The F.A Cup or a top 4 finish?

[Gwladys Nights]

If the FA/Premier League wanted to give the Cup back some of its former prestige they could spread the Prem's four CL spots between the top 3 and the FA Cup Winner. You'd still end up with the top 4 going into the CL most years - I can't be arsed doing the sums but a look at the list of winners on Wikipedia seems to show that it's top 4 side who wins it the vast majority of the time going back ages. Only Portsmouth and Chelsea (twice) have finished outside the top 4 and won it since we did it in 1995 (17 years ago), and Chelsea were 5th and 6th respectively when they did it.

In fact looking at it that way the difficulty of winning the FA Cup probably gets down-played a little these days. Seems to be at least an equivalent achievement to crashing the top 4 the way we did in 04/05.

 

[Brennan]

We finish 4th, get to the group stages of the Champo league and we'll have some money to show for it. We'll still be miles behind the top five teams in terms of the players we can attract and afford, and we'll still be trophyless.

We win the FA Cup, in the process ending 18 years without one and creating a life long memory for a generation of blues who have seen nothing but mid table mediocrity.

I know which one I'd choose.

 

[MartSlinger]

If Everton werent so badly run id say FA Cup because its something to put in the cabinet, but it has to be Champions League.

 

[riddick]

Champions league every day of the week. The money could be huge for this club.

 

[Brennan]

Champions league every day of the week. The money could be huge for this club.

I wouldn't bank on it.

With the new TV Deal each PL place is worth £2m or more, we wouldn't be the first or the last club to lose form and money as a result of European competition.

The really big benefit of the Champions League is increased marketing opportunities, something which this board have shown zero impetus in using to increase revenue. Arsenal reached the round of 16 last season and in total were given £24m from the tournament. Being realistic we would expect to finish 3rd or 4th in the group, and make closer to £16m as a result.

So £16m extra, that's great, it would buy us one or two very good players and would still leave us miles behind the other teams ahead of us. That's not even taking into consideration the fact that we could easily drop several places in the league, we drop three places and the total benefit from making it to the CL is about £10m, not exactly going to make us a juggernaut.

And that's not even considering that qualifying for the CL would really put the spotlight on some of our best players. Some seem to think that qualifying for the CL would stop Fellaini among others from jumping ship, but what if doing so only makes other teams even more interested in signing him ?

Or we could do what the aim of every football club is, win something.

 

[Goat]

The CL all day.

Ive seen us win loads of FA Cups, they aint all that.

 

[Nashtbs]

Champions league. Hopefully getting Barcelona in the groups.

 

[tim cahill]

I'm going to vote top 4 as it is probably harder to do, and would mean we had a great season. You never know, if we were in the champions league we may be able to attract the interest of a new billionaire owner!(Although I wouldn't bank on it.)

 

[steken1]

I love the FA cup, the draw, the games against lower league sides and Wembley but CL qualification could completely change the clubs future. It would also make us more likely to win the FA cup in the future.

I actually think we're one of the few sides who are helped by cup runs. The best football and our best run of form we've had under Moyes was when we were playing thursday/sunday a few years ago when we went something like 19 unbeaten winning 17.

 

[Norwegian Cow]

Ch.league. As that would give us better chance to keep hold of our best players and attract new players. It would also help us alot financially.

 

[Brennan]

The CL all day.

Ive seen us win loads of FA Cups, they aint all that.

Neither are big macs but you still eat five a day ffs

 

[ToffeeBlueNose]

I find it really saddening that fans don't care about trophies any more. As someone who remembers the great 80's all I can say is...best feeling in the world watching your team walking up the Wembley steps head to toe in scarves and hats off the fans, then lifting the cup to rapturous cheering, sends goosebumps down my spine thinking about it.

Don't remember getting that feeling finishing 4th though.

 

[steken1]

I find it really saddening that fans don't care about trophies any more. As someone who remembers the great 80's all I can say is...best feeling in the world watching your team walking up the Wembley steps head to toe in scarves and hats off the fans, then lifting the cup to rapturous cheering, sends goosebumps down my spine thinking about it.

Don't remember getting that feeling finishing 4th though.

The sad fact about the game these days is that fans of clubs like ours have to be far more pragmatic than romantic. That said seeing the blues running out at the likes of the Nou Camp, Bernabeu, San Siro and a few others would be very, very special for me.

 

[ToffeeBlueNose]

No contest, next.

 

[Goat]

Neither are big macs but you still eat five a day ffs

I wish Bradley Son.

But if you gave me the choice of Everton lifting the FA Cup or me lifting a Big Mac to my mouth.

Ronnie Mac would win all day long.