EARLY CUP EXIT NEXT SEASON PLEASE (6 Viewers)

[oscillatewildly]

One thing the cup run showed besides a great victory against Wolves and a great Cup Final v Manchester United. Was how much it took out of the players, similar with a victory over Leeds.

It shows we are a long way off being able to compete week in week out with Premier League standards. It is is not just squad size but the depth of quality needed.

We are several seasons away from promotion in my opinion. So let's enjoy what we have, league games cup games, just enjoy the journey. Wembley was very special for me last season and this season along with 87!

'Enjoy'? This isn't a bloody game, Hobo!

 

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[SIR ERNIE]

These are professionals and should be able to cope with a lot of game time, the real reason for this is down to our depth in squad… look at Ipswich last night, they have reliable quality on the bench, we unfortunately do not have this. It is all about a bigger squad not game time

Yes it's almost impossible to go deep into the final stages of the FA cup and maintain a 100% push for promotion unless you have a strong squad.
Its a case of one or the other for a club with our resources.

 

[The CableGuy]

I'd prefer to be playing the likes of Wolves and Man Utd more often. That means promotion, the league is our bread and butter. Cup runs are fine but they can't be the priority. It's hard enough competing with relegated PL teams with parachute money, given our current squad depth.

I'd suspect Ipswich fans at the start of the season would have taken another promotion over a cup run. Maidstone was embarrassing for them but I doubt they give a shit about that now.

 

[ccfcricoh]

We'd lost 3 out of 4 games prior to the United game, can hardly blame that.

Id rather focus on improving squad depth than playing less games

 

[CBS16]

Disagree with the OP. It's an easy excuse we just need more depth. Sheffield United had a similar cup run last season to what we've just had and went up automatically. The reason we tailed off is because we've regularly not turned up and the squad lacks depth and on pitch professionalism. The Birmingham game was a complete and utter disgrace, 3 weeks after the wolves game with a near full strength and fresh 11. If the cup affected them mentally then they're too weak to compete for promotion anyway

 

[The watchmaker]

Life just doesn't work like this. People seem to have forgotten that the FA cup is where Simms' scoring run began. We also had a bit of a stutter after Robins rested players against... Wednesday(?). Just try and win every game and see where that takes us. Reality is that generally won't be the semi final.

 

[clint van damme]

We'd lost 3 out of 4 games prior to the United game, can hardly blame that.

Id rather focus on improving squad depth than playing less games

Or 3 of 5 between the 2 cup games

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

If the Torp goal rightly stands it's the best win I've ever seen from a City team and it would be one of the biggest and best cup upsets of all time. Yes I would swap that for finishing 6th this season.

The great pity is that we were robbed of that, lost on penalties which just knocked the stuffing out of the players. Going into the Hull game off the back of that win and who knows, perhaps the adrenaline gets them through.

 

[Super Graham Withey]

A cup semi final is all a club of our size can hope for whether we are in the Prem or not. Not sure whether the Prem would be that enjoyable anyway. I suspect the fun would be in the getting there.

 

[MalcSB]

We'd lost 3 out of 4 games prior to the United game, can hardly blame that.

Id rather focus on improving squad depth than playing less games

the players minds were on Wembley for those 3 games that were lost.

 

[MalcSB]

I'd prefer to be playing the likes of Wolves and Man Utd more often. That means promotion, the league is our bread and butter. Cup runs are fine but they can't be the priority. It's hard enough competing with relegated PL teams with parachute money, given our current squad depth.

I'd suspect Ipswich fans at the start of the season would have taken another promotion over a cup run. Maidstone was embarrassing for them but I doubt they give a shit about that now.

And didn’t we play a lot of top teams in our cup run.

 

[DrPoolittle]

For the last few games, Cov has the same stats as Rotherham at the foot of the table

 

[ccfcricoh]

the players minds were on Wembley for those 3 games that were lost.

i get that, in my mind squad depth solves that problem as well though... if there was a suitable replacement, a player would be fighting for their shirt every game.

Out starting 11 practically picks itself which i think is the main problem

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

If we're going to still have a small squad I'd forego the cups, but having said that I wouldn't want an embarrassing defeat to lower league opposition. Ideally get a PL team away early on, put in a good performance and narrowly lose. Heads held high but avoid the later fixture congestion.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

I'm one of the over 55's (well over actually) and being a Cov fan over the last few seasons have been the best I can remember since the FA Cup win. I like winning games in the championship as opposed to fighting off relegation in the top flight. Believe me, there's not much fun in that . Been there too many times.

 

[SkyBlueAussie]

Said it for a long time. 8 games a season more than the prem, but still have to observe the International breaks. Any long cup runs means the squad can easily get knackered.
Don't forget, we haven't got the money and therefore the strength of Premier Teams, and the relegated teams with parachute payments. Any unlucky injury run and we are f...ed.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

I'm one of the over 55's (well over actually) and being a Cov fan over the last few seasons have been the best I can remember since the FA Cup win. I like winning games in the championship as opposed to fighting off relegation in the top flight. Believe me, there's not much fun in that . Been there too many times.

It's purely a matter of personal taste but I enjoyed more being in the Premier League including those relegation fights. A win in the top league meant far more than in the Championship. But we are all different.

 

[Frank Sidebottom]

When the third round draw was played, Ipswich were second, we were 8th.

They're still second, and we're now 9th.

Bloody cup run has cost us that 8th place finish.

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

I wouldn't change the FA cup run this season for anything .
Fuck the Premier league .

 

[SIR ERNIE]

I wouldn't change the FA cup run this season for anything .
Fuck the Premier league .

Me neither, the Wembley semi final was the most fantastic experience. However I don't need to experience it again next season.

Unless we've got tremendous strength in depth, I'd like to see us focus everything on a top six finish.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

Not having a cup run doesn't mean that we automatically then challenge for promotion, you just can't pick and choose like that, although I have agreed with MR's policy of not taking the League Cup too seriously as that has become irrelevant. The FA Cup is different though, and having produced our greatest day, and another nearly this season, should be taken seriously. We may yet still get knocked out in the early rounds.

While this season our league form has tapered off, the real benefit of ourcup run could be on the impact on next season. As well as bringing in some extra pennies it raised our profile making us a more attractive proposition to join which should hopefully allow us to bring in better players, while those players already with us will know that they can compete on the big stage and at a higher level. Not being in the play offs could also turn to our advantage next season so that our players are better rested and will hopefully make a better start than this season.

 

[wingy]

Not having a cup run doesn't mean that we automatically then challenge for promotion, you just can't pick and choose like that, although I have agreed with MR's policy of not taking the League Cup too seriously as that has become irrelevant. The FA Cup is different though, and having produced our greatest day, and another nearly this season, should be taken seriously. We may yet still get knocked out in the early rounds.

While this season our league form has tapered off, the real benefit of ourcup run could be on the impact on next season. As well as bringing in some extra pennies it raised our profile making us a more attractive proposition to join which should hopefully allow us to bring in better players, while those players already with us will know that they can compete on the big stage and at a higher level. Not being in the play offs could also turn to our advantage next season so that our players are better rested and will hopefully make a better start than this season.

Get the feeling the season's been some kind of practice run!

 

[Sick Boy]

It's purely a matter of personal taste but I enjoyed more being in the Premier League including those relegation fights. A win in the top league meant far more than in the Championship. But we are all different.

Yeah the win away at Spurs was up there with the best.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

Ipswich have been in the top 3 all season. Their form since January has very little to do with losing to Maidstone.

Spot on. I think McKenna’s a better manager than MR and would have figured out how to manage a deeper cup run as well as get his teams promoted.

 

[ccfc1234]

Leciester had 1 less game in the cup than us. People like to find excuses and the cup is a convenient scapegoat.
If I was pinpointing the issues I think the injuries to Saka, Sheaf and to a lesser degree Allen and an overall lack of squad depth were the key factors.

 

[shmmeee]

Hope we’ve got a squad that means we can rest players and still make it through the early rounds. Playing the teams we did against Maidstone and Oxford was fun but a little wreckless. Though after Wrexham understandable. Hopefully we have at least a L1 standard second string next year, if not lower championship.

 

[Evo1883]

Ipswich's January home cup defeat by Maidstone left them free to get the maximum out of their squad in the league. With no distractions they've over performed and are now within a point of the PL.

Our January home defeat last year against Wrexham worked in the same way for us. With no distractions a very average squad put together a run of great results that took us to the PO final.

Fuck the cup next season, take an embarrassing 3rd round defeat if necessary and focus on what really matters.

Maybe we just get a bigger more capable squad

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Hope we’ve got a squad that means we can rest players and still make it through the early rounds. Playing the teams we did against Maidstone and Oxford was fun but a little wreckless. Though after Wrexham understandable. Hopefully we have at least a L1 standard second string next year, if not lower championship.

I wouldn't mind it being like this season in terms of good draws for the first few rounds to get the prize money. But around Round 5 can we get a decent PL club, put in a decent performance and lose with our heads held high.

 

[skybluecam]

Spot on. I think McKenna’s a better manager than MR and would have figured out how to manage a deeper cup run as well as get his teams promoted.

Jesus you fucking turncoat. McKenna hasn't even done 3 full seasons in management yet, is working off a bigger budget than Robins and half the squad he inherited anyway. Let's see what happens when he has to face some actual adversity next season.

 

[Travs]

I think people assume that a top 6 finish automatically means promotion.

Unfortunately it still carries a very small chance (and we are a way off being automatic promotion contenders due to parachute payments and simply other teams being better).

We may not make the Premier League in the next 5-10 years.... i think a lot of our fans assume its a given just because we invest in the playing side.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I think people assume that a top 6 finish automatically means promotion.

Unfortunately it still carries a very small chance (and we are a way off being automatic promotion contenders due to parachute payments and simply other teams being better).

We may not make the Premier League in the next 5-10 years.... i think a lot of our fans assume its a given just because we invest in the playing side.

Dare I say it’s the same trap that fans of other teams have fallen in to over the years, some of which we’ve had fun beating with much cheaper squads.

 

[LastChance]

We've got 1 point out of our last 6 league matches. Anyone glad were not in the final v Man City?

 

[wingy]

We've got 1 point out of our last 6 league matches. Anyone glad were not in the final v Man City?

No tbf, it's wembley, home!

 

[skybluericoh]

In’87 the cup run actually helped the league performances. Winning, just like losing, becomes a habit.
the manner of the loss at Wembley knocked the stuffing out of the players, add to that how thin the squad is, it’s understandable. I for one have enjoyed this season, with the rebuilding that has happened, I think we’ve done better than I expected. I would have loved to hit 71 points, even though that wouldn’t have been enough for the playoffs.
Apart from the goals against, you can see improvement all around.

 

[adamcov]

Disagree with the OP. It's an easy excuse we just need more depth. Sheffield United had a similar cup run last season to what we've just had and went up automatically. The reason we tailed off is because we've regularly not turned up and the squad lacks depth and on pitch professionalism. The Birmingham game was a complete and utter disgrace, 3 weeks after the wolves game with a near full strength and fresh 11. If the cup affected them mentally then they're too weak to compete for promotion anyway

Totally agree. Our season fell apart at Birmingham not Wembley and we have an alarming tendency to be not mentally tough enough when it really matters. We miss a Doyle/ McFadz leader who won’t accept those performances- though doesn’t have to be a veteran. Birmingham was unforgivable for a team chasing promotion