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Lucky escape 22:20 - Sep 24 with 1987 viewsMyke

Thank goodness we made an early exit from that pesky Carabao cup. What with the games coming so thick and fast, our threadbare squad of young, fit athletes couldn't cope with games more frequently than Saturday, Friday night and the following Saturday week.
Meanwhile, most of us (not so young and fit) mere mortals manage, to put in an eight hour shift in often difficult/hazardous conditions, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...
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Lucky escape on 22:39 - Sep 24 with 1922 viewsdaveB

I really don't see why they are playing these cups this season, the whole point of the cups is a break from the league, play different sides and the excitement of playing a bigger club either home or away or getting to Wembley for a day out in the final but as we can't go it all seems a bit pointless.
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Lucky escape on 22:55 - Sep 24 with 1849 viewsdistortR

Lucky escape on 22:39 - Sep 24 by daveB

I really don't see why they are playing these cups this season, the whole point of the cups is a break from the league, play different sides and the excitement of playing a bigger club either home or away or getting to Wembley for a day out in the final but as we can't go it all seems a bit pointless.


presumably hosting matches incurs significant costs as well
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Lucky escape on 23:15 - Sep 24 with 1810 viewsBrianMcCarthy

Well, to be honest, while most years I'd rail against the dismal surrender in the cups, this year of all years, I don't mind that we lost. We did play a strong team, I thought, though the late subs off were based on preparedness for the League opener and arguably cost us the game. Either way, with the insane League schedule we need our players primed to perform and the extra games would clearly not have helped. This year, for once, I'm easy about it.

Of course, our players could play twice a week, maybe three times a week. Maybe more.

But for us to win, for us to progress, for us to be competitive we need our players to be at the same pitch, preparedness, rest, recovery as the oppo or we will be blown out of it.

It's not a matter of being fit or strong or dogged or obstinate, it's a matter of still having speed, strength, hydration, accuity in the final ten minutes.

More than the oppo.

Athletes are not builders like my family who get up every day and work their balls off, and get a great job done in the long run, they're not desk-jockeys like me who lift nothing heavier than a pen, they're primed to be in their very condition at the first second and the last second of every single match. And judged on that, and that alone.

If they're not at in their very best condition:

- They'll pick up unnecessary injuries
- They'll underperform
- They'll miss minutes/games
- We'll underperform as a result
- We'll lose matches we could have won
- We'll finish lower than we could have had
- Finishing lower is a risk no club can take this year

So this year, with the insane schedule, even though we took it more serious than most I'm not missing the extra games.

"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll: Player of the Year (so far)

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Lucky escape on 23:43 - Sep 24 with 1759 viewsMyke

Lucky escape on 23:15 - Sep 24 by BrianMcCarthy

Well, to be honest, while most years I'd rail against the dismal surrender in the cups, this year of all years, I don't mind that we lost. We did play a strong team, I thought, though the late subs off were based on preparedness for the League opener and arguably cost us the game. Either way, with the insane League schedule we need our players primed to perform and the extra games would clearly not have helped. This year, for once, I'm easy about it.

Of course, our players could play twice a week, maybe three times a week. Maybe more.

But for us to win, for us to progress, for us to be competitive we need our players to be at the same pitch, preparedness, rest, recovery as the oppo or we will be blown out of it.

It's not a matter of being fit or strong or dogged or obstinate, it's a matter of still having speed, strength, hydration, accuity in the final ten minutes.

More than the oppo.

Athletes are not builders like my family who get up every day and work their balls off, and get a great job done in the long run, they're not desk-jockeys like me who lift nothing heavier than a pen, they're primed to be in their very condition at the first second and the last second of every single match. And judged on that, and that alone.

If they're not at in their very best condition:

- They'll pick up unnecessary injuries
- They'll underperform
- They'll miss minutes/games
- We'll underperform as a result
- We'll lose matches we could have won
- We'll finish lower than we could have had
- Finishing lower is a risk no club can take this year

So this year, with the insane schedule, even though we took it more serious than most I'm not missing the extra games.


It's a great post Brian and a very persuasive argument. And I know we have some genuinely busy schedules coming up in clusters in the not too distant future. I just wonder, do we not over-hype the being at their best in the 'last second' and linking this to fitness and sharpness. The reality is, if they are not playing, they are training and most if not all players would tell you they rather have a game than a training session.
At the end of the day, we are asking young. fit men to to run around for an hour and a half, once or twice a week and pay them handsomely (in relative terms) for it. And it's not as if they are running for the full 90 mins; they often are just standing around, walking, jogging etc. I take your points, and as I said they are very well made, I just think we have lost the run of ourselves a bit in terms of how much r&r these lads needs. Maybe the Liverpool and City lads, but after a weeks 'rest' and then we play like that against Coventry second half? I mean seriously?
I just think if we got through a couple of rounds, say to the Q/F stage, we would start gettin g excited and have a different view about it. I fully take Dave's point too, that it is totally not the same when you can't go to games, but considering how 'exercised' we became about a totally run-of-the-mill streamed game v Coventry, imagine if we had a Q/F home game with Liverpool's reserves to watch!
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Lucky escape on 23:59 - Sep 24 with 1728 viewsdaveB

Lucky escape on 22:55 - Sep 24 by distortR

presumably hosting matches incurs significant costs as well


it's just barmy, football has done nothing to change in this pandemic just carried on as normal, you have teams going all over Europe when we are supposed to have travel bans. Champions League and Europa should have shortened down, do a play each other once scenario on neutral venues for the group stage, could do it all in one week like they did the knockouts last year. Scrap Nations League just play the Euro playoffs and give leagues more time to finish.

I get they are doing it for the money and are terrified of not satisfying the tv contracts but it just all seems so stupid.
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Lucky escape on 00:02 - Sep 25 with 1718 viewsBoston

I find it difficult to be 'up for sport' at the moment. I've fallen back to what I know and love, Queens Park Rangers playing league fixtures. The resumption of the NHL didn't stir any interest, didn't watch a single minute of a Bruins or any other hockey fixture, not watched the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots nor any football, English or American, indifferent to the point of not caring actually.
Sport to me is a bonding experience enjoyed in the company of like minded others, undiluted basic escapism, beer, singing, shouting at the oppo and match officals, icing on the cake if we get a result. No crowd equals no joy, even though I'm not at most fixtures I can live vicariously through audio coverage and blend straight back in at the half dozen games I do get to attend most seasons. I don't want politics, campaigners, virtue signalling, social distancing or authoritarian policing to impinge on my enjoyment of a simple game of football, when I just want to let off a bit of steam.
I'm disturbed by the thought that this fundemental part of my life is being dismantled, the Carabao cup is the least of my worries.

Poll: Thank God The Seaons Over.

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Lucky escape on 00:09 - Sep 25 with 1702 viewsMyke

Lucky escape on 00:02 - Sep 25 by Boston

I find it difficult to be 'up for sport' at the moment. I've fallen back to what I know and love, Queens Park Rangers playing league fixtures. The resumption of the NHL didn't stir any interest, didn't watch a single minute of a Bruins or any other hockey fixture, not watched the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots nor any football, English or American, indifferent to the point of not caring actually.
Sport to me is a bonding experience enjoyed in the company of like minded others, undiluted basic escapism, beer, singing, shouting at the oppo and match officals, icing on the cake if we get a result. No crowd equals no joy, even though I'm not at most fixtures I can live vicariously through audio coverage and blend straight back in at the half dozen games I do get to attend most seasons. I don't want politics, campaigners, virtue signalling, social distancing or authoritarian policing to impinge on my enjoyment of a simple game of football, when I just want to let off a bit of steam.
I'm disturbed by the thought that this fundemental part of my life is being dismantled, the Carabao cup is the least of my worries.


Another powerful post. Of course in that context you are quite right. And likely to get worse before it gets better. Here, Donegal has just followed Dublin into semi-lockdown and several more counties on the brink.
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Lucky escape on 00:10 - Sep 25 with 1695 viewsSharpy36

Lucky escape on 22:55 - Sep 24 by distortR

presumably hosting matches incurs significant costs as well


Going through the rounds also gives you an increasing share of the prize pot.

'You didn't know that was wrong, but now you do. If you do it again, I'll know you are doing it on purpose.'

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Lucky escape on 00:11 - Sep 25 with 1686 viewsdistortR

Lucky escape on 00:10 - Sep 25 by Sharpy36

Going through the rounds also gives you an increasing share of the prize pot.


god no, why would we ever want to do that?
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Lucky escape on 00:20 - Sep 25 with 1683 viewsHooparoo

Lucky escape on 00:02 - Sep 25 by Boston

I find it difficult to be 'up for sport' at the moment. I've fallen back to what I know and love, Queens Park Rangers playing league fixtures. The resumption of the NHL didn't stir any interest, didn't watch a single minute of a Bruins or any other hockey fixture, not watched the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots nor any football, English or American, indifferent to the point of not caring actually.
Sport to me is a bonding experience enjoyed in the company of like minded others, undiluted basic escapism, beer, singing, shouting at the oppo and match officals, icing on the cake if we get a result. No crowd equals no joy, even though I'm not at most fixtures I can live vicariously through audio coverage and blend straight back in at the half dozen games I do get to attend most seasons. I don't want politics, campaigners, virtue signalling, social distancing or authoritarian policing to impinge on my enjoyment of a simple game of football, when I just want to let off a bit of steam.
I'm disturbed by the thought that this fundemental part of my life is being dismantled, the Carabao cup is the least of my worries.


Great post. Feel the same way
[Post edited 25 Sep 2020 0:20]

Poll: Where will we finish up next season?

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Lucky escape on 00:34 - Sep 25 with 1662 viewstimcocking

Quite.

Plus, it gave us an extra hour to work on the defence, so we should be sorted from now on.
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Lucky escape on 03:54 - Sep 25 with 1563 viewsMistication92

Lucky escape on 22:39 - Sep 24 by daveB

I really don't see why they are playing these cups this season, the whole point of the cups is a break from the league, play different sides and the excitement of playing a bigger club either home or away or getting to Wembley for a day out in the final but as we can't go it all seems a bit pointless.


I'm guessing it's only because of sponsorship deals.

I agree, but then I've always thought the League Cup was pointless.
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Lucky escape on 05:40 - Sep 25 with 1491 viewsDixie_CT

Lucky escape on 00:10 - Sep 25 by Sharpy36

Going through the rounds also gives you an increasing share of the prize pot.


There is no prize money in the League Cup until the semi final and then it is £25k, £50k for the losing finalist and £100k for the winner.

In layman’s terms that is a week to a month of Fitz Hall’s services.

I vote in favour of our boycott.
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Lucky escape on 06:58 - Sep 25 with 1415 viewsNorthernr

Lucky escape on 23:59 - Sep 24 by daveB

it's just barmy, football has done nothing to change in this pandemic just carried on as normal, you have teams going all over Europe when we are supposed to have travel bans. Champions League and Europa should have shortened down, do a play each other once scenario on neutral venues for the group stage, could do it all in one week like they did the knockouts last year. Scrap Nations League just play the Euro playoffs and give leagues more time to finish.

I get they are doing it for the money and are terrified of not satisfying the tv contracts but it just all seems so stupid.


Football is kidding itself and has been incredibly lucky so far. Over in rugby league the super league table has already switched to PPG because they don't think all the teams will be able to complete their fixtures. Positive tests every week, teams isolating, fixtures being changed at the last minute on a weekly basis. You can go from a week of preparing to play Hull KR who are bottom to suddenly the day before finding out you're playing Wigan or Saints.

Starting to see that now in football with positive tests and late cancellations. It's fanciful and reckless to think you can just play all the cups and European competitions as normal. Absolutely incredible they've started the leagues up again with no firm vote on what happens if they're curtailed - lo and behold premier league now saying if the EFL wants a cash bail out then, among other things, there is to be no relegation from the Prem if the season gets stopped.

Football is also testing far less than it did during the lockdown. Hull City refused West Ham's offer of testing before their league cup tie, and won't be tested before they play this weekend, and the explanation from the doctor is basically "we don't have to according to the rules so we're not going to". That sounds very Trumpy "if we don't test then we won't find cases" to me, basically don't want their players quarantined...

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/hull-city/why-hull-city-refused-w
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Lucky escape on 07:11 - Sep 25 with 1386 viewsessextaxiboy

Its totally do do with commercial partnerships, money will have been advanced and would have to be paid back if the competition was scrapped for a year .
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Lucky escape on 07:47 - Sep 25 with 1325 viewsPaddyhoops

Lucky escape on 00:09 - Sep 25 by Myke

Another powerful post. Of course in that context you are quite right. And likely to get worse before it gets better. Here, Donegal has just followed Dublin into semi-lockdown and several more counties on the brink.


We were never overly concerned with it anyway.
This years no different , pandemic or no pandemic.
On your other point, Myke.
Ireland seems to have taken a very stringent approach to covid in comparison to this country.
As an expat , I usually visit 2 to 3 times a year, however with the strict quarantine laws in place, I haven't been for nearly a year now. Cant see it changing any time soon.
Thats at least a couple of grand I wont be putting into the Irish economy, multiply that by the thousands who are in the same boat as me . Thats a big loss to the economy there. Hardly sustainable!!
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Lucky escape on 08:05 - Sep 25 with 1292 viewsNewhopphoops

At least one thing in 2020 is as it has always been. If we were still in the Caribou cup the discombobulation would be complete.

ALso FWIW, according to my Donegal correspondent, there are two big news items at the moment:
https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/09/24/breaking-record-daily-high-as-42-new-cov
https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/09/23/former-garda-claims-ex-councillor-attack
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