Has the FA Cup become meaningless?

Hitchens

Even City v Stoke in 2011 seemed a bit of an anti-climax, same today with Arsenal v Hull

I watched the Barca v Athletico match today whereas some years ago it would have been the FA Cup Final I would have opted to watch, given a choice.

Will I Amnt

Meaningless? No, less important? Yes.

gandalf

And if Hull had won this would have been "the magic of the cup" thread LOL!

J. Marston

I thought today's match was a great final.

jester77

Yes now that the specialist in failure has won it.

Chucky the tree

It has been for a while really.

smemon

the reality is Hull destroyed it by being in the Final... in more recent years, we've had several bottom of the barrel teams make it to the final...

Hull, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth, Everton, Cardiff.... they devalue the competition making it to the final... much like Liverpool, Porto and Chelsea winning the Champions League in recent memory or Greece winning the Euros...

A final matters more when it's two heavyweights against each other... it would have meant more had it been Arsenal and Chelsea..

but having said all of that, you earn your right to be there by in large... and Bruce is a gent that's doing a great job with Hull... will they be in the final next year? no. And that's the mark of a good side... they don't randomly win something and then disappear off the map or get relegated the following year...

acquiescefc

Depends who you ask the question to.
If you ask supporters of the 72 none premier clubs and the conference etc the answer is probably no it's not meaningless.

AdamD

a 3-2 game after extra time is an anti-climax? And you just said you watched the Spanish game instead so how would you know?


Bizarre.

partyguinness

It's importance has diminished significantly over the past 15 years or so. When I was growing up in the 80's it was one of the highlights of the season.

Only the BBC, Sky Sports et all still try to big it up with the usual 'the best cup competition in the world' rubbish that the English love to go on with.

Panthro

On the contrary, I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining game (admittedly I didn't see every single minute of it)
And it was on the oul telly as well.
Happy days.

gnfnrhead

Doesnt look meaningless there.

The Premier League and Champions League are obviously the big ones but so few teams have a chance at winning either that the FA Cup is as good as it gets for the majority of teams.

If anything is meaningless it is the Community Shield or League Cup.

partyguinness

smemon wrote: »

the reality is Hull destroyed it by being in the Final... in more recent years, we've had several bottom of the barrel teams make it to the final...

Hull, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth, Everton, Cardiff.... they devalue the competition making it to the final... much like Liverpool, Porto and Chelsea winning the Champions League in recent memory or Greece winning the Euros...

A final matters more when it's two heavyweights against each other... it would have meant more had it been Arsenal and Chelsea..

but having said all of that, you earn your right to be there by in large... and Bruce is a gent that's doing a great job with Hull... will they be in the final next year? no. And that's the mark of a good side... they don't randomly win something and then disappear off the map or get relegated the following year...

Devalue it for who? The neutrals?

Plus if it was Chelsea v Man City every year it would get tedious.

acquiescefc

smemon wrote: »

the reality is Hull destroyed it by being in the Final... in more recent years, we've had several bottom of the barrel teams make it to the final...

Hull, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth, Everton, Cardiff.... they devalue the competition making it to the final... much like Liverpool, Porto and Chelsea winning the Champions League in recent memory or Greece winning the Euros...

A final matters more when it's two heavyweights against each other... it would have meant more had it been Arsenal and Chelsea..

but having said all of that, you earn your right to be there by in large... and Bruce is a gent that's doing a great job with Hull... will they be in the final next year? no. And that's the mark of a good side... they don't randomly win something and then disappear off the map or get relegated the following year...

The exact opposite of all the above.

Gringo180

For a neutral that was probably one of the most enjoyable games of the season. Beats a Barca passing master class but failing to win predictable game all day long.

Chucky the tree

acquiescefc wrote: »

Depends who you ask the question to.
If you ask supporters of the 72 none premier clubs and the conference etc the answer is probably no it's not meaningless.

Really? I'd say a lot of those fan would prefer their team concentrate on their league as well, especially if close to promotion. At this stage a good few lower league teams play a second choice side in it.

Not meaningless if your team wins it, that's for sure.

acquiescefc

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Really? I'd say a lot of those fan would prefer their team concentrate on their league as well, especially if close to promotion. At this stage a good few lower league teams play a second choice side in it.

Apart from the few champ clubs with rich owners yes. The money made from some of these games can keep a small club afloat.

scudzilla

Bin the 4th spot in the league for CL and give it to the cup winners, would lift the FA Cup straight away

Lardy

smemon wrote: »

the reality is Hull destroyed it by being in the Final... in more recent years, we've had several bottom of the barrel teams make it to the final...

Hull, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth, Everton, Cardiff.... they devalue the competition making it to the final... much like Liverpool, Porto and Chelsea winning the Champions League in recent memory or Greece winning the Euros...

A final matters more when it's two heavyweights against each other... it would have meant more had it been Arsenal and Chelsea..

but having said all of that, you earn your right to be there by in large... and Bruce is a gent that's doing a great job with Hull... will they be in the final next year? no. And that's the mark of a good side... they don't randomly win something and then disappear off the map or get relegated the following year...

What a load of nonsense... And actually rather insulting to the club and fans. Do you think the bigger teams have a divine right to be in every cup final??
It looks like you've completely missed the point of the FA Cup.

omega man

Ah you're having a laugh. It's meaningless now that arsenal have won it after 9 long years with no silverware. Give us a break ffs. For years we've heard the 4th place trophy joke and now this starts, couldn't make it up. Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea won nothing this season so give us this one for the love of god

scudzilla

scudzilla wrote: »

Bin the 4th spot in the league for CL and give it to the cup winners, would lift the FA Cup straight away

Wigan in the CL this season :pac:

In all fairness, I don't think that would be fair.

A play off versus 4th at a very push.

bucketybuck

scudzilla wrote: »

Bin the 4th spot in the league for CL and give it to the cup winners, would lift the FA Cup straight away

Wigan in this years Champions league?

Hull in next years Champions league?

What a farce that would be.

scudzilla

bucketybuck wrote: »

Wigan in this years Champions league?

Hull in next years Champions league?

What a farce that would be.

Well Liverpool are in it, can be no worse :pac::pac::pac:

bucketybuck

bucketybuck wrote: »

Wigan in this years Champions league?

Hull in next years Champions league?

What a farce that would be.

Could affect the English coefficent Europe. Couldn't see the FA going for it.

Hitchens

AdamD wrote: »

a 3-2 game after extra time is an anti-climax? And you just said you watched the Spanish game instead so how would you know?


Bizarre.

the query has nothing to do with how good a game it was

Gringo180

bucketybuck wrote: »

Wigan in this years Champions league?

Hull in next years Champions league?

What a farce that would be.

How would Hull be in it? They didnt win it.

Owryan

omega man wrote: »

Ah you're having a laugh. It's meaningless now that arsenal have won it after 9 long years with no silverware. Give us a break ffs. For years we've heard the 4th place trophy joke and now this starts, couldn't make it up. UTD, Liverpool and Chelsea won nothing this season so give us this one for the love of god

Community Shield ahem ahem

Lardy

To answer the OP, no, I don't think it's meaningless competition. Not to fans at least. I'm a life long Hull City supporter and we have just played in a major cup final and got ourselves European football next season. Something we probably won't achieve in the league for a long time.

Owryan

Owryan wrote: »

Community Shield ahem ahem

Amirani

Gringo180 wrote: »

How would Hull be in it? They didnt win it.

Same reason they'll be playing in the Europa League next season.

Gringo180

Diego Simeone wrote: »

Same reason they'll be playing in the Europa League next season.

But take away the 4th place for Champs Lge and give it to the FA Cup winners and Hull wouldn't have made Europe whatsoever.

thelad95

It's not meaningless and people calling for it to be scrapped should've watched that final today or last years.

The only difference is that it's not the holy grail it once was.Chasing Europe qualification, play-off places, avoiding relegation all have massive implications financially which makes getting to the next round of the Cup irrelevant in some managers eyes. I think if replays were scrapped so that the match was going to definitely be decided on one day would make it more appealing to managers and more exciting for fans.

The 'magic of the Cup' is still alive and well in my eyes though. Look at Oldham's run last year, Wigan's win last year, Hull going 2-0 up today. Wow.

Officer999

smemon wrote: »

the reality is Hull destroyed it by being in the Final... in more recent years, we've had several bottom of the barrel teams make it to the final...

Hull, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth, Everton, Cardiff.... they devalue the competition making it to the final... much like Liverpool, Porto and Chelsea winning the Champions League in recent memory or Greece winning the Euros...

A final matters more when it's two heavyweights against each other... it would have meant more had it been Arsenal and Chelsea..

but having said all of that, you earn your right to be there by in large... and Bruce is a gent that's doing a great job with Hull... will they be in the final next year? no. And that's the mark of a good side... they don't randomly win something and then disappear off the map or get relegated the following year...

So Atletico winning the league today and maybe winning the Champions League next weekend "devalues" those competitions?

titan18

Not meaningless, although most of the top sides don't really care too much about it anymore.

League Cup is meaningless though, there's a competition that should be scrapped

glued

The FA Cup is meaningless unless you win it.

thelad95

titan18 wrote: »

Not meaningless, although most of the top sides don't really care too much about it anymore.

League Cup is meaningless though, there's a competition that should be scrapped

It's actually pretty un-intrusive to be honest. The early rounds go to extra time so there are no replays and it is finished by the end of February, before the business end of the season. It serves a purpose and is useful for giving squad players a run out.

The FA cup on the other hand can mess up a teams season, leading to untold fixture congestion especially if replays are involved. I can remember last season when Chelsea were still in the FA cup and Europa, they played a league game on Saturday, FA cup replay on Monday, Europa league tie on Thursday and league game on Sunday. That shouldn't happen.

blueser

Gringo180 wrote: »

How would Hull be in it? They didnt win it.

In theory, Hull could be in the CL in the 2015/16 season. The winners of next season's Europa League get a place in the following season's Champions' League.

scudzilla

bucketybuck wrote: »

Wigan in this years Champions league?

Hull in next years Champions league?

What a farce that would be.

And why not? Bit elitist to discount them just because they're not one of the Big 4

user2011

Compared too what was at stake today yes it was meaningless.

But any other year it would have a lot more meaning to it IMO. Also if time was right for it it would of had more watching it too.

Atleti, Atleti, Atleti...

mike65

The FA Cup has been massively under valued thanks to the Top 4 obsession. This year, like last year had a bit more about it - big v small with the added piquancy of the trophy drought for Arsenal.

The best thing to do with it though is rescue it from ITV and fecking Adrian Chiles and move it back to 3 pm. Luckily the BBC have it back from next season I think.

user2011

mike65 wrote: »

The FA Cup has been massively under valued thanks to the Top 4 obsession. This year, like last year had a bit more about it - big v small with the added piquancy of the trophy drought for Arsenal.

The best thing to do with it though is rescue it from ITV and fecking Adrian Chiles and move it back to 3 pm. Luckily the BBC have it back from next season I think.

Nice

thelad95

mike65 wrote: »

The FA Cup has been massively under valued thanks to the Top 4 obsession. This year, like last year had a bit more about it - big v small with the added piquancy of the trophy drought for Arsenal.

The best thing to do with it though is rescue it from ITV and fecking Adrian Chiles and move it back to 3 pm. Luckily the BBC have it back from next season I think.

Wow. I didn't know that. Yeah, the BBC definitely handle the FA cup better. Hopefully, they can bring John Motson out of retirement.

EuropeanSon

scudzilla wrote: »

And why not? Bit elitist to discount them just because they're not one of the Big 4

Yeah, after all, they're letting Liverpool in next year, sure they earned it. Would be unfair to discount them.

user2011

Top 4 clash will not beat the top 2 title decider in Spain Imo.

So much more at stake in Spain then the FA Cup, the FA picked a sh!t time to play the game at and were hopefully found out for it.

English games usually KO at 3, so why not the show piece of the FA?

Kick off at 3 and we would not be talking about this.

Son Of A Vidic

Hitchens wrote: »

Has the FA Cup become meaningless?

Meaningless as a competition? No. But unless my team is playing in it, I don't have any interest. Watching Atlético win today was where it was at for me.

Diabhal Beag

This thread should serve as an annual reminder that Ben Watson scored the winner in an FA Cup Final.

user2011

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

This thread should serve as an annual reminder that Ben Watson scored the winner in an FA Cup Final.

And Atleti have been the only team too challenge the big two to the last day of La Liga in X amount of years..

eagle eye

Gotta add a Champion's league spot for winning it. Its a great competition but its been knocked back by the top four being more important financially to the big clubs.

blueser

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

This thread should serve as an annual reminder that Ben Watson scored the winner in an FA Cup Final.

Don't remind me!

gosplan

What a load of rubbish.

What 'meaning' did it have in the first place beyond being the only game on TV.