Sweet FA

[John Sitton legend]

Surely for clubs like West Ham the cup is their only reasonable chance of winning something, so why play kids and wreck your chances. Saddens me to see the lack of interest and respect of the history of the competition these days.

[since-1969]

Bottom teams like West Ham , are in relegation survival battle , winning the cup is not likely and £150m is at  stake

[sheffield exile1]

Surely for clubs like West Ham the cup is their only reasonable chance of winning something, so why play kids and wreck your chances. Saddens me to see the lack of interest and respect of the history of the competition these days.

Arsenal anyone??

[John Sitton legend]

Why are West Ham not likely ? The so called big 6 have no interest unless they reach the final by accident

[NickDRFC]

Not sure about that, United, Spurs, Liverpool and City especially all played strong teams. It was only really Arsenal and Chelsea that made wholesale changes.

[acko]

i couldnt agree more what has been already posted.The fa cup was known world wide but now its sliding into oblivian by prem teams only thought is either survival or a champions league place its a pity that such a great competition as the fa cup should be treat has another caribo cup

[Donnywolf]

Why are West Ham not likely ? The so called big 6 have no interest unless they reach the final by accident

I am not sure of that

Man U will be bursting their b***s to win "some Silverware" as they call it and being out of the FLC / Carabao will intensify their interest. Ironic given they could not even be bothered to enter it some years ago

Spurs Arsenal (just seen result !!!) and Chelsea likewise. They probably believe (maybe rightly) that the League has gone already and they too will be eyeing up "Silverware"

Man City may manage to get to the FA Cup's final stages even playing a lesser Team than that on PL and CL duty - even though though Pep says "its unlikely we can do a quadruple".

Its a shame cos the whole thing is down the pan now and Teams like Wolves v Swansea yesterday probably both had other fish to fry. Both would be looking at their ideals for next Season. Wolves to get up and Swansea to stay up

[Donnywolf]

i couldnt agree more what has been already posted.The fa cup was known world wide but now its sliding into oblivian by prem teams only thought is either survival or a champions league place its a pity that such a great competition as the fa cup should be treat has another caribo cup

You are right - its pathetic now

[selby]

  It is easier now for small clubs to have a good cup run, with bigger clubs fielding reserve teams in the competition. That is every small club but us,we are still crap at cup football, Rochdale will be hoping they get us again in all the cups next season surely, we are worth a fortune to them.
 I wonder if I will live long enough to see us play in the 5th round again? the last time was 61yrs ago.

[NickDRFC]

Give it a rest, we got through 3 rounds before this one. Rochdale has already beaten us in the league, it’s not like we had some divine right for a place in round 4.

[keith79]

If they offered the winners of the F.A cup a champions league place it would make the big clubs try harder to win it.

[auckleyflyer]

To be fair to arsenal they have a history of using to cup to field 2nd string team. Its worked for them for years in bringing on players and they usually stick with the reserves even in the latter stages

[selby]

  Nick, 3 minus 1 is 2, or it used to be.

[DaveDRFC]

All these people saying the big teams don't try to win the FA Cup, have you actually looked at who has won it the last few years? Other than Portsmouth, Wigan. Coventry and Wimbledon the only teams who have won it since 1980 are Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton. In recent times (since 1995) only Portsmouth and Wigan have won it other then Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

[ravenrover]

it's time the fa said they must play 6 or 7 starters from the previous league game. it's not fair on the punters who pay good money to see a PL team put out a team of youngsters or reserves. if they are not interested then don't join the competition in the 1st place jmho

[IDM]

I don't agree.  A club can play any of their squad IMHO, and that includes us.  Fans know these days that bigger clubs will often use their squads in the early rounds of cup competitions.

[DMnumber4]

All these people saying the big teams don't try to win the FA Cup, have you actually looked at who has won it the last few years? Other than Portsmouth, Wigan. Coventry and Wimbledon the only teams who have won it since 1980 are Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton. In recent times (since 1995) only Portsmouth and Wigan have won it other then Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Agree entirely with this; how detrimental was winning the FA Cup to Wigan and Pompey in the long run too?! 

It seems people want teams who won't win the Premier League to have a proper dart at this competition e.g. West Ham / Newcastle.

However, they are financially preoccupied with staying in the top flight and their second strings aren't quite good enough to go all the way, as opposed to someone like Man City whose reserve side probably could because it's that strong!

[ravenrover]

I don't agree.  A club can play any of their squad IMHO, and that includes us.  Fans know these days that bigger clubs will often use their squads in the early rounds of cup competitions.

so you would be happy to draw Arsenal in the cup at home pay good money and watch them turn out out a team of players you've never heard of? mindst you judging by the moronic Forest supporters in my local on Sunday night they must have thought they had beaten them in the actual final

[IDM]

I would be paying to watch Doncaster Rovers..

I would definitely not be surprised if such an opponent fielded a weaker team..

What would be wrong would be for ticket prices to be artificially high due to the name of the opposition. 

[idler]

I don't agree.  A club can play any of their squad IMHO, and that includes us.  Fans know these days that bigger clubs will often use their squads in the early rounds of cup competitions.

so you would be happy to draw Arsenal in the cup at home pay good money and watch them turn out out a team of players you've never heard of? mindst you judging by the moronic Forest supporters in my local on Sunday night they must have thought they had beaten them in the actual final

Raven, I was happy to watch us play Arsenal in our League Cup run a few years ago. They had some very good players in that side albeit not regular first teamers. Would the Rovers risk all their best players against a team from a few levels lower in a cup game? I don't think so these days.
Most teams will pick the weakest side that they think will get them through to save injuries and the chance of players getting carded.

[VivaRovers]

All these people saying the big teams don't try to win the FA Cup, have you actually looked at who has won it the last few years? Other than Portsmouth, Wigan. Coventry and Wimbledon the only teams who have won it since 1980 are Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton. In recent times (since 1995) only Portsmouth and Wigan have won it other then Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Agree entirely with this; how detrimental was winning the FA Cup to Wigan and Pompey in the long run too?! 

Not at all detrimental. Portsmouth were a financial basket case who's slide down the leagues would've come regardless of whether they'd won the FA Cup or not. And, Wigan fans I know certainly wouldn't have swapped winning the FA Cup for staying in the Premier League, and rightly so, as it wasn't going for the FA Cup that got them relegated. They were already in the relegation zone before the FA Cup before they played an FA Cup game that season.

[RoversAlias]

We played Arsenal this season in a cup and the selection gave us more respect than the one put out against Forest did. And we did pretty well against a team containing world class players like Sanchez, Giroud, Wilshere and Mertesacker.

[RedJ]

And Ospina in goal is hardly an unknown.