FA Cup Fa Cup final today

Sarge

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Arsenal V Chelsea

I remember , many, many years ago, getting excited when it was FACup final day

arrival of the PL and the subsequent devaluation of the worlds oldest club cup competition
( PL sides fielding dev squad players in early rounds- from round 3 , usually until the semi finals - disrespecting lower league & the odd non league side who are still in the competition) is IMO so wrong

replays dispensed with ( in later rounds) on the request of the monied elite, being another disrespectful act

yet terrestrial TV pundits bang on about the magic and the romance of the (FA) cup, conveniently ignoring how thee worlds oldest cup competition has been devalued, decimated yet still slanted to favour the elite PL sides - who, until they reach the semi finals treat the FA cup competition with contempt

of course money is the driving factor ...surviving in the PL is worth millions, whereas 'prize money' from winning the FA cup is peanuts in comparison

as today's final is on terrestrial tv I may have a(n uniterested) look due to current circumstances, which if there were no restrictions I really wouldn't care about watching the final - I certainly don't care who wins
 
I only realised it was the FA Cup final today, yesterday. Not that fussed about it in all honesty...
 
i’m like you @Sarge. used to be a big event with all the programs beforehand and the build up to the match was exciting but just doesn’t have that feel to it now.
was a special thing to get to wembley but having the semi finals there as well seems to devalue it and makes it feel like just another game of football
 
Along with the home international tournament ,the only life football match on television,so irrespective of who was playing it was something that most people would watch
 
No Replays next season and games expected to be midweek, apparently going to be first goal wins so the poor elite don't play too many minutes.

I'll keep saying it,if they really believe there is too much football then why don't they contact Eufa and demand their competitions are straight knockout instead of a League format.:unsure:
 
I think spurs are already in due to man city winning league cup. A Chelsea win would mean wolves qualify
No spurs are not, BBC said if Chelsea win Spurs go in the Europa and Wolves via qualifiers.
 
The FA Cup still means something to me.

Obviously it's an odd season, and an FA Cup final without a crowd is an odd beast indeed.

But I LOVE the fact that clubs large and small enter the competition, that minnows can come up against giants, that Prem luvvies have to play away in a 2,000 capacity all standing stadium, that grass roots local supporters have the opportunity to see *their* club play professionals. I LOVE us having games against teams we wouldn't normally play (whether that be Merstham or Newcastle) and that might mean to trip anywhere in the country.

I know the Prem teams are more focused on the £££ of their own league and Europe, but sod them - I'm not going to let them spoil this great, historic competition for me.
 
No spurs are not, BBC said if Chelsea win Spurs go in the Europa and Wolves via qualifiers.

Spurs are already in the Europa league qualifiers, they will just go straight into the group stages if Chelsea win. But either way they are in Europe next season
 
This is correct. Hence Jose and his coaches hilariously celebrating after a final day 1-1 draw at Palace.

There is the problem straight away, rewarded for doing sweet felicity Adams...Clubs would have to change their approach if winning the league actual meant something.....33pts from the Top is failure but it makes no difference ifyou win it or not, as long as you can nick 4th the money keeps rolling in.
 
There is the problem straight away, rewarded for doing sweet felicity Adams...Clubs would have to change their approach if winning the league actual meant something.....33pts from the Top is failure but it makes no difference ifyou win it or not, as long as you can nick 4th the money keeps rolling in.
Was genuinely more entertaining when the European Cup was for the league winners only and when the domestic trophy winners got into the Cup Winners’ Cup. The Champions and Europa League’s are far too open and long winded and have negative impacts on both domestic league and cup competitions.
 
Was genuinely more entertaining when the European Cup was for the league winners only and when the domestic trophy winners got into the Cup Winners’ Cup. The Champions and Europa League’s are far too open and long winded and have negative impacts on both domestic league and cup competitions.

Exactly and you can fail in the champions league group stage and still go into the Europa League to join teams who've been playing since July.

I would even go so far as scrap the play offs lower down as again you can be rewarded for failure in real terms.
 
If CV19 persists, perhaps it would make sense to return to the old knockout format with each countries league winner playing for the European Cup and their KO cup competition winner in the Cup Winners Cup.
 
I still love watching FA cup matches and always watch the final.
i suppose as an 8 year old our run in 1964 to the quarter final is what got me really excited about Oxford United, and I have been a regular ever since.
 
I still love watching FA cup matches and always watch the final.
i suppose as an 8 year old our run in 1964 to the quarter final is what got me really excited about Oxford United, and I have been a regular ever since.

I was 7 during that epic, giant killing FA cup run... biggest attendances at the Manor twice , first V Blackburn Rovers, then even more when the U's were on the end of a couple of 'questionable' decisions in the quarter final V PNE, was on the temporary scaffolding terraces on the Beech road side for both of those games, with me Dad
 
Christian Pulisic who netted the first for Chelsea used to play for Brackley Town’s youth when he was living here for a year. His family was based in Tackley too.

One that got away for us ... He was only seven back then though!
 
I realize watching this first half, that for the first time in a long time, I don't actually hate Chelsea.

For the first time in years, one of the big Premier League teams has picked a young, English manager - OK, he had to be a club legend to get the job, but still, he is young & English.

And then he's built a fun-to-watch attack-minded team, not for the most part by buying players (they couldn't until January), but by giving chances to the young players that were already at the club (some, although admittedly not all, of whom are English).

Plus, on behalf of my adopted home, I need to get just a little excited about how awesome Christian Pulisic looks like he's going to be.

Hope they win today; and it's not all because it would be hilarious if Arsenal didn't get into Europe at all.
 
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