With the start of the season now so close I can almost taste the plastic-bottled Carlsberg, there’s another thing to start getting excited about: the hope, the glory, and the dream of the shiny silverware from cup runs (it’s never too early to start planning your calendar around potential cup game dates, by the way.)
The question I’ve been asked this week is whether or not we are due a cup run this season. I for one would love it if we were. I enjoyed the FA Cup final in 2006, and would have enjoyed it so much more if we could have just held on for like one more minute. But since then, we’ve not really gone the distance in either the Carling/Capital One/Coca Cola/whatever they’re calling it nowadays Cup or the FA Cup. By that reasoning, I think we are due a good cup run.
The real question is, do we want it?
Over the past couple of years, I’ve not been particularly convinced that West Ham want to be involved in cup games. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to focus on more than one thing- and I’m quite sure that Big Sam (and some of his predecessors) were going easy on the cup games in order to secure our position in the league and or attempt to keep us playing or get us playing Premier League Football. I respect them for that.
The majority of match reports for FA and League cup games over the past few years do little but list how many first team members we’ve dropped for our cup line ups. We went out in the League Cup to Wigan last year with a team consisting of several reserve players, and the year prior to Aldershot Town (Aldershot Town!) in a game where we rested seven first team members and gave starting spots to Boffin, McNaughton, and Sears. Similarly we rested seven starters in our only FA cup game that year – a 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday.
The exception to this trend was the incredibly hard fought draw against Manchester United last season (and the subsequent replay loss), and also the 2010-2011 season where it did look like we were interested as we partook in a few rounds of each cup. 2010-2011 was, of course, also the season we were relegated.
Now, I certainly don’t disagree that we should have been focusing on the league the last few years. I mean, look at Wigan- obviously that FA Cup they won last season is great, and it’ll look super shiny in their trophy case, but that’s now the trophy case of a Championship club. We took home no cup glory (sans the play-off final) the last few years because it wasn’t our priority- and as a football club who finished in the top ten last year, I’m glad for that.
But the tides are changing at Upton Park. Things now feel good, and I have never been so excited about the team we’re going to be putting out come the start of the season. Given that we’re starting to look- dare I say- stable- I think that we should now be interested in pursuing a little cup run. Plus, with new(ish) managers at three of the top four clubs potentially causing a wee bit of unrest (it’s bound to happen), and last years cup finalists including Swansea City, Bradford City, and Wigan- we could actually be in it to win it this year.
That is, if we want it, of course.
What do you think? Should we aim for silverware this year, or should we continue to aim solely for a high league finish? Let me know below or tweet me @makingthemarrow
we are long overdu a cup run and some silverware. w are not goin to win the premiership.realistically if we finish 8th this season it will be another step forward. we should concentrate on both cup competitions and give our loyal fans some silverware. put out our strongest teams in these competitions and get backto winning trophys. i hope we sign KALOU.WE HAVE TO KICK ON NOW FORGET ABOUT BUYING OLD PLAYERS. its a new dawn a new beginning for Wetham so up and at them. Come on u Irons.
I wud like to see a cup run I won’t lie I had a gd feeling last year then we got man u in the 3rd round and that was the end ov that but the same thing remains for me the league is more important and tho the team looks gd have we got the depth in the squad to have a cup run. But saying that ur right 3 top teams with new managers this cud be the year if anything the carling or wotever its called cud be our chance rather than the f a cup. Big sam will I’m sure tho use the early stages ov the cups to play some ov the young talent we have to start theses games which is what he sud do anyway so I wudnt get my hopes up but this is the best group ov players west ham has had for a a few years so anything is possible sit bk and enjoy the ride westhamfamily this cud be the our year
People need to pull back a little with their expectations for this season.
Talks of silverware and finishing 8th or ABOVE are bound to end in dissapointment.
I’m all for hope at the start of the season but let’s just get a few things straight, apart from a left back and a reserve goalie, we have the same side we had last year, the likes of Norwich, Southampton, Swansea and West Brom have improved their squads massively, I know there is still time but we have no money left.
I know this sounds a bit glass half empty, but at my age I’ve seen it all before.
It’s practicality. If we can have a run which doesn’t inhibit our position/performances in the league then we’ll go for it.
Last year was a clear example of this. We played Man U on the FA Cup weekend – with plenty of days before our next league game we put out a strong side and did very well.
However, the replay was on a Wednesday/Tuesday night with a league match that weekend – so we put out a second string team (which did well but we weren’t, as a club, going for it).
With many ‘middle of the league’ clubs the cups are seen as something of an added bonus. If the schedules and reserve team performances go in their favour suddenly a club can find itself in the 1/4 finals. This could be our year again but TBH I can’t see us going for it guns blazing from the start of cup season.