Thursday 14 January 2010

So the FA Cup is important NOW Manchester United and Liverpool are out?

Shouldn't winning the FA Cup always be important to Arsenal Football Club?

We've won the Cup 10 times in our history and it was the last trophy that we managed to get our hands on.

Before we beat West Ham in the 3rd round I doubted the importance of the competition to Arsene Wenger. I was worried he would sacrifice the Cup by resting players. He proved me wrong by selecting a strong team. And a team that won too.

I read, and heard, many people saying the FA Cup is far from important these days anyway.

Funny how opinions change isn't it?

Now that Manchester United and Liverpool have been knocked out, it takes on an even more important significance. Why?

Even with Manchester United and Liverpool involved surely we should be looking to win every trophy we challenge for. Especially the FA Cup. Even the Carling Cup. I mean, we go for the Premiership and Champions League don't we?

The competition has become a little easier to win now with both those clubs out. But only now, because they are out, do I see the vast majority of people saying it is important to Arsenal.

So what has changed?

Were we not good enough to win it when those two were involved? Are we becoming that desperate for a trophy that people will change their view just because it became easier to win? Or is it deeper than that?

I have to say that the FA Cup has always been important to me. I love the romance and the fact that it is still regarded as the best domestic trophy to get your hands on in the world of football.

The FA Cup has taken a bit of a kicking in recent years. Qualifying for the Champions League is seen as a greater achievement and I find that a real shame.

Unfortunately because of the financial gain from being in Europes premiership competition the Cup is not a massive priority.

You can argue that a top four finish is more important but in my view Arsenal should be going for the title, not top four finishes. And even then if you are not successful in winning the league, I'm pretty confident you'd be in the top four anyway.

Don't view the FA Cup as something that is not a priority. It is. It's always been important and should be in the future.

We should always want to win it.

Just because Manchester United and Liverpool are out it doesn't mean that we should take a sudden interest in winning it.

The FA Cup deserves more than that.

Keep it Goonerish...............

25 comments:

Gunner Pete said...

Make you right.

Unfortunately there many very fickle Gooners out there these days.

I adore the FA Cup and IMO it should as equal importance to the Champions League.

Anonymous said...

In theory 4 or 5 more wins and we have the cup.

Sounds like an easy route for silverware for Wenger.

The big issue is normally the semi final is around a big CL game.

We can beat any team on our day, however the issue with cups is, if you come up against a team on their day the job is much harder.

I personally would play 7 regulars, change the keeper, and 3 outfield players who are subs to start, with the dropped players on the bench.

This all depends on injuries etc, but that is the theory.

Mark C

Anonymous said...

Fair point

Anonymous said...

Face it we aint gonna win shit anyways

Real Social Dad said...

it's still in 3rd place behind the league and europe
And the last time we won it was the worst game i've seen us play under wenger.
Was like watching bolton under fat sam.
f the fa cup
I'm fead up with it a trip to wembley is usually unenjoyable the place is a dive i'm glad i moved.

Wrighty7 said...

Can't get anymore to the point than that RSD! Ha ha

Real Social Dad said...

u know me blunt as a spoon

Wrighty7 said...

Would you take an FA Cup win and 4th or being knocked out of the cup early and then coming a close 2nd in the league RSD?

Real Social Dad said...

would take 2nd and a semi in cup. as you still get go home and see me mum as it semi is at wembley anyway.

but only if we win Champions league gainst barca. 4-3 Cesc gets a hatrick.

Manure r 4th and city win league liverpool get relegated.

And I put this on accumulator for 7 billion/1
and win enough to clear the national debt. lol

Anonymous said...

if trhe arse dont care about the FA cup, then they feck right off out of the league as well.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if others are 'all of a sudden' interested in the Cup now, but with the exits of ManUre and Liverpoodle, this does make our path to Cup glory that much easier, but still not a sure shot by any means.

Anonymous said...

They are Wengerites. They don't support Arsenal they support Wenger

Anonymous said...

i think if you look at the team wenger picked for the west ham game you can see he wants to win it,the way the players fought back in the last 10 minutes shows they want to win it,and every gooner wants to win it,it was important all this time but with UTD and liverfool out it doesnt make it easier automatically,we have to go to stoke and get a result first,then knowing our luck in F.A CUP draws we will have to go to the bridge or somewhere difficult,but this year the team is looking really good and hungry for everything,its only january but there is somthing happening at arsenal at the moment and i can definitly smell a trophy or two,this decade will be remembered for the arsenal and nothing else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summerspur said...

F A cup final win should get the winners a champion league spot. it would then be treated with the respect it deserves.

Anonymous said...

Well, you cunts will never qualify for CL then because you won't ever come in the top three and you won't ever win the FA Cup.

Summerspur said...

er yeah ok sunbeam. champions league? what exactly are you champions of then? why cant you debate without being a massdebator. fukin numbnuts

Anonymous said...

Wrighty7, not sure who has made the comments to tick you off so, but I will rather rely on what the Manager says. Wenger has made it clear that the FA Cup is very important to him/the club, as exemplified by the strong team on show, against WHU. That had nothing to do with Man U and L'pool being knocked out.

Wrighty7 said...

You know what Summerspur, that's not a bad idea.

It would certainly spice up the Premiership as only three would qualify through league placings and it would give the FA Cup a new lease of life.

Danish Gooner said...

Here in Denmark it is regarded as important as the Pl and every Danish fan of english football clubs love the third round action,i simply dont get it that we only play to win the Pl and Cl.it is ridicilous.

Real Social Dad said...

FA cup give u a champions league spot.
Give over
imagine pompey in champions league. Would be worse than everton a few years back.

Anonymous said...

If we want to win the double AGAIN then we have to take the FA cup very seriously - this is our best shot at the double for a long time so Wenger should go for it.

Anonymous said...

You are a fucking prick

Real Social Dad said...

Anonymous 14 January 2010 21:55

Whos a what now
least i can got the balls to put my name to my comment.

K_C said...

guys lets not lie to ourselves, the fa cu is important yes dat fair enuff, but it is not better than the premier leaugue or champions league, so u kno and i kno that we wud all rather win the league or champions league thatn the fa cup, so lets stop pretending, if we win th fa cup then its a bonus.

Unknown said...

The league and CL always take priority for obvious reasons, and with the squad we've had over the last few years, it is very difficult to maintain an assault on all of these platforms. We all want European success, it's by far the most important trophy, so for me the FA Cup is nice but not compensation for lacklustre efforts at the others. I bet we go further in the CL than the FA Cup this year, but I might not be joined by many! http://tiny.cc/GchGd