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Betfred Cup (League Cup In Old Money)


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You're absolutely right jaggy. I was a bit hasty in mounting the high horse.

No you weren't, you were 100% spot-on.

 

Parachuting these clubs into the last 16 hasn't made one tiny bit of difference to their performances. The 4 could easily fit in League Cup games in July, and they all have big squads that can be rotated. And before this season, it was just a single game the likes of Celtic were moaning about playing. We've let them get far too big for their boots. Play the tournament or scratch would be my stance to the chuntz.

 

Regionalisation, obsessive seeding, privileged free-entry to the later stages, utterly bizarre penalty shoot-out for a bonus point - this League Cup seems to have been designed by my arch enemies.

 

Everyone wanted a Dumfries weekender - but a small group of numpties in a wee room decided that all the "first seeds" should play at home to all the "second seeds" (as if the seeding system wasn't bad enough already).

 

As for regionalisation, FFS, this is Scotland not frickin' 3,000 mile-long Russia. A trip to Arbroath or "New Broomfield"? I'd bet 3 out of 4 Jags fans would rather the former. Our destiny is now to be mind-numbingly locked in the Strathclyde triangle.

 

The SPFL Premiership / The SPFL's League Cup, the SPFL's Challenge Cup - every one of them is now an affront to sport. These little committee men are making things worse with every passing year.

 

Thank goodness for the SFA and the Scottish Cup, the last bastion of sanity in Scottish Football.

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Thank goodness for the SFA and the Scottish Cup, the last bastion of sanity in Scottish Football.

 

Is that said with tongue in cheek, TJR? I'm quite sure Mr Regan at the SFA could surprise us with a few novelties to help devalue our main Cup tournament. The fact that it's a time proven, simplicity itself type competition shouldn't deter a fellow of Regan's numptiness. Meantime he's happy to just juggle KO times for TV purposes to cause the maximum inconvenience to the traveling supporter.

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Is that said with tongue in cheek, TJR? I'm quite sure Mr Regan at the SFA could surprise us with a few novelties to help devalue our main Cup tournament. The fact that it's a time proven, simplicity itself type competition shouldn't deter a fellow of Regan's numptiness. Meantime he's happy to just juggle KO times for TV purposes to cause the maximum inconvenience to the traveling supporter.

Actually, on second thoughts did they no' give the Hens (sic) a semi-final at Ibrox lately? Just goes to show - the SPFL committees are so desperately bad they're making even the SFA seem appealing. :bag:

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Team A wins 1, draws 2 (loses shoots out) and loses 1. 5 points under normal and League Cup points scoring systems.

Team B wins 0, draws 3 (winning all shoots out) and loses 1. 3 points under normal but 6 points under League Cup scoring system.

 

Somewhat anomalous as well as anonymous.

Sorry not entirely sure of your point. Under both scenarios highly unlikely the team would win their group and progress, so what has changed other than the shoot outs bringing a bit of added excitement to each of the individual ties?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry not entirely sure of your point. Under both scenarios highly unlikely the team would win their group and progress, so what has changed other than the shoot outs bringing a bit of added excitement to each of the individual ties?

 

I'm all for added excitement and tho' I think Doncaster/SPFL are lamentable I welcome him/them trying new things out. That doesn't change my opinion on penalty shoot outs. I guess just about everyone knows the argument for and against them. I'm in the against tho' necessary evil camp so most definitely against the introduction of them when not absolutely required as is the case here.

I'd rather see the introduction of two points for a scoring draw in group stages of a tournament. For the same reason as it's now 3 points for a win instead of two differentiating between a scoring and a goalless draw should lead to more positive football. There's nothing much enjoyable about watching a game knowing that both sides would settle for 0-0 so the extra point thru the shoot out can be seen as welcome. I just feel that rewarding a scoring draw would be a more football way of doing things.

Edited by lady-isobel-barnett
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Must admit I was sceptical about the new League Cup format and I must be honest and admit a large part of that was due to the source it emanated from. However, I've got to admit I was wrong and that over the piece it's proven to be a positive addition to the Scottish football calendar. I wouldn't go OTT over it but credit where credits due and for one thing it beats those awful pre-season friendliest!

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I think to encourage technical skills in the Scottish game succesful 40 yard passes should be awarded a bonus point.

 

Goals which stem from an unbroken triple-assist build-up should be rewarded with a bonus penalty kick. Wow, imagine the excitement that would genearate?

 

Also, I think goals from diving headers with the ball no more than six inches off the ground should count as double just for the general lolz.

 

All teams who are seeded should start each game with minus one goal.

 

I also think the Betfred Cup would be further enhanced if the winners of the Vanormama Conference South East Division were given a place in the last 8. This would bring something a little bit different, and could give guys like Jackie McNamara a crack at the big time.

 

Finally, I've long said it, four halves would be absolutely ideal for the Scottish game and would help alleviate pie queues, not to mention extra bovril revenues.

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Does second round seeding bestow a home game?

 

I think you'll find that it does, on the proviso that the club is based in Glasgow and has a name starting with "C" or "R". All other clubs will be given the worst possible draw.

 

Motherwell or Kilmarnock away for us if they make it through.

Edited by Dick Dastardly
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I think to encourage technical skills in the Scottish game succesful 40 yard passes should be awarded a bonus point.

 

Goals which stem from an unbroken triple-assist build-up should be rewarded with a bonus penalty kick. Wow, imagine the excitement that would genearate?

 

Also, I think goals from diving headers with the ball no more than six inches off the ground should count as double just for the general lolz.

 

All teams who are seeded should start each game with minus one goal.

 

I also think the Betfred Cup would be further enhanced if the winners of the Vanormama Conference South East Division were given a place in the last 8. This would bring something a little bit different, and could give guys like Jackie McNamara a crack at the big time.

 

Finally, I've long said it, four halves would be absolutely ideal for the Scottish game and would help alleviate pie queues, not to mention extra bovril revenues.

 

Can you run that by me again: what are four halves?

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I'm claiming that as intentional absurbism :P

 

Today, the "SPFL Cups Are Our Speciality Get The OF to the Final At Any Cost Sub-Committee" have made further adjustments for next seasons’ competition. Namely;

  1. That all League 2 sides shall start with 8 players. All League 1 sides shall start with 9 players. All Championship sides shall start with 10 players. Premiership sides start with 11 players as normal excepting those clubs who have qualified for Europe who will be permitted 2 goalkeepers as well as the 10 outfield players.
  2. Non-City clubs whose Geographical location forces other clubs to travel more than 25 miles to get there shall start the match with all players on a yellow card. Hopefully this will help to get rid of the chuntz. This will lead matches on a knife-edge and offer great excitement for all spectators.
  3. Away goals shall count double, but only for the member clubs participating in European competitions. F*ck knows the hapless chuntz need all the practice they can get. This should aid Scotland’s co-efficient which, the committee feels, going forward, can only be good for all member clubs.

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The state of this Cup. :(

 

So, todays "seeded" draw has the best sides in the land as proven by their exploits last season plus 4 sides who are "on form" via the first round group stages. Er, make your mind up SPFL? It should surely be one thing or the other. Whit a hodge-podge. Surely the point of seeding is to make sure the biggest, richest and best clubs advance? These fuds can't even get that right.

 

So todays seeding system, much-beloved by the powers that be, could see those well known mighty top seeds, Alloa Athletic, paired against the minnows of Motherwell. What's the point of that?

 

This years various seeding interventions have lost the plot, I've rarely seen anything so pointless as the pre-manufactured home games and now this farce.

 

Abolish seeding. Abolish regionalisation. Abolish parachuting. We're on the basic right lines for a good League Cup format here - let's get on with playing sport and stop *****ing about.

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TJR, it is probably the sponsors that want some seeding to try to get the more "attractive" teams through to the latter stages. So I think we will be stuck with it.The regionalisation, I assume, was an attempt to increase the chances of better crowds turning up. I think it is debatable whether that has worked. For comparison purposes, our game vs Falkirk last season had a crowd of 2,200 - similar to both our home matches this season. I don't think there is any doubt that the competitive edge brought more fans through the gates than friendlies.

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Yep, apart from that warbling half-loaf Warburton, I think most are in agreement that these group games are a welcome curtain raiser. Sadly, I think you're right about the sponsors, although I think it's a misguided, counter-productive train of thought. The best team will prevail 90% of the time, seeding is not necessary for this, as proven by the Scottish Cup down throughout the years. Let's get a League Cup draw where Rangers and Celtic are just as likely as Edinburgh and Berwick.to be paired together. Random is good. Random is exciting. This is the essence of sport - it's been tampered with for too long now and it's getting worse.

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I think the new league cup is great. Certainly seems better than the usual pre-season games.

 

I definalty agree about the seeding. There is no need for it and all it does is it gives the big clubs a further advantage which they shouldnt require.

 

It terms of regionalisation I thought this was a good idea. More chance of local derbies and less travel for teams and fans but it didnt work when you consider that Dumbarton had in their group Peterhead, Dundee, East Fife and Forfar. I still think that regionalisation is the way forward as having Queen of the south playing say Elgin at this stage isnt going to interest their fans and the cost of that travel to smaller clubs is considerable.

 

It may take a few years to get the format of it working but I certainly think it is a step in the right direction for scottish football.

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dundee utd away,more than confident after watching their game today

 

It's a good draw, but let's remember we were confident after drawing them in the Scottish Cup last year too.

 

That went well.

 

Our cup record since 1980 shows that we have not earned the right to be dismissive of any opponent. Would be good if we could put that one to bed.

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12 Cup games without a win vs United... never more than a solitary Thistle goal in any of the games...

 

31.08.1977 Dundee United [h] D0-0 (League Cup 2nd Round, 1st leg)

03.09.1977 Dundee United [a] L0-1 (League Cup 2nd Round, 2nd leg)

14.02.1981 Dundee United [a] L0-1 (Scottish Cup 4th Round)

12.08.1981 Dundee United [a] L0-2 (League Cup Section 4 - game 2)

19.08.1981 Dundee United [h] L1-2 (League Cup Section 4 - game 4)

19.08.1987 Dundee United [a] L1-4 (League Cup 2nd Round)

16.08.1988 Dundee United [h] L0-2 (League Cup 2nd Round)

16.08.1989 Dundee United [a] L0-1 (League Cup 2nd Round)

28.08.1990 Dundee United [h] L1-3 (League Cup 3rd Round)

09.01.2010 Dundee United [h] L0-2 (Scottish Cup 4th Round)

25.09.2013 Dundee United [a] L1-4 (League Cup 3rd Round)

06.02.2016 Dundee United [a] L0-1 (Scottish Cup 5th Round)

 

 

 

... it's 41 years since we beat them in any Cup...

 

20.08.1975 Dundee United [a] W2-1 (League Cup Section 4 - game 4)

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