The FA Cup - Subject To Change?

[Beefymcfc]

I read that it was at a discussion level only so far and that seeding was one of the suggestions that would be resisted.
Evening games only is the bit I don't like, also no replays. I'd actually like to go back to playing to the death, with three and four replays if necessary. It was one of the delightful quirks of the cup.

Cheers Pics, and agree with all that you've said. It's sounds like the usual shit, we'll push the BS to excess as long as you take the lesser. Either way, it's taking it up the ase without a reach-round!

[blues2win]

As I understand it the idea was to finish off the League Cup before Xmas to give a clear run to the FA Cup. Fine. I think we're only talking about bringing forward a couple of rounds.

Then midweek FA Cup matches. Fine. The early FA Cup rounds aren't very exciting at a weekend. I'd rather see Premiership highlights/ Live Premiership matches at weekends.

No replays. Fine. Players are playing too many matches so anything which cuts down fixture congestion is good.

Seeding for say 3rd and 4th rounds. Fine it increases the chances of the minnows getting top notch draws and the Premiership clashes come later on.

Finally the FA Cup would get the 4th CL place. Not fine. The Premiership would never agree to it and I think performance over 38 matches should get you into the CL.

[Slim]

On the upside, if they destroy the comp by seeding it, it's one less I have to get up at 3am for.

[dazby]

The Sunday Supplement had a very good discussion about it. I'm a bit iffy about the seedings but I like the other ideas.

[Moonchesteri]

Seeding for say 3rd and 4th rounds. Fine it increases the chances of the minnows getting top notch draws and the Premiership clashes come later on.

Finally the FA Cup would get the 4th CL place. Not fine. The Premiership would never agree to it and I think performance over 38 matches should get you into the CL.

I agree with you otherwise but disagree with you on these. I'd hate for the seeding to happen. For the smaller Prem sides you always hope for a draw that would put you through AND as many Prem team-Prem team matches early as possible, and even better if it's the big teams! That just may open the road for a smaller team to get through to later stages. I can't recall the year or the team but I seem to remember one Championship team got a run to, at least QF if not the semis where they were just lucky with the draws. Someone could say they did not deserve their place there but imho it's part of the fun having a real draw. The excitement for the FA Cup 3rd round DRAW is almost as big as the matches are! It would be a shame if that was lost.

And then the CL. FA Cup does need to do something to make it more important again. The FA does not have the dough to put in silly money for the winner so a guaranteed CL place for the winner would make the big teams to try just a bit harder. Ok the team who is running away with the league in March could disagree but how often do we see nowadays that teams from 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th place put in a weakened side for FA Cup matches? Too often. That would stop if there was CL place to play for.
But imo the runner-up should not get the CL place if the winner has already qualified. The runner-up didn't win anything afterall.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Isn't it weird how the FA Cup can tempt massive away followings but home fans don't seem to give a shit. When did Leicester ever bring 6,000 to Manchester before?
I guess that it gets the blood flowing for the real traditionalists still.
No to seeding. No to evening ties. yes to MORE replays. That's how we loved the cup.
Somehow we need to get clubs to stop fielding weakened teams,that's what keeps people at home, it fosters the feeling that it's not important.

[C & C]

Somehow we need to get clubs to stop fielding weakened teams,that's what keeps people at home, it fosters the feeling that it's not important.

Absolutely agree. If the top clubs do not treat the competition as important neither will the fans.

The only way I can see those clubs treating it with importance is if a Champions League place was on the line. If only 3 spots went to the league and there are 5-6 teams fighting for those 3 places the cup will become vitally important to increasing your chances for getting a spot. I'm not sure I like this idea, but I can't come up with another solution which will ensure the top clubs are interested in the competition.

[CITYSTEVEDON]

why dont they leave the fa cup alone, well kick repleys off, but why do they want seeded teams, thats what makes the fa cup, crawley beating the scum,

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Somehow we need to get clubs to stop fielding weakened teams,that's what keeps people at home, it fosters the feeling that it's not important.

Absolutely agree. If the top clubs do not treat the competition as important neither will the fans.

The only way I can see those clubs treating it with importance is if a Champions League place was on the line. If only 3 spots went to the league and there are 5-6 teams fighting for those 3 places the cup will become vitally important to increasing your chances for getting a spot. I'm not sure I like this idea, but I can't come up with another solution which will ensure the top clubs are interested in the competition.

I'd agree with this I think. Can't think of another way to entice the top teams to play their full sides.
Having said that, do you think that Mancini would have played a different team at Leicester or Notts Co this season, or would he have reasonably expected the side he put out to do the business?

[bluej]

I'm really surprised this has been suggested tbh, i know the seeding will guarantee more early good cup ties for lower league teams, but also increases the chances of a game like Stoke vs Wigan being a quarter final game, which doesn't fill me with excitement tbh.

[Beefymcfc]

Interesting that you mention demeaning the cup as, if I remember right, there was one club who didn't even want to compete in it because of other commitments. Now that is the height of being disrespectful in my book and leads to the further down-fall of a great cup tradition.

[C & C]

Having said that, do you think that Mancini would have played a different team at Leicester or Notts Co this season, or would he have reasonably expected the side he put out to do the business?

Well, I think Mancini did expect the side to do the business, but I believe he also understood that was significantly more risk to not advancing his goal is Champions League. If a weakened side helps in the league and his main goal, then its probably a risk worth taking for him.

Can you imagine the pressure and the commentary towards the end of the season if a team put out a weakened side and lost in the Cup and now that team is in 4th position just out of the Champions League. The fans wouldn't stand for it. The owners would rue the lost money/opportunity and the manager would have to answer for that. There is just so much money assured with entrance to the Champions League you have to take every opportunity you have to obtain it.