Squad rotation, resting star players, even the opportunity to give youngsters some experience – it’s been dressed up in various ways, but the act of Premiership clubs changing their line-up for different competitions is probably here to stay.
When Arsenal began to use the League Cup as a platform to blood their stars of the future a few seasons ago, eyebrows were raised. However, the fact the Gunners youngsters reached the final last season and have impressed again this term has seemingly made it acceptable.
But the FA Cup has, until now, been treated with a bit more reverence. Yet we are seeing the seeds of change with Reading’s Dave Kitson quite publicly stating he didn’t care if his club were knocked out as staying in the Premiership was their main goal.
On Third Round day, we saw several Premiership sides relegating their star players to the bench, or in some cases leaving them out altogether. Will fans of clubs like Everton, Blackburn, Bolton and Birmingham be agreeing with Kitson’s views now they can ‘concentrate on the league’?
Has domestic football become so one-dimensional that the only thing that truly matters is sustaining a Premiership existence? Would Bolton fans not have enjoyed a run through a few rounds of the FA Cup? Could Everton really not maintain a bid for European football without leaving out so many senior players they left themselves exposed enough to lose at home to Oldham?
Inadvertently, this is only making the FA Cup more likely to farmed by the ‘big four’. As we have seen, Arsenal can afford to send out a shadow squad and still be successful, and Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have the strength in depth to do the same.
With so many Premiership clubs already out, the likelihood of the final being played out between two of those four only increases. Look at the current prices: Manchester United (5), Arsenal (5), Chelsea (5.7) and Liverpool (5.7) head the market – the next in the list is Manchester City at 20.
There will always be magic and stories in the FA Cup, and it could be argued that the chances of upsets are greater if top-flight clubs persist with ‘squad rotation’. But at this rate the FA Cup, like the Premiership, will become the almost exclusive domain of the same four clubs – and in the words of a Harry Enfield show sketch: “Is that what you want, ‘cos that’s what’ll happen.”
And then there were three
Quips that Liverpool (65) are going to start holding their end-of-season dinners in January are still wide of the mark, but the Christmas period does seem to have ended their chance of winning the Premiership. They took five points from a possible nine, but the draw at home to Wigan left them 12 points off the pace – and it’s difficult to see the likes of Manchester United (1.67) and Arsenal (4.4) both losing four times in the second half of the season.
That draw with Wigan probably highlighted Liverpool’s Achilles’ heel. You can’t afford to drop points at home. There was a time when teams ran out at Anfield feeling they were already a goal down, such was the aura and legend of the place. This season, Liverpool have taken only seventeen of a possible thirty points at home – Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and Aston Villa and Manchester City all have better home records.
The Reds have, it must be pointed out, progressed in the Champions League – but fans brought up on Liverpool’s dominance of English top-flight football surely can’t enjoy being cast as also-rans these days.
They all want a place at the top table
A quick word for the fascinating scrap that is developing for promotion in the Championship. It’s a division where any team appears capable of beating any other, and so we head into the second half of the season with at least a dozen clubs still thinking they can book a ticket to dinner at English football’s top table.
There are some classic ‘sleeping giants’ in the mix, alongside others who are punching above their weight: Wolves are in real danger of missing out (again) while Bristol City could achieve back-to-back promotions.
Expect to see a lot of Premiership youngsters and squad members spending the rest of the season out on loan in the Championship as clubs bolster their squads – and with at least 1 live game on Sky each week, it’s easy to watch the story unfold.
If you’re looking for a bit of value at this stage, Ipswich (50 to win the league, seven for promotion) are worth serious consideration. Virtually unbeatable at home but struggling for points on the road – if Jim Magilton side can replicate their Portman Road performances on their travels, they’ll take some stopping. And one club always seems to emerge from the pack . . .
