[COC] Manchester City: Build Up

[Nicey]

Shame Liverpool Everton Final would have been Epic ... still its all about Silverware ... looking at the scenes at City and Anfield full time its hard to believe this is the beer cup .. seems to have had somewhat of a resurgence of late .. think Mourinho has given it some credibility again with how much importance he put on it, first trophy of the season an all that

[Fosterbloke]

Loads of people on another forum (non-football related) saying that it's a peanuts cup and no-one cares (discussion around the Football 365 article).

Look at the faces of the winners, the fans. It's a major trophy, it's success. Perhaps those whingers would like a trophy for 4th place?

[Nicey]

I honestly kind of like it more than the FA Cup .... only teams who reach the final get to go to Wembley.. no replays .. much quicker fixture list and the final is well before the last game of the season .. and isnt there a european place attached to it ? and if you win it .. I think it helps build confidence in the Squad

[Muddled]

I honestly kind of like it more than the FA Cup .... only teams who reach the final get to go to Wembley.. no replays .. much quicker fixture list and the final is well before the last game of the season .. and isnt there a european place attached to it ? and if you win it .. I think it helps build confidence in the Squad

Whilst it's not as big as the FA Cup (in my opinion), it's value shouldn't be diminished. It's an opportunity for Klopp to get that first trophy under his belt and it will be a great way to instill some belief and hunger into a fairly mentally fragile group of players. It will give them big game experience and would help the natural evolution of a team.

Loads of people on another forum (non-football related) saying that it's a peanuts cup and no-one cares (discussion around the Football 365 article).

Look at the faces of the winners, the fans. It's a major trophy, it's success. Perhaps those whingers would like a trophy for 4th place?

Indeed. It's value has decreased as the money of the Champions League and its resulting fixture congestion gathered momentum. However, it's an opportunity to win a competition and write it down in history.

[poorscousertommy]

I honestly kind of like it more than the FA Cup .... only teams who reach the final get to go to Wembley.. no replays .. much quicker fixture list and the final is well before the last game of the season .. and isnt there a european place attached to it ? and if you win it .. I think it helps build confidence in the Squad

It's nothing compared to the FA Cup!

Still a major trophy and one you want to win.

But nobody gives a **** about it until around semi-final stage. You're not really arsed if you get knocked out early compared to other trophies.

Once you are in the final it is massive and rightly so!

Can't wait, another trip to Wembley

[Tribute]

I honestly kind of like it more than the FA Cup .... only teams who reach the final get to go to Wembley.. no replays .. much quicker fixture list and the final is well before the last game of the season .. and isnt there a european place attached to it ? and if you win it .. I think it helps build confidence in the Squad

..this is what lets the FA Cup down... they should have semi-finals at the largest grounds around the country again - like the days when it was at Villa Park, Highbury, Old Trafford, etc... that was much better. Made Wembley more of a showpiece. Hate having the semi-finals there.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

According to Physio Room;

Origi - 14th Feb
Coutinho - 6th Feb
Skrtel - 6th Feb
Sturridge - As you could guess, has no return date.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

..this is what lets the FA Cup down... they should have semi-finals at the largest grounds around the country again - like the days when it was at Villa Park, Highbury, Old Trafford, etc... that was much better. Made Wembley more of a showpiece. Hate having the semi-finals there.

Yeah and they have the cheek to say managers are devaluing the competition when they're more interested in recouping their money.

[Tribute]

Yeah and they have the cheek to say managers are devaluing the competition when they're more interested in recouping their money.

...there's loads of other revenue generating they can do with the stadium other than the FA Cup semi-finals. Also taking the piss if they let Chelsea or Tottenham use it for playing league games next season (or the season after?) - it should be you can't play there until you've earned the right to be in a final....

[danperkins]

It's nothing compared to the FA Cup!

Still a major trophy and one you want to win.

But nobody gives a **** about it until around semi-final stage. You're not really arsed if you get knocked out early compared to other trophies.

Once you are in the final it is massive and rightly so!

Can't wait, another trip to Wembley

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

...there's loads of other revenue generating they can do with the stadium other than the FA Cup semi-finals. Also taking the piss if they let Chelsea or Tottenham use it for playing league games next season (or the season after?) - it should be you can't play there until you've earned the right to be in a final....

I agree, but they're squeezing every penny they can and completely lowering the value of the competition in the process. Wembley is supposed to be part of the special occasion but it can't be for either the players of the fans if you've just been the a week or so before playing the semi can it?

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

It's nothing compared to the FA Cup!

Still a major trophy and one you want to win.

But nobody gives a **** about it until around semi-final stage. You're not really arsed if you get knocked out early compared to other trophies.

Once you are in the final it is massive and rightly so!

Can't wait, another trip to Wembley

I'd say the only reason people are less arsed about going out of the league cup in the earlier rounds is because it is held before the FA Cup and you still have something to play for. Go out the FA Cup and the majority of the league are just playing the season out. Other than that, nowadays its not that different to me.

[Yozza]

Kevin de Bruyne: Man City hope midfielder not out for the season

Should think he'll definitely be out against us - & hopefully Aguero's hamstrings will play up too!


Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini thinks Kevin de Bruyne will play again this season after the midfielder injured his right knee in the League Cup semi-final win over Everton.

The 24-year-old Belgium international - and £55m club record signing - changed the game from the bench but fell awkwardly in injury time.

"I'm optimistic he won't be out for the rest of the season," Pellegrini said.

"We'll see how important the damage is. It's not the cruciate ligament."

The Chilean added: "The doctor thinks, but he cannot be sure, that it's a problem in his medial ligament."

De Bruyne scored one goal and set up another to help City to a 4-3 aggregate victory over the Toffees.

They will now face Liverpool in next month's Wembley final.

[ChrisDR1968]

I hated the disrespect Ferguson and Wenger showed this competition for season after season.

Some of my best memories as a Liverpool fan are in the League Cup (and one which is still the most painful... bloody Notts Forest and the penalty that shouldn't have been and McDermott's equaliser that wasn't and should have counted ).

Finals I watched live in the stadium:

1978 v Notts Forest at Wembley 0-0 draw with Chris Woods brilliant
1978 v Notts Forest at Old Trafford 0-1 loss. Lots of tears after that one
1981 v West Ham at Wembley 1-1 draw but didn't go to the replay
1982 v Tottenham at Wembley 3-1 win after being behind most of the game
1983 v Man Utd at Wembley 2-1 win after being behind most of the game
1984 v Everton at Wembley 0-0 draw and a bit dull
1984 v Everton at Maine Road 1-0 win with a Souness pile driver

Travelling down the M6 in late winter early spring in the late 70's and early 80's was almost an annual event for this cup final. It was exciting and generally ended with a happy trip back north

2003 v Man Utd at Millenium Stadium 2-0 win my fondest recent live final
2005 v Chelsea at Millenium Stadium 2-3 loss banner hanging down in the way

For the City game we definitely need Coutinho back and if by a miracle Sturridge is fit to start then we could even go into that game as slight favourites.

Should be an open and attacking game as both teams like to go forward and have a go

[Irishnev]

Kristof Terreur @HLNinEngeland 15m15 minutes ago
First scans show De Bruyne will be out for 6 weeks: damaged ligament and damaged ankle. #mcfc

Looks like KDB will miss the game so.