The FA Cup 2015/16

[Paddingtonwolf]

How can they move it to midweek when UEFA will not allow mid-week ties involving top-flight sides in the same weeks as Champions League and Europa League matches?

 

[Freddeno]

Love the fa cup games..small clubs vs big clubs..dont change anything

 

[FrankMunro-371]

How can they move it to midweek when UEFA will not allow mid-week ties involving top-flight sides in the same weeks as Champions League and Europa League matches?

I believe the plan is to follow the likes of Spain and Italy, and fit cup games around European fixtures. It will be a great shame if it happens, but I think it probably will.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The round of 16 in the Champions League is now spread over four weeks though. There won't be midweeks available for this at the time of the year that fifth round is played. The whole competition might have to be moved in the calendar, which will ruin it even more.

I personally disagree strongly with the way the Champions League seems to dominate all decision making, and being told that everything is being done for the good of English teams in European competition. I really don't actually care much about the Champions League. The team I support are hugely unlikely to trouble the competition in my lifetime and frankly I haven't missed it all now that it is on BT and I can't see much of it.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

I think all the preliminary rounds and 1st and 2nd rounds will start earlier, and by the time the champions league last sixteen games start, we will probably be at the quarter final stage of the FA Cup. If this plan goes ahead, then I wonder where the league cup will fit into the programme?

 

[machin05]

Any teams playing Europe will probably be given the option of abstaining from the League Cup, would be my guess.

 

[Langers]

The whole idea is a disgrace. They shouldn't be allowed to fuck about with the FA Cup - replays should stay. If it means those poor teams in the Premier League simply have too many games to play, fuck 'em. Show some respect for the competition, the sport and your opponents.

Sadly, it's only going to go one way and that's a competition best suited to the clubs who need it the least and are already rolling in cash, for whom the FA cup is a pain in the arse as it means their precious players might get a bit tired.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

The round of 16 in the Champions League is now spread over four weeks though. There won't be midweeks available for this at the time of the year that fifth round is played. The whole competition might have to be moved in the calendar, which will ruin it even more.

I personally disagree strongly with the way the Champions League seems to dominate all decision making, and being told that everything is being done for the good of English teams in European competition. I really don't actually care much about the Champions League. The team I support are hugely unlikely to trouble the competition in my lifetime and frankly I haven't missed it all now that it is on BT and I can't see much of it.

Barca have managed to fit in a midweek domestic game tonight as their CL tie isn't until next week, it can be done with a bit of shuffling.

 

[Lord Knows]

The whole idea is a disgrace. They shouldn't be allowed to fuck about with the FA Cup - replays should stay. If it means those poor teams in the Premier League simply have too many games to play, fuck 'em. Show some respect for the competition, the sport and your opponents.

Sadly, it's only going to go one way and that's a competition best suited to the clubs who need it the least and are already rolling in cash, for whom the FA cup is a pain in the arse as it means their precious players might get a bit tired.

Yet most Premier league clubs have squads of players double in number to a couple of decades ago. Many in need of more games.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

The whole idea is a disgrace. They shouldn't be allowed to fuck about with the FA Cup - replays should stay. If it means those poor teams in the Premier League simply have too many games to play, fuck 'em. Show some respect for the competition, the sport and your opponents.

Sadly, it's only going to go one way and that's a competition best suited to the clubs who need it the least and are already rolling in cash, for whom the FA cup is a pain in the arse as it means their precious players might get a bit tired.

Spot on. The FA cup used to mean something, replays mean extraordinary amounts of money for lower league teams who really need it.

The PL teams/players who are turning over huge amounts of cash need to look at the bigger picture and understand that for the actual amounts they earn, actual work needs to be put in, and you have to respect and fulfill your fixtures as normal.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Barca have managed to fit in a midweek domestic game tonight as their CL tie isn't until next week, it can be done with a bit of shuffling.

Interesting as last season Liverpool weren't allowed to play a cup replay in a champions league week. Presumably one rule for Barcelona...

 

[darlowolf64]

Reading vs Crystal Palace
Everton vs Chelsea
Arsenal/Hull vs Watford
Shrewsbury/Man U vs West Ham

No final FA Cup game at home for West Ham unless they draw their tie

 

[BillyDee]

I can't see West Ham drawing against Shrewsbury...