The League Cup in a catalyst to greater things

Pexbo

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And so it begins.
 

GifLord

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Don't jinx it. I have seen similar posts when we won it under Mourinho
 

AndySmith1990

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We have a great manager and a team who give a shit. They were running on fumes and still won a final. Credit to them all
 

Pronewbie

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Crucial. The difference between this and Mourinho's group is that we have a group of winners who are still young enough or in their peak. We're also playing attractive football. Come on!!! :keano:
 

Maluco

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You can see how much it means to the players and the fans.

I am delighted with that and loving the celebrations.

It means so much more when you don’t cheat:drool:
 

Revan

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Fergie always claimed that was the case when we won it in 2006. Let's hope history repeats itself.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

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If we can win the Europa and finish strong in the league/6-7 points off 1st place then that's an amazing season.

Two trophies and close to the top of the league. Then just need couple of reinforcements; striker (Kane) and centre mid (Rice/Caicedo etc) then we can smash next season.
 

Massive Spanner

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It’s true.

Liverpool won it last year and I thought it was great that they lost the league and CL final after.
 

PigeonEscobar

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Moyes was “the Chosen One”
Mourinho was “the Special One”
ETH is simply “the one”

We’ve had good runs under Van Gaal, Mourinho and Ole, we even won some trophies here and there, finished second, etc
But at no point during the decade post SAF (can’t believe its been that long), did I ever feel like we had a team, we now have ourselves a team, a proper team and a world class manager at his peak.

We’ll only get better next year, with a couple new additions to the squad and the players getting more and more in sync with each other, as well as the manager learning the league and his players strengths and weakness further.

Feels good man.
 

Lay

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SAF used to say this. It’s why I’ve always wanted the club to win it when there’s been downtimes. Trophies matter, no matter how small
 

BuzzKillington

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Scousers next Sunday, need to treat that as a cup final too. Every game is a cup final between now and the end of the year.

Priorities for me, assuming top 4 is a given

Europa
FA Cup


2nd in league (we won’t catch both)
 

RyRy11

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Not even our first trophy. Put some respect on the Bangkok Century Cup™
 

ItDoesntEvenMata

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If we can win the Europa and finish strong in the league/6-7 points off 1st place then that's an amazing season.

Two trophies and close to the top of the league. Then just need couple of reinforcements; striker (Kane) and centre mid (Rice/Caicedo etc) then we can smash next season.
This will be a catalyst and I think we'll do similar to what you say

I'd like to steer as far clear of Rice as possible - one of the most overrated players in the world...I'm still not sure what he does.

Caicedo is potentially great but would cost way too much
 

royalewithcheese2006

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Get in!!! Brilliant today. So composed in the 2nd half. Erik's subs helped but the team looked comfortable and mature even when Newcastle came at us. Hopefully this is the start of greater things for us. Chuffed to bits!
 

Damien

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Fergie always claimed that was the case when we won it in 2006. Let's hope history repeats itself.
Don't know if Pep has said it himself but they've won it four times under him (2018-2021) and we've seen how they've done in other competitions so wouldn't surprise me if it is a policy of his too.
 

Kopral Jono

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A top four finish and this season is a success no matter what happens elsewhere.
 

Il Prete Rosso

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This will be a catalyst and I think we'll do similar to what you say

I'd like to steer as far clear of Rice as possible - one of the most overrated players in the world...I'm still not sure what he does.

Caicedo is potentially great but would cost way too much
Rice isn't overrated. He's a very good midfield player but he needs a proper attack minded coach to get the best out of his qualities in the final 3rd. Moyes has him playing way too deep and he looks like he's just there to either collect the ball from the defence.
 

Kopral Jono

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Don't know if Pep has said it himself but they've won it four times under him (2018-2021) and we've seen how they've done in other competitions so wouldn't surprise me if it is a policy of his too.
Mourinho was a huge fan in his first Chelsea stint. I recall him playing strong teams even at earlier games, in contrast to Wenger who looked at it as a breeding ground for young players.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

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Rice isn't overrated. He's a very good midfield player but he needs a proper attack minded coach to get the best out of his qualities in the final 3rd. Moyes has him playing way too deep and he looks like he's just there to either collect the ball from the defence.
He's a physical lad and I think when players can do other jobs and are asked to do them their short coming become glaring. Take Fred, playing him as a 6 who can dictate and screen and he looks poor and doesn't perform. Play him higher up the pitch and use his pressing to start transitions, suddenly looks a lot better. Imagine it's the same with Rice.
 

Judge Red

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Cup treble and top four is on now. Probably a realistic objective for the rest of the season. The league is out of our hands but these players have shown they are made for finals.
 

Slevs

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I feel very good about this club with ETH at the helm. Hopefully the first of many to come!
 

ti vu

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Moyes was “the Chosen One”
Mourinho was “the Special One”
ETH is simply “the one

We’ve had good runs under Van Gaal, Mourinho and Ole, we even won some trophies here and there, finished second, etc
But at no point during the decade post SAF (can’t believe its been that long), did I ever feel like we had a team, we now have ourselves a team, a proper team and a world class manager at his peak.

We’ll only get better next year, with a couple new additions to the squad and the players getting more and more in sync with each other, as well as the manager learning the league and his players strengths and weakness further.

Feels good man.
10 does not equal to one

:p
 

bringbackbebe

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To put this win in perspective, if someone told us in May that we will:
-> finish top 3 in the league above Chelsea & Liverpool
-> be in contention for all trophies we are competing in
-> win comfortably against top teams
-> make OT a fortress again

we'd have all had a great laugh...

While people may consider the League Cup to be insignificant, the win itself is a by product of the multitude of transitions that's been happening around the club. Good times ahead.
 

GBBQ

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Winning the League Cup and knocking Barcelona out of Europe in the space of 4 days has got to have the dressing room feeling invincible.

I think we should play the youths / fringe players on Wednesday night and then turn over the scousers in Anfield with a rested team
 

Tincanalley

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Don't jinx it. I have seen similar posts when we won it under Mourinho
Agreed. It can be a catalyst. The biggest opponent now is Fatigue.FC. And any hint of entitlement (though ETH won’t entertain that, I’m sure). I didn’t like Weghorst talking about winning ‘the other three’ yesterday. Will be an amazing achievement to win even one other thing. Without that, it’s still great progress. Main thing from here on in (imo) is top four.
 

ErikElevenHag

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Agreed. It can be a catalyst. The biggest opponent now is Fatigue.FC. And any hint of entitlement (though ETH won’t entertain that, I’m sure). I didn’t like Weghorst talking about winning ‘the other three’ yesterday. Will be an amazing achievement to win even one other thing. Without that, it’s still great progress. Main thing from here on in (imo) is top four.
I love that mentality, it's clearly driven into the squad by the manager, you can tell in his interviews and team selections he wants to win the lot.

If that's not the aim, why bother. League is most likely out of reach barring 2 capitulations, but we're good enough to win the other 2 Cup competitions.
 

GavMufc

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It still irks me a little that liverpool have won two trebles, (although not the king treble) we need to go for a cup treble this season.