How do you feel about Cup competitions?

Since an interesting debate is sparking over in the prediction thread I thought I'd open up the podium to talk here instead of flooding it any further. Cup competitions seem to be publically falling out of favour more and more over recent years, leading up to where we are now with the league cup being considered a joke and the FA cup final being an afterthought of a lazy Sunday afternoon. But how does it stand among our fans? Is a cup run pointless and simply fill your heart with dread of what it might do to the clubs league performance? Or is the opposite, you'd fine a Cardiff involved cup final way more interesting than a great league showing?

For me, the league is the most important thing as nowadays it is the only true marker of a teams class. A cup run is great and exciting but I think it can most certainly backfire in two specific scenarios - you are fighting for promotion or survival. Beating Arsenal at penalties in the FA cup is all well and good but not if it exhausts your team who then go on to scupper their chances of promotion (or worse, survival) because of first team fatigue.

However, if your club is middle of the league standard, a cup run could ignite the fans and players passions and make a boring season a memorable one. It can provide excitement that can vanish when you find your club stuck in that 'we are too good to be repeated but nowhere near good enough to challenge for the league' rut, and a bit of excitement has statistically caused improved league performances too.

Concluding in one statement, i don't want a cup run this season because I want to win the league. I don't want one next season because I want the team to focus on premiership survival. The year after that when we are safe? I'd absolutely love one.

Great poll and debate as usual red.
For me, I think the answer very much depends on which team you support and what their realitic league expectations are the season.

For a team like Palace or Barnsley, a cup run would be a welcomed distraction from a difficult season ahead. Where as teams, like ours, pushing for promotion, cup runs are surely an unwanted distraction.
I think most PL teams, with execption of the relegation battlers, enjoy a cup run as they will have the resources to handle it.

Had the same discussion with my barber this morning... We need a cup run like Kate Middleton needs a double F bra

We've had two BIG cup runs in the last four years, so for me I'm happy to concentrate on the league.

I'd rather get to cup finals & win things than promotion. Promotion means tedious beatings by the big guns and incessant relegation battles in the PL. When you win something, you can never have it taken away whilst with promotion can come relegation.

Almost beating Liverpool last year was one of the my favourite and most exciting moments of watching football ever!

michaelccfc88 wrote:I'd rather get to cup finals & win things than promotion. Promotion means tedious beatings by the big guns and incessant relegation battles in the PL. When you win something, you can never have it taken away whilst with promotion can come relegation.

Almost beating Liverpool last year was one of the my favourite and most exciting moments of watching football ever!

Each to his own, I know, and I can see your point. But I also think that if promotion isn't our ultimate goal then the whole thing becomes pretty pointless. If we ever get there, the focus in the PL would need to be a gradual improvement to the point where the relegation battles become less frequent, and we achieve a stability from which we can push upwards. Getting promoted is proving a long haul, but getting established in the PL could be an even longer one. Plus I'm sick of being the biggest club in the championship who have never been in the PL.

Also, if we do get to the PL, it's reasonable to assume that the quality of our team will improve, so we would also have a better chance in the cups.

On the whole, I'm not that bothered about cup runs producing a dip in form - if we have a decent enough squad (and I think we have this season more than most) then we ought to be able to absorb a cup run if it comes along. But there didn't seem to be an option in the poll for this.

The Tonker wrote:

michaelccfc88 wrote:I'd rather get to cup finals & win things than promotion. Promotion means tedious beatings by the big guns and incessant relegation battles in the PL. When you win something, you can never have it taken away whilst with promotion can come relegation.

Almost beating Liverpool last year was one of the my favourite and most exciting moments of watching football ever!

Each to his own, I know, and I can see your point. But I also think that if promotion isn't our ultimate goal then the whole thing becomes pretty pointless. If we ever get there, the focus in the PL would need to be a gradual improvement to the point where the relegation battles become less frequent, and we achieve a stability from which we can push upwards. Getting promoted is proving a long haul, but getting established in the PL could be an even longer one. Plus I'm sick of being the biggest club in the championship who have never been in the PL.

Also, if we do get to the PL, it's reasonable to assume that the quality of our team will improve, so we would also have a better chance in the cups.

On the whole, I'm not that bothered about cup runs producing a dip in form - if we have a decent enough squad (and I think we have this season more than most) then we ought to be able to absorb a cup run if it comes along. But there didn't seem to be an option in the poll for this.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be celebrating as much as any fan if we win promotion. Would just prefer a cup win if given the choice!

Agree with you about the squad, pity our squad wasn't so strong last season!

Red614 wrote:Since an interesting debate is sparking over in the prediction thread I thought I'd open up the podium to talk here instead of flooding it any further. Cup competitions seem to be publically falling out of favour more and more over recent years, leading up to where we are now with the league cup being considered a joke and the FA cup final being an afterthought of a lazy Sunday afternoon. But how does it stand among our fans? Is a cup run pointless and simply fill your heart with dread of what it might do to the clubs league performance? Or is the opposite, you'd fine a Cardiff involved cup final way more interesting than a great league showing?

For me, the league is the most important thing as nowadays it is the only true marker of a teams class. A cup run is great and exciting but I think it can most certainly backfire in two specific scenarios - you are fighting for promotion or survival. Beating Arsenal at penalties in the FA cup is all well and good but not if it exhausts your team who then go on to scupper their chances of promotion (or worse, survival) because of first team fatigue.

However, if your club is middle of the league standard, a cup run could ignite the fans and players passions and make a boring season a memorable one. It can provide excitement that can vanish when you find your club stuck in that 'we are too good to be repeated but nowhere near good enough to challenge for the league' rut, and a bit of excitement has statistically caused improved league performances too.

Concluding in one statement, i don't want a cup run this season because I want to win the league. I don't want one next season because I want the team to focus on premiership survival. The year after that when we are safe? I'd absolutely love one.

Saying that, I also agree with Michael too. If we'd beat Liverpool then I think I could die a happy man- regardless of anything else that would happen to the club. I do very much want promotion but then it will be replaced by an immediate the fear of relegation. Winning something goes down in history.

Given our standing now, however, I wouldn't want one unless Malky uses it to give some of the bench some proper game time. Or he lets me play.

I have to say I may take winning the league over winning the cup though, because it is also a trophy that can't be taken away and you get promotion as well :D

*** G L O V E S *** wrote:We've had two BIG cup runs in the last four years, so for me I'm happy to concentrate on the league.