Every English football fan has a special place in their heart for the F.A. Cup.
Some will deny it, particularly if their side have lost in the early rounds.
But it is there; every fan wants to be able to tell their grandchildren that they were at Wembley when their team lifted the famous silverware.
The tournament has always had its shocks, upsets, and, sometimes, downright giant-killings.
But the way that Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United conducted themselves on Saturday for their Fifth Round clashes is the clearest evidence yet that the romance of the F.A. Cup is under serious threat.
It really is a shame that Arsenal were not playing a lower league team. The embarrassment of going out of the competition to Cardiff, Huddersfield or Bristol Rovers would have been fitting punishment for fielding the team that they did against Manchester United.
While a few players were carrying knocks, Arsene Wenger’s theory of resting key players ahead of this week’s upcoming Champion’s League fixtures is degrading the oldest cup competition in the world. His team of bench-warmers and youngsters were played off the park by a United team who themselves left out important players for the same reason.
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Justin Hoyte, supposedly one of the players Fabio Capello was eyeing as an England prospect, was run ragged by Nani, a boy who is neither strong enough or fit enough for the Premiership at this stage of his career. And as for Armand Traore, Wenger must have been on the phone to Newcastle United before the final whistle had even blown; “Hello, Kevin? It’s Arsene here, how would you like to buy another useless defender?”
Supporters of the competition must have been delighted when Brian Howard banged in his injury time winner for Bansley to send Liverpool crashing out. While they were not as self-depleted as United, Arsenal or Chelsea, they still rested players like Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano with one eye on mid-week.
Hopefully they will have learned their lesson come next season, but I’m afraid that won’t be the case. Chelsea had similar problems with League One side Huddersfield Town, but managed to let the class shine through at the end.
One can’t help but notice that all four have foreign managers. Fair play to Alex Ferguson, his side got the job done with the minimum of fuss, but is it not inconceivable that the likes of Benitez, Wenger and Grant don’t really appreciate the true romance of the cup, or how much it means to fans?
One solution, suggested by Michel Plattini, is to remove the Champions League place given to the team who finish fourth and re-distribute it to the winners of the F.A. Cup. Particularly in a tight title race such as this one, teams would have to give the F.A. Cup their best shot on the off chance they have a couple of bad games and finish fourth in the league.
The League Cup has already become a joke, a Mickey Mouse cup, a place to blood in the youngsters. Please, let’s not do the same to what is comfortably the best cup competition on the planet.
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9 months ago
Dude, u'v got it wrong and i hope u take a couple of mins. to go thru this comment.
Firstly, Arsene had a long list of injured players and it is bad enuf that this happened at such a time when two of the countries best were to match-up.
Secondly, u showed bias by not having a go at Ferguson who rested his best two players, in Tevez and Ronaldo. Would u have changed ur article if Arsenal won on the night and slaughtered Fergie(same name as a female songstress) for not fielding his leading scorers.
You english fans have to look elsewhere rather than to hang foreign managers when its not good for them cos, there seems not to exist a good enough English Manager to manage Top English teams and even the National Team.
Asene, Mourinho, Grant, Benitez, O'neil(not english), Tigana and a host of others have helped the Premiership to be the best league in the world and in turn, that has rubbed off on the F.A. Cup.
from 9 months ago
Uche you must have noticed that Sir Alex has been around a bit longer than the black eyed peas...well I hope you have.
from 9 months ago
I agree with you, Uche. And I would add that Arsene has never devalued the FA Cup. How many times has he won it, after all? But when you've got injuries, you've got injuries, end of story. As for Benitez and Grant...even Coppell and Hughes would have rested key players against Barnsley and Huddersfield if they'd had a midgame European match. I think both Benitez and Grant are overrated, but they can't be blamed for a decision that makes sense.
I do agree with you in one thing, though, Tom, and that is that the fourth Champs League spot should go to the FA Cup winner (and if they are already in Champs League it should pass to the Carling Cup winner). That would change the importance of the FA Cup for all teams. That is the best possible idea.
9 months ago
Well what you say is true and it's a shame to see this but fair play to barnsley who still beat a far better side than theirs. And hats of to the likes of Huddersfield who played their hearts out!
9 months ago
Sorry but this article is largely incorrect.
As others have pointed out, the Arsenal team was down to injury more than anything. The Liverpool team was 90% full strength, as Torres has been injured. Only Reina and Mascherano were really rested, Gerrard came on as sub with the score at 1-1.
The Manchester Utd team featured just as many (if not more) changes, with Park, Fletcher and Nani all getting relatively rare starts and Ronaldo, Hargreaves and Tevez all rested.
Steve Coppell, Mark Hughes and Sam Allardyce are all British managers who have rested players, sometimes a whole teams worth, in the FA Cup.
But hey, why let the facts get in the way an excuse to have a go at foreigners?
Nationality has nothing to do with it. There are many reasons why the FA Cup does not mean what it once did to top level teams, the main one being money, ie you get more for finishing 10th in the league than you do for getting to the FA Cup semi final.
9 months ago
lol ur country has a foreign manager.. irony at its best!!!
9 months ago
I am a lifelong arsenal supporter and i was bitterely dissapointed by the FA cup fifth round defeat. A defeat at by the hands of Man UTD is always hard to swallow. But, congradulatios to Man UTD, they played a good game and deserved to win. I dont think the problem is because of foreign coaches. The likes of Ferguson and Wenger have been around for more than a decade so by now, they should understand the value of the FA Cup and the glory of it. But guys, I wanted the treble but i guess Wenger and his boys are just going to win the league and UEFA champions league. CIAO
9 months ago
Maybe this article has been misinterpreted.
Yes, I may have a go at foreign managers towards the end, but I say it as a POSSIBLE reason. It is one possibility, but there are far wider issues about fixture congestion, TV money etc. that I may not have made 100 percent clear in the original article. Sorry if that is the case.
Uche, you are correct, the fact I went in with the crosshair pointed at Wenger IS because they lost, but mainly because of the lack of heart / conviction they went into the game with. The reason I spared Ferguson a little bit ( I still don't agree with the way he rested Tevez etc.) is that at least he seemed to get his boys fired up for the game.
And Choy, never at ANY point did I say I agree with the fact my country has a foreign manager.
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