don't understand what they're going to do with the freed-up weekends...

[Colly]

1 minute ago, stokeriño said:

If they made FA Cup matches midweek I don't understand what they're going to do with the freed-up weekends...

Moneyspinning friendlies overseas.

[The Lusophone]

52 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'm getting really sick of premier league clubs wanting to change tradition because they're more interested in that trophy you get for finishing 4th.

The only way to change that is to give the fourth place qualifying spot to whoever wins the FA Cup, which isn't going to happen soon.

On a more general point, getting rid of replays is a bad solution to an issue that needs addressing, namely that we play far too many games in a season. What they should do instead is just get rid of the League Cup, which is even more pointless than the FA Cup is becoming.

[MDK]

Maybe if you just didn't qualify for Europe that will sort you out >_>

[Matt]

53 minutes ago, Mad Jack said:

The only way to change that is to give the fourth place qualifying spot to whoever wins the FA Cup, which isn't going to happen soon.

On a more general point, getting rid of replays is a bad solution to an issue that needs addressing, namely that we play far too many games in a season. What they should do instead is just get rid of the League Cup, which is even more pointless than the FA Cup is becoming.

That's an even worse idea. Too many games is a load of arse anyway. 38 games + maximum of 10 FA Cup + maximum of 6 league Cup games = 54 domestic games and that's if you reach both cup finals and require a replay in every round of the FA Cup. Lower league clubs play 46 in the league alone and those teams have smaller squads and poorer facilities.

[MDK]

Don't forget the LDV Vans Jonestone Paint Trophy Rumbelows Cup 

[DavidMarrio]

Yeh I don't agree with the too many games argument. Especially when the bigger teams have a much better squad depth and a higher quality of players. 

Also a cup competition is only pointless as the team treats it. 

I like what we have going atm. And the excuse of it having an impact on the English team in cup competitions is a load of shite when there's so many foreign players playing in English football.

[stokeriño]

Just like I've always been bemused by the complaint of the Europa League being so arduous for having so many games etc. It has, at most, two more games than the equivalent Champions League run. I understand that a mid-table team might not have the squad for it, but teams that have aspirations for 4th place (previously the likes of Spurs, Liverpool, etc. - nowadays, who the fuck knows) shouldn't have a problem.

Overall, I don't think the total number of games across all competitions is as much of a problem as some of the scheduling is. Even before anomalies such as replays etc. are thrown into the mix, there are periods where it's one game a week for ages and others when suddenly there are 7 games in 20 days. I'm sure there must be some improvements that can be made to even out some parts of this.

[Lineker]

Replays should stay until the last 8 at least.

[MDK]

ADDED TIME MULTIBALL

[Noah]

The two captains play a round of darts, in the nearest pub, to determine a winner!

[Adam]

Stoke has hit the nail on the head for me, the scheduling needs to be looked at seriously. There is ample time in a season to fit all these games in, but it doesn't seem consistent.

[Hobo]

I recently learned that the prize money for winning the FA Cup is 1.2 million. Which is about the same as you get for finishing bottom of the Premier League. I'd guess that while clubs won't publicly say it privately there are PL clubs that might not be that arsed about the FA Cup.

[Lineker]

And from next year don't the team finishing bottom of the league get £99m?

[GA!]

1 hour ago, Adam said:

Stoke has hit the nail on the head for me, the scheduling needs to be looked at seriously. There is ample time in a season to fit all these games in, but it doesn't seem consistent.

Agreed. It's very rare Premier League games are postponed these days, and FA Cup weekends et al are usually reserved out in the schedule (unlike the lower leagues, where getting into round 3 and beyond equals a backlog). There should be a fixed schedule already in place.

The problem here appears to be Sky and BT suddenly saying at short notice: "we want this game live on our channel", because then those involved have either less time to prepare for a Saturday kick-off, or less rest-time before their next fixture if they're kicking off on Sunday afternoon. I'd argue, while it's hard to predict anomalies like Leicester's run, TV fixtures for the season should be decided shortly after the full fixtures are announced. Tough shit if the TV channels miss out on some important games*, at least then the teams will know well in advance how to prepare their team in the long run.

 

*I'm thinking optimistically here. Sky/BT are the top of this particular relationship.

[Lineker]

Quote

Arsenal make nine changes from the side that beat Leicester City - only centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny keep their places. Hull have gazumped the Gunners by making 10 changes - only defender Curtis Davies remains from the 0-0 draw against Brighton.

Arsenal XI: Ospina, Chambers, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell, Iwobi, Welbeck, Walcott.
Hull XI: Jakupovic, Davies, Bruce, Maguire, Tymon, Taylor, Meyler, Maloney, Elmohamady, Powell, Diomande.

[DavidMarrio]

Reserve players galore!! 

The magic of the FA Cup

[Baddar]

Tymon has played well for Hull. 

How Welbeck wasn't booked for his blatant dive, I'll never know. Even more frustrating for Hull considering Maguire was booked minutes before for the same offence.