Season focus - Cups, league or both?

[Nalis]

A lot of our fans would seen this season as an opportunity to win a cup given we wouls have more than enough to stay up. Given our fantastic start though, whats our focus now? Is our number 1 focus now cementing a top 4 spot or do we juggle the three competitions with squad rotation?

 

Honesty think we play our first XI with the odd fringe player (Praet / Gray) in the rest of the League Cup and the whole of the FA Cup in the new year as we have a great chance to get some silverware. At least with Vardy we know he won't be playing in the international breaks.

[Nicolo Barella]

Best case scenario, the League Cup adds another 4 games to our schedule, and the FA Cup adds another 4 or 5 if we put emphasis on it. I think we can focus on both. 

[HybridFox]

One game at a time and see where it takes us. Best policy

[fazzyfox]

It's a very good point. When discussing it in the summer I'd say I'd love an F.A.Cup final / win but had the presumption it would be alongside a 7th-8th placed finish. The scenario has changed a little now, if we can stay up there beyond the Christmas / New Year fixtures it could be an issue as you could end up with re-arranged league games in midweek and League cup semi's.

[Footballwipe]

I don't see a reason why we can't do both. Our squad has a strength in depth that we haven't really been able to experience before. We have a superb opportunity to go for top four and both domestic trophies, and we only seem to be getting better. 

 

You can't be anything but fizzing with excitement at the moment.

[Stinkenzo]

We should easily be able to juggle both, particularly the league cup. The week building up the the christmas period is awkward timing however we do have some positions, particularly wingers who are interchangeable with Praet/Choudhury coming in and not really weakening the side. The FA Cup is fine until maybe the latter stages where the games start getting re-arranged

[Sir Shep]

League cup, FA cup and second will do me, I mean it’s a realistic expectation surely!

[Captain...]

If we lose to Everton then I want us to put everything into the FA cup. If we end up with a 2 legged semi and possible final against some of the big guns then I'm happy to put out a weekend team for fa cup 3rd round and risk going out early. We need to rest and rotate during the festive period?

[lcfc sheff]

With no Europe to deal with we can definitely handle cup games + league games otherwise we’re in for a torrid time next season if we qualify for Europe! 

[Mark_w]

You don't get to the QF of the League Cup and 2nd in the league in November if you're not focused on both. Nor should you get that far and stop focusing on either.

[Heskey2011]

I want it all

[weller54]

4 minutes ago, Heskey2011 said:

I want it all

And want it now? 

[Heskey2011]

Absofvckinglutely

[twoleftfeet]

A double would be nice. But champions league qualification would help us keep players and bolster the squad as it needs a bit more depth. But thats when it becomes tricky keeping players happy.

[Blue ROI]

League Cup win and Champions League place would do very nicely.

[foxinsocks]

I think the fa cup is the one to soft pedal.  We are in the final stages of the league cup Nd may as well go for it... we have played most of the games.

Liverpool will start to slip (  if they dont then they will be worthy winners).... so we need to prioritise staying where we are in the prem and slowly closing the gap ilwhich IS possible.  Given that we are not second in the prem often then this is our moment to focus pn the prem and the league cup....and throw the fa cup under a bus

[Aus Fox]

If you look at it as our maximum number of games this season remaining is 

26 league

4 league Cup

6 FA Cup 

36 games

 

Liverpool’s minimum number of games remaining

26 League

4 Champions League

2 World Club Cup

1 league cup

1 Fa Cup

 

34 games, this will be the same for all of our rivals -2 for the WCC.

We have half of our regular starting X1 Vardy, Barnes, Perez, Madison, Riccardo as well as much of our bench who either do not play international football or who are not regulars in their nations team.

We shouldn’t really worry about fatigue at all this season.

In every game play the best available X1 and see where we are in May.

[Aus Fox]

3 minutes ago, foxinsocks said:

I think the fa cup is the one to soft pedal.  We are in the final stages of the league cup Nd may as well go for it... we have played most of the games.

Liverpool will start to slip (  if they dont then they will be worthy winners).... so we need to prioritise staying where we are in the prem and slowly closing the gap ilwhich IS possible.  Given that we are not second in the prem often then this is our moment to focus pn the prem and the league cup....and throw the fa cup under a bus

The flip side to this is the Fa Cup is the one trophy we have never won and this could be our best opportunity yet! 

Especially when you think Liverpool’s hectic Christmas period, Man City and Pep really need a Champions League win and we are arguably the best of the rest.

[Strokes]

Treble.

[volpeazzurro]

As clubs are effectively businesses they, despite what they may say,  might target things differently than supporters and understandably so. I hadn't a clue what winning these competitions meant in monetary terms until I looked.

 

Carabao Cup = winner £100,000 plus place in second qualifying round of Europa League (the latter may even been deemed by some a hassle the next season).

 

FA Cup = £2m plus Europa League place proper.

 

4th place finish in Premiership = £32m prize money plus Champions League place.

 

Champions League, as we know, generates multi millions plus helps you to perhaps retain your better players and attract better recruits. 

 

From a business point of view therefore the priorities are obvious. Whilst it is nice to win the league cup, it hardly pays to to risk injury or fatigue to your better players when there are bigger fish to potentially fry. If you are a low to middling team it may be worth going for as you realistically have bugger all else to go for. In the current position we remarkably find yourselves in, we've a decent squad in depth that it is good to keep fit and sharp in such lesser competitions perhsps but  ... in our current position, top 4 overwhelmingly has to be our total focus for the long term betterment of the club. 

 

[MarriedaLeicesterGirl]

I think the players want to play -- they are winning and won't want to take the foot off the pedal. We are in the QF of the League Cup, and they want to win. At Everton, I am thinking three changes -- Hamza, Praet, Gray to start (although I wouldn't be surprised to see Morgan, but I would rather he be on the bench) -- to reward them for good play off the bench (albeit Hamza hasn't made an appearance recently).

 

With the FA Cup -- I don't think many will be needing a week off in the early rounds. Go by the same book as the League Cup -- first team for Premier League competition, mix of first teamers and reserves for lower league sides. It would be very manageable while keeping up league form.

 

Liverpool has a brutal two months ahead of it (I don't count the League Cup -- I think Klopp truly hates it and would even play his U23's in the final) -- the trip to the Gulf will be brutal, especially given the fact he is going to probably face two hack-attack teams.

[jonthefox]

16 minutes ago, MarriedaLeicesterGirl said:

I think the players want to play -- they are winning and won't want to take the foot off the pedal. We are in the QF of the League Cup, and they want to win. At Everton, I am thinking three changes -- Hamza, Praet, Gray to start (although I wouldn't be surprised to see Morgan, but I would rather he be on the bench) -- to reward them for good play off the bench (albeit Hamza hasn't made an appearance recently).

 

With the FA Cup -- I don't think many will be needing a week off in the early rounds. Go by the same book as the League Cup -- first team for Premier League competition, mix of first teamers and reserves for lower league sides. It would be very manageable while keeping up league form.

 

Liverpool has a brutal two months ahead of it (I don't count the League Cup -- I think Klopp truly hates it and would even play his U23's in the final) -- the trip to the Gulf will be brutal, especially given the fact he is going to probably face two hack-attack teams.

I've mentioned this before. If Liverpool do decline , then this will probably be the start of it. 

[StanSP]

Got the ability to do both. This side getting some silverware would be perfect.

[Deeg67]

Yes, with no European games we have enough depth to seriously try for both cups.  But "priority"?  If that were ever a question, it's obviously the league.  Qualifying for next season's CL trumps every other goal and for me, it's not even close.  That would be huge.

[Guest SO1]

Love to see Rodgers win some silverware in Premier League besides the Swansea promotion trophy/medal. We have the strength to do both.

When we make Champions League it will be a different story. The league will have to take priority as we build the squad.

We have to stay in the Top 4 no matter what in order to attract and keep top talent.