Carabao Cup Final Man Utd v Newcastle ** Spoilers ** [26th February 2023]

[mid_gen]

Miggy (the most one footed player I have ever seen)

You've seen Antony play?

I think you see the difference in yesterday's game that experience makes. Sure Guimaraes is a quality player, but he hasn't won diddly, and it showed.

Having the likes of Casemiro on the pitch who has been and won everything makes a world of difference.

 

[the wopster]

You've seen Antony play?

I think you see the difference in yesterday's game that experience makes. Sure Guimaraes is a quality player, but he hasn't won diddly, and it showed.

Having the likes of Casemiro on the pitch who has been and won everything makes a world of difference.

That’s what I said when coming out of the stadium, we don’t have the big game mentality that ManU do

 

[JamesH85]

It doesn't help that we've really struggled to push advantage in many games we have played this season.

We draw way too many, Man Utd are able to win even when their play maybe merits a draw. They can be clinical. That's the difference, Newcastle are not there yet and there is so much work to do.

Just getting to a final and being in the top half of the table is achieving considering where we were over the last 5 years.

 

[fez]

Not sure thats experience, thats just confidence and having a good coach. Newcastle generally played well yesterday but just don't have that bit of quality you need to finish teams off. I never got the impression that United really got out of second gear either. Newcastle were doing a lot more of the work and industry while we sat in our shape.

With more quality from the likes of, well basically Bruno we could have finished that game 4-0 once Newcastle really started chasing it.

I don't know if that was purely tactical from EtH or he was trying to avoid playing a super high intensity game off the back of the last 5 weeks of fixtures coming thick and fast, especially the games against Barca. Either way, its nice to be playing games where you never really worry that you are going to put in a stinker and get tonked.

Casemiro is such a quality player and its great to see how much the players enjoyed winning that trophy. Its a minor trophy but we haven't won one of those in a long time so you have to start somewhere. Long way to go this season but we are 100% on the right path with EtH and I'm looking forward to watching United for the first time in years.

 

[Droolinggimp]

A trophy is a trophy. Doesn't matter how insignificant it may seem to others. We watch football and support our club to win trophies. This is ETHs mind set. You play football to win trophies.

I used to think the league Cup was one to try out the kids. That's how I was brought up watching fergie etc. Mr ten hag has changed my mind. Not because we won yesterday but its how he approaches football.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Not sure thats experience, thats just confidence and having a good coach. Newcastle generally played well yesterday but just don't have that bit of quality you need to finish teams off. I never got the impression that United really got out of second gear either. Newcastle were doing a lot more of the work and industry while we sat in our shape.

With more quality from the likes of, well basically Bruno we could have finished that game 4-0 once Newcastle really started chasing it.

I don't know if that was purely tactical from EtH or he was trying to avoid playing a super high intensity game off the back of the last 5 weeks of fixtures coming thick and fast, especially the games against Barca. Either way, its nice to be playing games where you never really worry that you are going to put in a stinker and get tonked.

Casemiro is such a quality player and its great to see how much the players enjoyed winning that trophy. Its a minor trophy but we haven't won one of those in a long time so you have to start somewhere. Long way to go this season but we are 100% on the right path with EtH and I'm looking forward to watching United for the first time in years.

Saw this video on YouTube about the tactics against Newcastle, the idea was that he predicted Newcastle would use their attacking players to drive the ball forward so didn't want to give them much spaces so the defensive line was further back for this game. The center backs had Wilson in their pocket with 2 vs 1 as in the 1st half was playing only 1 up front.

When Newcastle put Isak on to play as a No.10, he neutralised that too with an extra man in midfield when he brought on McSauce and Sabitzer. That point Newcastle had to sacrifice their Longstaff who was playing as a No.6 in the pivot road so Isak can play at No.10. Man U never had to get out of 2nd gear honestly due to their tactics being spot on.

 

[Bigpig]

A trophy is a trophy. Doesn't matter how insignificant it may seem to others. We watch football and support our club to win trophies. This is ETHs mind set. You play football to win trophies.

I used to think the league Cup was one to try out the kids. That's how I was brought up watching fergie etc. Mr ten hag has changed my mind. Not because we won yesterday but its how he approaches football.

Silverware is Silverware.

Hate it when people degrade domestic cups.

When a player retires what does he have?

Number of top 4 finishes or honours?

ETH is 100% correct.

Try and tell that to the thousands that travelled down to London for the final that it's a micky mouse cup.

 

[fez]

Silverware is Silverware.

Hate it when people degrade domestic cups.

When a player retires what does he have?

Number of top 4 finishes or honours?

ETH is 100% correct.

Try and tell that to the thousands that travelled down to London for the final that it's a micky mouse cup.

Its one of those things that I wouldn't really care if we had been knocked out but I am happy that we won it and I would have been annoyed at getting to the final and losing.

Ultimately if you look at the teams we played to get here we should have been in the final and won it. That being said, there are a dozen teams with the same claim who aren't in the final.

Top 4 is more important from a mid-term perspective but trophies are always the goal which is why these domestic cups have always been a bit more important for the smaller teams not worrying about top 4.

It will be interesting to see how United are looking in a months time when the strain of competing on all fronts has really had some time to fester. Will we be OK or will there be a bit of a crisis.

 

[Martynt74]

Its one of those things that I wouldn't really care if we had been knocked out but I am happy that we won it and I would have been annoyed at getting to the final and losing.

Ultimately if you look at the teams we played to get here we should have been in the final and won it. That being said, there are a dozen teams with the same claim who aren't in the final.

Yeah, i'd say that mirrors my thoughts too, being knocked out at anything other than the Semi/Final is just shrugged off, but as soon as you start getting the genuine sniff of lifting a trophy it begins to become important.

 

[Robbo]

It's definitely the worst trophy but it's still a trophy and good to win it. I actually find our general upturn in form to be more significant though by far, and the trophy only adds to that.

I think we're bound to suffer with this fixture congestion. It would help a lot of we had Martial and Eriksen available too.

Our performances lean heavily on Casemiro, and to a slightly lesser extent, Varane and Martinez. If any of them picks up an injury, we might struggle more. Rashford too, of course.

Sabitzer and Weghorst were very shrewd signings though to plug those gaps a little bit. People slate Weghorst but he does some good work IMO.

 

[robfosters]

Little word of caution, don’t forget Arteta won the FA cup in his first season and we all thought the good times were coming. Few months later and he was close to the sack after a disastrous season which saw us not qualify for Europe.

Could still be a rocky road ahead.

 

[fez]

Little word of caution, don’t forget Arteta won the FA cup in his first season and we all thought the good times were coming. Few months later and he was close to the sack after a disastrous season which saw us not qualify for Europe.

Could still be a rocky road ahead.

Winning a trophy in of itself isn't a good sign per-se. I wouldn't have been at all worried if we didn't win one this season as long as we were showing improvements which we 100% are. I'm fully expecting a bit of a wobble simply due to the number of games we are playing.

The funny thing about expectations is that they are constantly changing. Start of the season I would have snapped your hand off for our current position. Now that we are there I will be disappointed if we fall away a bit despite not expecting to be here in the first place.

 

[adam cool dude]

A trophy is a trophy. Doesn't matter how insignificant it may seem to others. We watch football and support our club to win trophies. This is ETHs mind set. You play football to win trophies.

I used to think the league Cup was one to try out the kids. That's how I was brought up watching fergie etc. Mr ten hag has changed my mind. Not because we won yesterday but its how he approaches football.

I would say Pep really changed everyone's perceptions as he has always taken it seriously.

I am sure any team bar United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal would kill for a league cup.

 

[Doobedoo]

I would say Pep really changed everyone's perceptions as he has always taken it seriously.

I am sure any team bar United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal would kill for a league cup.

It was actually Mourinho that showed the importance of winning the League cup. It was his first trophy at Chelsea and proved a platform for them to achieve more.

Fergie used it as a way of giving youth and squad players minutes as it wasn’t a high priority of his as he was more focused on winning Premier League titles, FA cups and hopefully Champions Leagues.

 

[adam cool dude]

Little word of caution, don’t forget Arteta won the FA cup in his first season and we all thought the good times were coming. Few months later and he was close to the sack after a disastrous season which saw us not qualify for Europe.

Could still be a rocky road ahead.

Ten Hag isn't in the same category as Arteta imo. What Arsenal are doing this season is fantastic but the jury will be out for next season to see if he can repeat it. ETH has won it all with Ajax and has Champions League pedigree. He also had several players poached from his Ajax team but still managed to win and dominated their group in his last season. He has also got a 72.5 percent win percentage after 40 games which is pretty staggering for a first season.

 

[BaZ87]

I'm not sure Mourinho showed the importance of it, he just chose to play strong teams in it. It was far easier for him, like Pep in recent years, to play stronger sides in it when they had/have squads big enough to play strong sides, without it impacting the sides they can put out in the League.

I said this last season, when we won it, and many times before, the League Cup is pointless now. For all but a tiny number of clubs it's nothing more than a distraction these days and the only reason we still have it, is because it's a big revenue driver for the EFL. It's not just PL sides that field weakened sides in it either, the vast majority of EFL sides do too. As part of the talks between the EFL and PL regarding the distribution of money down the pyramid, they are already looking at ways which will only further devalue the competition. It's been reported that due to more European football being on the cards, PL sides that qualify for Europe may not enter the League Cup in future or, as a compromise, they will field u23 sides.

 

[Robbo]

Arteta had far less experience, and his true capability is still unknown. He started off well, then struggled, and is now doing better again.

If Arsenal keep their form up, he'll have managed to build a young squad and win the league with it, which is a great achievement.

 

[Doobedoo]

Mourinho taliking about winning the League Cup, his first trophy being important for installing confidence and a winning mentality. Pep also understood this because it’s the first trophy in the calendar but can lead to the prestigious ones later on in the season.

 

[nemtizz]

It's only considered irrelevant by opposition glory supporters let's be honest.

I'll be refering to it as a Mickey Mouse cup when I'm back at work tomorrow, mind.

 

[Murf]

At least we won the flag trophy.

Was a great day out at Wembley. Really enjoyed it despite the result. Fans from both teams behaved themselves as well which was nice. I do worry it's going to be hard to arrest our dip in form until the summer transfer window without a return to form of Wilson. We need a goal scorer desperately. Proud of the lads. I said a cup run and 10th at the start of the year would be great. 6th in the league and a League Cup final, I'll take that.

The money chat in here is interesting. FFP rules actually hamstring sides that don't already have huge commercial revenue and worldwide appeal. You can't spend unless you generate revenue, and you can't generate major revenue unless you're winning trophies and in the Champions League. Man Utd, Liverpool, and probably to an extent Arsenal just have a baked in advantage due to their global, historical appeal. Is that fair? It's probably better than the alternative of Man City\Newcastle just buying the league but it does mean if we're going to progress then it will be a much longer journey, with major investment in facilities, youth and commercial revenue streams required.