Cup Distractions

There is no getting away from the fact that domestic cup runs can severely damage a season if the ultimate goal is CL qualification.

Notoriously in 2004 we had Man Utd away in the PL followed five days later by them again in the semis of the FA Cup and then three days later Chelsea in quarters of the CL, then Liverpool in the PL three days later. The CL was there for the taking that year but Mr. Wenger played far too strong a team in the FA Cup and we were exhausted for the CL second leg.

Man City, Chelsea and Spurs will be take a hit from the Capital Cup double headers (advantage Liverpool). So will those teams going deep in the FA Cup and CL.

Luck does play its part with the amount of fixtures each team has to play.