But found myself far from upset when Millwall knocked us out the cup. Last minute goals always make results harder to take, but I did feel we'd benefit somewhat from no more cup matches, replays or any extra time what so ever. But today really has highlighted that for me. Not only have we muscled our way to the top of the table, but Cardiff seem to be having a hard time (cup distraction maybe?), Birmingham have a replay & West Ham have to listen to Big Sam shouting at them for a couple more days before they get to play a determined Blackpool. It really did turn out quite nice. Going to enjoy the Championship games this week, pressures off......for now.
I unashamedly wanted us to lose - I don't buy that support means wanting your team to win in any situation, I want what my own personal opinion deems best - that means, for me, league performance.
All very well histree but a tad specious - you're old enough to remember how it felt when Bobby Stokes beat Alex Stepney, aren't you? That kind of special moment can only come through getting through to the next round. But I know what you mean: "now we can concentrate on the league"!! Take care.
I wanted us to beat Millwall as I thought we had a good chance of making it to Wembley but promotion is the main priority.
I didn't exactly go into that Millwall game (or the original Millwall game, or the Coventry game in the previous round) with my fingers crossed that we'd lose, but I certainly didn't feel any disappointment when Millwall won it in injury time. I've always been a firm believer that cup runs are nothing more than a distraction for teams at the top of the end of a table. Malcky Mackay at Cardiff can bang on all he wants about getting to the Carling Cup final has nothing to do with their recent blip since the semi-finals, but the results don't lie. One win, one draw, and three defeats since the SFs (having been on fire before then, and all set to overtake us).
Coming into this season I thought our success would be how we do in the cups, but as we got ourselves into such a strong position, I just feel we are now ready to take advantage. Mid week games take their toll, if we can just have one extra pit stop......it could make all the difference. I'll always have respect for the cups, but top mid Feb.......dream land. We can do this, we really can,
St. Brendy: I don't believe you! I reckon you were as disappointed as I was when Millwall scored the winner!
And yes, I'll happily sit back on Tuesday night watching the West Ham's and the Blackpool's and the Birmingham's all slug it out, trying to equal what we did today, whilst we have the night off.
If i wasn't at the game I wouldn't have cared. But the fact I wasted my cash on it made me want to win. Doesn't really matter now.
Well sorry, I think you're all denying a basic fact of life. The Cup adds SPICE to things, and while you're in it, you taste it.
I was annoyed when they equalized, but not too upset when they won it. I'm not one of the people who think that the cups are utterly meaningless, but they are a lower priority...if and when we make the PL and establish ourselves, I'd love to see us challenging for silverware. As it stands, though, we'd always have been lucky even to make the semis, and I'd rather four fewer games than a Wembley appearance at this juncture, I'm afraid.
Still don't agree: we were 4 games away from a Wembley final and a life-changing experience. How can you want to get knocked out of that? Yes, of course I want us to go up, but I'd rather we won the Cup Final.
I was very disappointed as I have always enjoyed the FA Cup and wanted us to do really well as with more commitment we stood a chance of going all the way. Just look at who is left in it now.
If we had already wrapped up the title,i wouldnt be too upset if Nigel decided to blood a few kids in the last game of the season at home to Coventry,especially if it sent the Skates down if we lost. Now that would be Karma.
It's a modern phenomenon that supporters want their teams to lose in certain competitions. Millwall beat us in the FA Cup, and I'm actually slightly ashamed of that feeling, because time was, when a full strength team went out to give its best in every competition it took part in. But that is now over, and it started being over when top teams put out lesser sides, than their best for peripheral competitions, from the main focus of the league. None other than Brian Clough's Derby County/Nottm Forest sides started that trend, way back when, but it really took hold when the Premier League/SKY Football was formed, and the biggest clubs considered them a sideways avenue. Today, only dyed-in-the-wool pundits think the League/FA Cups are as important as the League Championships, because they are still largely old school. I thought I was until Saints lost and I didn't give a hoot. I've obviously caught up.
The FA Cup was irretrievably damaged when Man U failed to defend their hold on it by playing in the World Club Championship instead. I wonder if the oldest cup competition in the world would have degenerated the way it has if the Premier League and the Champions League weren't such massive money-spinners? In the old days both BBC and ITV would show the buildup to the final from the late morning onwards, and then the whole match live. Now the Beeb don't even show highlights. The irony is that the FA are responsible for the demise of their own flagship competition by starting up the Premier League!
The loss against Millwall was a big disappointment to me. Not so much that we lost, but in the way that we lost. I, like others, froze our backsides off to go to that game. So no there wasn't a hope in hell that I wanted us to lose. I don't go to any game to see us lose. Why would I do that? Jake why on earth was it a waste of money? Do you only think that it was money well spent when we win? What kind of fan are you for goodness sake?
