How much the FA Cup still matters is a much discussed topic of conversation among English soccer fans.
It is a subject brought into even sharper focus at this time of year when the world’s oldest senior knockout soccer tournament reaches the third round stage, the point when teams from England’s top two divisions enter the event.
Conventional wisdom has it that the FA Cup has now lost much of its lustre.
The advent of the Champions League concentrates the minds of sides at the top of the English Premier League, whose domestic focus is on winning the league title or at least finishing in the top four to guarantee themselves a place in European club soccer’s elite competition.
Meanwhile teams near the bottom of the Premier League are so concerned about being relegated from the lucrative top flight, they will often rest their best players from Cup ties in a bid to keep them fit for league matches instead.
And yet despite these changes in attitude the so-called “Big Four” of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have, with the exception of Portsmouth’s 2008 triumph, monopolized the FA Cup between them since 1996.
Tomorrow’s tie between record 11-time winners Manchester United and fallen giants Leeds United at Old Trafford promises to be a good guide to the FA Cup’s current standing.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has often fielded under-strength teams in the FA Cup in recent years.
Following their 5-0 thrashing of Wigan on Wednesday, the English champions are now just two points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea as they chase an unprecedented fourth successive title.
There is also the matter of their upcoming Champions League tie against Italian giants AC Milan.
Last season, Ferguson fielded a near reserve side in the FA Cup semi-finals and paid the price when United were beaten by Everton.
But the intriguing, or depressing depending on your point of view is that Leeds, who beat United in a gruelling 1970 FA Cup semi-final that featured two goalless draws before a solitary goal from late Scotland great Billy Bremner settled the tie, might not be at full-strength either.
Leeds are eight points clear at the top of League One, English soccer’s third tier, and manager Simon Grayson, speaking after the draw, said: “It’s the league that counts ... Promotion is the priority here and everybody knows that.”
Current holders Chelsea face Watford in a repeat of the other 1970 semi-final.
Arsenal face West Ham tomorrow, reviving memories of the 1980 final when the Hammers became the last team from outside the top flight to win the FA Cup.
The Gunners make the short trip to east London with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisting he is ready to sacrifice the club’s FA Cup hopes to keep their Premier League title challenge on course.
Wenger, whose side are just four points off top spot, has won the FA Cup four times in his 13 years with Arsenal.
But the Frenchman said: “The Premier League is always more important than the FA Cup. The Premier League is so hard that you want to take care of your position.”
But for Liverpool, away to second division Championship side Reading today, the FA Cup offers a chance to salvage some silverware from what has already been a disappointing season that has seen the Merseysiders fail to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
“It’s always been important but you know that when you’re out of the Champions League, the people think about silverware and the FA Cup is very, very important for us,” said Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at