If We Could Only Beat The Baggies Once This Week...

[Richard E]

I'll take only beating them 1-0 or 2-0 in the Cup game if it guarantees winning the League game by 5 or 6.

[DeKuip]

Without doubt the Cup game for me.

We get another 10 chances in the league, but not in the cup. Losing a cup quarter-final to a local rival is never forgotten.

[Musicmaan]

If we were talking about beating Albion in the final rather than QF, then I'd take the cup win, but we're not - still two more wins to lift the trophy, and all the stats point to us not scoring a goal, never mind beating the inevitable big boys along the way. Even if we made it to the final, if it ends up anything like our Wembley outing in 2000, I think most of us would be wishing we'd taken the three points.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Without doubt the Cup game for me.

We get another 10 chances in the league, but not in the cup. Losing a cup quarter-final to a local rival is never forgotten.

This sums it up for me too.

[dcdavecollett]

Who honestly thought that Wigan would beat their Big Team opponents in the 2013 final?

[Musicmaan]

Taking Wigan as an example, I'd still take the three points...

[supertom]

It might just be the last 5 years grinding the enthusiasm out of me, but I can't see much difference (aside from the extra cash, which we don't really feel the benefit of with Randy lately) between merely existing to hover over the relegation line, or existing in the Championship. We could be mid-table in the Championship and be just as likely to qualify for Europe as we would if we were in the Prem League, which is to say not likely at all and probably most likely via a cup run.

Would being in the Championship hinder our enjoyment? Would a season or two not stepping toe to toe with the "might" of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, City be any less enjoyable? The Premier League is pretty much a split league already. It's like two different leagues. Is there much difference between being one of the 10 pieces of useless, pointless shit in the top flight, or scrapping it out in the Championship? Not really. I don't think that the championship sides are any less meaningless to English football currently than the bottom feeders in the Prem. Lets face it, it's all about the Sky 6, and occasionally the plucky party crashers like Southampton, West Ham, or Everton last season.

Of course the TV money counts for a lot, but under Lerner, would it impact the squad? No. We'd still operate on a shoestring. Would dropping down see us implode financially? I don't think so.

To be absolutely honest, I'm sick of the fucking Premiership. It disgusts me. There's 6 teams shitting on everyone else. You get the occasional side who gatecrashes, but they quickly get knocked down the following season (as Southampton probably will next). The games been ruined. We're just one of 12 teams who's only existence in this league is to make up the numbers, and to be expected to fawn over the sides with the financial clout and glory hunting prick fans. Would it not be potentially enjoyable to just have a go in a competitive, largely even keeled league for a year or two, and perhaps try and build some cohesion?

Bring on Rotherham.

Premier League this. Premier League that. It's a crock of shit. Cup runs are our lot in life now. It'll be our only form of enjoyment and competitiveness (with the current regime). So I want to progress as far as possible.

[Gregorys Boy]

Has to be a win in the league.  If we leave it much longer then I think we are down.  I think we are one round away from a Cup defeat having that kind of impact.

[PeterWithesShin]

From a selfish view, FA Cup. If I was on my death bed in a year i'd take winning the FA Cup over staying up every single time.

Long term for the club though, an 8th straight defeat would be a killer. 3 straight defeats under the new manager. That could really kill us mentally.

[Hoppo]

That's exactly how I feel Supertom.. Superbly put.

[ozzjim]

It might just be the last 5 years grinding the enthusiasm out of me, but I can't see much difference (aside from the extra cash, which we don't really feel the benefit of with Randy lately) between merely existing to hover over the relegation line, or existing in the Championship. We could be mid-table in the Championship and be just as likely to qualify for Europe as we would if we were in the Prem League, which is to say not likely at all and probably most likely via a cup run.

Would being in the Championship hinder our enjoyment? Would a season or two not stepping toe to toe with the "might" of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, City be any less enjoyable? The Premier League is pretty much a split league already. It's like two different leagues. Is there much difference between being one of the 10 pieces of useless, pointless shit in the top flight, or scrapping it out in the Championship? Not really. I don't think that the championship sides are any less meaningless to English football currently than the bottom feeders in the Prem. Lets face it, it's all about the Sky 6, and occasionally the plucky party crashers like Southampton, West Ham, or Everton last season.

Of course the TV money counts for a lot, but under Lerner, would it impact the squad? No. We'd still operate on a shoestring. Would dropping down see us implode financially? I don't think so.

To be absolutely honest, I'm sick of the fucking Premiership. It disgusts me. There's 6 teams shitting on everyone else. You get the occasional side who gatecrashes, but they quickly get knocked down the following season (as Southampton probably will next). The games been ruined. We're just one of 12 teams who's only existence in this league is to make up the numbers, and to be expected to fawn over the sides with the financial clout and glory hunting prick fans. Would it not be potentially enjoyable to just have a go in a competitive, largely even keeled league for a year or two, and perhaps try and build some cohesion?

Bring on Rotherham.

Premier League this. Premier League that. It's a crock of shit. Cup runs are our lot in life now. It'll be our only form of enjoyment and competitiveness (with the current regime). So I want to progress as far as possible.

I realised, as I watched 5 minutes of the league cup final and Terry scored, that I had not watched, and I mean sat and genuinely watched, a premier league game other than Villa in 3 years yesterday, such has my distaste for the way the league has become, and the decisions that are made continuously to keep it that way. I watch highlights, but have found myself recording the football league show, and rarely MOTD. It may well be indicative of the form Villa have been in, but I have just had enough. In a way I am looking forward to it, I will go a lot more, I have already discussed with my wife that I am going to wait until next season to start getting my lad into it now he is finally showing a bit of interest.

So in light of all of that, I would take the cup, but think it will be the league.

[JUAN PABLO]

Good post super Tom

Be lovely to go back to the days when every team thought they has the chance of the winning the league on day one

[andyh]

I totally understand SuperToms post, and agree to a large extent.
But, all those teams in the championship, what are they fighting for ?
The are fighting to get into the Premier league,  that's what they all desperately want.

So, why go down to fight to get back up ? Especially when there is no guarantee that we would.

The set up of the PL is shit, no doubt, but  I don't think any of us hate it so much that we never want to be part of it.

[Musicmaan]

Good post super Tom

Be lovely to go back to the days when every team thought they has the chance of the winning the league on day one

It's hard to believe that was ever the case now isn't it?!

[dave.woodhall]

I'm not sure I wouldn't mind going down and staying.