As soon as the Premier League fixture list is interrupted, the same debate is sparked among football fans. Are the domestic cup competitions good or bad for the game as a whole? In Brighton, it seems that Albion supporters, like the rest of the footballing fraternity, aren’t too bothered about the results.
We should be, though. The Seagulls may have bigger fish to fry when it comes to staying in the top flight, yet going deep in tournaments like the Carabao Cup and FA Cup does have its benefits.
Squad Harmony
If the main aim is to avoid relegation, Graham Potter can’t rely on the same 11 men to perform week in, week out. Simultaneously, the spine of the first team will remain the same as continuity is essential. That means several players who will do play significant parts throughout the league campaign have to make do as substitutes.
As we know too well, professionals hate watching from the sidelines as their colleagues are praised for their performances. Suddenly, the guys who are integral to a rotation policy later in the season are the ones pushing for the exit. Now that Ben White is at Arsenal and Tariq Lamptey and Yves Bissouma are tracked by top clubs, we’ll need all the firepower we can get from now until the summer transfer window.
Getting minutes in the Carabao Cup may not be what most of the squad envisaged when they signed on at the Amex Stadium, but it may be the difference between a harmonious dressing room and a toxic work environment. The midweek win against Swansea is a powerful example as Aaron Connolly bagged two, sending his confidence levels through the roof. This is a man who has played once in the EPL so far this year.
Fan Excitement
Supporters need things to get excited about, or else they lose interest and the atmosphere at matches recedes. Without a 12th man spurring the side on, it’s going to be tougher to win football games. Domestic cups provide several talking points, each of which can add anticipation to fans in the stadium or watching at home.
Firstly, the idea of silverware is alluring, regardless of the competition. A cup final appearance makes people proud of their clubs because they have achieved something nobody expected. This applies to Brighton & Hove Albion, a relative minnow compared to the City’s and Chelsea’s of the world. Secondly, going deep in a competition normally means upsetting Premier League peers, which gives supporters their bragging rights. It also lets them back the club in other areas, such as gambling on them to win matches or win the tournament outright. Online betting involves everything from pre-event outright bets to live betting on domestic, European and international games. This can be on friendly matches, the Champions League, the Europa League, the World Cup, and more. And hardly any country is exempt, so fans get more than one option.
Putting a wager on Brighton in the cup always adds an air of anticipation due to the unpredictable nature of the format. Betting on Brighton in the league doesn’t have the same impact when Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel use their world-class squads to decimate the competition.
We’ve started positively in the Carabao Cup, and a good draw means we have a chance of making it to the next round. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that there’s more to come in the FA Cup. Who wouldn’t enjoy all the benefits mentioned above?
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