We are a club who, over the past 2 seasons, have fared better in the cups than I can remember in the top division in my lifetime. We have also struggled in the league. If we continue in this vein for a little while and continuously progress in the cups but struggle in the league how happy will everyone be? On the other side of that coin - if we finish comfortably mid-table and get knocked out of the cup competitions early how happy would we be? I think we will survive this season - I am basing that assumption on the entire season and not just the QPR game. Had Defoe been here then we wouldn't be the joint second worst goalscorers in the league and I think he will give us goals we need to stay up.
Much as I love the FA Cup, the PL is vital in this day and age. The gap between PL and Championship is just too great to mess with nowadays. League first, Cup second, I'm afraid.
That new premier league deal make it even more imperative to stay up. The odd cup run is great but its all about the league.
init? Hate hypothetical one or another questions. World doesn't work that way. Sometimes it's one or another, sometime you can have it all, sometimes you get **** all. But it's not a game of chance, destiny is in our own hands.
Spot on Bri and I never said "One or the other" - I said "Struggle and have a good cup run" or "Stay up comfortably and go out at the first attempt" I loved the cup last season - We were in the bottom three for around 33 games last season but the cup run made it so special! Staying up is a must I agree but finishing 16th and winning the FA Cup would be a great season in my opinion This wasn't a hypothetical "one or the other" - it was more a what if we get a manager who plays the reserves and goes out of the cup in the third round scenarios!
I know fella, but some of your responses answered it that way We're in a struggle full stop unless Gus sorts himself out.
I'm just frustrated, I look at the squad and I think it's very solid with some real touches of class. We should be doing better, and I genuinely think with a more adaptable and honest manager we would be. We'll stay up comfortably enough I feel, but that's not enough I don't think, we need to be looking top 10 at the very least, both ourselves and Newcastle should be competing at the Everton level as a bare minimum (Everton of last 3 years not this...). We just need some accountability shown and some responsibility taken, and we can be a very good club indeed.
Marcus, my apologies to you - I did answer it as an either/or. As long as we stay up, I'd love a cup run. I remember a Cup Final when 3rd from bottom played 6th from bottom (with only two relegated) and it was one of the most beautiful classic finals I ever saw - 1959, Notts F. v Luton Town. If I take it the way you meant it, I'd gladly take a cup win. But it's league first - that's imperative, more than ever, these days.
I'm satisfied with our current position, beat Bradford and I'll be very pleased. We won't go down. Cup runs and staying up is better than no cup runs and staying up. It's better than mid table and no cup run. I feel the squad is getting there, this summer window is vital and Congerton & Gus need to work together and get the right guys in, Gomez cannot be a starter next season in the PL. No way. Next season should be the season we can actually be decent. Time will tell of course
We seemed to be a better team last season imo, but there is not a lot in it either way, more of our squad are our own and not loans, this is a pleasing improvement, if we can get our home form sorted, and it looked like we finally were until the QPR nightmare, we could still have a very good end of season. Just hope that if we are in the Premiership next year, the t**t who compiles the fixture lists sorts out a better mix of games for us than previous.
It's about time the club went for stability and changing the manager every season with 10games left doesn't do that . it takes time for a manager to develop a team that play the way he wants. I know we all want results now but we've waited this long another season doesn't matter. For me progress in the cup is vital unless we want to be a club that sits in the middle of the league and just collects the TV cash.
Why not I want the same.there is no reason why we can't continue in the cup and pull our selves up the league.we just need to get stuck in and fight for the cause
I would take relegation and an f a cup win this season no bother, put the best team out for the f a cup for me. We can get straight back up. Leave Bridcutt and Gomez out for the rest of the season though.
This is why most on here think you're a wum (just my opinion). What a ****ing ridiculous thing to say Monty! Just look at the Championship! How many clubs in there were in the PL in the last couple of years? Looks like 18 to me! 18 out of 24!! So don't go spouting we'll get straight back up. It's not that straight-forward! Cardiff got £55m last year for coming last. £55 MILLION!!!! That's excluding parachute payments. In 2016, With the new TV deal, the bottom team will get £99MILLION!!! Where are Cardiff now? They're 16th! It's the hardest league in the world to get out of. So don't be so ****ing sure we'll bounce straight back up! That's why, for me, probably just me, I couldn't give 2 ****s about the cup. I'd enjoy the run but for me the PL is 100% paramount! I'd rather struggle in the PL than beat, Brentford or Rotherham (no disrespect intended) week in week out. Nothing else matters. NOTHING!!
I want us to make it through this cup game so that we are one game from a wembley semi-final (although being an older fan would prefer a hillsborough semi-final). I would then like us to pick up more points from our "winnable games",to ensure that we pick up enough points from the remaining home matches (bearing in mind we have Arsenal,Man U,Chelsea,Everton,West Ham,Stoke and our bogey side Hull all away),to reach the magic figure that keeps us up. It goes without saying I would like us to complete the double over our friends on the tyne and for good measure to beat Southampton 9-8 on aggregate. Moving on from here and into the coming seasons,I would settle for a worry free couple of seasons finishing comfortable 10th to 12th position with a decent cup run in both cups. Is this too much to ask,given the pain and suffering (with a smattering of highs along the way) that I and many others have suffered over the last 40/50 years.
