FA Cup 16/17 drops replays for Quarter Finals

5starpool

I'm not sure what difference 1 less (potential) game for up a maximum of 8 clubs will make, but in 5-10 years replays will be gone altogether in the FA Cup I'd say to match the league cup. They should just go ahead and do it now rather than death by a thousand cuts.

I know some people will say no harm, and replays are daft, but a cup match loses some of it's lustre if it all has to be decided on the one day imo.

The placing of European competitions and space to be left for summer tournaments, etc will take precedence though I guess.

Harry Palmr

Going on what was published last week this is part of a shift to create a winter break, next year it'll be no replay for semi finals as well I'd say, probably find they tweak the FA Cup schedule so after the third round there is a big gap to the next round.

Shanotheslayer

5starpool wrote: »

I know some people will say no harm, and replays are daft, but a cup match loses some of it's lustre if it all has to be decided on the one day imo.

Isn't the point of a cup to win on the day?

irishgeo

Your killing the smaller clubs chance of getting a replay in a premier league groundand half the gate receipts for the replay.

Harry Palmr

irishgeo wrote: »

Your killing the smaller clubs chance of getting a replay in a premier league groundand half the gate receipts for the replay.

My answer to that is for the BBC and BT to pay the small home side a bigger whack as compo. Indeed I'd not pay PL clubs any TV money for Fa Cup runs.

5starpool

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Going on what was published last week this is part of a shift to create a winter break, next year it'll be no replay for semi finals as well I'd say, probably find they tweak the FA Cup schedule so after the third round there is a big gap to the next round.

They did away with semi final replays when they moved them to Wembley didn't they?

Harry Palmr

You're right so they'll work it back to the 1/8th finals (whatever round that is!)

5starpool

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Isn't the point of a cup to win on the day?

Increasingly it is now. Years ago though there were essentially unlimited replays in the cups in England. Liverpool v Arsenal semi final in 1980 took 4 games to get resolved, and that's not the longest ever! I don't think that's tenable these days, but still.

HalloweenJack

Cut the number of teams in each division to 18, like the Bundesliga. Four games less a season in the Prem and twelve less on the lower leagues. It'd make a big difference to scheduling and too many games etc.

CSF

I can't say I've ever been enthusiastic about the idea of a replay. Having said that I'm not much of a fan of extra time either. The notion of 210 minutes of goalless football between West Brom and Crystal Palace is similar enough to the thought of getting dental work.

The 2 legged format in the Champions League works because of the prestige of the competition. Beyond this I'd be largely in favour of going straight to penalties in cup competitions and this would also help to combat fatigue. The amount of drab borefests of extra times I've seen massively outweigh the exciting 30 minutes. Maybe instead of eliminating extra time altogether you could keep it for finals where the excitement is always there even where the football is poor.

eagle eye

There is nothing like a midweek replay for fans of a smaller club. It's a special night with the chance of beating a bigger team. The club is making more money which could make a difference to them too.

Cookiemunster

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Cut the number of teams in each division to 18, like the Bundesliga. Four games less a season in the Prem and twelve less on the lower leagues. It'd make a big difference to scheduling and too many games etc.

That's 74 less games to sell TV rights to. Never going to happen.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Going on what was published last week this is part of a shift to create a winter break, next year it'll be no replay for semi finals as well I'd say, probably find they tweak the FA Cup schedule so after the third round there is a big gap to the next round.

Gone since 1999.

LeBash

Harry Palmr wrote: »

My answer to that is for the BBC and BT to pay the small home side a bigger whack as compo. Indeed I'd not pay PL clubs any TV money for Fa Cup runs.

Some of them put out weak squads as it is. Watering it down financially will only increase the number of PL teams putting out kids.

whatawaster

I think getting rid of FA cup replays and getting rid of the 2-legged league cup semi final seem like no-brainers to me in terms of easing the fixture congestion slightly (for some clubs)

GavRedKing

They'll have to get rid of the 2 legged League cup semi finals too but then, like the FA cup, they'll have to have the match at a neutral ground like Wembley, means the English FA will get more money to with games at Wembley.

monkey9

I agree with this, they should get rid of replays altogether. Sure, it might mean missing out on a classic which some replays turn out to be, but overall it's a necessity in today's game to ease fixture congestion.

gimmick

But football isn't all about the big 5-6 teams at the very top of the pyramid. These bigger teams should have squads to cope with the odd replay. Its not like they add too many games in anyones season anyway.

Cookiemunster

gimmick wrote: »

But football isn't all about the big 5-6 teams at the very top of the pyramid. These bigger teams should have squads to cope with the odd replay. Its not like they add too many games in anyones season anyway.

Football League clubs have 46 league games. When they have replays it regularly means postponing a midweek league game. It's not just the Premier League that suffers from fixture congestion.