Controversial but.........

[Sly]

Fans will be at the FA Cup final won’t they?!? 

[1972 Fox]

5 minutes ago, Sly said:

Fans will be at the FA Cup final won’t they?!? 

Only the chosen few and mainly from the London area according to reports.

[RumbleFox]

2 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

That ISN’T the ambition though. The ambition is to get CL, not lose anyone, strengthen correctly and push on. 
 

Would you take winning the FA Cup, failing to secure CL and losing Tieleman’s or Ndidi?

I think this is the crux. As a one off season without thinking about the future, the FA Cup clearly beats finishing top 4. But “bigger picture” the top 4 clearly sets us up to push on and, in the future, win the fvcking treble. X 

[Raw Dykes]

3 hours ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

I'm on about the outright choice of a FA cup win compared to one season of qualifying for the top four and what I would enjoy more in that moment. Long term 'if' we could carry on making the top four then I agree that would benefit us more financially. As someone mentioned before when we finished top 4 as champions we still lost our best player to a team that finished 10th. 

Well, I don't think there's much debate about which would win when it comes to enjoying the moment. FA Cup hands down.

 

Long term, just one top 4 finish has huge benefits - never mind several. I don't know exactly how much it's worth, but it's in the 10s of millions. It dwarfs any prize money the FA Cup offers, which is about £2m, IIRC.

 

Yes, it's true that we lost a key player as champions, however, I think everyone strongly suspected we were a flash in the pan at the time, and they were proven right very shortly after. Let's not forget the team in 10th were oil-baron-owned Chelsea, who, much like ourselves, had an aberration of a season, only a bad one.

 

We're in a very different place now. We've been outside the top 4 for one matchday in close to two years. Everyone can see the club's position is now much more sustainable than back then. Our foundations are on more solid ground.

 

I'm not saying CL guarantees that we keep all our key players, or that we definitely sign big name players, I'm just saying it makes it more likely to happen than with no CL.

[melrose]

Speaking as someone that experienced our last semi in 82 against Spurs and was gutted for the whole summer, it's the cup for me, even though it isn't  the same these days!

I'll never forget the 82 cup ride, finishing at Villa Park with a so so performance from us and that fcking cockerel on the pitch!

 

Edited 17 March 2021 by melrose

[Jobyfox]

1 minute ago, melrose said:

Speaking as someone that experienced our last semi in 82 against Spurs and was gutted for the whole summer, it's the cup for me, even though it isn't  the same these days!

I'll never forget the 82 cup ride, finishing at Villa Park with a so so performance from us and that fcking cockerel on the pitch!

 

I recommend Viagra 

[PhillippaT]

10 hours ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Only the chosen few and mainly from the London area according to reports.

WE BETTER MAKE IF IT WE CAN GO!!!! (I guess living in London might have its perks after all  )

Edited 18 March 2021 by PhillippaT

[Collymore]

It is a tough one this but I think the FA cup would be my priority so we have the grand slam over top 4. Then going forward it would always be CL. 

 

Making CL needs to become a regular thing we get used to. The thought of CL next year and then nothing in our lifetime scares and depresses me so my mindset is get that FA cup for the history books and then expect CL anyway going forward.

 

 

 

[fox_up_north]

In a binary choice, heart says FA cup, head says Top 4. 

 

Nothing like a cup final day with your club but...this season...so many financial ramifications to think about

[Ricey]

47 minutes ago, fox_up_north said:

In a binary choice, heart says FA cup, head says Top 4. 

 

Nothing like a cup final day with your club but...this season...so many financial ramifications to think about

I guess the thing for me is that it wouldn't be a proper cup final day. No (or limited) fans, no victory parade, not really much build up to it either as we'd probably have important Premier Leagues matches in the midweeks either side. It will feel hollow to me.

 

I think with the finances the way they are in football, and in particular with King Power, missing out on Champions League football this season could be a real sliding doors moment.

[volpeazzurro]

With the amount of games easing off slightly, combined with a number of players returning, we can still have a bloody good shot at both!

Edited 18 March 2021 by volpeazzurro

[kingcarr21]

In a normal season i would say FA Cup as i am desperate to get that under our belts. But with the impact from Covid the financial benefit of Champs league isnt something to be sniffed at. 

 

Though i reckon we will get both haha

[fox_up_north]

8 hours ago, Ricey said:

I guess the thing for me is that it wouldn't be a proper cup final day. No (or limited) fans, no victory parade, not really much build up to it either as we'd probably have important Premier Leagues matches in the midweeks either side. It will feel hollow to me.

 

I think with the finances the way they are in football, and in particular with King Power, missing out on Champions League football this season could be a real sliding doors moment.

There'd still be a victory parade. The final wouldn't be until late May, at the earliest. Absolutely no reason the club couldn't hold a parade in June. Would you have been willing to wait a month after we won the league?

Seeing your club win a cup should always mean something. 

[biggs]

.........absolutely no reason why we shouldn't have a go at both. Going for one and dismissing the other is no guarantee you'll get the other. I'm confident both are for the getting.

 

[Analysethis]

[dannythefox]

On 17/03/2021 at 10:58, Walshy5 said:

I'd rather finish top 4 this season than win the FA cup. They'll be other chances in the FA cup and I'd rather we did it in a packed house at Wembley. It would be magical to go back next season (fingers crossed) to champions league football at the King power. Thoughts?

Need to finish 4th so we don’t lose any players 

[murphy]

On 17/03/2021 at 13:20, Fox92 said:

When you don't have a strong squad, like us, then you cannot afford to pick and choose what competition you want to be in.

 

Sport is about winning and every game, every competition, should be taken seriously. Especially for a club like us.

I don't get it.

 

Doesn't your second statement contradict your first?

[murphy]

23 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

That ISN’T the ambition though. The ambition is to get CL, not lose anyone, strengthen correctly and push on. 
 

Would you take winning the FA Cup, failing to secure CL and losing Tieleman’s or Ndidi?

Until very recently, since we have been challenging at the top, If someone had offered me a Portsmouth style deal,  ie FA Cup win followed by relegation and a decade or two in the wilderness I would have taken it.  137 years we've been trying to win the bloomin' thing and if we ever do, it is in the bank forever and worth the price.

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

21 hours ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Only the chosen few and mainly from the London area according to reports.

They are expecting Manchester United to get there are they? 

[wardyfox86]

Getting top 4 this season could be absolutely vital in giving us the prestige to improve in areas we need, namely striker and right wing.

 

I'm not sure winning the FA Cup and another stint in the EL will do the same.

 

We are close to being perfectly placed to win the FA Cup in the next 5 years, but it begins with getting Champions League this season, and spending correctly.

 

I can't remember who won the FA Cup last season, and I doubt it holds much weight in negotiations with incoming players. 

[Fox92]

46 minutes ago, murphy said:

I don't get it.

 

Doesn't your second statement contradict your first?

Every competition should be taken seriously is what I meant. 

 

OP implied we don't have a strong enough squad to go at everything but when you don't have a stronger squad then it's even more reason to take everything seriously.

[PAULCFC]

FA cup for me,the only one we have not won to make the domestic cups complete,but we should also piss getting into the top 4!

[Raw Dykes]

4 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Every competition should be taken seriously is what I meant. 

 

OP implied we don't have a strong enough squad to go at everything but when you don't have a stronger squad then it's even more reason to take everything seriously.

I can't work out what you mean. Surely, if you've got a strong squad, you can afford to take every competition more seriously than a club with a weaker squad. With a strong squad, you can put a good team out more often than you can with a weak squad.

[weller54]

3 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

FA cup for me,the only one we have not won to make the domestic cups complete,but we should also piss getting into the top 4!

How do you work out getting into the top 4 is going to be a piece of piss?

[Fox92]

2 minutes ago, Raw Dykes said:

I can't work out what you mean. Surely, if you've got a strong squad, you can afford to take every competition more seriously than a club with a weaker squad. With a strong squad, you can put a good team out more often than you can with a weak squad.

Dunno. I think those with stronger squads (well, mainly Man City) can pick what competitions they want to be in.