Yesterday's match will have done so much good for the League Cup as a competition. I say this not because i need to 'big up' the League Cup now that we've won it, but because i genuinely think the competition is on its way up. Firstly the fact that Liverpool played a strong team all the way through has shown the benefits of not just using it to give the kids gametime. This may lead to more clubs playing first team players as they've seen just what the prize can be. Secondly it was good that Liverpool won in the way they did. It may have been a great story had Cardiff won, but it would have been easier for people to write off the competition as unimportant had a Championship club won it. Still though, the fact that it was such a close game and went the full distance will add excitement around the Cup and prevent the final from being forgotten quite so easily. People respect and remember tournaments that have exciting games and some kind of story to them. Had we breezed past lower league opposition playing our kids and then topped it off with a crushing win against Cardiff then it would have been leveled that we only won it because we were the only decent team that took it seriously. Thirdly i think the League Cup will gain prestige anyway, as now that there is a so-called 'Top 6' (maybe plus Newcastle depending on how they go on) rather than a 'Top 4'. That is at least 6 clubs competing for 2 trophies (League and FA Cup), meaning at least 4 will miss out. This means that teams are more likely to respect the League Cup (why not go for 4th and the LC if your rivals are going for 4th and the FA Cup?) as it's a great chance to win silverware at Wembley. Finally the day itself was good for the League Cup. No bad blood, no trouble. Mark Lawrenson said on the radio this morning that him and the other pundits agreed it 'felt more like an FA Cup Final than a League Cup Final'. Many remarked on how many fans had gone down to the capital and how the game had a proper sense of occasion. This is really good for English football as it'd be great to have 3 genuinely exciting competitions rather than 2 and i think everyone agreed that yesterday was a brilliant day for football. Thanks to Cardiff for being a top club all round and commiserations, but personally i absolutely loved yesterday!
well if utd can win it 3 times in 6 years they can hardly belittle it can they? its a good comp and has the same prize at the end, if not history and glory, as the FA cup really... same european trophy qualification. I would have to say that some but not all of the games come at the right time for teams so theres not much excuse for big sides, even those in the cl nto to have a go at this one..... great day for us, typical cup final from us as well...
Good post sir. I for one don't think it will have done it any harm but I also don't think it will make clubs take the competition more seriously. I think clubs do want to win the competition but when you are in Europe ( and that isn't a pop at Liverpool ) clubs simply prioritise the need to rest certain players and also the need to give other players some game time. It will be interesting to see the teams Liverpool put out next year now you are guaranteed Europa League football ( at least ). This seasons lack of European football allowed Liverpool to field stronger squads - again that's not a dig it's just an observation. You can't fault your approach to the competition this year - you set out to win and you did.
My football reporter mate had a tenner on them at 8 to 1 (I think) when he saw the team for Exeter. He's one of you, by the way. He covered the match yesterday. He'll have been gutted when that equaliser went in for two reasons. Possibly losing his bet and getting home even later
You know, I loved yesterday - and we lost. Football like it used to be - a game played in the right spirit, with barely any histrionics and silly diving. Really enjoyed the day - far more than the FA Cup Final a few years ago against Pompey. Just a great atmosphere and a real sense of occasion.
There was definitely something 'old school' about the occasion, although I cant really put my finger on it. I went into the game with pretty low expectations as a footballing occasion, but by the end I genuinely wouldn't have begrudged Cardiff picking up the trophy. They were simply magnificent AND I reckon this will hopefully be the start of a long-standing affinity with the Bluebirds. Until they make it into the Premiership, of course. Then all bets are off... GKRK
