Disrespecting the cups

[Chris Smith]

Promotion is so important to the club as a whole that is has to be our only priority this season. We have had plenty of problems with injuries already so risking more for a few additional games in a completion that we are not strong enough to win is a fairly straightforward decision I would have thought.

[Nunkin1965]

It’s a sad fact that as supporters the majority on here and the wider fan base and other clubs and owners just accept that it’s part of the modern game. I’ll just play FIFA from now on if I fancy a Cup run then.(Mind you I’m shite at it).

The fact that Bruce actually managed to get a Championship to the Final in the modern era annoys me even more because he’s proved it can be done.

[Risso]

It’s a sad fact that as supporters the majority on here and the wider fan base and other clubs and owners just accept that it’s part of the modern game. I’ll just play FIFA from now on if I fancy a Cup run then.(Mind you I’m shite at it).

The fact that Bruce actually managed to get a Championship to the Final in the modern era annoys me even more because he’s proved it can be done.

I agree.  If you look at the FA Cup, then in the last ten years, Villa, Wigan, Palace, Hull, Stoke, Portsmouth (twice) and Cardiff have all got to the finals.  It’s not always the Champions League contenders getting to the finals, and if us and fans of other clubs are going to just meekly accept that we’re not going to win it, then they might as well just abolish it.  It’s only two years since we were in the final, and while that itself was a disaster, the run itself was great, and somethings results like us against Liverpool in the semi, and Wigan v Man City in the final happen.

In any case, with the squad we have Bruce should have been able to pick and organise a squad to play well and win against a lower league team, or at least not get utterly battered.  He’s hopeless, utterly hopeless.

[Axl Rose]

It’s a sad fact that as supporters the majority on here and the wider fan base and other clubs and owners just accept that it’s part of the modern game. I’ll just play FIFA from now on if I fancy a Cup run then.(Mind you I’m shite at it).

The fact that Bruce actually managed to get a Championship to the Final in the modern era annoys me even more because he’s proved it can be done.

I agree.  If you look at the FA Cup, then in the last ten years, Villa, Wigan, Palace, Hull, Stoke, Portsmouth (twice) and Cardiff have all got to the finals.  It’s not always the Champions League contenders getting to the finals, and if us and fans of other clubs are going to just meekly accept that we’re not going to win it, then they might as well just abolish it.  It’s only two years since we were in the final, and while that itself was a disaster, the run itself was great, and somethings results like us against Liverpool in the semi, and Wigan v Man City in the final happen.

In any case, with the squad we have Bruce should have been able to pick and organise a squad to play well and win against a lower league team, or at least not get utterly battered.  He’s hopeless, utterly hopeless.

Spot on, Risso. He's a fucking crap manager.

[Simon Page]

Like most of you no doubt, I got an email from the Villa on Friday warning me: "Don't leave it late to book your place on our FA Cup journey!" That's their exclamation mark by the way. It's like Wumpty phoning me up to remind me a short hop only costs £1.50, then sticking a toddler in the driver's seat of a bus with no engine. If we are going to accept the FA Cup is just a chance to see all those players deemed not good enough show why they don't usually get picked, don't build it up into something not to be missed and don't bloody charge for it.

What I want to know is why is getting promotion more important? If we go up, will we suddenly take the Cup more seriously next year? Or will we get to see more backs-to-the-wall tedium and many more defeats as we make excuses about why finishing 17th is so vital that we can't afford an extra few games? I like seeing the Villa compete and win, not tread water while gifting points to our betters. I prefer uncertainty, surprise wins, shock defeats and actual competition to having more income to shell out for the same lack of good times.

The choice isn't between the Premier League and the FA Cup; it's a choice of losing on a more regular basis, having no hope of winning the Premier League and paying more for players who aren't good enough for your level, or getting some late season excitement.

Good luck Peterborough.

[BC Villain]

It’s a sad fact that as supporters the majority on here and the wider fan base and other clubs and owners just accept that it’s part of the modern game. I’ll just play FIFA from now on if I fancy a Cup run then.(Mind you I’m shite at it).

The fact that Bruce actually managed to get a Championship to the Final in the modern era annoys me even more because he’s proved it can be done.

Exactly.  The attitude now seems to be that you can "pick and choose" which games to take seriously.  Like I said earlier, its how the game has gone in the last 10-15 years, but it doesn't mean we have to like it.

[Dougs Socks]

Its not disrespect for the Cups, its disrespect for those fans that work hard all week, skimp and save, and spend that money on going along and supporting their club. Basically, its two fingers up to them!

[SoccerHQ]

Newport beating Leeds.

Looking at the Leeds team looks like half of it are reserves.

That's Leeds, ourselves and Cardiff in the top 6 who have all put out weakened teams. I reckon Derby would've aswell if they'd not had Man. United.

Not saying it's right but to just annoys me when it's made out on here we're the only team in the football league who does this.

[stuart445]

Totally agree with the main poster. We lose momentum and also is there any empirical evidence whatsoever that a cup run harms your league form?

It could be argued that the cup run to the Final under Sherwood helped us survive as the feel good factor around the club gave us a boost.

[sickbeggar]

I still think the fault lies with the FA. Any sporting competition including the FA cup gains prestige by what you can win. That attracts the better competitors and improves the competition. The FA cup has fallen way behind other competitions in the prize money stakes. If we had won the FA cup this year our total prize money would have been 3.4m which is peanuts frankly. The FA sold just the Cup oversea's tv rights for 820m in 2016, so its pretty obvious it's not being invested back in the competition.

[SoccerHQ]

Hurt Bristol City a bit.

They have one win in four since beat Man. United.

I doubt SHA would've got relegated in 2011 if they'd gone out early in the Carling cup.

Didn't Boro go down the year they reached two cup finals?

[Dougs Socks]

Well one result of yesterdays decision is that its made the Forest game a must win game, and increased the pressure on winning it. He will get dogs abuse if we lose that game.

[Simon Page]

Not saying it's right but to just annoys me when it's made out on here we're the only team in the football league who does this.

It would help us no end if all teams did it. Maybe our collection of half-arses might stand a chance if the opposition was as uninterested in the competition. But regardless of whether one or 101 clubs take the piss, I don't like the Villa doing it. As for whether a cup run hurts or helps, we don't know do we? Taking random examples to fit your chosen scenario is hardly scientific. What can be said is in recent times the Premier League winners have either won cups as well or got to very late stages of the competition. But even that is taking two facts and trying to claim cause and effect where there may be none.

The FA cup has fallen way behind other competitions in the prize money stakes. If we had won the FA cup this year our total prize money would have been 3.4m which is peanuts frankly.

Is it really prize money that's to blame? Does anyone parade a big cheque to their town hall after a Wembley win? Given football is less profitable now than ever, all having more money does is allow you to spunk more money away. It's not a business like any other. Financially, the football "business" is a tax-dodge, a networking opportunity, a money-laundering route, an ego-boost, a plaything. It's not profit driven; it always spends more than it brings in, leaving an internal market to allow cashflow to mask insolvency. So while the income from prize money and the like suits owners, why would fans care? I get why owners, players, even managers would want to look for the cash over glory. I don't know why a supporter would.

Remember our run of consecutive top ten finishes in the Deloitte list? Heady days.

[Rico]

Only six games. Yet we haven't won 6 in a row in 61 years. Maybe it's not quite so easy and even less easy these days.

It's not six in a row though is it? It's six individual games spread out over half a season.

I was chatting to someone yesterday about the FA cup, and even though our recent record is less than brilliant I remember our cup runs to the finals more so than just some random fixtures. I remember we played Wolves in the early 80s, think it may have been the fourth round. Villa Park was rammed and there were thousands of Wolves locked out. The FA cup means something special to us fans. It's a shame that the it doesn't mean as much to Steve Bruce and Co.

I don't recall Ron Saunders ever putting out a weakend  team in any competition, but then again he set out to win every single game and managed to win a few trophies along the way and won the league using only 14 players.

[Three Spires Villa]

So,by some peoples reasoning as we are not going to win the F.A. Cup we shouldn't be bothered. Ok then, are we likely to win the Premier League in the next 5 years? No ok lets forget about it then, in fact why bother at all?? Were not going to win the Championship, so err why bother? Someone might get injured. Players get injured in training, better not train them (which I dont think we do anyway) Personally a cup run would be great, momentum, confidence, big games, isn't that what we want? Hope we win on Saturday, if not well whats the excuse then, saving players for Burton as that is more winnable??