Answers please

[Fredo]

2 cup runs and a mid table finish is only an excellent return if your a fan of the likes of Villa, Everton etc.

Where we finish in the league is a true barometer to how good we are......

Yes but winning trophies as well not playing for 4th.

[Craig_H]

You can certainly enquire as to my age - I'm 31 years old. I take your point about a trophy and I also accept that saying "only the Carling Cup" is arrogant as a football fan but I'll try and explain my rationale.

Firstly teams (Premier League teams in general anyway) play very much weakenenrd sides in the Carling Cup.

Secondly look at our run

Exeter
Brighton
Stoke
Chelsea
City
Cardiff

3 lower league sides, one of who we failed to defeat on live play.

Stoke and Chelsea were away from home which was an achievement to win at those places - don't deny that. I would say though both teams had European commitments and rested some of their best players.

Winning at City was fantastic - I agree and said so at the time. I also thought we played very well at home, though we didn't win. Had it been a league game Aguero would have played and Savic wouldn't be nevertheless I concede a great result and if winning it is worth anything at all it's down to the City games in my view.

I know I'm in a minority of one and won't labour the point. My last point on this topic will finish on this. When we lost 6 3 at home by Arsenal in the Carling Cup Benitez's response was "I wasn't brought here to win the Carling Cup" I think he was right.

You're either taking the piss or have a very clear agenda - belittling our League Cup win and now belittling our cup run. FFS Chelsea away, Stoke away, Man City over two legs. And you mock it. Your belittling of our achievements is the kind of thing rival fans would do. I cant fathom it from a Red.

As for the League Cup, the last 10 finals have been contended as follows:

Liverpool v Cardiff
Birmingham v Arsenal
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Man Utd v Spurs
Spurs v Chelsea
Chelsea v Arsenal
Man Utd v Wigan
Chelsea v Liverpool
Middlesbrough v Bolton
Liverpool v Man Utd

So of the last 20 finalists, only 6 havent been top clubs.

Puts the point to bed, i feel.

[Mattshark]

Yes but winning trophies as well not playing for 4th.

4th is more important for the club than the league cup or fa cup. We need to be challenging for a top for place, we are not doing that, we did a better job of it last season.

[Fredo]

4th is more important for the club than the league cup or fa cup. We need to be challenging for a top for place, we are not doing that, we did a better job of it last season.

No it's not.

[Craig_H]

Stoke and Chelsea were away from home which was an achievement to win at those places - don't deny that. I would say though both teams had European commitments and rested some of their best players.

Winning at City was fantastic - I agree and said so at the time. I also thought we played very well at home, though we didn't win. Had it been a league game Aguero would have played and Savic wouldn't be nevertheless I concede a great result and if winning it is worth anything at all it's down to the City games in my view.

It's great how you address the impact of them 'resting' players and missing players, but Gerrard's injuries, Lucas' injury, Agger's injuries and Suarez's ban dont register when evaluating our season.

It's good when you can pick and choose things to consider, in order to fit an agenda.

[Craig_H]

No it's not.

Unfortunately it is. We need to get back into the top 4 ASAP.

The be-all and end-all is being able to consistently compete for top honours and we'll do that by being in the CL every year, rather than by winning the League Cup. It's a shame, but it's true.

[Mattshark]

No it's not.

Sorry Nige but a cup or cups and a 8th is not good enough, by a long way. Champions League qualification is far more important both in terms of finance and in terms of attracting players, this is undeniable.

[CJ]

No it's not.

I'm sorry but it is

[Fredo]

Unfortunately it is. We need to get back into the top 4 ASAP.

The be-all and end-all is being able to consistently compete for top honours and we'll do that by being in the CL every year, rather than by winning the League Cup. It's a shame, but it's true.

It's 1st or nothing. Winning trophies is our bread and butter.

[CJ]

It's 1st or nothing. Winning trophies is our bread and butter.

That's not true

[Craig_H]

It's 1st or nothing. Winning trophies is our bread and butter.

Yeah but the way to be able to consistently compete for trophies and win them, is by being in the CL every year and making the most of the rewards that it brings.

[Mattshark]

It's 1st or nothing. Winning trophies is our bread and butter.

Yes, but the trophies we need to be aiming for are the CL and the PL, the others are nice as long as we can show some sort of competition for those two. If we are mid-table it is an issue.

[Fredo]

Yeah but the way to be able to consistently compete for trophies and win them, is by being in the CL every year and making the most of the rewards that it brings.

We i think the players switched off after the cup final. There's no chance of getting 4th so they've slacked off. All in all we weren't quite ready to compete on 3 fronts. At least we gave it all a go that's the point.

[Craig_H]

We i think the players switched off after the cup final. There's no chance of getting 4th so they've slacked off. All in all we weren't quite ready to compete on 3 fronts. At least we gave it all a go that's the point.

That may be true, but it diverts from the fact that, if we want to be a top club and compete for top honours, being in the CL is more important (to achieve that) than winning domestic cup competitions.

[Mattshark]

We i think the players switched off after the cup final. There's no chance of getting 4th so they've slacked off. All in all we weren't quite ready to compete on 3 fronts. At least we gave it all a go that's the point.

There isn't now, but look at our league form since new year that simply isn't the case. It is not like our form has been bad since then, it has bad for some time. 13 points in the last 15 games mate, that is very, very worrying.