Yeah the bigger clubs sack it off.... That’ll be why in the last 7 years it’s been won 5 times by City, and the other 2 years by Chelsea and United. Bob on.
I always preferred it to the FA cup. Games done and dusted on the night, no special occasion weekends made for it.
I understand your sentiment but I think what we see with the Carabou Cup is that the big sides with huge squads can fight on that front as their second squad is generally not that much weaker than the first and so will eventually go on to the latter stages the other sides play the kids and if they get through great - and when it gets to the semi or the final they have a look at league positions CL commitments and squad fitness and make a decision then. Last year the decision was made for us but the squad that lost to villa would not have been that much different cause rightly or wrongly Klopp is yet to prioritise that that trophy. Imho for the record I agree with Z (?) on the whole give the winners of a comp the CL place If someone wins treble - tough - one place in CL then Give someone else a chance From another country I know it will never happen like....
Only 3 times in the last 16 years has a club actually qualified for Europe via winning the League Cup. The new European competition place is therefore odds on to go to a league placing.
Bigger clubs do sack it off. What Bumps said is exactly what happens. I'm not sure why you only went back 7 years to point out the winners. With very few exceptions it's always been won by a big club. None of that alters the fact that the bigger clubs look to use it to give the fringe players and youngsters a run out and the rest of the league, yourself included, play as strong a team as possible. There's nothing wrong with that.
How can you simultaneously say that the big clubs sack it off then concede that the big clubs invariably win it? They don’t sack it off at all, those clubs who are playing in Europe will be more likely to use squad players in the early rounds, but that isn’t sacking it off. For example, City played 8 first teamers in their 3rd round tie at Oxford last season, starters included the likes of Sterling, Jesus, Gundogan and Silva. They did similar the year before.
Man City have the most expensive (illegal) squad ever and use the cup for training and to pad their trophies because they have no history, using them as an example of a big club not sacking off the cup is desperate stuff
I meant the EL and whatever the new thing is going to be called; ie any European competition over nothing
Sacking it off means not making it a big deal and putting a mixed team out which is exactly what happens. City isn't the best example to use in a discussion like this because it's hard to say what their strongest line up is, they have the strength to field two first teams. The competition with few exceptions always gets down to PL teams in the latter stages and the final which is what you would expect. A greatly reduced PL team will beat most competitors from the lower leagues, again there have been exceptions. A big team is always going to win it.
Klopp 100% sacks it off, FA Cup too. I would say not playing your strongest team or making more than three / four changes is sacking it off. Man City do that but their second string is good enough to challenge for top four in the league! Question; if Klopp plays the kids & reserves (like he always does) but wins one of the cups, did he still sack it off? PS... the was at you completely mugging Astro off, not your actual comment
Foreign managers in general don't have the interest that maybe British managers have. Don't you remember the headlines a few years ago about Pochettino's comments. He said something like - it's a competition for the likes of Wigan, where are they now?
It’s not that clear cut imo. For example, Koeman rotated the squad but Silva played more or less a full strength side last season. I’d imagine Ancelotti will rotate tomorrow, but largely due to the fact we played on Sunday, and it’s at home to Salford.
No trophy in a generation and no realistic hope for top 4 means Everton should definitely make it a priority, though that doesn't necessarily require full strength at this stage.
It's not that clear cut, you're right. For a club like yours there are different considerations. One of which will be a message from on high to give it everything you've got and to prioritise cup competitions.
They all sack it off, but still get to the final based on the luck of the draw. Man City somehow haven't drawn another PL club in a cup game for 8 years so they're usually there.
