Why? Why us and always against teams we have some sort of 'beef' with?

[neilbard]

Crap cup.
2nd string / building match fitness.
It's Reading.

Who cares?

Oh I dunno its a rather nice cup

 

[BBassic]

It breaks down like this:

There are three competitions each season we have a chance, however slim, of succeeding in. One of them is a cup so devalued by the top two tiers the clubs in those tiers may as well not bother entering. The other is alright until the PL teams get involved at which point it becomes a game of "who will Man Utd have in the final this year". The third and final one involves a £100m+ payday.

I absolutely know which one I'd prioritise.

 

[Driver8]

It breaks down like this:

There are three competitions each season we have a chance, however slim, of succeeding in. One of them is a cup so devalued by the top two tiers the clubs in those tiers may as well not bother entering. The other is alright until the PL teams get involved at which point it becomes a game of "who will Man Utd have in the final this year". The third and final one involves a £100m+ payday.

I absolutely know which one I'd prioritise.

Leicester and Chelsea seem to be taking it seriously.

 

[essbee]

Leicester and Chelsea seem to be taking it seriously.

That's because they've fuc*ed up the premier league title already.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Can't understand anyone calling it 'tinpot,' unless it's tongue in cheek. No one on here would be calling it tinpot if we got to the quarter finals or beyond, as wakeytom says above. It's just a bitter way of dismissing the competition because we're out of it.

 

[portlock seagull]

It breaks down like this:

There are three competitions each season we have a chance, however slim, of succeeding in. One of them is a cup so devalued by the top two tiers the clubs in those tiers may as well not bother entering. The other is alright until the PL teams get involved at which point it becomes a game of "who will Man Utd have in the final this year". The third and final one involves a £100m+ payday.

I absolutely know which one I'd prioritise.

Except we don't 'win' option 3 either. Anyway, the point of this thread isn't about priorities it's about certain opposition so you've missed the point too. It's going to be a very low pass rate at this rate, eyes down and focus on answering the question everybody!

 

[Hyperion]

Awaiting the defenders of the realm to kick their shiny laborious heels and enforce their will. Toe the line people, toe the line

 

[portlock seagull]

Can't understand anyone calling it 'tinpot,' unless it's tongue in cheek. No one on here would be calling it tinpot if we got to the quarter finals or beyond, as wakeytom says above. It's just a bitter way of dismissing the competition because we're out of it.

I think you're onto something here Cheeky!

 

[Da Man Clay]

A chance to go to Wembley and not for a play off finals? One of my best days out as a Sunderland fan was the game against City a few years ago, so much better than chasing a place in the 'holy grail' league as neither Brighton nor Sunderland will ever compete (Leicester was a fluke last season)

Can safely say I couldn't care any less to be honest. Would rather have our first team available for the league then get to the final of a competition not a single club cares about until the semi final (at the earliest).

 

[BBassic]

Leicester and Chelsea seem to be taking it seriously.

Leicester and Chelsea have more chance of winning the cups than we do. We have 100% more chance of getting into the PL than they do.

 

[essbee]

Can't understand anyone calling it 'tinpot,' unless it's tongue in cheek. No one on here would be calling it tinpot if we got to the quarter finals or beyond, as wakeytom says above. It's just a bitter way of dismissing the competition because we're out of it.

Cheeky. I don't say it tongue in cheek. I really despise the League cup and everything it stands for because it's a pointless distraction
which historically was introduced by the FL to try and compete with the FA Cup; it has failed to do that for 30/40 years. The FA cup
has lost a huge amount of its status as well.

 

[el punal]

I'm old school. Nothing wrong with winning everything you enter. All things being equal, Reading didn't care either. Why can't we not care and win for a change?!! Our League Cup history must relatively be THE worst of any club in the top 2 tiers.

I'm old school too, but the fact is cup competitions do not have the same appeal now as they did in the past. Despite the Albion having momentous ties against Derby back in 1976 in front of 33,500 at the Goldstone, and against the League champions Nottingham Forest in 1978, the EFL Cup now is almost an irrelevance. Far more importance is, and rightly so, on the Championship performances. That for the Albion is our bread and butter which ultimately, hopefully, will lead us to the Holy Grail that is the Premier League. The FA Cup and the EFL Cup are nice slices of cake with icing on top that are an occasional treat.

 

[portlock seagull]

I'm old school too, but the fact is cup competitions do not have the same appeal now as they did in the past. Despite the Albion having momentous ties against Derby back in 1976 in front of 33,500 at the Goldstone, and against the League champions Nottingham Forest in 1978, the EFL Cup now is almost an irrelevance. Far more importance is, and rightly so, on the Championship performances. That for the Albion is our bread and butter which ultimately, hopefully, will lead us to the Holy Grail that is the Premier League. The FA Cup and the EFL Cup are nice slices of cake with icing on top that are an occasional treat.

Except we've never been treated and Reading say the same things. As winners

 

[wakeytom]

It breaks down like this:

There are three competitions each season we have a chance, however slim, of succeeding in. One of them is a cup so devalued by the top two tiers the clubs in those tiers may as well not bother entering. The other is alright until the PL teams get involved at which point it becomes a game of "who will Man Utd have in the final this year". The third and final one involves a £100m+ payday.

I absolutely know which one I'd prioritise.

Not sure of its the league cup you are saying is devalued by premier league clubs, in the past three seasons city have won in twice and Chelsea once. Obviously they only won it as there didn't care.

I understand getting to the premier league is the top priority, but why? What do you get for that? Do people talk about who went up 3 years ago or would you not rather talk about winning a cup at Wembley?

Sunderland last won a trophy in 1973 with a fa cup win but since that have been promoted to the top league almost more times than fingers however which thing do you think fans talk about, even ones like me that were not there for the cup win but have held season tickets when promoted

 

[StonehamPark]

Leicester and Chelsea have more chance of winning the cups than we do. We have 100% more chance of getting into the PL than they do.

They also have European games this year, and next years European places to work towards.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Can't understand anyone calling it 'tinpot,' unless it's tongue in cheek. No one on here would be calling it tinpot if we got to the quarter finals or beyond, as wakeytom says above. It's just a bitter way of dismissing the competition because we're out of it.

I think the 6k+ crowd that turned up before knowing the result says what the fans think of it? I wouldn't say tongue in cheek but quite realistic.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

If the 1st team players will be tired after playing two games of football in a week!!!!!!! Then give them a whole day off training! Hell give them two full days off training but play them in these 90 minutes. I bet the actual match playing together competitively would be better 'training' than on the training field.

 

[mikeyjh]

You do seem have to have a 'beef' with an awful lot of teams, I struggle to understand that one.....

 

[big nuts]

I'd personally take winning the FA or league cup over promotion to the dull Premier League.

An away trip in Europe excites me more than a trip to Stoke & West Brom.

 

[wakeytom]

I'd personally take winning the FA or league cup over promotion to the dull Premier League.

An away trip in Europe excites me more than a trip to Stoke & West Brom.

Exactly that