Hull 1 Liverpool 0

[Arginald Valleywater]

Looks like another end of season choke by the once mighty Liverpool. 7th could be a real possibility at this rate of decline. Still baffled as to why they think they need a new and much bigger capacity stadium.

[Milk Tray Man]

Hats off to the Hull fans who boycotted the game in protest at the 50 quid price of a ticket. There needs to be much more of that at grounds everywhere in order to send out a message.

[Peter]

Arginald Valleywater wrote:

7th could be a real possibility at this rate of
> decline.

Or a deliberate choice not to play in the Thursday Cup? Europa league really fucks up your season.

As Souness said, Thursday night is for taking your wife out to dinner.

[randyandy]

Peter wrote:

> Or a deliberate choice not to play in the Thursday Cup? Europa
> league really fucks up your season.
>
> As Souness said, Thursday night is for taking your wife out to
> dinner.
>

I am only asking because I don't follow the other leagues but why doesn't the competition effect the opponents of the British clubs?

[Arginald Valleywater]

Good point Randy! If it was still the UEFA or Cup Winners the Engliah teams would be desperate to qualify. However the Champions League is now seen as so important that nothing else, including domestic trophies mean little or nothing.

[Peter]

Arginald Valleywater wrote:


> including domestic trophies mean little or nothing.

And now it seems we've sold out the FA Cup, that will sink even further.

[Peter]

I'm not sure how other nations see it, perhaps its more of a draw to the lesser countries, who really tend to be cannon fodder in the Champions League.

English teams don't like it because you're always playing on a Thursday, then catching up with the league on a Sunday. It interferes with raining and travelling. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Liverpool and Man Ure have had decent seasons following their failure to qualify for europe. No arising around playing FC Twente or whoever, a game that no-one is interested in playing except Platini.

There have always been rumours of teams who weren't going to qualify from the CL groups aiming to finish bottom and out, rather than third and parachuted into the Europa cup.

[Arginald Valleywater]

The FA and Man U screwed the FA Cup. Since then it has lost value year on year. I remember when the nation virtually stopped for the final no matter who was playing.

[Peter]

I remember when the idea of sponsoring the FA cup first came up, and was rightly met with negative views, the FA went out of their way to say it would always be the FA Cup, and any sponsorship would take the form of "The FA Cup sponsored by......."

Many said that it was the slippery slope to a branded cup, and what do you know, next year its going to be the 'Emirates FA Cup'.

How long before its just the 'Emirates Cup'?

[MrTickle]

We already have the 'Emirates Cup'. A pre season tournament played at Arsenal.