Fa cup final.

[lapsedhibee]

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I love the FA cup myself and hate seeing it lose its credibility in any way. A champions league place is the only way to get clubs to consider it a real priority again. It's made people take notice of the UEFA cup place so why not? Bin the fourth place slot.

What about having a separate European competition for cup winners - maybe call it the 'Cup-Winners' Cup', something like that? Perhaps when the novelty of having invented chipped potatoes has worn off, Mrs Budge could suggest the idea to UEFA.

[Baader]

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Exactly. Just a nearly man.

If Ozils a nearly man with a World Cup winners medal then God knows where that leaves about 99 percent of footballers??!!

[Col_0762]

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The Scottish Cup was exactly the same, both games ****!

Just catching up but that's as funny a post as when you used to claim you were Kenny Miller's pal. ****ing tremendous lol.

[Col_0762]

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No it's still a much sought after trophy that the bigger teams want to win. It's one of two domestic cup comps up for grabs and the big teams want to win it hence the reason the small teams very rarely do.

For the likes of Liverpool maybe, but the big clubs wouldn't lose any sleep over it now. It's a shame but that's the way it is now.

[Scouse Hibee]

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For the likes of Liverpool maybe, but the big clubs wouldn't lose any sleep over it now. It's a shame but that's the way it is now.

Hilarious.

[Col_0762]

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Hilarious.

Why's it hilarious? Liverpool are like Aberdeen up here.

[Scouse Hibee]

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Why's it hilarious? Liverpool are like Aberdeen up here.

Aberdeen have finished second in their prospective league and had a great season and are one of the big clubs in Scotland.

Liverpool are still a massive club and have finished in one of the much sought after CL places. For you to suggest they are not a big club is laughable.

[Col_0762]

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Aberdeen have finished second in their prospective league and had a great season and are one of the big clubs in Scotland.

Liverpool are still a massive club and have finished in one of the much sought after CL places. For you to suggest they are not a big club is laughable.

They have a great history. But are not in the elite. They haven't won their domestic league since when?? I can't be arsed looking but will guess at 25 years ish. Got into the top 4 this year and I appluad if that's your ultimate goal. But they'll get pumped out in the group stages. Thankfully. Walk on...hehe.

[Scouse Hibee]

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They have a great history. But are not in the elite. They haven't won their domestic league since when?? I can't be arsed looking but will guess at 25 years ish. Got into the top 4 this year and I appluad if that's your ultimate goal. But they'll get pumped out in the group stages. Thankfully. Walk on...hehe.

Your dislike of Liverpool is obvious, your refusal to still class them as a big club is laughable. Liverpool are a massive club with a massive Worldwide appeal. Still one of the top clubs in England and have a massive market across the world. I love listening to folk like you....Walk On indeed.

[Col_0762]

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Your dislike of Liverpool is obvious, your refusal to still class them as a big club is laughable. Liverpool are a massive club with a massive Worldwide appeal. Still one of the top clubs in England and have a massive market across the world. I love listening to folk like you....Walk On indeed.

And I love listening to folk like you, clinging on to a great history from decades ago. As I said, like Aberdeen fans. And worldwide appeal lol, brilliant. That wins you trophies eh. We haven't won the league in 30 years but a load of folk watch the games in Thailand every week so that makes up for it. Priceless.

[Scouse Hibee]

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And I love listening to folk like you, clinging on to a great history from decades ago. As I said, like Aberdeen fans. And worldwide appeal lol, brilliant. That wins you trophies eh. We haven't won the league in 30 years but a load of folk watch the games in Thailand every week so that makes up for it. Priceless.

Haters gonna hate lol.

Lots of jealous folk regarding Liverpool, don't worry you are not alone hehe. Walk on pal. Big club whether you like it or not. Zzzzzzzz

[Earlydelivery]

For what it's worth guys, I think their a massive club , with a fabulous history . 5 European cups 👍

[Pretty Boy]

Can we, or one poster, cut out the personal stuff please?

Football banter is absolutely fine. Personal insults are not. Thanks in advance.

[heretoday]

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Haters gonna hate lol.

Lots of jealous folk regarding Liverpool, don't worry you are not alone hehe. Walk on pal. Big club whether you like it or not. Zzzzzzzz

Don't worry mate. Liverpool's a big club. As for not winning the domestic league, I haven't noticed Arsenal or Spurs pulling up any fences recently.

Or Everton, sadly.

[Bristolhibby]

What a bizarre turn to this thread.

Hibs fans arguing about whether a team in another country is big or not!

J

[Scouse Hibee]

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What a bizarre turn to this thread.

Hibs fans arguing about whether a team in another country is big or not!

J

:-)

[Michael]

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It's definitely lost its value though, SH. The big club would rather finish fourth, and qualify for the Champions League, than win the cup.

Maybe the owners, but I'm sure the fans would rather have the trophy.

[JimBHibees]

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What a bizarre turn to this thread.

Hibs fans arguing about whether a team in another country is big or not!

J

And about a team that weren't in the final. As you say bizarre.

[MWHIBBIES]

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It's definitely lost its value though, SH. The big club would rather finish fourth, and qualify for the Champions League, than win the cup.

The fans wouldn't and they are the ones that matter.

Ask an Arsenal fan in 20 years in he remembers this season and he'll say yes, we won the cup. Ask a City/Liverpool/Spurs fan and they'll say no.

[Pretty Boy]

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The fans wouldn't and they are the ones that matter.

Ask an Arsenal fan in 20 years in he remembers this season and he'll say yes, we won the cup. Ask a City/Liverpool/Spurs fan and they'll say no.

I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

The fans aren't really the ones that matter though. Fans of all the teams between 7th and 14th would probably sacrifice a place or 2 in the league for an FA Cup win. The managers however choose to play weakened teams and prioritise the league because that's where the monetary value is, and that's what really matters.

[Eyrie]

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I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

The fans aren't really the ones that matter though. Fans of all the teams between 7th and 14th would probably sacrifice a place or 2 in the league for an FA Cup win. The managers however choose to play weakened teams and prioritise the league because that's where the monetary value is, and that's what really matters.

It's what matters to the managers only because it's what keeps them in a job. The real decision is made by the owners who believe that the extra few million for finishing a place or two higher will help avoid relegation the following season, and that is more important to them than actually winning something.

We have a similar problem in Scotland because Celtc are so far ahead of everyone else. I'd rather we targeted another cup triumph over finishing second.

[tamig]

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What a bizarre turn to this thread.

Hibs fans arguing about whether a team in another country is big or not!

J

All very yammish. Sad.

[Scouse Hibee]

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All very yammish. Sad.

Yammish! Lol

[Hibernia&Alba]

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I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

The fans aren't really the ones that matter though. Fans of all the teams between 7th and 14th would probably sacrifice a place or 2 in the league for an FA Cup win. The managers however choose to play weakened teams and prioritise the league because that's where the monetary value is, and that's what really matters.

True. The teams that have a chance of CL qualification will place that as a higher priority the F.A. Cup, sadly. It's understandable, such is the pull of the Champions League; and though the elite clubs still want to win it, there's no doubt it's less important than a top four finish to them.

B the way, of course Liverpool is a big club.

[Swedish hibee]

I loved the FA cup. I remember the days of Coventry & Wimbledon winning it.. (Sorry Scouse Hibs!!) but agree that it doesn't quite have the same feeling for me although I still enjoy it. Watching the minnows beat teams in leagues above them this season was brilliant!
I just wish the West Broms, Newcastles, Stoke ect ect could get to a final as the lift it gives the community is huge.

Ps. Liverpool are huge in Sweden. Better supported than teams that play here!!!!!

[RyeSloan]

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It's what matters to the managers only because it's what keeps them in a job. The real decision is made by the owners who believe that the extra few million for finishing a place or two higher will help avoid relegation the following season, and that is more important to them than actually winning something.

We have a similar problem in Scotland because Celtc are so far ahead of everyone else. I'd rather we targeted another cup triumph over finishing second.

It's a popular narrative but is there any strong evidence to actually support it?

Out of how many FA Cup games this year did managers deliberately put out weakened teams that they knew would probably not be good enough? A very small percentage I would suggest.

Then if a number of teams do play weakened sides then that's simply an opportunity for the opposition...if mid table Premiership sides don't want to go all out to win then I'm sure there is plenty of other sides that do.

Is the FA Cup as important as it once was? No. But it's still a key piece of silverware and that the vast majority of teams go out to try and win. Who cares if a small sub set of them want to focus on the league (although I think this is often a handy excuse rather than a deliberate act), let them and then the rest of us can carry on without worrying every year that if it has been 'devalued'.

[Same Sleeves]

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FA Cup final was decent. Scottish was meh.

As for Wenger, Arsenal fans wanting him out for not winning trophies. He's just won his third FA Cup in four years. It's their national cup final. Yes it would have been nice to have won the league but they've been up against Alex Ferguson, the billionaire at Chelsea and now the billionaires at Man City. The Champions League argument is nonsense as they've never won the European Cup/Champions league so who do they think they are to demand that.

This Arsenal supporter agrees with you,the man is a legend and you can only fairly judge him from 2014 when he was finally allowed to spend more money after balancing the books for the previous 8 seasons after the move,and 3 fa cups wins in the last 4 seasons is a fantastic achievement and his record of 8 finals,7 wins 1 loss in 20 seasons is amazing

[ekhibee]

I've always had a lot of time for Wenger, he was manager of Arsenal when they had some truly brilliant players, and I'll never ever forget when they went through the season unbeaten, an incredible achievement in the top league in England. But what was disappointing for me was that although he's a highly intelligent man, he constantly seemed to rise to the bait of Ferguson's petty mind games, although not as much as Keegan obviously did. That aside, he's been an excellent manager, but strangely I could see him quitting management if he leaves Arsenal.