LC 2nd leg semi final Spurs at home Thurs 6th Feb 8pm

[labourRed]

Villa game gets brought forward if we make League Cup final. So we play Everton, Wolves Villa in league while Arsenal only play Leicester, so we can pull a further 6 points ahead assuming all games are won.

Right - that makes sense. And agree 12pts with 12 to play would be a mountain.

[Mark79]

I know you’re not suggesting that at all and yeah of course the league is priority number one but the team has been heavily rotated through the tournament already and we have Plymouth on the weekend after. They’ve been lucky with the schedule recently making it easier to rotate more heavily.

I also get the worry from previous seasons and thinking the drop off is going to happen again but this is a different manager and coaching team using a different approach and game wise the team doesn’t use anything like the same energy levels in a game as they did previously. I think they’ve been managed and rotated really well and it’s why they’ve been so consistent. There are plenty of stats to show this.

We need to trust the new setup and methods as they are working. The players look fit, healthy, motivated and the consistency in results and performance is showing because of it.

That's all true. But managing 4 competitions in the back end of the season is a different prospect to 3 in the first half. Progress in the cups affects the league schedule more now.

Like we will lose our only free midweek in February if we make the Carabao final, as Villa will be brought forward to midweek between Wolves and City. We also have the prospect of extra time in all 3 knock out competitions to deal with now too.

I'll see a silver lining for our PL prospects if we don't have a league cup final to squeeze in in March, that's all.

[Buzzo]

Will also depend on workload impact if Arsenal get there also. They have a 0-2 to overturn this weekend, but then a free weekend with them being out of the cup. One thing we don’t have is a relentless City to try and catch. Arsenal are decent but I don’t see them going 14 wins in a row.

[Cerbie]

That's all true. But managing 4 competitions in the back end of the season is a different prospect to 3 in the first half. Progress in the cups affects the league schedule more now.

Like we will lose our only free midweek in February if we make the Carabao final, as Villa will be brought forward to midweek between Wolves and City. We also have the prospect of extra time in all 3 knock out competitions to deal with now too.

I'll see a silver lining for our PL prospects if we don't have a league cup final to squeeze in in March, that's all.

The 2-leg Carabao cup semis need to be ditched. We finished top 8 in the CL, so no extra games, but it isn't inconceivable going forward that a team is in the CL Payoffs and the Carabao Cup semis. The League Cup needs to adjust to the times otherwise it will become even more of a reserves competition.

[kemm1]

That's all true. But managing 4 competitions in the back end of the season is a different prospect to 3 in the first half. Progress in the cups affects the league schedule more now.

Like we will lose our only free midweek in February if we make the Carabao final, as Villa will be brought forward to midweek between Wolves and City. We also have the prospect of extra time in all 3 knock out competitions to deal with now too.

I'll see a silver lining for our PL prospects if we don't have a league cup final to squeeze in in March, that's all.

Agreed.....

And what is the purpose of the Carabao Cup? How many countries have two cup competitions?

[Exiled_red]

I like the idea of it as an opportunity for youngsters/fringe players to get game time and/or gain confidence. The problem with that approach is that it never stays that way, if you make the final there is a trophy on the line so you are going to play a strong team, again that's fine, but also if you draw another big team you end up putting strong teams out because you don't want to lose to a rival, and end up with players playing more games or picking up injuries. I have had some great footballing moments in this competitions been to Wemberly and Cardiff to see us lift it, but that was in an era where we weren't challenging for the PL or CL, a trophy is nice but in recent years I have been thinking maybe if we'd have gone out of domestic cups earlier we might have not run out of steam in the PL/CL.

I have wondered if the future of it is for clubs who aren't in Europe, but that rules out probably 7 or 8 of the top PL clubs which means it loses value...

All that said being this close to a final... it's an enigma...

[Slinky Skills]

I know it's not the biggest and best cup but I do not understand why any fan would not want to win a cup or get to a final, that's what the game is all about. It beggars belief.

[Mark79]

I know it's not the biggest and best cup but I do not understand why any fan would not want to win a cup or get to a final, that's what the game is all about. It beggars belief.

I feel like it’s been explained reasonably and clearly enough

If I wake up on Friday and we’re out of the Carabou Cup, personally I’ll be feeling more positive about the lack of added disruption to our League schedule than I will be disappointed about not making the final of the least of the cups.

That’s not to say that I don’t want to win it. I just think it’s potentially hugely beneficial to our PL tilt if we don’t have to play that final.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I feel like it’s been explained reasonably and clearly enough

If I wake up on Friday and we’re out of the Carabou Cup, personally I’ll be feeling more positive about the lack of added disruption to our League schedule than I will be disappointed about not making the final of the least of the cups.

That’s not to say that I don’t want to win it. I just think it’s potentially hugely beneficial to our PL tilt if we don’t have to play that final.

At this point the most this competition can add to our season is a single game so want us to get to the final and to win it.

Different going out in the earlier rounds as we would have gained more rest time that way.

[Mark79]

At this point the most this competition can add to our season is a single game so want us to get to the final and to win it.

Different going out in the earlier rounds as we would have gained more rest time that way.

As said above though, it has a greater effect than just being 1 additional game. It changes our PL schedule.

We'd go from having a full week between the Everton/Wolves and then City/Newcastle fixtures, to playing a game every 3 or 4 days throughout February. It changes our planning, recovery, preparation and line ups for that entire block of PL games.

[BobTheCharmer]

If it helps guarantee the league, I'm all for going out of the other cups. It has to be 100% concentration on the league. Everything else is a distraction.

[Paul12]

I know it's not the biggest and best cup but I do not understand why any fan would not want to win a cup or get to a final, that's what the game is all about. It beggars belief.

You also need to bear in mind that there was a time - in Paisley's pomp I think -"when no one at the club gave 2 hoots about this tournament. So the fans didn't either. Old habits die very hard indeed for some fans.

[RedReet]

If it helps guarantee the league, I'm all for going out of the other cups. It has to be 100% concentration on the league. Everything else is a distraction.

If it guaranteed the league, I'm sure everyone would take it, but who's to say that losing the semi or final wouldn't set us on a bad run of results that could actually cost us the league?

As said above though, it has a greater effect than just being 1 additional game. It changes our PL schedule.

We'd go from having a full week between the Everton/Wolves and then City/Newcastle fixtures, to playing a game every 3 or 4 days throughout February. It changes our planning, recovery, preparation and line ups for that entire block of PL games.

Alternatively, playing Villa now when Watkins might be injured , at the very least in poor form, with no proven cover might work to our advantage. In a few weeks Rashford or Malen might be a bit more settled. Getting the points on the board now might also work to our advantage.

I don't think anyone disagrees with the reasoning for wanting to sacrifice the cups (pros and cons to both arguments imo), but the reality is we're not likely to, so may as well enjoy the ride. And very few rides are as enjoyable as winning a cup final.

[Mark79]

If it guaranteed the league, I'm sure everyone would take it, but who's to say that losing the semi or final wouldn't set us on a bad run of results that could actually cost us the league?




Alternatively, playing Villa now when Watkins might be injured , at the very least in poor form, with no proven cover might work to our advantage. In a few weeks Rashford or Malen might be a bit more settled. Getting the points on the board now might also work to our advantage.

I don't think anyone disagrees with the reasoning for wanting to sacrifice the cups (pros and cons to both arguments imo), but the reality is we're not likely to, so may as well enjoy the ride. And very few rides are as enjoyable as winning a cup final.

But again, I’m not saying, nor expecting to sacrifice the league cup at this stage.

I’m just saying that should we go out (a draw would do it, doesn’t have to be a defeat ), I think it would be advantageous to us in the league.

I doubt it would negatively affect us mentally either. It wouldn’t be result that puts any pressure on us in terms of the big trophies.

The stuff about their players is a reasonable suggestion but it’s hugely speculative.

What’s for sure is that the current scheduling of the Everton, Wolves, City, Newcastle, Villa games is less demanding and intense now than what it becomes if it changes to accommodate the Carabou Final. We’ll lose a week’s break from playing and have to play 5 straight PL games in 14 days.

[RedReet]

But again, I’m not saying, nor expecting to sacrifice the league cup at this stage.

I’m just saying that should we go out (a draw would do it, doesn’t have to be a defeat ), I think it would be advantageous to us in the league.

I doubt it would negatively affect us mentally either. It wouldn’t be result that puts any pressure on us in terms of the big trophies.

The stuff about their players is a reasonable suggestion but it’s hugely speculative.

What’s for sure is that the current scheduling of the Everton, Wolves, City, Newcastle, Villa games is less demanding and intense now than what it becomes if it changes to accommodate the Carabou Final. We’ll lose a week’s break from playing and have to play 5 straight PL games in 14 days.

I know, was just offering an alternative view point.

I'm probably similar to you, just leaning the other side. If we don't make final, I'll be saying great, who needs the distraction, however when we beat Spurs, I'll be saying great, nailed on for the quad now.