Although it's never good to lose to our chums up the road, (and you know what's coming next)

[Ashberto]

it would actually increase our chances of winning the league if we were to be spared further participation in that minor tournament.

I don't buy the application of "winning is a habit" to cup runs as a benefactor of league results. Not for us, anyway. We get stretched, tired and injured. Our decent progress in the Extremely **** Cup over the years has only got in the way of more important things, especially when losing the final in Feb is a prelude to crashing out of everything in sight on consecutive weeks. Awful as it was to lose to that jeering, howling mob of National Front on that dismal Extremely **** Cup evening the other month, I'm not sad to see the back of it. Not this year.

People say "but why does it have to be a choice between the FA Cup OR targeted League position, why not the FA Cup AND the League? Because of the cost in muscle and sinew, of which we have finite resources.

So while I want us to win, I've been telling myself this to prepare for the possibilty of defeat.

[PSRB]

League and FA Cup double :cloud9:

[redgunamo]

Apparently it's the reason they agree to join us in the first place, of all the nonsense! Have these people no sense of our history, our tradition :banghead:

[PSRB]

getting a decent draw

[Nicosia Gooner]

;-)

[Pat Vegas]

We used to have this luxury of a Carling cup squard. But in recent years it's been much more mixed.

[Ashberto]

[PSRB]

[redgunamo]

[Pat Vegas]

[redgunamo]

['Neg]

[Harry Balls]

We may win the league, but I tend to feel City's superior stats versus the other contenders will ultimately net them the Prem. I truly hope not, but it's looking inevitable if you consider they've beaten:

Man Utd
Tottenham
Arsenal
Everton
Liverpool

They only lost to Chelsea from the perceived 'competition' so far, with no point-sapping draws that's 15 from 18 of the 'big' games.

They've lost a few, and got lucky against Palace, etc. but by and large I believe it's your results against your peers that's wins it over the course of the season.

[Pat Vegas]

even played the first game of it yet.

For the league we are half the way there. It doesn't matter what City does. We play our games and that's all we can do. (of course we play city once)

What if we end up with a long cup run only to lose in the Semis to City etc.

Waste of time.

[Harry Balls]

Mourinho's bore draw was inevitable, he targets 4 from 6 against the big teams, 1 point away and 3 at home, as he knows that's the formula to ensuring he's in the mix come May.

[redgunamo]

[Pat Vegas]

So we can afford to draw 3 and lose 3 more imo

[PSRB]

plenty of our competitors will drop points there

[Pat Vegas]

has been going for a while. And we now have Ozil and Ramsey has turned into quite the player too.

I really hope Wenger buys a quality striker. Then I really think we can do it.

[PSRB]

yes in 2008 but last 2 seasons especially our form has been excellent and historically we've always been good 2nd half

Who knows but anyone that says we can't win it is nuts

[Pat Vegas]

[PSRB]

side in the league :rolleyes:

[Harry Balls]

Again, purely on stats is how most draw their opinions.