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EFL Cup 2026/27

EFL Cup 2026/27

Banana said:
Yes I know.

But designing a draw that would let CL teams met CL teams but not EL teams (and vice versa) is problematic. As per my post above. It increases the chances of CL/EL teams being drawn at home AND you run the risk of the last balls in the draw creating invalid ties.
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50% of these teams are already guaranteed a home draw. Also a disgrace.
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

nick logan said:
50 percent of all teams are guaranteed a home draw
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Very true Nick but some of those will be lower league teams. Guaranteeing that half of the teams that have already had a bye through to round 3 and can’t meet any tricky opponents in round 3, will also get a home draw, makes a mockery of the whole thing.
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

birdy67 said:
Very true Nick but some of those will be lower league teams. Guaranteeing that half of the teams that have already had a bye through to round 3 and can’t meet any tricky opponents in round 3, will also get a home draw, makes a mockery of the whole thing.
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How would you have organised the draw?
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

birdy67 said:
Obviously it’s not going to change as Carabao are happy with the status quo as are the 8 European clubs, but I can’t help feeling it’s bad for football in general and smaller clubs in particular. The FA Cup will be next, mark my words. Fixture congestion will be the argument as usual. Which is disgraceful from any Premier League club in my opinion.
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FA cup is already half way there, so I'm sure you are right.

Replays now gone, fixtures cluttered all over the place and most PL teams make wholesale changes between PL and cup games. Give it 5-10 years and I reckon you'll be right about seedings.

I'll never forget the thrill of a 'giant killing' as a lower league Bees fan. That FA Cup QF in 89 at Anfield and Liverpool put their full strength team out. The win at Blackburn and home to Man C. It would never feel quite the same these days, as PL teams don't do that.

Would still love BFC to win a domestic cup though. Maybe this year, with the squad we have.
 
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EFL Cup 2026/27

Banana said:
How would you have organised the draw?
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I’d extend the dates for the tournament, give the “top teams” a choice to play or pass with the squads they have and if all else fails then post 126 outlines how to at least ensure that one champions league club could draw another without compromising things. That’s surely fairer to all than this crap system?
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

Hippobee said:
FA cup is already half way there, so I'm sure you are right.

Replays now gone, fixtures cluttered all over the place and most PL teams make wholesale changes between PL and cup games. Give it 5-10 years and I reckon you'll be right about seedlings.

I'll never forget the thrill of a 'giant killing' as a lower league Bees fan. That FA Cup QF in 89 at Anfield and Liverpool put their full strength team out. The win at Blackburn and home to Man C. It would never feel quite the same these days, as PL teams don't do that.

Would still love BFC to win a domestic cup though. Maybe this year, with the squad we have.
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The League Cup was previous seeded in Round Two when it was two-legged. None of us complained about the chance of drawing a Division One team back then!

Now all of sudden it's a criminal offence and no doubt organised by the FIFA president.
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

birdy67 said:
I’d extend the dates for the tournament, give the “top teams” a choice to play or pass with the squads they have and if all else fails then post 126 outlines how to at least ensure that one champions league club could draw another without compromising things. That’s surely fairer to all than this crap system?
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OK but how would you organise the draw? You can't extend the dates as they are no free midweeks until late April
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

Banana said:
The League Cup was previous seeded in Round Two when it was two-legged. None of us complained about the chance of drawing a Division One team back then!

Now all of sudden it's a criminal offence and no doubt organised by the FIFA president.
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But everyone was in round 2 and a small club got a chance of glory against the big boys. Now they come in at round 3 even though no European games have been played yet, and it’s just completely weighted in favour of the big clubs, even ensuring that a minnow don’t get the financial benefits of a replay. It’s not FIFA though! You can blame UEFA if you like but we all know this is driven by Carabao.
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

Banana said:
OK but how would you organise the draw? You can't extend the dates as they are no free midweeks until late April
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I think the odds of two of these teams drawing one another are so small that clubs should be made to play the games at the dates set, and if an extension is necessary due to other fixtures then so be it. There used to be midweek replays in both cups. Now the bigger clubs have huge squads but play less games and then f*** off to Dubai for a weeks winter break. It can be done but it won’t because it’s easier for the big clubs to cry about fixture congestion.
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

birdy67 said:
I think the odds of two of these teams drawing one another are so small that clubs should be made to play the games at the dates set, and if an extension is necessary due to other fixtures then so be it. There used to be midweek replays in both cups. Now the bigger clubs have huge squads but play less games and then f*** off to Dubai for a weeks winter break. It can be done but it won’t because it’s easier for the big clubs to cry about fixture congestion.
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So if Liverpool are drawn against Sunderland they play on 27th April?
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

Ball numbers here if it whets anyone's appetite. Sorry if already shared at some point before today's lengthy diversion

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EFL Cup 2026/27

Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough
Manchester United v Brighton
Manchester City v Norwich
Sunderland v Hull
Ipswich v Arsenal
Coventry v Aston Villa
Bournemouth v Lincoln
Liverpool v Tottenham
Chelsea or Luton v Leeds
Millwall v Newcastle
Fleetwood v Sheffield United
Everton v Wolves
Leyton Orient v Bradford
Reading v Brentford
Peterborough v Barnsley
West Ham v Fulham or AFC Wimbledon
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

Chelsea v Leeds
West Ham v Fulham

Now to wait and see who plays on which of the 4 nights
Tue 8 Wed 9
Tue 15 Wed 16 maybe Thu 17
Maybe 5 if Police refuse both Manchester clubs playing on Weds 16th
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

19 of the 20 PL sides are still in the Cup
It helps that 9 of them had byes

The only team knocked out
Nottm Forest
By another PL team
 

EFL Cup 2026/27

What a ridiculous schedule

So Sky just randomly decide matches over all of the 4 nights (apart from Wed 15th all CL clubs) with Man C on the 5th night which does make sense

Matches which could have been played either week are now as follows

Tue 8th
Milwall v Newcastle
Leyton Orient v Bradford
Wed 9th
Chelsea v Leeds
Everton v Wolves

Tue 15th
West Ham v Fulham
Reading v Brentford
Fleetwood v Sheff U
Peterborough v Barnsley
 
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