FA Cup final

[JamesWales]

Re: FA Cup final

Christ 🤣

I'm not saying it matters. I'm not saying there's been no technological or social changes in the last thirty years or so.

I'm just saying, the FA Cup, and the FA cup final seems to mean less than it used to, this year particularly. Much of that is down to changes in society, viewing habits and changing priorities within football. Some of it is the result of changes to the format of the cup which have undermined it, in my opinion.

Does any of it matter? Not really, and that goes for most topics discussed on here. That said, I do think communal, national events that bring families and countries together can be a good thing, so in that sense I think the decline of the cup final as a spectacle is a shame.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FA Cup final

The first FA Cup Final i can remember watching on TV was West Ham v Preston in 1964 and I’ve just tested myself to see if I could still whizz through all the FA Cup Finals remembering both teams and the score between 1964 and the birth of the Premier League like I was able to almost without thinking twenty five years ago. In fact, I was just able to do this for the last four decades of the twentieth century.

The fact that it took me much longer to come up with winners in the years 1995 to 1999 than it did for 1960 to 1994 tells a story though, but it gets so much harder to name twenty first century Cup Finals. Some of that is clearly down to the aging process and the lower profile of the game these days, but, on the other hand, what truly memorable FA Cup Finals have there been in the twenty first century?

I can think of just four. The first Cardiff Final in 2001 saw an outplayed Liverpool turn things around late on with a couple of Michael Owen goals to beat Arsenal. West Ham and Liverpool in 2006 was, maybe, the best FA Cup Final I’ve seen even if the result cruelly went against the side I was supporting and then two years later there was City’s Final of course - although that’s the only memorable thing about a game which I’d guess is one of the last ones to be recalled by anyone trying to recall all of the twenty first century Finals while is that we were in it. The last of the four is Man City equaling the biggest win in a Final by beating Watford 6-0 in 2019 I think it was.

Apart from those four, the rest just merge into a mishmash of 0-0 draws or games that finish 1-0 in encounters featuring any two from Arsenal, Liverpool, the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea - I had yesterday’s game on, but paid little attention to it and, despite it’s quality winning goal, I’m sure I’ll be struggling to remember anything about it in a couple of months time.

[William Treseder]

Re: FA Cup final

For what it’s worth, i think the FA Cup is thriving. It still means everything to the big teams, hence the strong teams they put out in the latter stages. We still get upsets in the earlier rounds.
The scrapping of replays is a good thing in my opinion as well. Every game being decided on the day makes for more excitement. I’d go a step further and go to penalties straight after the final whistle. If a game is level after 90 mins, why should the home team get a further 30 mins on their own ground in front of their own fans?While we’re at it, i think the play offs should be over 1 game as well. The teams finishing 3rd and 4th should be rewarded by having one game at home, against the teams finishing 5th and 6th with once again, a penalty shoot out if it’s level after 90 mins.

[Canton Kev]

Re: FA Cup final

Had one of Leeds or Southampton made it to the final I’d have been far more interested. When the semi finals were announced and they weren’t paired together any care I had immediately dropped.

Man City and Chelsea are probably the two least likeable and two most boring finalists.

Last year’s matchup of Palace v Liverpool was far more interesting.

[JamesWales]

Re: FA Cup final

Had one of Leeds or Southampton made it to the final I’d have been far more interested. When the semi finals were announced and they weren’t paired together any care I had immediately dropped.

Man City and Chelsea are probably the two least likeable and two most boring finalists.

Last year’s matchup of Palace v Liverpool was far more interesting.

👍

[islandblue]

Re: FA Cup final

There.s so much live football on these days the F A cup final is just another game to most. Back in the 70.s long before Sky etc the only other live games on TV were the European cup final and the Home internationals if memory serves.

[poc]

Re: FA Cup final

There.s so much live football on these days the F A cup final is just another game to most. Back in the 70.s long before Sky etc the only other live games on TV were the European cup final and the Home internationals if memory serves.

and the world cup

[splott parker]

Re: FA Cup final

I'm sick of this thread, i'm off out to look for some white dog shit and money back pop bottles.

You wouldn’t have done that yesterday, all day in front of the telly in your cup final jamas!

[splott parker]

Re: FA Cup final

Had one of Leeds or Southampton made it to the final I’d have been far more interested. When the semi finals were announced and they weren’t paired together any care I had immediately dropped.

Man City and Chelsea are probably the two least likeable and two most boring finalists.

Last year’s matchup of Palace v Liverpool was far more interesting.

Liverpool’s cunning plan being dressed like Man City was a particular highlight

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Re: FA Cup final

Yesterday's attendance was 6500 less than us v Portsmouth.

[William Treseder]

Re: FA Cup final

Liverpool’s cunning plan being dressed like Man City was a particular highlight

I thought there was something strange about that game 😁

[Canton Kev]

Re: FA Cup final

You’re right, Palace v Liverpool was the Charity Shield. They beat City in the final.

Clearly I wasn’t as interested in last year’s final as I thought I was…

[splott parker]

Re: FA Cup final

You’re right, Palace v Liverpool was the Charity Shield. They beat City in the final.

Clearly I wasn’t as interested in last year’s final as I thought I was…

They played us in the Final?