The FA Cup.

[Louzie0]

@MatKendrick: After Paul Lambert's comments, I fear Sheffield United are going to have more than just the 5,000 fans in the away end cheering them on.

@MatKendrick: Regardless of what PL said or how it has been interpreted, the biggest shame is Villa feel they can no longer 'compete' on more than 1 front

MK on a bit of a downer, has he moved to WM?

[olaftab]

Look at the team selections this weekend from the Prem league sides and then tell me it's only Lambert you prioritizes league ...

Exactly.

I support Aston Villa. I care about Aston Villa. I don't give a **** what others do.

[Ian.]

@MatKendrick: After Paul Lambert's comments, I fear Sheffield United are going to have more than just the 5,000 fans in the away end cheering them on.

@MatKendrick: Regardless of what PL said or how it has been interpreted, the biggest shame is Villa feel they can no longer 'compete' on more than 1 front

The problem with Twitter and posting snippets like this above is a lot of people have not read the whole article and only seen little comments and then make their own mind up on what is said. Then it is "tweeted" then it is cut and pasted and re-posted, again not in it's whole context. Then of course the people who do not like Lambert have a little bit more ammunition to cause a bit more stirring.

[Clampy]

I wouldn't have too much of a problem if he threw in Gardner or Helenius for a game.

[Ian.]

I'd like to see Helenius again, see what he's like. I'm only guessing but I reckon Bowery must put a good shift in during training as he seems to get the nod first. But then again we don't do any training do we, so we're now told.

[Toronto Villa]

Look at the team selections this weekend from the Prem league sides and then tell me it's only Lambert you prioritizes league ...

Exactly.

I support Aston Villa. I care about Aston Villa. I don't give a **** what others do.

I think every fan up and down the country agrees with you, and wants to see their team win the FA Cup. Unfortunately, the reality of it is, and sad though it might be, or have become, staying in the PL is more important for some, or qualifying and staying in a CL spot will be for others. That's the way of the world now. Not saying it's right or fair, but teams outside the top 3 or 4 have their resources stretched, and especially over Christmas. Look at us now with our injuries. they just pile up which again brings up the winter break argument. As fans we would hate a winter break because the Christmas/New Year games are great to look forward to. The manager's of the sides where they might not have the same squad depth might not see it the same way because they are trying to bandage together a side.

All Lambert was saying that on top of everything else, and with the money represented by the PL, that cup competitions at this time of year are a distraction. I'm sure in a perfect world he'd want 25 fit and experienced players playing on multiple fronts, but most teams aren't blessed that way.

[dave.woodhall]

Every fan of a certain age and background agrees. Far too many don't.

[eastie]

Every fan of a certain age and background agrees. Far too many don't.

Spot on.

[LeeB]

As long as the financial rewards for winning the trophy are as comparatively disparate compared to just surviving, then this is going to be the case.

Don't blame Lambert, or any other manager. It's the system that's wrong.

[Toronto Villa]

As long as the financial rewards for winning the trophy are as comparatively disparate compared to just surviving, then this is going to be the case.

Don't blame Lambert, or any other manager. It's the system that's wrong.

Quite. But even if the FA Cup had a 4th place CL reward for example I imagine a number of clubs would still see having a squad healthy for the PL as better odds of financially security than risking it all on FA Cup glory. 

[rob_bridge]

The time it changed for me was when Liverpool won 3 cups under Houllier in 2001. Yes 3.

Despite this he stated that the most important thing that year was to hold off Leeds United's challenge and secure 3rd place.

[Ads]

As long as the financial rewards for winning the trophy are as comparatively disparate compared to just surviving, then this is going to be the case.

Don't blame Lambert, or any other manager. It's the system that's wrong.

Quite. But even if the FA Cup had a 4th place CL reward for example I imagine a number of clubs would still see having a squad healthy for the PL as better odds of financially security than risking it all on FA Cup glory. 

I don't know, six games to potentially net you £25 million and lure a lot of top players? I think a lot of mid-ranking clubs would gamble on that. It could be just the game changing boost a side between 12th and 6th needs.

[LeeB]

As long as the financial rewards for winning the trophy are as comparatively disparate compared to just surviving, then this is going to be the case.

Don't blame Lambert, or any other manager. It's the system that's wrong.

Quite. But even if the FA Cup had a 4th place CL reward for example I imagine a number of clubs would still see having a squad healthy for the PL as better odds of financially security than risking it all on FA Cup glory. 

I don't know, six games to potentially net you £25 million and lure a lot of top players? I think a lot of mid-ranking clubs would gamble on that. It could be just the game changing boost a side between 12th and 6th needs.

Problem is that even if you do go for it, the big boys start taking it seriously come the semis and the chances are that one of them will do you.

Everton have had a go in recent years, but then they've been firmly entrenched in the upper half of the table so it makes sense.

We're coming into the fourth season in a row where we're a bit too close for comfort to the relegation spots, so it's no surprise where our priorities lie. Going balls out for it now would be touching on negligent.

[Toronto Villa]

As long as the financial rewards for winning the trophy are as comparatively disparate compared to just surviving, then this is going to be the case.

Don't blame Lambert, or any other manager. It's the system that's wrong.

Quite. But even if the FA Cup had a 4th place CL reward for example I imagine a number of clubs would still see having a squad healthy for the PL as better odds of financially security than risking it all on FA Cup glory. 

I don't know, six games to potentially net you £25 million and lure a lot of top players? I think a lot of mid-ranking clubs would gamble on that. It could be just the game changing boost a side between 12th and 6th needs.

if you made winning the FA Cup a CL spot then the big teams would take it seriously from the off, and it becomes even more attractive to those top sides on the fringes of the CL. Look at Man U this season for example. It's possible they won't qualify for the CL through the league. CL money is so critical to them that they would likely field close to a full side for every round of the FA Cup to win it and get into the CL. That doesn't help sides in the mid to lower end of the PL table who have their squads stretched the max already and now have to compete with the top teams fielding strong sides or even less than full strength sides that are in many cases better than anything a mid table side could put out.

[Hookeysmith]

The time it changed for me was when Liverpool won 3 cups under Houllier in 2001. Yes 3.

Despite this he stated that the most important thing that year was to hold off Leeds United's challenge and secure 3rd place.

Agreed

Add to this the joy Wenger and the board of Arsenal have when they scrape into the 4th spot - even though every fan is crying out for an end to their 8 year trophy famine
The fact that the FA themselves supported the red filth to "opt out" for commercial gain - that was the real end to the FA cup, and all part to that decision knew it.
The fact that Fergiscum was the first manager to take the piss with weakened teams, it got so bad that certain managers in prem games openly said "we cannot win at Chelski et al so we will send a 2nd team"