Carabao Cup - Third Round

[Sunbury Fox]

20 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Rubbish though isn't it. They're the strongest teams in this competition and are kept apart. As good as it is seeing third and fourth tier clubs playing top flight clubs, we will be in a position where the last 4 teams in the competition are just going to be the top 4.

Yep but that's what the TV companies want. 

[SkidsFox]

Didn't see it here so posting this

 

[Super_horns]

36 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Rubbish though isn't it. They're the strongest teams in this competition and are kept apart. As good as it is seeing third and fourth tier clubs playing top flight clubs, we will be in a position where the last 4 teams in the competition are just going to be the top 4.

Either way they would  their second string 

 

Seems to be more to do with dates and when these European sides can play .

 

Maybe have an extra round early in the season and no flying off on a Pre season tour ?

[Finnegan]

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

[Daggers]

Like with everything else, if you’re buying the product then things aren’t going to change.

[jayfox26]

I'd also be interested to know if this was voted on by the 92 football league clubs or was it just decided by the cartel? There isn't a vote in football anymore. Even in the pl, don't they need 14 clubs to agree in order to change anything? 

[Super_horns]

4 minutes ago, jayfox26 said:

I'd also be interested to know if this was voted on by the 92 football league clubs or was it just decided by the cartel? There isn't a vote in football anymore. Even in the pl, don't they need 14 clubs to agree in order to change anything? 

Barnsley and  Barrow are probably happy with the draw ,

 

There is still an element of luck to it but does seem restrictive which isn’t a good look .

 

Maybe play the rounds earlier like they do in Scotland ?

[RonnieTodger]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

I think it’d be better without teams competing in Europe.

 

EFL clubs are equally guilty of treating it with contempt, in how many changes they make. 

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

I think it’d be better to keep it but remove those playing in Europe as they are clearly too busy to be arsed.

 

I get what you’re saying and it’s a good idea. But I suppose would punish the ‘also rans’ in the Prem that would lose the chance to win a cup.

 

But definitely the teams in Europe need to be removed from it.

[Super_horns]

7 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

I think it’d be better without teams competing in Europe.

 

EFL clubs are equally guilty of treating it with contempt, in how many changes they make. 

They’d probably rather play each other and get knocked out tbh .

Trouble is everyone play weaken sides so the top ones end up going through.

I think basically the PL and Championship sides wouldn’t care if it was scrapped.

[Wymsey]

53 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Like with everything else, if you’re buying the product then things aren’t going to change.

I've never seen the product in any supermarket yet, not that I buy energy drinks in general.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

I enjoy cup games more and more every year when compared to the soul-destroying grind of the Premier League. Even games like Tuesday's are more enjoyable than an over-hyped league where it feels like most of the positions are decided at the start of the season, and which increasingly seems to exist solely to promote the biggest six clubs. Would be a shame if we played even fewer knockout games than we do now.

[dmayne7]

2 hours ago, Finnegan said:

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

Agree with booting the under 21's out of the FL trophy and that this draw is a load of bollocks. But I'm not sure there's a fair argument that the League Cup isn't important anymore.

 

Look at the winners from the past 20 years and it's dominated by the big clubs because they see it as a great opportunity to win something. Then look at the 20 years prior to that and it's full of different clubs so clearly a shift happened at some point? 

 

It's definitely the Champions League that have killed these cups. The FA Cup is the real sad one. Personally the winners of that should be in the CL (since they actually won something) and arguably the same for the league cup. Don't think that's allowed by UEFA though so instead we get this nonsense we're you're rewarded for finishing 4th in the league with a spot in the top European competition.

[Mickyblueeyes]

2 hours ago, Finnegan said:

Just sack the league cup off at this point. Extend the EFL Trophy to the Championship and kick the Premier League U21s out of it. 

 

Just make it a proper tournament for the whole EFL. At least they'd appreciate it. 

 

If you want to add some incentive and thus prestige to it then tax each Premier League club 5% of what they spend on transfers (including agent fees) in the year and distribute that as the prize money for it. 

 

**** history and tradition, yeah it used to be a proper cup and we've historically enjoyed winning it but that cup is long, long dead. It was killed off by the Champions League and money years ago. 

It probably suffers in terms of financial benefit but as a pure football tournament it very much holds prestige. The winners since 2012 have with exception to 1 been Englands elite:

 

2012	Liverpool (8)
2013	Swansea City
2014	Manchester City (3)
2015	Chelsea (5)
2016	Manchester City (4)
2017	Manchester United (5)
2018	Manchester City (5)
2019	Manchester City (6)
2020	Manchester City (7)
2021	Manchester City (8)
2022	Liverpool (9)
2023	Manchester United (6)
2024	Liverpool (10)

[Foxmeister]

6 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

Never been a problem before so why now? It's complete bollocks. Just making it even harder for any smaller team to win a trophy. I'm at a point now where I wish they would fck off to a European super league.

Because this year the 3rd round is being played over 2 midweeks, as are European fixtures. If 2 teams in Europe were playing in different weeks, there'd be no opportunity to play the League Cup match.

[purpleronnie]

It's a rare good draw for us. Looking forward to this one.

[Foxes1]

Any truth in the rumour that anyone who purchased a Tranmere ticket gets first pick of a Walsall ticket. 😯

[ajthefox]

Boot out whoever is in Europe that year.

 

Might incentivise other teams more if they know the dirty 6 and/or a. another aren't in it.

 

That said it does feel like the horse has already bolted and that the money involved now in league positions is deemed too important by clubs.

[lfu]

58 minutes ago, Foxmeister said:

Because this year the 3rd round is being played over 2 midweeks, as are European fixtures. If 2 teams in Europe were playing in different weeks, there'd be no opportunity to play the League Cup match.

UCL fixtures are being played the same week though aren't they? So CL-qualified teams could've still played each other

[AjcW]

1 hour ago, Foxes1 said:

Any truth in the rumour that anyone who purchased a Tranmere ticket gets first pick of a Walsall ticket. 😯

I wouldn't worry too much if there was truth, probably only about 5% of those who went would go to an away game.

[Charnyst]

37 minutes ago, AjcW said:

I wouldn't worry too much if there was truth, probably only about 5% of those who went would go to an away game.

I will go as one of the 5% representatives 

[Foxmeister]

3 hours ago, lfu said:

UCL fixtures are being played the same week though aren't they? So CL-qualified teams could've still played each other

Then you would have to do the draw in 3 stages to keep the UCL and UEL sides apart, all to appease people who just love to feel like victims and will just find another thing to focus their cynicism. The general loathing of the big 6 is really tiresome given the fact that those clubs can't vote anything in or out without other clubs support.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

5 hours ago, Foxes1 said:

Any truth in the rumour that anyone who purchased a Tranmere ticket gets first pick of a Walsall ticket. 😯

No way. They'll never change any kind of priority on tickets, too much effort and too much moaning. 

[Voll Blau]

20 hours ago, RonnieTodger said:

I think it’d be better without teams competing in Europe.

 

EFL clubs are equally guilty of treating it with contempt, in how many changes they make. 

Yep. Regionalise it until the quarters too to help boost attendances.

[Webbo]

Without the big 6 teams in it, the foreign tv rights wouldn't be worth much. The 2nd,3rd and 4th tier teams need that money, probably more than the big teams. I seriously doubt they'd want the European quality teams out of it.