Cup or Top 4 in league...the choice is yours

[OntarioFox]

47 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Exactly my thoughts. There's been plenty of half decent sides who have continued to progress while playing both competitions.

A decade ago the likes of Blackburn played in the Europa League and still finished 7th in the league. This was when Villa/Everton/Portsmouth as well as the top 4 were all good sides too.

Fulham managed to reach the final and still finished comfortably mid-table in 09/10, for example. And their points tally that season (46) was only 7 behind the tally of 53 that got them into 7th in the first place. Hardly a huge drop-off in form - they managed their various commitments well that season. Likewise the "big boys" last season - Chelsea winning the EL and still managing a top 4 finish, and their final opponents in Arsenal themselves reaching the final and only ending up 1 point off the top 4 themselves. A Man Utd. side in decline and probably at our current level of ability won both the EL and the League Cup in 2017, and still finished 6th. 

 

I think the reality in Burnley and, dare I say it at this early stage, Wolves' cases is that both overacheived (on merit) and couldn't maintain those levels of performance across multiple seasons. Same happened to us when we won the league, even if we did make a pretty good go of our UCL campaign.

[KingsX]

     this outsider's view

 

Water Buffalo Cup is getting your rocks off with the munter left at closing time, and picking up a disease (EL qualifying rounds in Godforsakistan).

 

FA Cup is a one-off with that girl you wanted so badly back in school, but never got past second base.  The pleasure will be fleeting, but the memory will always bring a smile to your face.

 

Top four/CL is getting engaged to a gorgeous, classy woman, accepting that work promotion, and moving in with her where the rent ain't cheap.  Because you have the balls to believe you belong.

 

[foxinsocks]

5 minutes ago, KingsX said:

     this outsider's view

 

Water Buffalo Cup is getting your rocks off with the munter left at closing time, and picking up a disease (EL qualifying rounds in Godforsakistan).

 

FA Cup is a one-off with that girl you wanted so badly back in school, but never got past second base.  The pleasure will be fleeting, but the memory will always bring a smile to your face.

 

Top four/CL is getting engaged to a gorgeous, classy woman, accepting that work promotion, and moving in with her where the rent ain't cheap.  Because you have the balls to believe you belong.

 

Yeah... err so its the carebo then?  I can manage that 

[ThaiFox]

After a lot of thought, I finally went for The Cup.

 

Preferably the FA cup.

 

Top 4 would be a great achievement, but as others have said, football is about trophies and winning. 

 

If I had the chance to be in the top 4 for years in a row (like Spuds) and win nothing, or win just one P/L I'd take the win every time.

 

Winning the FA cup would complete something only a few clubs will ever achieve. A P/L title, League cup wins and the FA cup.

 

It's also there forever. Who remembers the teams that qualify 2nd 3rd and 4th?

 

But I can fully understand the reasons why fans would choose the top 4 option, as it does bring much more money, give us a higher profile, and should attract better players (although it didn't do much for us last time, as our best player left and we attracted players we now can't get rid of!).

[fuchsntf]

win Everything you play for,or next best,win nearly Everything you play for...!!!

Or.. Just look like you are at least trying to do so....!!

2nd to 5th,Brings nothing!! Hands on silverware....memories forever!!

[Fox85]

Personally I'd prefer the 

Caraboa cup

FA Cup

And top 4

 

We look strong this season need to keep it up and recruit more quality in january but to do this we need to keep this form

[HighPeakFox]

Slightly amused by people showing dismay that the majority disagree. 

 

The problem with a binary vote is that there's no room for nuance. 

[UPinCarolina]

Domestic cups, while awesome, won't signify our long-term climb towards the Top 6 (title excepted) nearly as much as a CL birth. European football is a must this season - but it can be achieved without punting the FA or League Cup.

I'd snap your hand off for the FA Cup though - League Cup not so much.

[murphy]

2 hours ago, UPinCarolina said:

Domestic cups, while awesome, won't signify our long-term climb towards the Top 6 (title excepted) nearly as much as a CL birth. European football is a must this season - but it can be achieved without punting the FA or League Cup.

I'd snap your hand off for the FA Cup though - League Cup not so much.

I hope you're right - that we are in it for the long term - but experience shows that football is cyclical.  This is our time in the sun and we need to make hay.  If we are looking back at this era as a Championship club in ten years time (yes, it can easily happen) it would be fantastic if we had something more than memories to show for it.

[Keiriel]

Top 4. We'd be making one helluva statement and playing in the Champions League will enable us to keep a hold of our best players, as well as widening the scope for quality players to join us.

[Ted Maul]

How the hell is top 4 winning this? I'd honestly take relegation for an FA Cup win.

[John rayner]

On 24/09/2019 at 21:36, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Both

Agreed, we can achieve both, can't we

[HighPeakFox]

6 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

How the hell is top 4 winning this? I'd honestly take relegation for an FA Cup win.

Let me explain. More people think that than the other, of those that have voted.

[Ted Maul]

3 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Let me explain. More people think that than the other, of those that have voted.

Fully aware of how polls work mate. Other peoples' minds, not so much.

[HighPeakFox]

5 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Fully aware of how polls work mate. Other peoples' minds, not so much.

As I said before, the issue is a binary vote. Because I answered Top 4, it doesn't diminish my desire for a Cup win. I'd LOVE one, don't get me wrong. But I'd just love another CL campaign a smidgen more.

[PhillippaT]

4 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

Slightly amused by people showing dismay that the majority disagree. 

 

The problem with a binary vote is that there's no room for nuance. 

That#s what happens when you forget about the 'cheese' option  

[Ted Maul]

3 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

As I said before, the issue is a binary vote. Because I answered Top 4, it doesn't diminish my desire for a Cup win. I'd LOVE one, don't get me wrong. But I'd just love another CL campaign a smidgen more.

Fair enough. I suppose we've 'done' the Champions League in my mind- another crack would be lovely and I'd prefer that to another League Cup win, but it's ridiculous that we haven't won the FA Cup in 125-odd attempts and hold the record for most final losses without winning it. 

[Gordon the Great]

For City fans of a certain age I believe the F.A. Cup is the one, we have appeared in the final most times and lost.

Well remember losing valiantly to Spurs after getting kicked off the park.....Les Allen`s tackle on Len Chalmers was a disgrace but players didn't get sent off in Cup Finals then.......tears and Dad telling us "Maybe next year".

Cue 1963 and Man Utd in the final, I believe with 4 matches to go in the league we were favourites for the double!..............3-1...tears and Dad telling us "Maybe next year".

On to 1969..14 years old, City not fancied at all against Man City.Dad "won" a ticket in what was then a lottery to obtain a ticket....just one.Dad span a coin to decide if my big brother or I would go to the match..guess who won.....cue tears and "Maybe next year,son"

Then Dad miraculously managed to obtain another ticket which he gave to me saying he couldn't manage to go to the game anyway.(Knew he was lying but pretended to believe him).......so off to the magical F.A. Cup final on the train with mates, all 14 years old....no adults, would that happen now I wonder.Ticket sewn in the inside pocket of my school blazer, didn't have another coat that fit then.Me going to the F.A. Cup final! excitement knew no bounds!

Cue sitting on the steps of block H 57 (Yes I still remember the block number) afterwards .Tears and "Maybe next year"

I found out many years later that my Dad had paid £6 for my 12/6d ticket (62 1/2 p) which was half his weeks wages at that time..Great Dad mine, City Fan all his life after returning from the Second World War.Sadly he left us in 2011, how sorry I am that he never saw the miracle that was 15/16, think the shock would have seen him off anyway!!

So , to conclude , PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.let me witness City winning THE Cup,before I "Pop my clogs"....Just once, that`s all I ask...........just once...

[ThaiFox]

7 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

Fair enough. I suppose we've 'done' the Champions League in my mind- another crack would be lovely and I'd prefer that to another League Cup win, but it's ridiculous that we haven't won the FA Cup in 125-odd attempts and hold the record for most final losses without winning it. 

 

 

8 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

How the hell is top 4 winning this? I'd honestly take relegation for an FA Cup win.

I agree with both points.

 

It does astound me how much people value P/L success over winning things! Unless were going for another P/L title win I'd take a cup win every season.

 

I wonder if it's an age thing? Being a lot older than many fans on here, maybe I value a cup win as something special. Although I can fully understand the top 4 finish as raising our profile, money and keeping or attracting players.

 

As I said in my previous posts, who the hell remembers 2nd, 3rd & 4th places? And to win the FA cup, along with the P/L title & league cup would complete something only 5 other clubs have done. How annoying it is we're the only club to win the P/L which hasn't won the FA cup!

[Stevosevic]

8 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

How the hell is top 4 winning this? I'd honestly take relegation for an FA Cup win.

Behave.

 

We could actually become a bigger club with sustained success, new training ground and stadium expansion. .

 

A relegation would be a huge backward step. Have sustained success and there will be more opportunities to win a trophy.

[Ted Maul]

16 minutes ago, Stevosevic said:

Behave.

 

We could actually become a bigger club with sustained success, new training ground and stadium expansion. .

 

A relegation would be a huge backward step. Have sustained success and there will be more opportunities to win a trophy.

Win the FA Cup or get slightly bigger so there's a chance we might win the FA Cup? 

[Stevosevic]

15 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Win the FA Cup or get slightly bigger so there's a chance we might win the FA Cup? 

Win the FA cup, get relegated and take years to get back. No thanks. 

 

I'd rather watch high quality football every year than win a cup that has gone way down in importance. 

 

Winning the FA cup doesn't even save a managers job these days. 

[Footballwipe]

Looks like it'll be easy to get tickets for the Burton cup game. Expecing a mad scramble for Southampton and Palace tickets though, for that crazy top-four battle everyone is so desperate to see. Will enjoy all the space in the Burton terrace cause no-one is interested in the cup. That trophyless fourth-place finish is all that matters 

[Ted Maul]

26 minutes ago, Stevosevic said:

Win the FA cup, get relegated and take years to get back. No thanks. 

 

I'd rather watch high quality football every year than win a cup that has gone way down in importance. 

 

Winning the FA cup doesn't even save a managers job these days. 

I know what you're saying and it's criminal the way the bigger clubs disregard the cups (I suppose it's the money involved with the league and Champions League) but it still means a lot to clubs of our size, surely? 

 

We will decline and get relegated at some point. It's inevitable, football works in cycles.

 

I'd much rather have some more silverware to show for this era when it does eventually happen.

[Voll Blau]

1 hour ago, Gordon the Great said:

For City fans of a certain age I believe the F.A. Cup is the one, we have appeared in the final most times and lost.

Well remember losing valiantly to Spurs after getting kicked off the park.....Les Allen`s tackle on Len Chalmers was a disgrace but players didn't get sent off in Cup Finals then.......tears and Dad telling us "Maybe next year".

Cue 1963 and Man Utd in the final, I believe with 4 matches to go in the league we were favourites for the double!..............3-1...tears and Dad telling us "Maybe next year".

On to 1969..14 years old, City not fancied at all against Man City.Dad "won" a ticket in what was then a lottery to obtain a ticket....just one.Dad span a coin to decide if my big brother or I would go to the match..guess who won.....cue tears and "Maybe next year,son"

Then Dad miraculously managed to obtain another ticket which he gave to me saying he couldn't manage to go to the game anyway.(Knew he was lying but pretended to believe him).......so off to the magical F.A. Cup final on the train with mates, all 14 years old....no adults, would that happen now I wonder.Ticket sewn in the inside pocket of my school blazer, didn't have another coat that fit then.Me going to the F.A. Cup final! excitement knew no bounds!

Cue sitting on the steps of block H 57 (Yes I still remember the block number) afterwards .Tears and "Maybe next year"

I found out many years later that my Dad had paid £6 for my 12/6d ticket (62 1/2 p) which was half his weeks wages at that time..Great Dad mine, City Fan all his life after returning from the Second World War.Sadly he left us in 2011, how sorry I am that he never saw the miracle that was 15/16, think the shock would have seen him off anyway!!

So , to conclude , PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.let me witness City winning THE Cup,before I "Pop my clogs"....Just once, that`s all I ask...........just once...

 

The kind of memories a decent league finish simply can't give you...