How much should we focus on the cup?

[Whistlin' Dixie]

I'm making any such vote more favourable to you!

If you think what you've said is the correct (that a cup win and 11th place in the PL is unacceptable) then you should easily get a poll to reflect your view if you offer people a choice between 5th place and a LC trophy....shouldn't you?

As I said, over to you.....

No.

What you're continuing to do is attribute things to me.

You'll note I mentioned 3rd place earlier - why don't YOU ask if we'd rather have 3rd place (and a CL spec) or the 3rd best trophy?

Don't bother to move the goalposts again.

Back to you...

 

[davek]

No.

What you're continuing to do is attribute things to me.

You'll note I mentioned 3rd place earlier - why don't YOU ask if we'd rather have 3rd place (and a CL spec) or the 3rd best trophy?

Don't bother to move the goalposts again.

Back to you...

Fine. Put that to a vote then:

"Would you rather win the LC or finish 3rd?".

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Fine. Put that to a vote then:

"Would you rather win the LC or finish 3rd?".

Be my guest...

 

[davek]

Be my guest...

Oh, right. I see. I dont blame you.

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Oh, right. I see. I dont blame you.

See what?

Has yer arse gone (Again?)

Because personally I don't give a flying one about your oneupmanship or popularity contests. I know what I'd rather have. Doesn't make me any less Evertonian.

 

[Tubey]

I'd take 3rd every single time, obviously. In fact, if 3rd one season meant never entering the League Cup ever again, I'd take that.

 

[Groucho]

With Lukaku experiencing a niggle last night, and Barkley also having to leave the field for an injury, how much of a priority would you place on the 2nd leg against City? Would you rest players in the league to ensure we give the 2nd leg our best shot or is the league still the priority?

As tempting as it is, I'm not sure if I'd rest players in the league games.

I'd dearly love another cup but we could always rest players in the league, and still not win the cup.

For me, I'd play the best team available for each individual game.

 

[Blue Parkender]

Two games away from what could be are first trophy in 21yrs, i know what i would do and that is rest Rom.
Give Kevin a few games up front.

 

[ExpatinBangkok]

I guess I'm in the minority. I would take three or four league wins in a row in exchange for the capital one cup. Priority is top 4 above all, otherwise we increase risk of losing key players.

I just don't get the excitement of some here over the capital one cup -and I'm a 35 yr long everton supporter.

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

I would take 3rd place almost every single time.
BUT...
If winning the League Cup this season involved beating our neighbours at Wembley. I have been watching Everton since 84 so have seen them ruin so many potential great days. 86 was utterly soul destroying.

I would take beating them at Wembley and a mid table finish this season for certain.

 

[WA Toffee]

Oh, I get it now.....

We're only gonna finish no better than 7th so we might as well forget the league and try to beat schitteh and A.N. Other, or win 6 one-off games. So much for your 'ambition'.

Well you know what? Lose to schitteh and your wet dream's over.

Win - And win the final and all our work's done. Not.

You complain about the lack of moolah and lack of progress as much as any one of us on here. I'd happily forego the pisspot and RM's concentration (And your obsession with it) on it, if it meant he gave the league priority. And with the squad he's got coupled with the results elsewhere it's not unreasonable to have expected us to be a lot higher than 11th..

At something like £2m for winning the LC, it equates to TWO league places. the difference between 11th and 9th. Financially it's not worth a carrot. CL is though. RM's (You know, your anointed one?) has even said himself he doubts the cup'll keep his best players happy.

Personally I don't give a flying one about the competiton; never have, and never will. If our name goes on the pot then fine - I won't carry on like it's something other than the 3rd best trophy in the land. Beating the [Poor language removed] in the final will be more memorable than the pot itself....and that's the best thing I can say about it, tbh.

I'd rather 3rd place than 3rd best trophy; and a CL spec to keep players happy here, attract other players and get the big bucks so we can have a better pop at (the more prestigious) trophies in future.

But you just carry on, with your vainly trying to appropriate attitudes to people and demonise them because they differ from your ideals. I've never said we should bin the competiton; merely where I'd place my priorities and why.

Are you an accountant by any chance? You seem to be more concerned with earning money than winning trophies

 

[hibbo'sclass]

Are you an accountant by any chance? You seem to be more concerned with earning money than winning trophies

Leave us accountants alone you beast.
(Would take the silverware by the way)

 

[Pacman]

Play your best side but we need to Invest in the transfer window to bring 1-2 faces in imo. No point arguing in absolute terms, resting the team for the LC won't see us win it, likewise doing the same for the league doesn't mean we'll get top 4.

After last night's performance IF Martinez (big if) can drop his favorites (Howard & Kone) for Robles and Besic, then top 6 is certainly still achievable should we go on a winning run. I can see Watford, Palace and West ham all having up and down games and the Kopites are only 3 points above us.

 

[Khalekan]

As tempting as it is, I'm not sure if I'd rest players in the league games.

I'd dearly love another cup but we could always rest players in the league, and still not win the cup.

For me, I'd play the best team available for each individual game.

We can't play owt less than full strength teams in both of our next two games away to City and Chelsea.

If we were to lose both those games we will be too close to the relegation dogfight for this particular punter's comfort.

I think Bobby will take that view.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

Honestly I'm 27 and have never seen Everton win at Wembley. If it was a guaranteed day out, beating the RS at Wembley I'd take that over a top five finish all day long. It may not be better financially than finishing in the top four but whilst I have plenty of great individual memories of us winning games I have no memories of us actually winning a cup!

Back to the original question, rest everyone for D&R, play strong teams against city and Chelsea (as it's still a way off from the final and you don't want players getting rusty) and then I would be happy for us to put out a weaker side against Swansea to rest players for the second leg as long as we go out as fired up and tactically sound as we did last night. Most importantly let's not rush Seamus, Cleverley, Jags or Rom back for any game.