Scrapping the League Cup

Solius

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Been broached again this week due to the obvious reasons. Thoughts on it?

Would it be better if teams in the PL had to play their Under 21s? I feel like it would be a great watch if they got regular game time in the spotlight. Or would it not be fair on them due to the step up to the men's game, regardless of talent?

The other option with that is all teams play their Under 21s but I don't know how big the gap would be in terms of ability. Probably no bigger than the current match ups that happen.
 

Beans

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Does any other league have 2 cups? Seems a burden on the first team, I think playing the kids is a great idea.
 

Utd heap

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It is absolutely vital for football violence in this country and for that reason it should stay.
 

Sounds of the Aquarium

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Beans said:
Does any other league have 2 cups? Seems a burden on the first team, I think playing the kids is a great idea.
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It's only really England and Portugal of the bigger leagues who have 2 cups (and Scotland lol)
Spain got rid in 86, France abolished in 2020, Germany in 07. I don't think Italy ever had it.
It should be a u23/u21 competition. Most teams treat it like that anyway. Except City... probably the reason they won 6 out of the last 8
 
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saivet

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I think it should be scrapped and they then work something out to compensate the EFL via the PL or FA Cup accordingly. Scrapping it and doing nothing about the EFL's revenue stream wouldn't be the way to go imo.
 

Vidyoyo

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Should be for teams not in the European cups and not because of elitism but to actually give other teams a chance to win the thing.

It's only been won by 4 non-elite teams in the past 20 teams*. Last time Swansea in 2013.

*5 if we include Spurs
 

L1nk

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They should make it a lower leagues only competition
 

Patchbeard

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Vidyoyo said:
Should be for teams not in the European cups. Not because of elitism but to actually give other teams a chance to win the thing.

It's only been won by 4 non-elite teams in the past 20 teams. Last time Swansea in 2013.
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Arsenal have a good chance this season.
 

SilentWitness

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I think a rule put in place that meant PL clubs had to play x amount of U-21 players would be good. Most PL teams already play their U-21 squad in the EFL Trophy which is a lower league competition.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Sounds of the Aquarium said:
It's only really England and Portugal of the bigger leagues who have 2 cups (and Scotland lol)
Spain got rid in 86, France abolished in 2020, Germany in 07. I don't think Italy ever had it.
It should be a u23/u21 competition. Most teams treat it like that anyway. Except City... probably the reason they won 6 out of the last 8
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u23 for PL sides and no restrictions on any other clubs. It would make it a lot more interesting to me at least.
 

DOTA

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Wouldn't miss it, at all.
 

Mastadon

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I don’t see why it should be scrapped. It’s an extra chance for silverware and you don’t need to play your senior players. Your reserves/youth players get the chance to impress and get competitive match practice. Can’t really see much downside.
 

TMDaines

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Solius said:
Been broached again this week due to the obvious reasons. Thoughts on it?

Would it be better if teams in the PL had to play their Under 21s? I feel like it would be a great watch if they got regular game time in the spotlight. Or would it not be fair on them due to the step up to the men's game, regardless of talent?

The other option with that is all teams play their Under 21s but I don't know how big the gap would be in terms of ability. Probably no bigger than the current match ups that happen.
Click to expand...
Threads like this feel like a great example of why other football fans hate fans of the big clubs, due to a bit of a lack of awareness of anything outside the PL. Are you aware of the EFL Trophy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFL_Trophy
 

horsechoker

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Mastadon said:
I don’t see why it should be scrapped. It’s an extra chance for silverware and you don’t need to play your senior players. Your reserves/youth players get the chance to impress and get competitive match practice. Can’t really see much downside.
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I'd make it compulsory to play some under 21s otherwise City will just win it every year with a second string of top quality players.
 

bosnian_red

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It always seemed like a logical answer to the fixture congestion from teams in Europe is to scrap the league cup for those teams. Qualify for Europe, don't need to play the league cup that year. Makes no sense why it's a thing. Plus you give everyone else a chance at silverware and a random European spot.
 

Northern Tiger

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It should be scrapped as it doesn’t really serve a purpose, it’s just an inferior version of the FA Cup. Just redistribute some PL money to the EFL sides to compensate them.
 

Twisted_Woody

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I seem recall during the SAF days, United would field the second string players and reserves. In my opinion, this is what the cup should be for - players outside the first team looking for experience.

Fielding the starting 11 is absolute nonsense.
 

Irwin99

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Nah! Top teams generally play their reserves until the quarter final and semis and then it suddenly becomes a competition that you want to win. Sir Alex won more league cups in the latter part of his career with this approach and it's still a trophy.
 

SilentWitness

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Irwin99 said:
Nah! Top teams generally play their reserves until the quarter final and semis and then it suddenly becomes a competition that you want to win. Sir Alex won more league cups in the latter part of his career with this approach and it's still a trophy.
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I’d imagine for City and United it’s been a big plus to breeding a winning mentality at the the club in their respective eras.
 

Sandikan

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L1nk said:
They should make it a lower leagues only competition
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That will totally kill any interest at all for...lower league clubs and sponsors.
There's already a lower league cup, and it's utter crap. Even more so as they put a few U21 teams in from prem clubs, leading to huge boycotts and frequently gates well under 1,000
 

Sandikan

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TMDaines said:
Threads like this feel like a great example of why other football fans hate fans of the big clubs, due to a bit of a lack of awareness of anything outside the PL. Are you aware of the EFL Trophy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFL_Trophy
Click to expand...
Totally agree.
Hadn't spotted your post before I wrote mine, but the lower league cup was already a bit crap. Then when they put u21 prem teams in it caused sheer revulsion for most fans and the gates are miniscule now. It was seen as a route to adding reserve teams into the league, totally killing 100 years of fighting to earn or keep a league place.

I support a big club and a small local club, and I hate fans who write off the league cup, especially clubs who very rarely win anything like Tottenham, who are simply just reducing their already miniscule chances of winning anything ever again.
 

predator

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I actually like the ideas suggested in the OP. Seeing the under 21s given the opportunity to play at a fullish OT would be great. Would be interesting aswell.
 

Gazza

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Michael Cox is spitting feathers about the very notion of trimming down the Carabao. His timeline on Twitter is a fun read today.
 

Red Dreams

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It obviously is an important source of revenue for the smaller clubs.
Perhaps limiting it to non Premier league clubs would help.
No disrespect to the League Cup.
There are just too many games now for the Premier league clubs.
 

Tarrou

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If it was up to me we’d scrap it and international football

probably the fa cup too
 

Moriarty

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Solius said:
I am but it's not as well known or prestigious as the League Cup. Perhaps if they combined them to make them one cup?
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The League Cup prestigious? Sorry mate, it's not. It was Alan Hardaker's brainchild and was given a wide berth by many clubs - United included - for a long time until winning it meant a place in the old UEFA Cup. There's no comparison with the FA Cup which, although bereft of some of its glamour, is still the one to win.
 
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