NG32 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 It bends easy tho. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timeEd32 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Hope we get slaughtered. We aren't going to win the whole thing. Premier League strugglers should grasp the Capital One Cup nettle too It is easy to knock the Capital One Cup, as the trophy’s lowly status is repeatedly highlighted throughout almost every aspect of the competition. Most clubs offer heavily discounted ticket prices, weakened team selections are commonplace and the prize money on offer is paltry. This season’s winners, for example, will receive a cheque for only £100,000 at Wembley next February, a pay-out only slightly more than that given to all 32 clubs who will have emerged earlier in the month from the FA Cup fourth round, the eventual winners of which will collect £1.8 million in prize money. With such limited financial incentives, it is no surprise that many managers view the competition as an unwanted distraction, although as the top Barclays Premier League clubs enter over the next couple of evenings it is worth pointing that the biggest of them take a different view. José Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini each enjoyed their first taste of success in England in the League Cup, and while they will be rotating their squads when Chelsea and Manchester City face Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, both will be seeking to win it again. Mourinho and Pellegrini were astute enough to look at the bigger picture, both being quick to see the potential of a successful League Cup campaign in building team spirit, creating confidence and forging a winning mentality, thus giving it a far greater value than the trophy itself. It may be no coincidence that both managers went on to win their first Premier League titles three months after lifting the League Cup, a fact Louis Van Gaal may wish to ruminate on during another week of introspection and inactivity at Manchester United. Going into a Capital Cup third round lacking in stand-out ties, it is important to note that the Mourinho and Pellegrini philosophy – and the feuding pair have little else that unites them – is increasingly the new orthodoxy. It has taken the best part of a decade, but even Arsène Wenger has begun to realise the value of success in cup competitions, with Arsenal’s FA Cup win last season creating the feel-good factor that led to an unprecedentedly active transfer window during the summer. Wenger would probably have signed his new three-year contract at Arsenal had he not ended the club’s nine-year trophy drought last May, but it would have been received very differently by the fans, and the mood around the club would have been far less upbeat. It has been largely forgotten now, as it made most headlines when he was heckled for repeating it at Arsenal’s AGM six month later, but Wenger’s original “fourth place is a trophy” claim was made in the immediate aftermath of an FA Cup defeat at Sunderland two years ago, so was probably only ever an off-the-cuff excuse from a notoriously bad loser. It would be daft to claim that winning a knockout competition inevitably leads to a major trophy haul, but glancing back at the recent League Cup winners it is striking how often it has acted as a springboard to sustained success, or at least helped to maintain it. Of the last 12 winners going back to Liverpool in 2003, only Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City have failed to noticeably kick on in the following years, and Birmingham’s win in their relegation season of 2010-11 was most notable for the deleterious effect it had on Arsenal. Wenger has said many times that a side containing Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fàbregas would have gone on to lift more silverware had they not collapsed that day, a claim which makes his indifference towards cup competitions appear even odder. Most of the top clubs are convinced of the merits of a Capital One Cup run – and with such depth in the squads will have a strong side whoever is selected over the next couple of days – and it is those at the other end of the table who fear the spectre of relegation that do most damage to the competition through their indifference. Ironically, it is those clubs that could most do with a trophy who seem the most reluctant to give it a go, as we saw in the last round when Aston Villa and West Ham were knocked out by Leyton Orient and Sheffield United respectively. Sunderland demonstrated that it doesn’t have to be that way last season, as they used their run to the final as a catalyst for an unlikely Premier League survival, and it would be nice to see other similar sized clubs showing the same ambition. Newcastle United have made no secret of their indifference towards cup competitions as staying in the Premier League is all that matters, but they could sure do with any distraction before tomorrow’s trip to Crystal Palace. And, for a man who keeps such a close eye on the balance sheet as Mike Ashley, even a £100,000 prize is not to be sniffed at. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStar Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Of the last 12 winners going back to Liverpool in 2003, only Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City have failed to noticeably kick on in the following years Don't be silly, the club crunched the numbers and proved that if you try in the cup you get relegated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosstef Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Of the last 12 winners going back to Liverpool in 2003, only Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City have failed to noticeably kick on in the following years Don't be silly, the club crunched the numbers and proved that if you try in the cup you get relegated. I think there's a pretty good possibility that we'll get relegated even without trying in the cups. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilko Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Quite excited at the prospect of a match where Yoan fucking Gouffran doesn't feature whatsoever. If he rests Sissoko I might even attempt to watch it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 He's resting gouffran for the league though, which is grim It's almost as if Pardew is fucking terrible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 He's resting gouffran for the league though, which is grim It's almost as if Pardew is fucking terrible. yeah almost. It's at the point now where I take everything he does as a personal attack Sitting in his office wondering which 11 would piss SanToon off the most. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andymc1 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 As a trained doctor you'll be pleased to know they've all been passed fit for the weekend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 What's the deal with Chucky? Is he injured? MIA? Don't know what he's doing here if he not in the starting line up for this one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al1892 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 He's resting gouffran for the league though, which is grim It's almost as if Pardew is f***ing terrible. yeah almost. It's at the point now where I take everything he does as a personal attack Sitting in his office wondering which 11 would p*ss SanToon off the most. it feels like it. At the match I was like in his eyeline hoping he could feel my hatred Careful, he might give you his death stare! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sempuki Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 The king seems to have a well-prepared excuse with this virus. Even if they had played I have no confidence in us getting a result. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Of the last 12 winners going back to Liverpool in 2003, only Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City have failed to noticeably kick on in the following years Don't be silly, the club crunched the numbers and proved that if you try in the cup you get relegated. Ahem, I think you'll find it was actually 'independent research'. Silly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ElCid Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 The king seems to have a well-prepared excuse with this virus. Even if they had played I have no confidence in us getting a result. Virus my fucking arse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Quite excited at the prospect of a match where Yoan fucking Gouffran doesn't feature whatsoever. If he rests Sissoko I might even attempt to watch it. Was thinking this as I read the news that he is "ill" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLvOR Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Virus Do me a favour ffs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Jelliott the fat cunt Satka the Sacked Off Taylor the king of fist Good the not so good Haidara the hilarious Anita the Anonymous Tiote the Terrible Obertan the ridiculous Ferreyra the Invisible Ferguson the Kid Rivière the Useless Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 That probably took you a couple of minutes to type out. Just imagine what you could have done with those 120 seconds instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Hope we get absolutely cunted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Few PL teams out tonight, I can hear NPower salesman congregating outside the doors of SJP offering cheap deals on lower league football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sempuki Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Can see Fistpumps starting although with who is anyone's guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newintoon Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I decided not to go. Palace confirm that tickets for the away sections at Selhurst Park will be on public sale until kickoff, with no season ticket or membership restriction u could sit in the away end now, it be fun giving Pards some abuse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 No excuse now, W. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Tombstone him, Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 You'd have to be a mug to attend a cup game under this regime in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki679 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 You'd have to be a mug to attend a cup game under this regime in my opinion. It's all coming up Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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